GDP Data to Test S&P 500 Rebound as US Dollar, Yields Threaten to Bounce Back

 | Apr 24, 2024 08:44

Stocks finished the day higher, with the S&P 500 up 1.2%, following yesterday’s advance. So far, the rally has been relatively ordinary and boring. It appears to be bouncing in ordinary negative gamma fashion, with these rallies emerging out of thin air. However, that will likely start changing as we go through the rest of the week, especially as we get more data; it seems likely that rates and US dollar will return from vacation.

We get the 5-year Treasury auction today, which could be a non-event but still needs to be watched. Yesterday’s 2-year auction was a non-event for the most part. But by Thursday, when the GDP data starts to come out, we could see rates begin to move, which is important.

Generally speaking, we have seen credit spreads retreat, giving the green light to equities to bounce. Now, spreads have to continue to contract for stocks to rally, which is possible through the end of the day today. But if the data for the GDP comes in more in line with the Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow model of 2.9% and above consensus median estimates for 2.5%, then there is a good chance that rates and the dollar will start to move higher, which will lead to spreads starting to widen.