VCR News and Press, Vanguard Consumer Discretion From 08/30/23

2023-08-30 02:20:00 ET Summary Retailers are preparing for Halloween sales earlier than ever, in part due to concerns about a downturn in consumer spending. At least two large retailers have had Halloween merchandise available since July. We see clear signs of premeditated dec...

2023-08-28 11:39:52 ET Summary Consumer discretionary sector predicted to enter bear market due to macroeconomic headwinds. Resumption of student loan payments on Oct. 01, 2023 could impact market. Other factors include skyrocketing credit card debt and debt servicing as a per...

2023-08-24 03:00:00 ET Summary It might be time for investors to focus less on what consumers want and more on what they need. Consumer discretionary stocks have trounced consumer staples thus far in 2023. In our view, that tide looks ready to turn. Overweighting consumer disc...

2023-08-23 21:05:00 ET Summary A rising Yield Curve is what we are seeing today. The turn higher began after hitting what appears to be the low point,-1.89%, on May 4, 2023. Consensus opinion is that investing is all about calling the bottom in the S&P 500 or some other asset ...

2023-08-23 12:15:00 ET Summary Trucking Tonnage Index, a relatively volatile economic indicator, remains in a rising trend. Parking lots at malls are as full during the week as they are on the weekends. Perhaps weekends are more packed, but it doesn’t seem by much. Real...

2023-08-22 12:15:00 ET Summary Adjusted for inflation, Real Retail Sales and Real Personal Income reflect economic activity that is rising more than the impact of inflation. Demand for goods and services is responsible for many corporations raising guidance and expanding facilitie...

2023-08-22 05:30:00 ET Summary Chairman Powell keeps reassuring us that the Fed is "data-dependent," but what do they do if some data is unclear or even flawed? There is a conflict between the ADP jobs data and the Labor Department's "seasonally adjusted" jobs data. In recent mont...

2023-08-16 01:19:00 ET Summary Retail sales, including at food services and drinking places, jumped 0.7% in July from June. The growth in retail sales came despite a sharp decline of inflation in the goods that retailers sell. The three-month moving average of retail sales ros...

2023-08-15 23:12:00 ET Summary Retail sales provided another upside data surprise and indicates a 3% annualised GDP growth rate is possible for the third quarter. However, higher consumer borrowing costs, reduced credit availability, the exhausting of pandemic-era savings and the ...

2023-08-15 10:07:16 ET Jefferies' equity research team upgraded its year-end S&P 500 ( SP500 ) target on Tuesday morning as the financial institution noted tailwinds from easing inflation, positive economic surprises and earnings downgrades that have faded. “Our new base ...