With the traditional post-payrolls market lull setting in, and most trading desks taking a week or two off, it will be a relatively quiet week with attention turning to inflation data with releases in the US, China, Norway & Switzerland, a key factor as central banks consider if/when to tighten in the near future. The US print will gain most attention: a strong number will validate the Fed's balance sheet unwind intentions and a potential December rate hike.
The major US release for the week comes on Friday in the form of July’s CPI. As RanSquawk notes, analysts expect the headline to come in at 1.8% YY from 1.6% last time out, while the core reading is expected to rise by 1.8% YY from 1.7% last time out. The core metric has missed expectations over the last four releases. HSBC opines that “One major reason why core inflation has softened this year has been a slowdown in the pace of increase in rents.” At its most recent decision the Federal Reserve noted that it is “monitoring inflation developments closely” while it is of the belief that “inflation will remain somewhat below 2% in near term, but stabilise around 2% in medium-term.” This is of course against a back drop of limited wage growth.
It is also worth noting that North American liquidity will be lower on Monday owing to a Canadian national holiday. Other releases of note during the week: Monday US Fed Labour Market Conditions Index (Jul) Tuesday US JOLTS Job Openings (Jun) Wednesday US Nonfarm Productivity (Q2) US Unit Labour Costs (Q2) US Wholesale Inventories (Jun) Thursday US PPI (Jul).
There will be some July China macro data released, starting with FX reserves on Monday. Chinese trade data for July is due on Tuesday, with analysts expecting the surplus to widen to USD 46.08bln from USD 42.77bln last time out. HSBC believe that “exports growth likely remained strong in July supported by still resilient external demand.” The latest Caixin manufacturing PMI gives credence to this view, as it pointed to new export orders expanding at a faster pace. On the import front HSBC expect that “import growth remained strong, supported by the broad-based nature of the economic recovery.”
In EM, there are monetary policy meetings in Mexico, Peru and the Philippines.
Other releases of note during the week: Monday Chinese FX Reserves (Jul) Tuesday Japanese Current Account (Jun) Australian NAB Business Survey (Jul) Wednesday Australian Housing Finance Data (Jun) Thursday Australian Melbourne Institute Inflation Expectations (Jul) During the week: Chinese New Yuan Loans & Money Supply Data (Jul)
US inflation, Fedspeak & China data
After a robust NFP report, focus this week turns to US inflation prints. We expect core CPI to accelerate to a 0.2% m/m clip in July, ending a four-month streak of subdued prints. We also hear from several Fed speakers, including NY Fed President Dudley. July macro data from China will also be released over the next two weeks, starting with Monday's FX reserves data. Our economists expect the July reading of activity growth to moderate from June's strong levels. CPI likely stayed flat, while PPI may continue to ease on base effects. Meanwhile, headline new credit data have likely declined, but M2 growth may rebound modestly.
The week ahead in Emerging Markets
There are monetary policy meetings in Mexico, Peru and the Philippines. Sovereign rating review in South Africa
In other data
In the US, inflation will be the main focus, but we also have non-farm productivity and unit labor costs, the monthly budget statement and several Fed speakers. In the Eurozone, a very quiet week ahead with no key data releases. We have final CPI and industrial & manufacturing production for Germany, France, Italy and Spain. In the UK, we get industrial & manufacturing production, construction output and trade balance. In Japan, we get the current account and trade balance, money supply, machine orders and PPI. In Australia, RBA Governor Lowe is due to appear before the parliamentary economic committee and we hear a speech by Assistant Governor (Financial Markets) Kent. On the data front, we receive both consumer and business sentiment and housing finance approvals. In New Zealand, focus will be on the RBNZ, though we also get the manufacturing PMI and RBNZ Governor Wheeler will also appear before Parliament Select Committee.
A detailed breakdown of the main weekly events courtesy of DB's Jim Reid
- Monday starts with Germany’s industrial production figures for June in early morning, followed by UK’s July Halifax house price index and then US’s consumer credit stats for July.
- On Tuesday, Japan’s balance of payments and trade balance figures for June will be out in early morning. Then Germany’s June trade balance, current account, export and import stats are due. France will also report its June trade balance and current account figures. Over in the US, there is the NFIB small business optimism index for July.
- Turning to Wednesday, China’s CPI and PPI for July will be out in early morning. Later on, Italy’s June industrial production figures and Bank of France’s business sentiment indicator are also due. Over in the US, there is the 2Q nonfarm productivity and unit labour costs data, June wholesale inventories as well as the MBA mortgage applications.
- For Thursday, the June industrial production and manufacturing production figures for UK and France will be out. Further, June trade balance stats for UK and Italy are also due. Over in the US, we have the July PPI data, the monthly budget statement as well as the initial jobless claims and continuing claims figures.
- On Friday, the final CPI figures for Germany, France and Italy will be released. Over in the US, CPI stats for July are also due.
Onto other events, today starts with speeches from the Fed’s Bullard and the Fed’s Kashkari, followed by the OPEC/Non-OPEC joint technical committee meeting in Abu Dhabi. Then on Thursday, the Fed’s Dudley will speak. Onto Friday, the Fed’s Kaplan and Fed’s Kashkari will also speak. Finally we'll still have earnings season continuing on both sides of the Atlantic but we're now past the peak.
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Finally, here is a table from BofA and guidance from Goldman with a breakdown of the key US events together with consensus estimtes
The key economic release this week is the CPI report on Friday. There are several scheduled speaking engagements by Fed officials this week.
Monday, August 7
- 11:45 AM St. Louis Fed President Bullard (FOMC non-voter) speaks: St. Louis Fed President James Bullard will give a speech on the U.S. economy and monetary policy at the America’s Cotton Marketing Cooperatives’ annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Audience and media Q&A is expected.
- 01:25 PM Minneapolis Fed President Kashkari (FOMC voter) speaks: Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari will participate in a moderated audience Q&A session at an event hosted by the Sioux Falls Rotary Club in South Dakota.
- 03:00 PM Consumer credit, June (consensus +$15.25bn, last +$18.41bn)
Tuesday, August 8
- 10:00 AM JOLTS job openings, June (consensus 5,700k, last 5,666k)
Wednesday, August 9
- 08:30 AM Nonfarm productivity (qoq saar), Q2 preliminary (GS +0.6%, consensus +0.7%, last flat); Unit labor costs, Q2 preliminary (GS +1.1%, consensus +1.0%, last +2.2%): We estimate non-farm productivity increased 0.6% in Q2 (qoq ar), modestly below the 0.75% average achieved during this expansion. We expect unit labor costs – compensation per hour divided by output per hour – to increase 1.1% (qoq saar).
- 10:00 AM Wholesale inventories, June final (consensus +0.6%, last +0.6%)
- 11:00 AM Cleveland Fed President Mester (FOMC non-voter) speaks: Cleveland Federal Reserve President Loretta Mester will give the keynote speech at the Community Bankers Association of Ohio’s Annual Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio.
- 01:00 PM Chicago Fed President Evans (FOMC voter) speaks: Chicago Fed President Charles Evans will discuss current economic conditions and monetary policy in a closed group interview with representatives of the press in Chicago.
- 01:30 PM San Francisco Fed President Williams (FOMC non-voter) speaks: San Francisco Fed President John Williams will give a speech titled "Monetary Policy's Role in Fostering Sustainable Growth" in Las Vegas, Nevada. Audience and media Q&A is expected.
Thursday, August 10
- 08:30 AM PPI final demand, July (GS flat, consensus +0.1%, last +0.1%); PPI ex-food and energy, July (GS +0.1%, consensus +0.2%, last +0.1%); PPI ex-food, energy, and trade, July (GS +0.2%, consensus +0.2%, last +0.2%): We estimate that headline PPI was flat in July, reflecting a modest rise in core producer prices offset by a decline in gasoline margins and energy prices. We estimate PPI ex-food, energy, and trade services rose by 0.2%. In the June report, PPI exceeded expectations as higher-than-expected food and core prices excluding trade services more than offset a retracement in the volatile trade services category.
- 08:30 AM Initial jobless claims, week ended August 5 (GS 245k, consensus 240k, last 240k); Continuing jobless claims, week ended July 29 (consensus 1,960k, last 1,968k): We estimate initial jobless claims rebounded 5k to 245k in the week ended August 5. Initial claims can be particularly volatile around this time of year due to annual auto plant shutdowns, and we expect a rebound in these factory closures to boost claims for this week. Additionally, we expect a rebound from depressed levels of jobless claims in California. Continuing claims – the number of persons receiving benefits through standard programs – have trended up recently after falling sharply in the first four months of the year.
- 10:00 AM New York Fed President Dudley (FOMC voter) speaks: New York Fed President William Dudley will give opening remarks at an “Economic Press Briefing on Wage Inequality in the Region” held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Audience and media Q&A is expected.
- 02:00 PM Monthly budget statement, July (consensus -$55.5bn, last -$90.2bn)
Friday, August 11
- 08:30 AM CPI (mom), July (GS +0.20%, consensus +0.2%, last flat); Core CPI (mom), July (GS +0.21%, consensus +0.2%, last +0.1%); CPI (yoy), July (GS +1.8%, consensus +1.8%, last +1.6%); Core CPI (yoy), July (GS +1.8%, consensus +1.7%, last +1.7%): We expect a 0.21% increase in July core CPI (mom sa), which would be its fastest pace since January and would produce a one tenth increase in the year-over-year rate (to +1.8%). Our forecast reflects a boost from the second California tobacco tax increase of the year – a roughly US$2 per pack increase effective July 1 – as well as stabilization in used car prices, and mean reversion in airfares, apparel, and lodging following recent weakness. We also expect a reprieve from cell phone plan disinflation in the communication category, as a price hike for some T-Mobile plans is likely to offset new discounts offered by a few smaller pre-paid carriers. We also expect an above-trend increase in education prices, reflecting firming college tuition inflation indicated by press reports and university budget summaries. We estimate a 0.2% rise in headline CPI, reflecting rising food prices but a modest decline in energy prices. This would be consistent with the year-over-year rate rising two-tenths to 1.8%.
- 09:40 Dallas Fed President Kaplan (FOMC voter) speaks: Dallas Federal Reserve President Robert Kaplan will take part in a moderated Q&A session at the sixth annual CPE day hosted by the University of Texas at Arlington’s Accounting Department. Audience and media Q&A is expected.
- 11:30 AM Minneapolis Fed President Kashkari (FOMC voter) speaks: inneapolis Federal Reserve President Neel Kashkari will participate in a moderated audience Q&A session at the Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota’s annual convention in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Source: BofA, DB, Goldman