The 11.2% July durable goods orders surge sharply exceeded estimates, following gains of 7.7% (was 7.6%) in June and 15.1% in May, led by increases of 35.6% for transportation after a 19.7% (was 20.0%) June rise, and a 30.0% rise for defense after a -16.7% (was -16.8%) June decline. Excluding transportation, orders rose 2.4% in July, following a 4.0% (was 3.3%) June gain.
The huge July orders gain marks a third straight monthly pop after two big pandemic drops in March and April.
For the equipment sector specifics, nondefense capital goods orders excluding aircraft were up 1.9%, following June’s 4.3% (was 3.3%) increase. Nondefense capital goods shipments ex-aircraft increased 2.4%, following the 3.8% (was 3.3%) gain in June. Inventories declined -0.5% following a -0.1% (was unchanged) June dip. The inventory-shipment ratio fell to 1.73 from 1.87.
Today‘s data may require an upward revision in our 30.5% Q3 GDP estimate. The June equipment data were revised upward while the June inventory data were revised modestly lower, leaving what appears to be net upward risk for our assumed upward Q2 GDP revision to -32.2% from -32.9%.
Today‘s report largely assures that we’ll see a GDP surge in Q3 that reverses most of the GDP decline reported in Q2.
Yields cheapened a bit on the durable goods beat, with a bear steepener still the play ahead of Fed Chair Powell’s Jackson Hole speech tomorrow. Concurrently, Equity futures are gyrating in a narrow range around unchanged levels. The 30-year bond was up 4 bps to 1.435%, but has notched back to 1.423%. The 10-year also was also about 3 bps cheaper at 0.719%. The just auctioned 2-year note is up 1 bp to 0.154%.
The US Dollar headed higher after the surge in durable orders, taking EURUSD to four-session lows of 1.1772 from near 1.1790 and USDJPY to 106.42 from 106.30.
While there are still widespread expectations that the FOMC will be shifting to an average inflation strategy, some chips are being taken off the table after last week’s rally as the FOMC minutes weren’t clear on the timing of the adoption. And KC Fed’s George said “it’s too soon to try to speculate on what else might be needed other than to say the Fed is going to be very vigilant.”
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Andria Pichidi
Market Analyst
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