Weekly Focus: U.S. Inflation, Retail Sales and Powell

The S&P 500 futures have edged up 0.2% this week to 6,010 points, marking a record high for the fourth consecutive day. This continued "Trump rally" is now approaching the extreme resistance zone at 6,100-6,200 points, leaving limited room for upside. Historically, November and December have been among the most robust months for the U.S. stock market, with average gains of 1.75%, while January historically delivers the strongest monthly returns, averaging 4.25%. Should these patterns hold, the S&P 500 could see further gains of up to 7.75%, potentially reaching 6,500 by early 2025. However, a correction may be necessary to solidify the rally’s foundation, as pushing higher without a breather could create unstable conditions.

From a technical perspective, surpassing resistance at 6,010-6,030 points would likely lead to the extreme target range of 6,100-6,200. Holding above these levels could prompt the index to stretch toward 6,500-6,600. However, these levels represent a significant overbought zone and could trigger a substantial correction.

Large investors are showing continued support for the rally. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) saw inflows of $3.4 billion last week, recovering from outflows of $1.4 billion the previous week. On the macroeconomic side, October’s inflation and retail sales data may briefly temper the rally but are unlikely to disrupt it. Inflation is projected at 2.4% YoY and 0.2% MoM, with producer prices expected to rise to 2.3% YoY, signaling stable but moderate price growth.

In addition, Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s upcoming address is anticipated to outline the Fed’s monetary stance under the newly elected administration, potentially reinforcing the stock market's upward momentum. Strong Q3 earnings results in the U.S. and Trump’s promises of corporate tax cuts provide further corporate incentives for the rally to persist.

From a technical standpoint, the outlook for the S&P 500 index has been unchanged. The benchmark has surpassed primary targets at 5700-5800 points and restarted the rally toward the 6100-6200 extreme targets. The next resistance lies at 6010-6030 points with a perspective to continue up to 6100-6200 points.

In the commodities market, Brent crude oil prices are hovering around $74.00 per barrel. With a favourable upside period for oil prices all eyes now are on Donald Trump and his actions. The clash between Iran and Israel is seems to less bothering traders now. The nearest resistance is at $78.00-80.00, while the support is at $70.00-72.00 per barrel.

Gold prices have passed the resistance at $2,710-$2,730 per troy ounce and retreated by 3.1% to $2,696. If they manage to rise above $2,710-2,730 per ounce once again the rally towards $2,870-2,890, with potential highs of $3,200-$3,300 per ounce may resume.

In the currency market, the Dollar rose by 1.0% last week, with the EURUSD closing down at 1.07180. The oversold pressure is mounting dramatically, while the Dollar continues to strengthen. Possible upward correction may occur as markets weigh Trump's potential inflation-boosting policies.