Check Out THE Number to Watch for Market Direction

So says David Sterman (www.StreetAuthority.com)  in edited excerpts from an article* which Lorimer Wilson, editor of www.munKNEE.com (It’s all about Money!), has further edited ([  ]), abridged (…) and reformatted below  for the sake of clarity and brevity to ensure a fast and easy read. Please note that this paragraph must be included in any article re-posting to avoid copyright infringement. Sterman goes on to say:

2% GDP Growth Says…

2% GDP growth is below the rate seen in most years since World War II (GDP growth has averaged around 3.2% since then). At a rate of 2% growth, concerns arise that the economy is on a weak foundation and could eventually slip into recession. As a result, executives of a typical large company tend to hold off on any hiring plans. This helps explain why the unemployment rate remains above 9%, even though the recession ended two years ago. With unemployment at high levels, consumers remain insecure, holding off on discretionary purchases of things like new cars, new clothes and entertainment.

Right about now, the economic picture looks quite challenged. Recent consumer confidence surveys have scored among the lowest readings since World War II… suggesting that poor confidence or generalized ‘uncertainty’ is a, or even the, key barrier to economic recovery.

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Look at the number of net new jobs created during the past nine months.

Hiring has clearly slowed, and economists now think the U.S. economy grew just 2% in the second quarter, down from forecasts of 2.5% to 3.0% issued just a month or two ago. If this trend continues, then the stock market has nowhere to go but down.

3% GDP Growth Says…

Some economists, however, think the economy has only hit a temporary rough patch. They suggest the ripple effects of the crisis in Japan were felt around the world because many companies temporarily stopped receiving important sub-components from their Japanese suppliers. Japanese factories are now back in action and parts are being shipped to key customers. These same economists think the hiring spurt seen in March, April and May will eventually create a virtuous cycle where new hires increase their consumer spending, leading companies to hire yet more workers to meet that demand.

If executives see GDP growth is trending back up toward the 3% mark, then they’ll be inspired to start hiring anew, giving the entire economy the fuel it needs to rev up. Investors would respond in kind, looking ahead to what sales and profits would look like in a year or two for companies that benefit from a more robust economy.

Here’s the math you need to know:

• 2% GDP growth likely means most companies will boost sales in the 5% to 8% range and profit growth by about 10% — at best. This is too low to justify the stock market’s current value, which, as I discussed in this article, stands at about 13 times projected 2011 profits.
• 3% growth is a completely different story. At that pace, corporate sales would likely rise by 10% or more, and profits may grow in the 15% to 20% range — if history is any guide. With this kind of profit growth, investors would become much more bullish and send stocks higher.

Conclusion

If you are going to track just one item in the U.S. economy, make it GDP. If you hear of further weakness in the next quarter or two, then you should expect a tougher stock market in the months ahead. If you hear the recent weakness was merely temporary, then you should turn more bullish.

*http://www.www.istockanalyst.com/finance/story/5284004/the-one-number-that-predicts-a-bull-or-bear-market

Editor’s Note:

• The above article consists of reformatted edited excerpts from the original for the sake of brevity, clarity and to ensure a fast and easy read. The author’s views and conclusions are unaltered.
• Permission to reprint in whole or in part is gladly granted, provided full credit is given as per paragraph 2 above.

GDP