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Published by Raymond James & Associates Jeffrey D. Saut, Chief Investment Strategist, (727) 567-2644, Jeffrey.Saut@RaymondJames.com Scott J. Brown, Ph.D., (727) 567-2603, Scott.J.Brown@RaymondJames.com Andrew Adams, CFA, CMT, (727) 567-4807, Andrew.Adams@RaymondJames.com March 28, 2018 A Monthly Chart Presentation and Discussion Pulling Together the Disciplines of Economics, Fundamentals, Technical Analysis, and Quantitative Analysis What Investors Have Learned Since the Last Bull Market [This Space Intentionally Left Blank] International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863

Contents Market Review with Jeffrey Saut... 3 Economic & Market Update... 9 Economic Review with... 10 Important Disclosures... 26 Please note: due to Andrew s travel schedule and the recent volatility, Stock Trends/Quantitative Analysis does not appear in this edition of, but will return next month. International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 2

Jeffrey Saut Structural Bull Markets The green areas are what structural, or secular, bull markets look like. On average they last 14+ years and tend to compound returns at 15%+. We don t think it is any different with the current secular bull market. Source: Bloomberg, FactSet, Raymond James Research. International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 3

Jeffrey Saut As Can be Seen From 1982 2000, Secular Bull Markets Tend to Have Three Legs to Them Source: Thechartstore.com. International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 4

Jeffrey Saut Second Leg Longest and Strongest We think the first leg of this secular bull market began on October 10, 2008 when 92.6% of all stocks traded made new annual lows. Sure, the major averages went lower into the March 2009 lows because the Financials kept going lower, but the majority of stocks bottomed in October 2008. We believe the second leg began in February 2016 and it should be the longest and strongest. Source: FactSet, Raymond James Research. International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 5

Jeffrey Saut Third Leg Speculative Leg When the second leg ends is unknowable, but when it does the stock market should go into an upside consolidation just like it did between May 2015 and February 2016. Subsequently, it should break out to the upside and begin the third leg, or speculative leg. For the record, in the 1982 to 2000 secular bull market, the third leg began in late 1994 and lasted into the spring of 2000. Source: Thechartstore.com. International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 6

Jeffrey Saut Bigger Than the 1982 2000 Run Using 20-year rolling returns shows when the 1982 2000 secular bull market ended, the D-J Industrial Average had returned 18.14% per year. As of July of last year, the Dow had returned 7.47% for the same 20-year rolling timeframe. If we are right about this secular bull market being bigger than the 1982 2000 run, the stock market has a lot further to go. Source: Thechartstore.com. International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 7

Jeffrey Saut Bottoming Process Not Complete Despite our conviction that this secular bull market has years left to run, after recent action, it appears the bottoming process is not complete. We had thought the S&P 500 s pullback was over with the under-cut low of February 9 (~2533) and said that low should not be retested. Well, after last week it looks like it will be retested. Over the weekend, we received this excellent summation of the stock market recent gyrations from our friend and portfolio manager Craig White of the HugganWhite Wealth Management firm. To wit: Has the market become a sick patient with viral implications or is it still suffering from indigestion due to the adverse surfeit of unsettling headlines? Certainly the health of the market has come under question again this week, as the latest executive memo signed by Donald Trump imposing a $60 billion retaliatory tariff on certain Chinese imports triggered another round of intense selling pressure. Despite the mid-day attempt amongst the bulls to regain some positive momentum, the selloff intensified into the close and a number of technical support levels were violated. Thursday s tape action was indeed the second worst for 2018 with the Industrials losing 2.93%, the S&P 500 falling 2.52%, and the NASDAQ and Russell 2000 shedding 2.43% and 2.24%. The marginal pick up in volume reveals that selling has intensified, with final data showing that 90% of total volume on the NYSE was to the downside. New highs were anemic as expected, while lows were again elevated at 116 (of note, this reading is still substantially lower than the 479 witnessed on February 6 th ). Treasury yields also closed lower with the 10-year settling in at 2.83%, now 10 basis points off of the failed move to 2.94% of Wednesday s FOMC announcement. Evidently, the 2019 and 2020 dot plot expectations are being overlooked at this juncture, a tact we would agree with as Fed member expectations for two years hence should be viewed with caution. From a technical perspective, equity markets are still working through the bottoming process that began in early February and have since been digesting the onslaught of news with fits of optimism, followed by uncomforting pessimism. Between the early February trading lows and the recovery highs of March 9th, the 200-point trading range has both the bears and the bulls looking for a diagnosis as to where the next sustainable trend lies. the choppy pattern we have witnessed continues to fall within the expectation of a consolidating market thus far. we would advise patience and diligence at this time and remind investors to follow the underlying fundamentals, not policy. As Raymond James Washington Policy analyst Ed Mills states, While these headlines represent an increase in the policy headwinds coming out of D.C., we are reminded that in our experience almost all policy outcomes are never as bad as you fear, nor as good as you hope. Sage advice indeed. Ultimately, we believe the foundation that has served this bull market will once again move to the fore when this indigestion subsides. Supporting this are robust earnings with 2018 EPS projected to grow at 19%, valuations that are becoming increasingly more attractive at a 17x forward multiple, and the threat of a yield curve inversion muted for the bulk of 2018 at this time. Thus, the volatility that was effectively non-existent throughout 2017 should be viewed as an opportunity to increase equity exposure, in particular near lower price levels of this developing support/resistance channel as mentioned above. International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 8

Economic & Market Update Equity Markets/Technical Analysis Monetary Policy, Inflation, FX U.S. Economy Global Economy Market Outlook The recent retest of the February lows came as a surprise, but despite this, we have NOT registered a Dow Theory sell signal. The market looks set for a double-bottom or W formation. Similar patterns occurred in the fall of 2015 and March of 2016 and both led to rallies. Indicators point to oversold condition. S&P 500 Earnings Current 1Q18 estimated growth rate for S&P 500 is 17.2% vs. 11.3% on December 31, 2017. 10 sectors have higher growth rates today (vs. 12/31/17) led by Energy. S&P 500 Earnings estimates* 2018 - $156.05, 2019 - $172.49 Current P/E: 2018 17.0x, 2019 15.4x Estimates and valuations both largely unchanged from this time last month. S&P 500 Key support: 200-day moving average Key resistance: 20-day moving average Sectors Overweight: Information Technology, Financials, Health Care, Industrials, Energy Equal Weight: Consumer Discretionary, Materials Underweight: Consumer Staples, Utilities, Real Estate, Telecom Source: FactSet, Raymond James Research. FOMC Policy Meeting (March 21) The Federal Open Market Committee raised the federal funds target by 25 basis points to 1.50-1.75%. The dots in the dot plot edged slightly higher, which likely reflected the departure of Janet Yellen. The policy statement acknowledges that consumer spending and business fixed investment have moderated, but adds that the economic outlook has strengthened in recent months. That last phrase is important, as policy decisions are not driven by the economic data directly, but by what the data imply for the economic outlook - and the outlook has been boosted, in the Fed s view, by fiscal policy (tax cuts, increased government spending). Consumer Price Index/Producer Price Index: CPI (March 13) The CPI was up 2.2% y/y. Exfood& energy, the CPI rose 1.8% y/y same as February. Real average earnings growth remain weak year-over-year, suggesting some restrain on consumer spending power (although reduced tax withholding left most workers with greater takehome pay in February). PPI (March 15) New core PPI figure rose 0.4% in February, following a similar gain in January (+2.7% y/y).the PPI ex-food, energy, & trade services is considered the new core measure. That s not because food, energy, and trade services don t count. Rather, these components are volatile and we re interested in the underlying trend. Exchange rates (March 28) EUR/USD... $1.235 GBP/USD... $1.410 USD/JPY... 106.13 USD/CAD... $1.291 3 rd Estimate 4Q17 GDP (Bureau of Economic Analysis) 4Q17 GDP growth was revised to 2.9% (median forecast +2.7%) vs. the 2 nd estimate at 2.5%. Slight upward revisions to consumer spending and business fixed investment; inventories rose somewhat faster, adding to the overall growth estimate. The advance economic indicators for February had mixed implications for the 1Q18 GDP growth estimate wider trade deficit (negative)/faster pace to inventory growth (positive). Retail Sales (Census Bureau) Disappointing. Retail sales were weaker than expected in February (-0.1% vs. median forecast: +0.3%), with mixed revisions to December and January. Auto sales fell 0.9%, consistent with the decline in unit sales reported by the various automakers. Industrial Production (Federal Reserve) Stronger than expected (+1.1% vs. median forecast of +0.3%), but a more moderate pace when you take January and February together. February Employment Report (Bureau of Labor Statistics) Nonfarm payrolls rose more than expected (+313K vs. +200K forecast). Fed sees this as beyond sustainable only need 100K jobs/ month to absorb new entrants into labor market. Avg. Hourly Earnings (AHE) rose by only 0.1% vs. forecast of +0.2%. Bank of England Monetary Policy Decision (March 22) The MPC voted 7-2 to keep the Bank Rate steady (at 0.5%). The BOE noted that the steady absorption of slack has reduced the degree to which it is appropriate for the MPC to accommodate an extended period of inflation above the target. A May rate increase is widely expected. ECB Monetary Policy Decision (March 8) As expected, the ECB left short-term interest rates unchanged and did not alter its asset purchase program. The statement removed a phrase indicating that the ECB could increase asset purchases if the economic outlook or financial conditions deteriorated, but ECB President Draghi included the phrase in his opening statement. If the outlook becomes less favourable, or if financial conditions become inconsistent with further progress towards a sustained adjustment in the path of inflation, we stand ready to increase the asset purchase programme (APP) in terms of size and/or duration. Bank of China/Bank of Japan BOJ continues asset purchase/ interest rates around 0%. Chinese government officials say monetary policy should remain prudent and neutral. *S&P 500 earnings estimates are bottom-up operating earnings as of 3/22/18 market close, provided by Standard & Poor s. International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 9

The Economy in Brief The economic data reports for January and February were mixed, but generally soft. That s not unusual following a strong quarter (while GDP rose at a 2.5% annual rate in the 2 nd estimate for 4Q17, Private Domestic Final Purchases, a better measure of underlying demand, rose at a 4.6% pace, partly reflecting a rebound from hurricane effects). Weather may have been a factor in early 2018. More importantly, expectations for GDP growth in the remainder of the year remain strong. President Trump s decision to impose a 25% tariff on steel imports and a 10% tariff on aluminum may help to save some jobs in these industries, but will hurt firms (and workers) that use these inputs (autos, aircraft, machinery, construction, etc.). While a broader trade war may be unlikely, it is a possibility, leading to disruptions in supply chains, higher input costs, and greater uncertainty in global investment. As anticipated, Fed policymakers raised short-term interest rates in March. The policy statement recognized that economic data have moderated, but the economic outlook has strengthened in recent months. Most Fed officials are split between 2 or 3 more hikes this year. International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 10

Economic Outlook Key Themes Fiscal Stimulus vs. Labor Market Constraints Recent data and outlook Mixed, but generally soft figures for January and February Expectations for growth remain relatively robust Tax Cuts and added spending Tax withholding fell (higher take-home pay) in February Government spending to add somewhat to growth in 2018 and 2019 Labor Market Currently at, near, or a bit beyond full employment Growth in nonfarm payrolls should slow as the job market tightens Population growth is slower and (legal) immigration is likely to be cut in half Faster wage growth could lead to more efficient allocation of labor Federal Reserve Policy Policymakers are expected to be a bit more hawkish in 2018 The risks of a monetary policy error are rising Outlook and Risks Moderate growth outlook (limited by job market constraints) Upside potential (stronger wage growth, stronger global economy) Downside risks (interest rates, trade war, geopolitical shock) Limited scope for a policy response, if needed International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 11

The Fed Expects GDP Growth to be Moderately Strong in 2018-2019, but Slowing to Trend (<2%) Later International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 12

The Unemployment Rate is Seen Moving Nearly a Full Percentage Point Below the Long-Term Equilibrium International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 13

Inflation is Expected to Pick Up, Moving a Bit Above the Fed s 2% Target in 2019-2020 International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 14

The Dots Shifted a Bit Higher From December, With Most Officials Split Between Three and Four Rate Hikes in 2018 International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 15

Fed Policy Outlook Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in January indicates that the labor market has continued to strengthen and that economic activity has been rising at a moderate rate. Job gains have been strong in recent months, and the unemployment rate has stayed low. Recent data suggest that growth rates of household spending and business fixed investment have moderated from their strong fourth-quarter readings... Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability. The economic outlook has strengthened in recent months. The Committee expects that, with further gradual adjustments in the stance of monetary policy, economic activity will expand at a moderate pace in the medium term and labor market conditions will remain strong. Inflation on a 12-month basis is expected to move up in coming months and to stabilize around the Committee's 2 percent objective over the medium term. Near-term risks to the economic outlook appear roughly balanced, but the Committee is monitoring inflation developments closely. International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 16

Trade Policy Economists disagree on a lot of issues, but there is one thing on which all agree and that is the benefits of trade. In a recent survey of economists from across the political spectrum, all disagreed (65% strongly ) with the notion that Imposing new US tariffs on steel and aluminum will improve Americans welfare. Some jobs may be saved in the steel industry, but higher costs will hurt industries that use steel and there are a lot more workers in industries that use steel than produce it. There is some fear that we could see a wider trade war develop. Retaliatory tariffs against U.S. goods, supply chain disruptions, higher input costs, increased global investment uncertainty, and dollar volatility would all be negative factors for the U.S. economy. The financial markets are expected to react adversely to signs of increased tensions (such as the announcement of tariffs) and favorably to signs of reduced tensions (such as the exemption for Canada and Mexico). We can expect this back-and-forth on trade policy to continue for a while, but there is a risk of more significant disruptions in the weeks and months ahead. That s not good. International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 17

Imports Surged in the Fourth Quarter of 2017, Partly Reflecting a Rebound From Hurricane Effects in 3Q17 International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 18

Retail Sales Growth Has Softened in Recent Months, but That is Likely to Prove Temporary International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 19

Job Growth Has Remained Strong International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 20

Real Wage Growth Has Been Relatively Weak International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 21

Orders For Capital Equipment Slowed Into Early 2018 International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 22

Housing Data Are Choppy, but the Trend is Higher International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 23

Economic Indicator Status Comments Growth Employment Consumer Spending Business Investment Manufacturing Housing and Construction Inflation Monetary Policy Long-Term Interest Rates Fiscal Policy The Dollar Rest of the World The economy got off to a mixed, but generally lackluster, start to 2018, but much of that may be weather. Near-term expectations of growth remain strong, but labor market constraints are expected to restrain GDP growth into 2019. Nonfarm payrolls have continued to expand at a strong pace in early 2018, with overall labor market conditions growing tighter. Retail sales were soft in January and February. Real hourly earnings have risen meagerly year-over-year, but tax withholding fell in February and gasoline prices have edged somewhat lower. Business optimism remains strong. Corporate tax cuts ought to be supportive (but most of that will show up as share buybacks and dividend increases). A strong global economy has helped. A strong February following weather-related weakness in January (a moderate pace if you average the two months). A strong global economy is helping exports. The combination of strong housing demand and continued supply constraints have pushed prices higher. Affordability is expected to remain an ongoing issue. Commodity price pressures, while higher, are moderate. There are no bottleneck constraints in production. Wage pressures are likely to pick up somewhat as the job market tightens further. The risks of a monetary policy error (moving too fast or too slow) rise in a late-cycle economy. Upcoming personnel changes add uncertainty, but the Powell Fed is expected to be more hawkish than the Yellen Fed (that is, more likely to raise rates). Inflation fears are likely overdone, as they are at the start of every year. However, the government s borrowing outlook has shifted dramatically in the last couple of months. Rising budget deficits should put upward pressure on long-term interest rates. Decreased tax withholding should support consumer spending. The recent budget agreement will boost spending this year and next. Still, there is little scope for additional action should the economy stumble (later this year or in 2019). Tighter Fed policy is usually dollar positive, but the strengthening global economy has led to greater capital flows away from the U.S. A wider federal budget deficit is also a negative. The global economic growth outlook is strong, but trade policy missteps and uncertainty have the potential to restrain world growth. International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 24

Key Calendar Dates March 28 March 29 March 30 April 2 April 6 April 9 April 10 April 11 Real GDP (4Q17, 3rd estimate) Personal Income and Spending (February) Good Friday Holiday (markets closed) ISM Manufacturing Index (March) Employment Report (March) CBO Budget Update Producer Price Index (March) Consumer Price Index (March) FOMC Minutes (March 20-21) April 16 April 17 Retail Sales (March) Building Permits, Housing Starts (March) Industrial Production (March) April 27 May 2 May 4 Real GDP (1Q18, advance estimate) FOMC Policy Decision (no press conference) Employment Report (April) International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 25

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Relative Strength Index (RSI) - The Relative Strength Index is a technical momentum indicator that compares the magnitude of recent gains to recent losses in an attempt to determine overbought and oversold conditions of an asset. International Headquarters: The Raymond James Financial Center 880 Carillon Parkway St. Petersburg, Florida 33716 800-248-8863 26

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