Weekly Analysis

Key Takeaways (Apr 03, 2026)

TLDR: March payrolls printing 178,000 — three times the consensus — obliterated the recession leg of the stagflation narrative just as WTI surged to $104.69, locking the Fed in a genuine policy bind: too resilient to cut on growth fears, too inflationary to cut on price stability. With a US F-15 shot down over Iran on Friday and April 6 arriving as the conflict's defining binary event, the week's partial market recovery (S&P 634→655, VIX 27→24) may be the last moment of relative calm before the resolution trade reprices every component simultaneously.

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Investment Thesis

12 data categories mapped to the 8 framework components

Rate Cuts and Fiscal Spending Support Risk Assets in 2026

1 green, 5 yellow, 2 red 6M ago Now
Split economy — business CapEx (AI/data centers) + fiscal spending drive growth, consumers squeezed by inflation + labor softening, Fed cuts under political pressure despite above-target inflation
The Fed is cutting into a growing economy with fiscal tailwinds — historically the best setup for risk assets
Component Check: 1 green, 5 yellow, 2 red
Rates
Inflation
Labor
Consumer
Credit
Fiscal
Growth
Market Signals
Watch:
New Fed Chair May 2026
2026 Midterm Elections November 2026
Tariff Trajectory Ongoing
AI Investment Cycle Ongoing

Market Signals

Asset Classes
S&P 500
AGG
VNQ
Gold
Oil
Copper
Bitcoin
S&P 500
AGG
VNQ
Gold
Oil
Copper
Bitcoin
S&P 500
AGG
VNQ
Gold
Oil
Copper
Bitcoin
S&P 500
AGG
VNQ
Gold
Oil
Copper
Bitcoin
S&P 500
AGG
VNQ
Gold
Oil
Copper
Bitcoin
S&P 500
AGG
VNQ
Gold
Oil
Copper
Bitcoin
Equity Dimensions
S&P 500
IWM
Spread
IVW
IVE
Spread
EFA
EEM
RSP
Spread
S&P 500
IWM
Spread
IVW
IVE
Spread
EFA
EEM
RSP
Spread
S&P 500
IWM
Spread
IVW
IVE
Spread
EFA
EEM
RSP
Spread
S&P 500
IWM
Spread
IVW
IVE
Spread
EFA
EEM
RSP
Spread
S&P 500
IWM
Spread
IVW
IVE
Spread
EFA
EEM
RSP
Spread
S&P 500
IWM
Spread
IVW
IVE
Spread
EFA
EEM
RSP
Spread
Sector Rotation
XLY
XLF
XLU
XLP
Spread
XLY
XLF
XLU
XLP
Spread
XLY
XLF
XLU
XLP
Spread
XLY
XLF
XLU
XLP
Spread
XLY
XLF
XLU
XLP
Spread
XLY
XLF
XLU
XLP
Spread
Cross-Asset Signals
Cu/Au Ratio
VIX
USD/JPY
Dollar
Cu/Au Ratio
VIX
USD/JPY
Dollar
Cu/Au Ratio
VIX
USD/JPY
Dollar
Cu/Au Ratio
VIX
USD/JPY
Dollar
Cu/Au Ratio
VIX
USD/JPY
Dollar
Cu/Au Ratio
VIX
USD/JPY
Dollar
Investment Styles
MTUM
QUAL
XLU
IVE
MTUM
QUAL
XLU
IVE
MTUM
QUAL
XLU
IVE
MTUM
QUAL
XLU
IVE
MTUM
QUAL
XLU
IVE
MTUM
QUAL
XLU
IVE

Treasury Rates

Period10Y Treasury (daily)
Nominal yield
10Y Breakeven (daily)
Nominal minus TIPS
10Y TIPS Yield (daily)
Real yield (TIPS)
2Y-10Y Spread (daily)
Yield curve spread
Latest4.31% (Apr 2)2.36% (Apr 3)1.97% (Apr 2)0.51% (Apr 3)
1M4.06% (Mar 3)2.29% (Mar 3)1.77% (Mar 3)0.55% (Mar 3)
6M4.13% (Oct 3)2.33% (Oct 3)1.80% (Oct 3)0.55% (Oct 3)
1Y4.06% (Apr 3)2.28% (Apr 3)1.78% (Apr 3)0.35% (Apr 3)
2Y4.36% (Apr 3)2.36% (Apr 3)2.00% (Apr 3)-0.32% (Apr 3)
5yr Range
1.19%
4.98%
2.02%
3.02%
-1.19%
2.52%
-1.08%
1.56%
10yr Range
0.52%
4.98%
0.50%
3.02%
-1.19%
2.52%
-1.08%
1.59%
10Y Treasury Nominal yield
4.31% (Apr 2)
1M 4.06%
6M 4.13%
1Y 4.06%
2Y 4.36%
5yr 1.19%
4.98%
10yr 0.52%
4.98%
10Y Breakeven Nominal minus TIPS
2.36% (Apr 3)
1M 2.29%
6M 2.33%
1Y 2.28%
2Y 2.36%
5yr 2.02%
3.02%
10yr 0.50%
3.02%
10Y TIPS Yield Real yield (TIPS)
1.97% (Apr 2)
1M 1.77%
6M 1.80%
1Y 1.78%
2Y 2.00%
5yr -1.19%
2.52%
10yr -1.19%
2.52%
2Y-10Y Spread Yield curve spread
0.51% (Apr 3)
1M 0.55%
6M 0.55%
1Y 0.35%
2Y -0.32%
5yr -1.08%
1.56%
10yr -1.08%
1.59%

Inflation

Core PCE YoY
3.06% (Jan '26)
Overheating
0.23% vs 1M
5yr range 2.52%
5.61%
Core CPI YoY
2.47% (Feb '26)
Near Target
0.15% vs 1M
5yr range 2.47%
6.63%

Monetary Policy

Fed Funds Rate
3.64% (Mar '26)
Normal Range
flat vs 1M ago
5yr range 0.06%
5.33%
1-Year Expected Inflation
2.29% (Mar '26)
Anchored
0.30% vs 1M
5yr range 1.37%
4.23%
=
Real Fed Funds Rate
1.35% (Mar '26)
Neutral Policy
0.23% vs 1M
5yr range -3.06%
3.71%

Growth

Real-time GDP tracking

GDPNow Real-Time GDP Estimate
4.24% (Q4 '25)
Running Hot
0.76% vs 1Q
5yr range -2.73%
6.50%
Weekly Economic Index
2.82% (Mar 28)
Healthy Growth
0.04% vs 1W
5yr range 1.06%
10.57%

Labor Market

Unemployment Rate
4.40% (Feb '26)
Full Employment
0.10% vs 1M
5yr range 3.40%
5.90%
Initial Jobless Claims
210K (Mar 21)
Healthy Churn
5K vs 1W
5yr range 189K
645K
JOLTS Job Openings
6.88M (Feb '26)
Healthy Demand
0.06M vs 1M
5yr range 6.54M
12.13M

Credit Markets

BBB Corporate Bond Spread
1.09% (Apr 2)
Tight Spreads
0.02% vs 1W
5yr range 0.93%
2.10%
High Yield Spread
3.16% (Apr 1)
Normal Risk Appetite
0.01% vs 1W
5yr range 2.59%
5.99%

Money Supply

M2 × Velocity = GDP
M2 Money Supply
$22.7T (Feb '26)
$0.2T vs 1M
5yr range $20.4T
$22.7T
×
M2 Velocity
1.41 (Q4 '25)
Post-QE Normal
0.00 vs 1Q
5yr range 1.15
1.41
=
Nominal GDP
$31.4T (Q4 '25)
$0.3T vs 1Q
5yr range $24.0T
$31.4T
M2 YoY Growth
5.11% (Feb '26)
Monetary Neutral
0.84% vs 1M
5yr range -4.69%
14.44%

Consumer Health

Personal Savings Rate
4.50% (Jan '26)
Adequate Buffer
0.90% vs 1M
5yr range 2.20%
10.00%
Consumer Sentiment
56.6 (Feb '26)
Despair
0.2 vs 1M
5yr range 50.0
85.5
Credit Card Delinquency Rate
2.94% (Q4 '25)
Normal
0.04% vs 1Q
5yr range 1.53%
3.22%
Debt Service Ratio
11.32% (Q4 '25)
Manageable
0.07% vs 1Q
5yr range 10.01%
11.32%
Real Wage Growth YoY
1.35% (Q3 '25)
Keeping Pace
0.82% vs 1Q
5yr range -4.43%
2.21%

Government Fiscal Health

Total Public Debt Outstanding
$39.0T (Apr '26)
$0.2T vs 1M
5yr range $28.1T
$39.1T
Monthly Tax Receipts
$387B (Feb '26)
$113B vs 1M
5yr range $281B
$941B
Monthly Budget Deficit/Surplus
$+316B (Feb '26)
$+58B vs 1M
5yr range $-308B
$+430B
Average Interest Rate on Debt
3.35% (Feb '26)
0.01% vs 1M
5yr range 1.42%
3.42%
Debt/GDP Ratio
124.00% (Q4 '25)
Unsustainable
8.00% vs 1Q
5yr range 114.00%
124.51%