Personal Consumption Expenditures and the Stock Market
October 14, 2015 - Economic Indicators
A reader, citing the book Ahead of the Curve by Joseph Ellis, inquired about the hypothesis that consumer spending drives economic cycles and is therefore a leading indicator for the stock market. For example, Mr. Ellis presents a chart showing annual change in Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) and annual change in S&P 500 operating earnings based on quarterly data. The chart also shows bear markets for U.S. stocks. The chart discussion states: “Most bear markets begin…when the Y/Y [year-over-year] rate of growth in consumer spending is peaking… Most bear markets then proceed as (the rate of growth in) consumer spending continues to slow, and are largely over by the time recessions…are under way. Importantly, most bear markets end…when consumer spending and S&P 500 profits are at, or even prior to, their worst Y/Y comparisons.” Does PCE usefully predict stock market behavior? The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) releases seasonally adjusted, annualized total PCE monthly with a lag of about one month (Summary Table 2.85, Line 1: “Personal Income and Its Disposition, Monthly”). Using this series and monthly S&P 500 Index levels for January 1959 through August 2015 (680 months), we find that…