Trump adviser Kudlow calms the markets. Is now the time to buy the dip in stocks?

President Trump’s key economic adviser Larry Kudlow (pictured) jumped into action to try and soothe volatile stock markets yesterday, which were flagging at the open due to China’s announcement of retaliatory tariffs on over 100 American goods. Speaking to Fox Business, Kudlow said Trump’s tariff plans were just “the first proposals”. He added: “In the United States at least, we’re putting it out for comment, it’s going to take a couple months. I doubt if there will be any concrete action for several months.”

The statement seemed to indicate the US is flexible in its approach, and may soften tariffs. Perhaps all of this could just be Trump’s ‘art of the deal’ in action – talking tough to make China come to the negotiating table. Regardless, stocks moved up at the close after the big early selloff yesterday. The S&P500 closed up 1.15% higher. Investors took Kudlow’s words as a good thing.

Is it time to buy the dip in stocks?

It could very well be. Fear over the trading situation between America and China was a significant part of the reason why stock prices (particularly in key US indices) fell over the past month. However, now that reports seem to indicate the two nations are trying to find a way to resolve the dispute behind the scenes in private talks, it seems there is a chance that fears of a full-scale trade war may not come to fruition. Any confirmation of a cessation of hostilities over trade may prompt a surge upward for stocks, not to mention the fact that the start of the earnings season is just around the corner – another potential boon for stock market indexes.

Buying the dip in stocks ahead of the upcoming earnings season could bode well for investors, historical data from Jefferies shows. Analysts at the bank said in a note last week that the S&P500 averaged a gain of nearly 2 percent during an earnings season since 2000 when the period follows a monthly decline.  Keep this in mind as the U.S. earnings season kicks off on April 13 with J.P. Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Citigroup releasing quarterly results!