In our latest publication, we highlighted that the U.S. economy is potentially at a tipping point where financial conditions are set to tighten as inflation continues to fall and the Fed has been too hawkish relative to economic fundamentals. We wrote: Since July 11th – when U.S. CPI inflation data showed price pressure continues toContinueContinue reading “Rotation Within and Across Asset Class”
Tag Archives: recession
The Landing: View from the Cockpit
Two years ago, when inflation started to accelerate across the developed world and central banks were expected to hike policy rates, global macro strategists saw dark clouds on the horizon that the global economy will have to pass through. The last time inflation went out of control was in the late 1970’s, which coincided withContinueContinue reading “The Landing: View from the Cockpit”
Softer But Not Soft: 7 Top-of-mind Risks for 2024 and What to Do About It
It is only one month to go before 2023 official ended and the U.S. economy is turned out to be much more resilient than we previously thought at the beginning of the year. Consumer spending continues to be significantly above pre-pandemic trend, even after adjusting for inflation, and both unemployment rate and jobless claims remainContinueContinue reading “Softer But Not Soft: 7 Top-of-mind Risks for 2024 and What to Do About It”
The Big Picture: Economic Cycle and Market Mean-reversion
The structural decline in long-term yields since 1980 until the covid-19 pandemic had been accompanied by investors complaining that the search of attractive investment opportunities was becoming more difficult over time. The decline in borrowing cost also has a significant ramification for global investors, including boosting stock buyback amid lack of investment opportunities, breeding ofContinueContinue reading “The Big Picture: Economic Cycle and Market Mean-reversion”
Assessing U.S. Consumers’ Health, Crisis in the East, and Repricing the Cost of Capital
The resurgence of the long end of the yield curve back to the high in October 2022 has puzzled many strategists and investors. Compared to last year when CPI inflation was at 8.3% y/y and the Fed was barely halfway through its monetary policy tightening cycle, CPI inflation today has fallen to 3.2% y/y (July)ContinueContinue reading “Assessing U.S. Consumers’ Health, Crisis in the East, and Repricing the Cost of Capital”
Fundamentals vs Market Pricing
The combination of declining inflation and easing labor market condition has so far been interpreted by the market as signs that the U.S. economy will be able to stage a soft landing – a softening in growth without significant pick up in unemployment – before a new cycle begins. The equity market is disregarding theContinueContinue reading “Fundamentals vs Market Pricing”
Cyclical/Defensive Stocks Are Pointing to a Bottom in Manufacturing Activities. Are We Entering a New Cycle?
In June Bank of Canada unexpectedly raise its policy rate by 25 bps, defying the expectations that Canadian policymakers are done with their rate-hiking campaign. Investors learned that after a well-telegraphed “pause” central banks could again tighten the screw. Yields across the developed world surged following the BoC’s decision. Meanwhile, in the U.S. Fed ChairmanContinueContinue reading “Cyclical/Defensive Stocks Are Pointing to a Bottom in Manufacturing Activities. Are We Entering a New Cycle?”
Being Defensive: Early or Simply Wrong?
One valuable suggestion my former boss gave me when I started writing macro research note was to imagine myself standing one year in the future, looking back to the events that have transpired since and asking yourself if it should have been more obvious. The regional banking crisis back in March is one of thoseContinueContinue reading “Being Defensive: Early or Simply Wrong?”
Into the Wild: The Known Unknowns
“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so” – Mark Twain I think the quote above sums up beautifully the blind spot we and other strategists may have amid the current late phase of the business cycle. After all, few, if any,ContinueContinue reading “Into the Wild: The Known Unknowns”
Bank Failure Is Only One of Many Symptoms of Tight Monetary Conditions
When I was working as a junior doctor many years ago, one of my professors always stresses the importance of determining the cause (etiology) of a disease rather than simply alleviating the patient’s symptoms. The collapse of SVB in March and the associated ripples to other regional banks are one of the many symptoms ofContinueContinue reading “Bank Failure Is Only One of Many Symptoms of Tight Monetary Conditions”
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