US10Y Testing the 1D MA50 againThe U.S. Government Bonds 10 YR Yield (US10Y) has been on a pull-back in the past 2 weeks and is close to testing the 1D MA50 (blue trend-line) again. This held last time upon contact on May 26 and constitutes the first Support. We may have a Channel Up pattern in formation and the 1D MA50 sits almost exactly on its Higher Lows (bottom) trend-line. A 1D candle close below it, could open the way for the greater and much anticipated technically correction to the 1D MA200 (orange trend-line) which is untouched since December 29 2021.
That also sits currently on the Higher Lows trend-line that started after the December 20 2021 Low. If the Channel Up is validated again though, there are currently higher probabilities to see the bullish trend extending back to the 3.500 Resistance and if the 3.0 Fibonacci extension on the Channel breaks, aim the 3.5 Fib ext level. Notice how well of a buy entry the 1D RSI's Higher Lows trend-line has been since July 16 2021.
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Bonds
The Detonation Switch to the World's Economy?***Not financial advice***
The Bank of Japan has become the majority shareholder of Japanese Bonds, sparking re-evaluation of the integrity of the asset.
A catastrophic collapse in the bond market could lead to a hyperinflationary event that sparks financial contagion worldwide.
If you can navigate the entry, then this is an opportunity for a potential gravy train ride
***Not financial advice***
How to create a real-time US real rate on TradingView US real rates drive everything in markets right now, and if they are going up then so is the USD, while equity will head lower – for context, the 1-month rolling correlation (assessed by value, not percentage) between US 10-yr real rates and the USDX sits at +0.94 – so there is an incredibly strong relationship.
This is also true of equities, where the US real rate (we deflate the 10yr Treasury for expected inflation) holds a rolling 1-month correlation with the US500 of -0.92 and NAS100 -0.89.
It sounds pedantic that one day makes a difference, but the default setting for 5 and 10yr US TIPS/real rates on TradingView, which the source a feed directly from the St Louis Fed (FRED) website – comes under the code DFII10 – as per the FRED website this, however, has a two-day lag, so the benefit to traders is reduced.
We can see the breakeven component of real rates on TradingView (10-year breakeven, or the expected US inflation rate to average over the coming 10yrs – code = T10YIE) actually holds no lag, so we can now use this to create a more up-to-date US 5 & 10-year ‘real’ Treasury rate.
So there work around - In the search function simply subtract T10YIE from the US 10yr Treasury (US10Y) and you can get a real-time real rate – type TVC:US10Y-FRED:T10YIE – this is the 10yr real rate, but you can change it to TVC:US05Y-FRED:T5YIE for the 5-year.
Higher real rates act as the true cost of capital – they are the handbrake on economic activity that the Fed need to be more cognisant of than anything. If 10yr real rates are going to 1%, and if this relationship holds, then I think the DXY re-tests the 15 June highs, although we are seeing real support for EURUSD, and the US500 likely heads to 3400 – 3200.
It's here where most see a trough in the market and where we bake in a true recession – not just a technical one, but one where we see broad-based layoffs. As it is, a recession is certainly probable, but will the economy talk itself into something far more pronounced that really impacts consumption?
The New Base Level in the VIX IndexThe VIX index is the Chicago Board Option Exchange’s CBOE Volatility Index, a popular measure of the stock market’s expected price variance of S&P 500 stocks. The S&P 500 is the most diversified of the leading stock market indices.
Higher base levels in the stock market’s volatility index
A correlation with the bond market
Markets across all asset classes face many issues in 2022
As market participants head for the sidelines, volatility increases
The buy zone for the VIX is the 20-25 level
Market volatility comes in two forms, historical and implied. Historical volatility measures a market’s past price variance, while implied volatility is the consensus perception of the future price variance. The primary determinate of call and put options is implied volatility. Options prices rise when implied volatility increases and falls when the measure declines. Options are price insurance, and market participants tend to flock to the options market during bearish periods. Therefore, implied volatility tends to rise during downside corrections. In 2022, the S&P 500 has been trending lower, and volatility has increased from the levels seen in 2021. Meanwhile, the VIX index has been trending higher since reaching a low of 8.56 in November 2017.
Higher base levels in the stock market’s volatility index
The VIX index has been trending higher over the past five years, with two significant upside spikes.
The chart highlights the spikes to 50.30 in February 2018 and 85.47 in March 2020 when the global pandemic gripped the stock market. Meanwhile, the base level for the VIX was around the 10 level from April 2018 through early 2020. In 2020 and 2021, the base rose to the 15 level, and the bottom for the VIX increased to the 20 level in 2022. In the VIX, upside price spikes tend to signal the kind of capitulation that leads to stock market bottoms. While all the leading stock market indices have been declining in 2022, the price action in the volatility index has yet to signal stocks are anywhere near the bottom.
A correlation with the bond market
Stocks and bonds compete for capital flows. As interest rates rise, money tends to flow from equities to fixed-income securities. Therefore, a falling bond market is bearish for stocks.
The trend of higher lows in the VIX is a bearish sign for stocks and bonds. In 2022, the stock market has traded like a whack-a-mole game. While making lower highs and lower lows, declines have led to rip-your-face-off rallies, confusing market participants. However, the overall bearish trends in stocks and bonds and bullish trend in the VIX index is a sign that the bear continues to dominate the markets.
Markets across all asset classes face many issues in 2022
Higher interest rates are bearish for the stock market and bullish for the volatility index. However, the markets face a lot more than higher interest rates in 2022:
The war in Ukraine creates a unique side of problems for all markets. Rising energy and food prices have pushed inflation to a four-decade high, translating to pressure on stocks and bonds. The Fed’s interest rate policies remain far behind the inflationary curve, keeping real interest rates in negative territory and fueling even more inflation.
The bifurcation between the world’s nuclear powers creates trade issues that distort prices, creating raw material shortages in some regions and gluts in others. The tensions interfere with the flow of goods worldwide.
The mid-term US elections in November will determine the balance of power in the House of Representatives and the Senate. The election will be a barometer of support for the Biden administration. Polls point to losses for the ruling party, but the electorate remains divided, with emotions high on both sides. Voters tend to vote with their pocketbooks, but there is much at stake in November.
US energy policy continues to address climate change by favoring alternative and renewable fuels and inhibiting the production and consumption of fossil fuels. The President recently said the pain of higher gasoline and fuel prices is necessary for consumers to shift to a greener path. Opponents contend that the energy shift will take decades, while supporters argue that hydrocarbons continue to power the world. The election will go a long way to deciding if the US continues its green route or shifts back to a drill-baby-drill and frack-baby-frack road to energy independence.
Russia and Ukraine export one-third of the world’s annual wheat supplies and a significant amount of corn and other agricultural products as they are Europe’s breadbasket. Higher food prices and scarce availabilities over the coming months and years could spark a period of upheaval with hungry people in less developed countries dependent on Russia and Ukraine facing famine.
These issues and the unknown are fueling uncertainty in markets across all asset classes with no solutions on the immediate horizon.
Uncertainty is the stock market’s worst enemy. While the Fed attempts to address inflation with interest rate hikes, supply-side economic issues could mean the central bank is fighting an inflationary blaze with a water gun that will only hasten a recession or worse.
As market participants head for the sidelines, volatility increases
Market participants are nervous in June 2022. The price for all goods and services continues to increase as money’s purchasing power declines. Moreover, after the stock market gains over the past two years, monthly IRA and investment account statements are eroding at an accelerated pace. As of June 16, the tech-heavy NASDAQ had lost nearly one-third of its value from the late 2021 high. The S&P 500 was down more than 22.8%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell around 17.5%. Consumer confidence has plunged, and a general disgust and malaise are settling over markets across all asset classes. Rapidly rising interest rates are making new home purchases prohibitive, even if prices come down.
Meanwhile, we are heading into the peak summer months with the stock market in whack-a-mole mode. The odds favor a retreat to the sidelines for many market participants over the coming weeks and months. Less participation causes volumes to decline, and in the current environment, will likely increase price volatility. As many traders, speculators, and investors turn off their screens and head off on vacation, bids to buy are likely to disappear during selloffs, and offers to sell will evaporate during recoveries, making rip-you-face-off rallies even more dangerous. Higher volatility will only add to frustrations over the summer of 2022.
The buy zone for the VIX is the 20-25 level
The VIX was over the 33 level on June 16, but it fell as low as 23.74 in early June. The trend of higher base levels for the volatility index increases the odds of success for purchasing the VIX futures or VIX-related products on dips to the 20-25 area.
The VIX is a trading, not an investment product. Approach the VIX with a solid risk-reward plan and stick to the program. Look for better than even odds opportunities, take small losses at risk levels, and look to increase profit horizons when the volatility index rises. When adjusting profit targets, remember to raise the risk points to levels that protect profits and capital.
The trend in the VIX is higher, and the potential for a substantial upside price spike is rising. Trading the volatility index from the long side could be the optimal approach over the coming weeks and months as the market faces significant issues and liquidity is declining.
Fasten your seatbelts as the whack-a-mole stock market could experience head-spinning moves over the coming weeks and months.
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Trading advice given in this communication, if any, is based on information taken from trades and statistical services and other sources that we believe are reliable. The author does not guarantee that such information is accurate or complete and it should not be relied upon as such. Trading advice reflects the author’s good faith judgment at a specific time and is subject to change without notice. There is no guarantee that the advice the author provides will result in profitable trades. There is risk of loss in all futures and options trading. Any investment involves substantial risks, including, but not limited to, pricing volatility , inadequate liquidity, and the potential complete loss of principal. This article does not in any way constitute an offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any investment, security, or commodity discussed herein, or any security in any jurisdiction in which such an offer would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.
My plan for deploying cash over the next six monthsNTSX is an ETF that holds 60% S&P 500, 40% leveraged bonds. This is a highly efficient portfolio composition known as "return stacking" (recently popularized on Twitter by Corey M. Hoffstein). You get the best of several worlds: the lower volatility of the 60-40 portfolio, and the higher returns offered by leverage. Since leverage is used on the relatively safer part of the portfolio (bonds rather than stocks), it doesn't add too much extra risk.
Stocks and bonds have sold off together over the last several months, creating a rare situation where there's been a large drawdown in 60-40 portfolios and in NTSX. I think there's an opportunity shaping up, but the hard part is going to be timing it. I've been sitting on a fair bit of cash for several months (you may have noticed I haven't posted much!) and am debating when to deploy it. It's likely still too early, but I think we're nearing good levels at which to deploy anywhere from a quarter to a third of it, and NTSX is a good vehicle for that. I'll likely hang onto the remainder of my cash till October.
Macroeconomic Considerations
Rates are soaring, and there's no question that will be a bit of a drag on growth. But it's offset by a strengthening dollar. The US is hiking rates faster than other developed markets, which has the dollar index soaring. A strong dollar is generally very good for US stocks. In fact, stocks usually rise as interest rates do, and it's only at the end of a rate hike cycle that we tend to see a recession.
There's probably a recession coming in the next couple years, but we're not there yet. Several parts of the yield curve recently inverted, which usually signals a recession in the next 18 months. You might think that means it's time to get defensive, but stocks often go up quite a bit after yield curve inversion and before the recession hits. (Plus, this yield curve signal has been a bit wonky, because parts of the curve are steepening while others flatten. So it's hard to know how to interpret this recent inversion.)
For the last several weeks, the Leading Economic Indicators index and the ECRI Weekly Leading Index have been steadily improving, a good sign for near-term growth. Meanwhile, commodities prices have weakened somewhat, with the GSG broad commodities ETF breaking its uptrend:
It's possible we could even see some disinflation, which would obviate the need for the Fed to get so aggressive.
There are certainly headwinds: China lockdowns, war in Ukraine, and rising US Covid cases. These headwinds need to be taken seriously. But there's also the possibility that any of these situations could suddenly improve at any time, especially if certain policymakers in Asia come to their senses. So I think it's worth having some exposure here.
Policy Considerations
So with the macro picture looking not too bad, why would I hold onto 2/3 of my cash? Because the Fed is about to start selling assets in May, including treasury and mortgage bonds. And when one of the biggest holders of assets starts selling, you probably don't want to be exposed.
Now, the market has been front-running this move for the last several months, and bonds have already have gotten a lot cheaper. It's quite possible that a lot of it is already priced in, and that we could see some counter-trend asset buying that will offset selling by the Fed. The market is also pricing in really aggressive Fed rate hikes, with a 50 basis point hike at the May meeting and 75 basis points in June. That expectation may prove to be too hawkish. The Fed's own dot-plot projections imply a somewhat slower hiking cycle than the market rate does:
www.cmegroup.com
Any dovish surprise from the Fed might cause bond prices to pop.
But I still think you want to play it somewhat conservatively here. The ten-year yield is still much too low for this level of inflation, so on balance, there's probably more downside than upside ahead for bonds.
Seasonality Considerations
Usually, May inaugurates the bullish season for stocks. But this is a mid-term election year, and mid-term election years are usually bearish from May to October. This may be an especially bearish year, because we're likely to hear a lot of talk tough from candidates about how they're going to stop inflation.
The chart shows one possible scenario for how NTSX might move between now and October. I'm envisioning mostly sideways price action through July-August, followed by a summer selloff as we approach the election. If I'm right, then NTSX might even complete a full round-trip to pre-pandemic February 2020 levels by the end of the year. If this scenario does play out, then I'd probably deploy the rest of my cash around October.
That might be the bottom, with the rate hike cycle mostly complete. Or it might be the beginning of a recession, as rate hikes cause the economy to blow up. But if it does turn out to be the start of a recession, NTSX won't be too bad a place to hide out. Stocks will go down in a recession, but bonds will likely go up as the Fed lowers rates to stabilize the market. That's part of what makes NTSX such an attractive vehicle.
Bonds Edge HigherBonds have continued their rally, with ZN piercing through the 117's to hit our target at 118'04. A brief retracement has taken us back to 117'19, which was a previous target. The Kovach OBV has steadily risen, but has since leveled off a bit, which could suggest we are due for a retracement or some ranging. We should have support at 116'20 if we retrace further. If we are able to breakout, then there is a vacuum zone to 119'01, which is our next target.
TLT bottoms in weekly hammer & divergence;but 108 still possibleTLT may have already bottomed out & the US10Y topped out with weekly hammer candles. TLT may find equilibrium at 132, my inflation pivot zone while US10Y may stabilize at 3.6% inflection point retesting its upchannel.
TLT is now completing its M-pattern & has just entered my bullish BUY ZONE at 114 to 120. DCA Dollar cost averaging up from this point presents a very good risk-to-reward ratio.
MORE DOWNSIDE? TLT may still go down to retest 108 where it bottomed multiple times in the past.
Inflation expectations are slowing & the economy is starting to contract with oil & commodities turning down last week with investors pricing in a coming recession.
Not trading advice.
5 Years of the Yield Curve
2018 - Flattening curve throughout the year with some slight inversion towards the end.
2019 - Complete inversion early in the year lasting awhile. Entire curve beginning to fall.
2020 - COVID Fed response slams the short end to the ground with the longer end having a pretty muted reaction.
2021 - Curve starts to stretch with short rates being extremely low and long rates showing pretty strong upside.
2021 - So far, the short rates have become unhooked from the 0 line and launched towards long rates. The curve has inverted again and there are no signs of slowing on the short end.
When this trendline breaks, Japan may hyperinflateJapan's central bank is buying unlimited amounts of Japanese debt in order to maintain yields around 0.25%. This ratio shows yields over the central bank's balance sheet. When this trendline breaks to the upside, it essentially means that Japanese debt is being sold faster than the central bank can buy. Japan may be going through some serious financial events very soon.
www.cnbc.com
The bank of Japan is selling US treasuries in order to buy more Japanese treasuries. This may cascade into US problem of rising interest rates and unsustainable debt levels being that Japan is the largest foreign holder.
www.bloomberg.com
US10Y Trend-Following Long! Buy!
Hello,Traders!
US10 Yield is trading in an uptrend
And the price broke an important key level
Went up and is now retesting the broken level
Which became a support, and I am bullish biased
So I think this is a good opportunity
For a trend-following long trade
Buy!
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See other ideas below too!
10 yr yield VS Inverted S&P 500It appears 10 yr yields have peaked which should be great for equities. Interestingly when you flip the S&P 500 you pretty much get the yield curve. We have seen clear inverse correlation. Oil and Nat gas also looked like they topped so I suspect peak inflation has been reached for a while and the fed may begin to pivot and either hike much less (25 bps), stop hiking, or lower the rates as rates follow bond yield. This will make for excellent tailwinds in asset markets.
Dead Cat Bounce for Bonds?Bonds have pressed higher following the Fed's 75bps rate hike. We have broken out of 115'29 back into the 116 handle, topping out at our level at 116'20. A red triangle on the KRI suggests that we are facing resistance here. We do appear to be seeing a bull wedge consolidation pattern, but the Kovach OBV has leveled off, so it is likely we will fall from here. Watch 115'29 or 115'03 for support. If we are able to break out further, the next target is 117'08.
Out The MoneynessThe 2yr yield is inverted to emphasize value rather than yield. The untethering of the DXY from the treasuries are something to watch.
There's a lot to see here. Im viewing it from the lenses of liquidity and solvency.
This is developing. The purpose of this post is to serve as a repository of notes along the way regarding this topic.
DXY shows relative strength of the dollar. But the bonds sell off seems to show it as contextually weak albeit stronger (and in this case the most liquid). I would view this more as a moment of underperforming by the least in a group of underperformers rather than outright comparative outperformance.
Notable Events since the 6/10 CPI print
Yield curve inversion along multiple points of the curve as the short end yields higher than the long end
75 bps being priced in, market wide, some stating as early as this Wednesday's announcement for June. Consensus give 95% probability for July. ~175bps being priced in with high probablility to september.
WSJ piece by Timiraos re the coming hikes.
Celsius (large cap crypto lender) becomes defacto insolvent during what looks like a bank run. Dollar withdrawals are suspended. www.washingtonpost.com
Binance briefly halts dollar withdrawals from the BTC network. One of its networks briefly down due to a "stuck transaction" twitter.com
ECB Fragmentation is popping up with increased frequency in the 10y sovereigns. Draghi's "whatever it takes" comments see the Italian 10yr sell off at a rate leading the euro area sell offs.
In the beginnings of the overnight session South Korea warns "The financial markets and economy are in critical condition." President Yoon: " The government intends to use all supply-side tools to keep inflation under control" - Yonhap
Meanwhile the BoJ amidst zero-bid scenarios on their 10y sovereigns and declares a backstop bid of 800bln yen at the next auction. The lack of liquidity in its bonds is causing havoc to the Yen. BoJ is expected to step in to defend the currency. This may have implications on its regional emerging market peers.
See Further Comments for updates.
US10Y making H&S topping pattern with long weekly hammer?US10Y TNX may be topping out. It is both a measure of economic activity & inflation expectation. So is the economy starting to slow down or is inflation slowing down shortterm? It will take years for inflation to come down. If the FED can pull inflation down to at least 4% in a soft landing, it will already be a big success. Stagflation (rising inflation in a slowing economy) is still a big risk, which may take years to recover. A hard landing & aggressive rate hikes may be devastating for stocks but the economy may recover faster. More pain more gain.
A topping TNX will be good for TLT bonds & growth stocks. Next supports are 3% & the H&S neck at 2.7%. A measured move for H&S may take TNX to the yellow 2% upper pivot zone, retesting the blue wedge or maybe to retest the big red downchannel from 1981.
Not trading advice
JNKTLT A bond ratio that could give a perspective on stocksThis is the ratio of High Yield Bond ETF to the 20Y T BOND. Not a ratio seen a lot but on the 1M time-frame it provides some perspective to the periods of high volatility/ correction on stocks. The blue trend-line is the Dow Jones (DJI) index (stocks). As you see, every time the JNKTLT ratio hit its Lower Highs trend-line, stocks have turned sideways at best, undergoing a volatility phase.
Last month, the ratio closed above that line for the first time in history. Even though we are on a sharp correction since the start of the year, does that break-out mean that it enters a new bullish trend and completely different pattern? And if so, could it indicate that the correction is about to take a stop? What do you think?
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BTC Could Drop On Macro Capitulation (Elliott Wave)So far the bounce off of what I had previously marked wave-c has been very weak and given no confirmation that wave-c is completed. That means wave-c is likely going to take longer and go lower. The later time target for wave-c is around the middle of June and it will probably go as low 30k-22k. This will likely be accompanied by a global macro correction as interest rates increase and the bond market continues its collapse.
After this capitulation wave I suspect we'll see a quick recovery back to around the previous all time highs.
Jamie Dimon’s Hurricane and the Bond Market in Early JuneIn 2021, as the US central bank and the Secretary of the Treasury continued to call rising inflation a “transitory” and pandemic-inspired event, the bond market declined. Bonds watched prices rise while the economists were pouring over stale data. Meanwhile, the Fed and government planted inflationary seeds that sprouted during the second half of 2020, bloomed in 2021, and grew into wild weeds in 2022. The consumer and producer price data began to flash a warning sign in 2021, with the economic condition rising to the highest level in over four decades. The Fed and the Treasury finally woke up. While the Biden administration was already “woke,” the data awakened them to a point where late last month, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen admitted “transitory” was a mistake. However, there was no admission and self-realization that monetary and fiscal policies created the inflation, and ignoring the warning signs only made it worse.
A storm forecast from JP Morgan Chase’s leader
Bonds are sitting near the lows
The Fed’s FOMC meets on June 14 and 15
Higher rates are on the horizon
Expect lots of volatility in markets
The bond market was far ahead of the Fed and the Treasury, which should have been another warning sign. Consumer and producer prices have skyrocketed, and the central bank is using demand-side tools to address the economic fallout. Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine, sanctions on Russia, and Russian retaliation have only exacerbated the inflationary pressures, as they create supply-side issues making demand-side solutions impotent.
The Biden administration blames the rise in energy prices on Russia, but they were already rising before the invasion and sanctions. The shift in US energy policy to a greener path is equally responsible for record-high gasoline and other fuel prices.
At the end of 2021, a conventional 30-Year fixed-rate mortgage was just below the 3% level, and in less than six months, it rose to 5.5%. On a $300,000 loan, the move increases the monthly payment by $625, a significant rise. We are in the early days of an economic storm that began with the pandemic, continued with a lethargic Fed and government officials, and was exacerbated by the first major war in Europe since WW II. We have not seen the peak of the storm clouds gathering for more than two years.
A storm forecast from JP Morgan Chase’s leader
Jamie Dimon, the Chairman and CEO of JP Morgan Chase, called Bitcoin a “fraud.” A few short years ago, he said he would fire any trader “stupid” enough to trade cryptocurrencies on the bank’s behalf. As recently as late 2021, he said he believes Bitcoin is “worthless.” So far, he has been dead wrong on the asset class. The financial institution he heads replaced real estate with cryptocurrencies in late May, calling them a “preferred alternative asset.”
In his latest comments on markets across all asset classes, Mr. Dimon issued a warning. Quantitative tightening that will ramp up to $95 billion in reduced Fed bond holdings and the Ukraine war led him to tell market participants, “You’d better brace yourself. JP Morgan is bracing ourselves, and we’re going to be very conservative with our balance sheet.” He began by saying, “You know, I said there’s storm clouds, but I’m going to change it…it’s a hurricane.” Mr. Dimon believes QT and the war create substantial changes in the global flow of funds, with an uncertain impact. The leading US bank’s CEO is prepared for “at a minimum, huge volatility.”
His forecast on cryptos aside, the warning is a call to action. There is still time to hedge portfolios and establish a plan for the coming storm. Volatility is a nightmare for passive inventors, but it creates a paradise of opportunities for nimble disciplined traders with their fingers on the pulse of markets.
Bonds are sitting near the lows
Quantitative tightening not only removes the put under the bond market that had supported government-issued fixed income instruments since early 2020, but it also puts downward pressure on bonds and upward pressure on interest rates further out along the yield curve.
The long-term chart of the US 30-Year Treasury bond futures highlights the decline to the most recent low of 134-30, declining below the October 2018 136-16 low, and falling to the lowest level since July 2014. At the 135-20 level on June 10, the bonds are sitting close to an eight-year low, with the next technical support level at the December 2013 127-23 low.
The Fed’s FOMC meets on June 14 and 15
The market expects the US Federal Reserve to increase the Fed Funds Rate by 50 basis points this week at the June meeting. The move will put the short-term rate at the 1.25% to 1.50% level.
The Fed remains far behind the inflationary curve, with CPI and PPI data at an over four-decade high and coming in hotter each past month. While the central bank determines the short-term rate, the bond market has been screaming for the Fed to catch up, warning that inflationary pressures were mounting. The bottom fell out of the long bond futures in 2022 as the Fed began to tighten credit. However, the Fed’s economists will only put the short-term rate at 1.50%, with inflation running at many times that level. A 75 basis move to 1.75% would shock the market, which is not a path the Central Bank wants to follow.
Higher rates are on the horizon
The Fed may have awakened, realizing it must use monetary policy tools to address inflation, but the central bank remains groggy and slow to adjust rates to levels that would choke off rising prices. The economists do not have an easy job as they face supply-side economic problems created by the war in Ukraine. Had they been more agile in 2021 and nipped the rising inflation in the bud with a series of rate hikes, the US Fed would be better positioned to address what has become a no-win situation. The war has caused energy and food prices to soar with no central bank tools to manage the situation.
Last week, gasoline rose to a new high, crude oil was over $120 per barrel, natural gas was over $9.65 per MMBtu, and grain prices remained at elevated levels. Rate hikes and lower bond prices are not likely to cause prices to fall as US energy policy, sanctions on Russia, and Russian retaliation are supply-side issues that leave the central bank with few answers. Higher food and energy prices will keep the inflationary spiral going and will continue to push bond prices lower.
Expect lots of volatility in markets
The US and the world face an unprecedented period that began with the 2020 global pandemic. Artificially low interest rates and the government stimulus that addressed the pandemic were inflationary seeds. The pandemic-inspired supply chain bottlenecks exacerbated the inflationary pressures. A shift in US energy policy increased OPEC and Russia’s pricing power in traditional energy markets.
Meanwhile, the war in Ukraine has turbocharged the economic condition, making a solution challenging for the central bank. The current US Treasury Secretary, and former Fed Chair, Janet Yellen, once said that monetary policy works together with the government’s fiscal policies. In the current environment, fiscal policy and the geopolitical landscape have become the most significant factors for rising inflation.
Jamie Dimon is worried, and the head of the leading US financial institution is battening down the hatches on his balance sheet for a storm. Even though he was mistaken about cryptos, we should heed his warning and hope he is wrong. Markets reflect the economic and geopolitical landscapes, which are highly uncertain in June 2022.
Hedge those portfolios, and make sure you develop a plan for any risk positions. Expect the unexpected because 2022 is anything but a typical year in markets across all asset classes. Fasten your seatbelts for what could be a wild and turbulent ride over the coming months.
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Trading advice given in this communication, if any, is based on information taken from trades and statistical services and other sources that we believe are reliable. The author does not guarantee that such information is accurate or complete and it should not be relied upon as such. Trading advice reflects the author’s good faith judgment at a specific time and is subject to change without notice. There is no guarantee that the advice the author provides will result in profitable trades. There is risk of loss in all futures and options trading. Any investment involves substantial risks, including, but not limited to, pricing volatility , inadequate liquidity, and the potential complete loss of principal. This article does not in any way constitute an offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any investment, security, or commodity discussed herein, or any security in any jurisdiction in which such an offer would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.
US10Y Slowly upwards to the end of year, huge rejection after.The U.S. Government Bonds 10 YR Yield (US10Y) has been trading within a Bearish Megaphone with Higher Highs and Lower Lows since late 2013. The current 1W RSI pattern resembles that of the price Channel Up that in 1 year led to the most recent Higher High in 2018.
As a result, we expect a slow Channel Up towards the end of 2022/ early 2023, which will add to the current stock market uncertainty/ volatility, but then strong bearish reversal, if the Higher Highs trend-line/ top of the Megaphone holds. That can fuel a strong bullish reversal on the stock market (S&P500 index displayed in blue on this chart), as it happened in 2019.
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Bond Yields Soar as APAC Prices in CPI and Fed's ReactionBonds have gotten slammed as yields have soared, smashing through several levels below when we've reported last, as the APAC session prices in CPI data from Friday. We smashed expectations for inflation and investors are rushing to price in the Fed's reaction. Barclays thinks that they will raise rates by 75 bps in order to counter these soaring numbers. We sliced through the 117's with ease and are finally finding support at the base of the 116 handle. We have projected another level of support at 115'29 using inverse Fibonacci extension levels since we've simply run out of support levels for the US ten year. The Kovach OBV is abysmally bearish, however we do appear to be finally leveling off a bit, so perhaps this level will hold. If not, expect resistance from 116'20.
Bonds Stabilize at LowsBonds have found support just above our level at 117'19. We appear to be forming a bear wedge, but the Kovach OBV is flat, suggesting we may range at current levels. After the precipitous decline from 121'00, it is likely that we will establish value in a sideways correction or even a relief rally, before another selloff. If we break down further, then 117'08 is the next level where we should anticipate support. After that, there is a vacuum zone to 116'20. A relief rally could take us as high as 119'01.