A Grim Picture of InflationFed Funds Futures (ZQ) CBOT:ZQ1! , 2-Yr Yield (2YY) CBOT_MINI:2YY1! , 10-Yr Yield (10Y) CBOT_MINI:10Y1!
This is the third report in the series “Year of the Rabbit: Short-tailed Trading”.
US Consumer Price Index (CPI) declined 0.1% in December 2022 on a seasonally adjusted basis, after increasing 0.1% in November, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Thursday, January 12th. Over the last 12 months, the headline CPI increased 6.5%. The inflation index for all items less food and energy rose 0.3% in December, after rising 0.2% in November. The Core CPI increased 5.7% year-over-year.
December is the only month in 2022 when aggregate price falls below prior-month level. The headline CPI is now 0.5% lower than a year ago on an annualized basis.
Cooling inflation is welcoming news to consumers, businesses, and investors. It also gives the US Federal Reserve more flexibility to moderate its hawkish monetary policy.
Inflation by Category Data Paints a Different Picture
The December CPI data was a “one-man show”. Gasoline price declined 9.4% in one month, bringing its annual change to -1.5%. After an all-time high record of $5/gallon reached in June, we ended 2022 with lower gasoline price year-over-year.
If you think we are getting relief in energy cost, nothing could be further from the truth.
• Fuel oil dropped 16.6% in December, but it is up 41.5% for the year
• Electricity price went up 1% in December and +14.3% for the year
• Pipelined natural gas were up 3% monthly and +19.3% yearly
Americans are getting bigger utility bills to light up the room and heat the house this winter.
Other essential items:
• Food cost +0.3% in December and +10.4% Y/Y in 2022
• Shelter cost +0.8% monthly and +7.5% annually
• New cars cost 5.9% more but used cars are 8.8% cheaper in 2022
Inflation is certainly on the way down, but it is sticky. Many product and service items essential to household living and business operation are far from under control.
Interest Rate Outlook for 2023
After the release of new CPI data, market consensus centers on a modest 25-basis-point increase on February 1st., which would bring the Fed Funds rate up to 4.50-4.75%. I also expect another 25-bp raise on March 22nd, setting the so-called terminal rate at 4.75-5.00% for the rest of 2023. This is my baseline forecast for 2023.
The previous section shows that inflation is still uncomfortably high for food, housing, and energy to power the home, as well as for new vehicle. The Fed’s job for fighting inflation is far from over. I do not expect any rate cuts to occur in foreseeable future.
When it comes to central bank monetary policy, there is a lagging period before it works its way through the economy. The response lag could be anywhere from 6 to 12 months. By my estimate, it takes about 7 months in this rate-hike cycle.
The Fed initiated the first increase in March, but inflation did not peak until June at 9.1%. Monthly CPI was unchanged the following month. However, the slowdown was solely due to a sharp decline in gasoline price, not attributable to the Fed.
Core CPI topped 6.6% in September, then subsequently moved lower to 6.3%, 6.0% and 5.7% in the fourth quarter. October was the first month when core inflation reverses its rising path. This is where I mark the start of inflation response to monetary tightening.
Once the Fed reaches its terminal rate, the force of inertia would carry the policy impact on inflation for several more months. That’s why the Fed is likely to keep the rate unchanged for the remainder of 2023, measuring the policy effect.
Fixed Income Investment Opportunities
On “The Real Cost of Fed Rate Hikes”, published on July 25th, I spelled out the impact of interest rate increases to households, corporations, Federal and local governments.
With the risk-free rate expected to reach 5%, all borrowing cost will go up further, even after they rose significantly last year. As the economy slows down, those with high debt loads may not make it through this downturn.
If you plan on investing in bonds, default risk should be on the very top of your mind. Consider safe play: Avoid any issuer with a high debt-to-equity ratio. Corporate high-yield, municipal bonds, and securities backed by adjustable-rate mortgages and credit card balance fit this bill.
JPMorgan Chase took notice. On Friday the 13th, JPM NYSE:JPM posted revenue that beat expectations, but the biggest US bank warned it was setting aside more money to cover credit losses because of a “mild recession” is its “central case.” The bank posted a $2.3 billion provision for credit losses in Q4, a 49% increase from the 3rd quarter.
For relatively safe investment options, bank certificates of deposits (Jumbo CD) and high-quality corporate bonds (rated A or above) offer yields from 4.50% to 6.0%. They could beat inflation in the coming years.
Spread Trade Opportunities
We have been in a negative yield-curve environment since July. In my opinion, slower rate hikes weaken the force that drives short-term yield rising faster than long-term ones. Once the Fed actions are over, mean reversion could occur so long as we do not fall into a deep recession.
A Refresher: Yield curve plots the interest rates on government bonds with different maturity dates, notably 3-month Treasury Bills, 2-year and 10-year Treasury Notes, 15-year and 30-year Treasury Bonds.
Bond investors expect to be paid more for locking up their money for a long stretch, so interest rates on long-term debt are normally higher than those on short-term. Plotted out on a chart, the various yields for bonds create an upward sloping line.
Sometimes short-term rates rise above long-term ones. That negative relationship is called yield curve inversion. An inversion has preceded every U.S. recession for the past half century, so it’s seen as a leading indicator of economic downturn.
On January 12th, 2-year T-note is quoted at 4.20% in cash market, while the 10-year T-note is priced at 3.61%. This measures the 10Y-2Y yield spread at 59 basis points.
The negative yield curve could become less inverted, then change to a flat yield curve in the coming months. It could reverse back to an upward sloping normal yield curve in 2024. Here are my reasoning:
• Easy money created by record government spending kept the borrowing cost low. This was a main reason why longer-term yields rise less than short-term ones.
• The new Republican-controlled Congress would stall the approval of big-ticket expenditure bills. Closing the flood gate could bring the borrowing cost back up.
• After the depletion of low-cost capital, lenders will have no choice but to raise the long-term lending rate above the short-term deposit rate.
CBOT Micro Yield Futures offer a way to express your view on future yield direction. You could also observe how the expected yield spread changes between 10Y and 2Y.
On January 12th, February Micro 10Y Yield Futures (10YG3) was settled at 3.446. February Micro 2Y Yield Futures (2YYG3) was settled at 4.081. The 10Y-2Y spread is -63.5 basis points.
Micro Yield Futures are notional at 1,000 index point, with each point equal to 1/10 of 1 basis point and value at $1. For example, if the 10Y-2Y spread narrows to -40 basis points, your position would gain $235 (= (-40+63.5) x 10) if you long the spread.
To trade Micro Yield futures, margins are $375 for 10Y and 2YY. A long spread can be constructed by a Long 10Y and a Short 2YY positions.
Happy trading.
Disclaimers
*Trade ideas cited above are for illustration only, as an integral part of a case study to demonstrate the fundamental concepts in risk management under the market scenarios being discussed. They shall not be construed as investment recommendations or advice. Nor are they used to promote any specific products, or services.
CME Real-time Market Data help identify trade set-ups and express my market views. If you have futures in your trading portfolio, check out on CME Group data plans in TradingView that suit your trading needs www.tradingview.com
Federalreserve
GBP/USD drifting, UK GDP nextThe British pound is drifting for a third straight day. In the European session, GBP/USD is trading at 1.2161, down 0.09%. We could see stronger volatility from the pound before the weekend, with the release of the US inflation report and UK GDP on Friday, both of which are market movers.
There is guarded optimism ahead of the US inflation report. Inflation is projected to drop in December, which would be music to the market's ears. The forecast for headline inflation stands at 6.5%, following the November gain of 7.1%. The core rate, which is more important, is also expected to ease, with a forecast of 5.7% in December, compared to 6.0% in November. The inflation release should result in volatility from the US dollar. If inflation, particularly the core rate, falls as expected or more, the US dollar will likely lose ground, as speculation will increase that the Fed may have to pivot from its hawkish stance and ease up on the pace of rates. Conversely, if inflation does not fall as much as expected, it would vindicate the Fed's hawkish position, which the markets may have to grudgingly accept.
There remains a dissonance between the Fed and the markets, despite warnings by the Fed that the markets are underestimating Fed rate policy. The Fed has insisted that further rate hikes are coming, while there have been market players who are expecting a "one and done" hike in February which will wrap up the current rate cycle. The markets have priced in a peak terminal rate below 5% as well as rate cuts late in the year, while the Fed has been signalling a peak rate of 5-5.25% or even higher.
In the UK, there are no major releases on Thursday, but Friday will be busy, highlighted by monthly GDP and Manufacturing Production. The markets are braced for soft numbers, which could send the pound lower. GDP for November is expected to contract by 0.2% m/m, following a gain of 0.5% in October. Manufacturing Production for November is forecast to come in at -4.8% y/y, after a -4.6% reading in October.
GBP/USD is putting pressure on 1.1832 and could test this line today. The next support level is 1.1726
There is resistance at 1.1913 and 1.2026
Japanese yen edges lowerThe Japanese yen continues to have a quiet week. USD/JPY has edged up 0.20% and is trading at 132.50.
There is optimism in the air ahead of the US inflation report for December. The forecast is for inflation to fall, which is exactly what investors want to hear. The consensus for headline inflation stands at 6.5%, following the November gain of 7.1%. The core rate is also expected to ease, with a forecast of 5.7% in December, compared to 6.0% in November.
We've seen in recent months how inflation reports can move the equity and currency markets and investors should be prepared for the same from tomorrow's inflation report. Soft inflation releases have sent the US dollar lower, as the markets have assumed that the Fed will ease up on the pace of rates and even cuts rates late in the year. The Fed continues to present a hawkish stance, but the markets will likely march to their own tune if inflation comes in as expected or drops even lower. The markets have priced in a peak fed funds rate of 4.93%, lower than the Fed dot plot which projects rates peaking at 5-5.25%. Some Fed members have said rates could go even higher than that, but that hasn't made much impression on the markets.
The Bank of Japan meets next week, and investors will be watching carefully. The BoJ meetings are no longer sleepy affairs with little substance, as the markets saw in December when the BoJ stunned the markets by widening the yield curve control band. We're unlikely to get more fireworks at the upcoming meeting, but the BoJ's inflation forecasts will be significant. There have been reports that the BoJ may raise the forecasts for core inflation. This would be bullish for the yen as a higher inflation forecast would be a prerequisite for the BoJ normalizing policy.
There is weak resistance at 132.13, followed by 133.30
131.25 and 130.60 are the next support lines
DXYHello traders ,what do you think about DXY?According to the US data and the prospect of decreasing CPI, it is expected that we will gradually see a change in the Federal Reserve's policies regarding interest rates and witness the fall of the DXY.
If this post was useful to you, do not forget to like and comment.❤️
Bitcoin Macro LowMy previous analysis based on the historic halving cycles predicted a macro low on the week of Nov 21st 22. It would appear that this played out but not totally in alignment with price prediction. Let's be clear, the global macro economic landscape is not looking rosy with the FED still Hawkishly raising rates, massive tech stocks haemorrhaging up to 70%, huge yield curve inversions, public credit card debt reaching all time highs, the housing market on the brink of collapse and every economic commentator predicting a recession. However, what cannot also be ignored is the historic accuracy of the Relative Strength Index (RSI) for Bitcoin since its inception. You will see it either marks off to the week the marco low or identifies clear bullish divergence to start a new upward trend.
The RSI has also formed a huge descending wedge which has been beautifully tested many times within the last year and a half. Only a fool would ignore the ATL of RSI, this descending wedge and the bullish divergence. Is it possible that Digital Strategy group fold, that Gemini can't release client funds, that GreyScale sell some assets, that Mount Gox release BTC in March causing a retest of lows? Absolutely!!! But what should not be ignored is the ability to capitalise on the short term gains and long term deployment of which can be capitalised on through technical analysis.
The DXY is forming a head and shoulders the accumulation/distribution indicator on the monthly has flattened January is often a bullish month in legacy markets.
Recession on the Horizon - FOMC and LayoffsYesterday, the FOMC confirmed the backing of higher interest rates for longer. The market reacted negatively signaling negative sentiment on rate expectations for the following quarters. Federal Reserve official, Neel Kashkari, who often has the most dovish views on market anticipation stated that inflation may have peaked but sees interest rates rising higher for the next few meetings. He sees the FED raising rates by a whole percentage point from the current level of 4.25%-4.5% to 5.4% (MarketWatch, Jan. 5). The inflation fight is not over yet, and it remains sticky despite all the economic weakening observed.
In a previous thesis where I challenged the US economy about a year ago, I warn of massive layoffs in 2023 despite most analysts and the Fed saying otherwise. Meta and Tesla have already laid off thousands of employees just months ago. Today, large layoffs in tech are happening with Salesforce: “layoff about 10% of its employees, the company also says it will close some offices as part of its recruiting plan, but it is still unclear if any of the bay area offices will be impacted, undertaking major cost cuts in a challenging economy.” (CNBC, Jan. 5). Amazon Chief Executive Andy informed his employees that the number of layoffs in the company has now been increased to more than 18000 roles (ArabianBusiness, Jan. 5). Other firms are cost cutting, most cutting employee benefits. It is just a matter of when or not we are going to see higher unemployment rates in 2023. The most obvious fundamental reason for these layoffs and cost cuts is the fact that all these companies responded to the “bubble” fueled by stimulus and extensive quantitative easing. As a response, the Fed is raising interest higher, and tightening the monetary policy and we see the equity evaluation of these companies dropping significantly. Eventually, that demand is gone, and these companies are left with thousands of employees hired in response to a "fake" demand, over-hired. As equity evaluation is going down, they have to improve the margins by laying off employees and reducing expenses since revenue is going down.
I see another reason for large layoffs, perhaps, a more IMPORTANT and IMMEDIATE aspect. Salesforce admitted business activities going down, demand slowing, and growth staggering, however, their stock went higher because they laid off employees, reducing their expenses. On paper, it shows higher margins, and thus, the stock reacted positively. What can become a norm during this economic environment is that we see more companies, especially in the tech industry which saw major lows, employing this technic by raising their stock prices with restructuring and engaging in mass layoffs.
My plan of limiting my exposure to risks has not changed. I am holding a majority in cash and short-term government bonds.
Looking to increase exposure to my trading in gold when the US 10-Year Real Rates falls from the inverse correlation between the two. Reminder: Higher real yields = expensive to hold gold when compared to other yielding investments such as fixed income, thus the inverse correlation on the charts.
This is for personal recording but feel free to comment and argue.
Channel's floor supportUsing the channel drawing tool and two holes and a peak, we have been able to draw a channel with an upward slope. Also, we have determined the supports and resistances on the way of the price by drawing the Fibonacci tool from wave A to B.
In the whole scenario, it is possible that if the sellers maintain the resistance of the channel ceiling at 1865, the price will decrease in a corrective path to the support of the channel floor at 1813.
1871-2022 S&P 500 Secular Bull vs. Bear Markets SPX SPY I wanted to share this chart, as a couple of things stood out when thinking about past bull & bear secular market cycles vs. the current secular bull market that we’ve been in for the last 10+ years since the 08-09’ GFC (Great Financial Crisis).
First , for those who say “investors can't or shouldn’t time the markets", I very much disagree with this logic (or Wall Street marketing) as there are plenty of signals, cyclical trends, leading indicators, etc., that give investors clues as to what likely lies ahead — based on probabilities.
And while nobody can be 100% certain as to the exact pathway of markets, given the macro cross-currents that are in front of us — we can 100% say that we have been & still are in a secular bull market. Until this trend changes, the “crash” that many were calling for in 22’, if not expecting for 23’ could possibly take longer to play out than many realize when looking at previous bull vs. bear secular market cycles.
Second , looking at the attached chart(s), this is also why timing and duration matter.
If you are entering retirement toward the latter part of a secular bull market, it might be best to reduce risk & shift from capital appreciation to capital preservation. Examples of this include leading up The Great Depression, 1950’s post-WWII boom prior to the 1970’s Stagflation Era, & into the end of the Tech Boom of the .com era leading into 2001.
On the flip side, if you are in your saving years (20’s-30’s+), then it is during these secular bear markets that you really want to be accumulating & building your asset base for the next bull market phase that is likely ahead in the coming years as the trend higher always begins during the bear market bottoming process (see dotted black lines on charts).
Third , looking at the current cycle & zooming in on the charts from yearly (large picture) to monthly chart — we can see that we are still technically in a secular bull market. And considering the previous two major bull market cycles of the 1950/60’s (18 years) & 1980’s up until the early 2000’s (19 years), one could make a case that we are only about halfway through this current bull cycle (9 years).
Do I think this is absolutely the case? Personally , I do not as there are issues regarding demographics, de-globalization, inflation/stagflation/deflation, boomers retiring en-masse, etc., that will likely put further pressure on asset markets throughout this decade.
What do you think about this historical analysis?
Are we going to break this secular bull market cycle & enter a secular new bear market?
Or, are are just in a corrective phase within the broader bull market cycle?
CHART NOTE: Recessions = Shaded Red Areas
Chart #1 (Yearly): *1871-2022* 📊
*Inflation Adjusted Returns Chart Data via Advisor Perspectives*
www.advisorperspectives.com
Since that first trough in 1877 to the March 2009 low:
Secular bull gains totaled 2075% for an average of 415%.
Secular bear losses totaled -329% for an average of -65%.
Secular bull years total 80 versus 52 for the bears, a 60:40 ratio.
Chart #2 (Yearly): *1871-2022* 📊
*Inflation Adjusted Secular Highs & Lows via Advisor Perspectives*
www.advisorperspectives.com
Chart #3 (Yearly): *1871-2022* 📊
*Inflation Adjusted Regression to Trend via Advisor Perspectives*
www.advisorperspectives.com
Chart #4 (Yearly): *1871-2022* 📊
*Inflation Adjusted Regression Channel via Advisor Perspectives*
www.advisorperspectives.com
Chart #5 (Monthly): *1920-1972* (Great Depression & Post-WWII) 📊
*Note that during the Great Depression/WWII, as Ray Dalio has pointed out in his recent book "The Changing World Order" this was a prolonged period of negative to very low returns.*
📖 www.economicprinciples.org
Chart #6 (Monthly): *1972-2022* (70’s Stagflation, 80’s "Greed is Good" markets & 90’s dot.com Boom, 08’ GFC, & 2010’s QE 1/2/3, 20’ Covid Crash, & 21-22’ Inflation/Interest Rate Shock Correction) 📊
*Note that we are still in a secular bull market uptrend, when looking at the monthly charts. Until this trend breaks down, there is market support for a continuation of this trend.*
Pre-Covid High = Red Dotted Line ($3,393.52)
Post-Covid High = Green Dotted Line ($4,816.62)
Chart #6 (Monthly): *1871-2022* (MACD) 📊
BITCOIN 2023: When To Buy?
Hello,Traders!
I'll just say that while this post is about BITCOIN what I say here applies to all assets Including stocks, real estate, bonds, precious metals. Many people are still expecting some sort of 2008 style crash of the markets because the economy is going from bad to worse. However, while we are already in the recession and the only person who refuses to see that is Jerome Powell of the FED, this has little to no influence on the modern markets which have been divorced from the real economy for quite some time. So once the FED pivots, and I am expecting this to happen no later than Mid 2023, this will tell the markets that we are again looking at the interest rates lowering cycle which will inevitably make the markets rally . And the rising tide lifts all boats so all the assets will start going up. Crypto, stocks, bonds, Gold. The only difference will be in the rate of return you can get. And clearly, the crypto market which is now the most depressed one will make the biggest gains. So If you don't have much capital, then buying stocks or gold will not make you rich. However, buying crypto, might do the trick!
So here is the trading plan for 2023: wait till the FED lowers rates for the first time then just buy the assets you can get your hands on and wait.
Happy New Year,
And see you in 2023!
US10Y 🇺🇸 U.S. 10-Year Interest Rate History (1913 - 2022) One of the biggest "shocks" in the 22' financial markets is the breaking of the long-term (weekly) trend in Interest Rates — specifically the U.S. 10-Year Treasury (US10Y), which has gone through now two long-term trend cycles since it’s history dating back to 1913.
Given the inflation fight that the Federal Reserve is currently waging, while at the same time keeping in mind the structural debt-load that the U.S. 🇺🇸 is current burdened with, this begs the question can rates actually go higher from here?
While we do not know the answer as to the actual trajectory of interest rates into 23’ and beyond — what we do know is that given the structural debt load, we can speculate that at some point rates will likely be forced lower as a proxy of stabilizing inflation and also total debt servicing obligations of the U.S. Government.
Also keep in mind comments by J. Powell and the Federal Reserve as they have been preparing investors for a new macro regime of “higher for longer” .
Should this actually play out and not just be the "hawkish tone" of the Federal Reserve that is helping to push interest rates higher, investors must consider the ramifications that could come IF we have truly entered a new (rising) interest rate regime that includes structurally higher rates as part of the next 40+ year historical cycles.
Here is the same chart of the (US10Y) paired against the backdrop of other macro indicators including Federal Reserve Balance Sheet, as they give us insight as to both the bull and bear thesis for yields moving forward:
U.S. 10-Year (US10Y) vs. Fed Funds Rate (FEDFUNDS) 📊
U.S. 10-Year (US10Y) vs. U.S. Inflation Rate YoY (USIRYY) 📊
U.S. 10-Year (US10Y) vs. U.S. Federal Debt Total Public (GFDEBTN) 📊
U.S. 10-Year (US10Y) vs. U.S. Federal Reserve Central Bank Balance Sheet (USCBBS) 📊
U.S. 10-Year (US10Y) vs. U.S. Liabilities & Capital (WRESBAL) 📊
U.S. 10-Year (US10Y) vs. S&P 500 (SPX, SPY) 📊
U.S. 10-Year (US10Y) vs. Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA, DIA) 📊
What is your take on the forward trajectory of interest rates?
Have we officially broken the 40+ year downtrend on structurally low interest rates, given the potential for entrenched inflationary pressures within the U.S. economy?
Or, will rates be forced lower as structural debt obligations of the U.S. are far too great to support the notion of "higher yields for longer"?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! 👇🏼
Forget the "Santa rally"Forget the "Santa rally," it's time to brace ourselves for a potentially tumultuous 2023 as concerns mount over bond market developments and their impact on Q1 earnings
Santa is tired, Kids
It is uncertain whether the annual "Santa rally" will occur in 2022 due to the bear market. There are concerns about the recent developments in the bond market and their potential impact on Q1 2023 earnings. Some stocks, such as Amazon, have approached their 2020 lows, which raises the possibility of a "sell the rumor, buy the fact" situation. In the past, when the NASDAQ has experienced a 20% annual drop, negative consequences have followed in subsequent years, with particularly poor performance in the first year. The 10-year treasury yields have reached their highest levels since November and the Federal Reserve may be unable to provide support as it did in 2008, putting portfolios at risk in the coming year. Most strategists expect market prices to remain around current levels by the end of the year, though some have forecasted SPX values of 3400, 3650, and 3725. A shooting star-style weekly candle on the Bond market has signaled potential significant drops in the S&P 500, ranging from 18-20%. There has been a rotation in market performance in the past month, with sectors such as energy, utilities, financials, staples, healthcare, and defensive stocks performing well, while semiconductors, tech, consumer discretionary, clean energy, and solar have struggled. This trend, known as stagflation, has also been reflected in the performance of assets like gold and the GDX. Valuation compression has also been observed in the market, particularly in the clean energy sector. The VIX, or volatility index, has reached levels similar to those seen during the Global Financial Crisis, raising concerns about a potential fear-driven market in 2023. The U.S. two-year yield and 10-year yield have also risen, with the potential for inflation to increase due to recent Covid outbreaks and supply chain disruptions. The high yield market has weakened, with the rejection of topping islands and a deviation from the usual two.
Hairy Bonds
Why is the bond market like a box of chocolates? You never know what you're gonna get! Bonds have recently experienced a sharp decline, largely due to expectations for the federal funds rate and the potential for further COVID-19 lockdowns. This is also contributing to concerns about inflation and the ability of the Federal Reserve to effectively combat it. As a result, the performance of bonds has been impacted, as they tend to do better in environments with rate cuts. The Federal Reserve's slower pace of cuts suggests it may take longer to support the economy and potentially puts additional pressure on economic fundamentals and company valuations. The S&P 500 has seen significant losses on specific days in 2022, including September 13th, May 18th, June 13th, April 29th, and May 5th. These days have resulted in drastic percentage moves, with some as high as 4.3%. In the past month, there has been a rotation in market performance, with sectors such as energy, utilities, financials, staples, healthcare, and defensive stocks performing well, while semiconductors, tech, consumer discretionary, clean energy, and solar have struggled. This trend, known as stagflation, has also been reflected in the performance of assets like gold and the GDX. Valuation compression, or a decrease in the price-to-earnings ratio, has also been observed in the market, particularly in the clean energy sector. It is important to continue monitoring key levels and considering the potential impact on portfolios.
Yield those Funds
FUN FUNDS!
The Federal Funds rate, also known as the benchmark interest rate, is the rate at which banks lend and borrow overnight funds from each other to meet their reserve requirements. It is set by the Federal Reserve, the central banking system of the United States, and is used as a tool to achieve its monetary policy objectives.
Over the past two decades, the Federal Funds rate has had a significant impact on the stock market, particularly the S&P 500 index (SPX). In general, changes in the Federal Funds rate can affect the stock market in a number of ways, including through the cost of borrowing, the level of economic growth, and investor sentiment.
During the early 2000s, the Federal Reserve implemented a series of interest rate cuts in response to the dot-com bubble and the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which helped to boost the stock market. The SPX reached an all-time high in 2007, just before the onset of the global financial crisis. In response to the crisis, the Federal Reserve implemented a series of aggressive interest rate cuts, which helped to stabilize the market and contribute to the recovery of the SPX.
Since the recovery from the financial crisis, the Federal Reserve has generally maintained a low interest rate environment, with the Federal Funds rate hovering around 0%. This has been supportive of the stock market, as low interest rates can make stocks more attractive to investors by reducing the opportunity cost of investing in stocks relative to other asset classes.
However, as the economy has improved and the stock market has reached new highs, the Federal Reserve has begun to gradually increase the Federal Funds rate. While the impact of these increases on the stock market has been relatively limited so far, some analysts have raised concerns that further increases could lead to a slowdown in the market.
Currently, in 2022 leading into 2023, there are no signs yet of the Federal Reserve cutting or tapering rates as the market continues to decline, marking a period of demand destruction. This suggests that the Federal Reserve may be hesitant to use monetary policy as a tool to support the market in the current environment. Instead, the Federal Reserve may be looking to continue rate hikes towards 2000 or 2008 levels.
See chart
In addition: also see
Interesting Inflation!
The "Interesting Inflation" indicator is a technical analysis tool that is designed to provide traders with information about the rate of inflation in the United States. It is designed to work on monthly charts and uses data from the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to calculate the average rate of inflation over a specified period of time.
On the chart, the light blue to orange line represents the average rate of inflation, while the dark blue line represents the trend in the inflation rate for the month of December. The green line represents U.S. interest rates.
The indicator includes a number of inputs, including a toggle to show the inflation rate for the month of December and a setting to enable or disable the display of U.S. interest rates. It also includes a number of plots, including plots for the U.S. inflation rate and U.S. interest rates.
To use the "Interesting Inflation" indicator, traders can simply add it to their chart and adjust the input settings as desired. The indicator will then display the average rate of inflation and, if enabled, the U.S. interest rates on the chart. Traders can use this information to understand the current inflation environment and to make informed decisions about their trades.
In addition to the average rate of inflation, the "Interesting Inflation" indicator also includes a plot for the inflation rate in the month of December. This can be useful for traders who are interested in understanding the trend in inflation over the course of the year and how it may affect the market.
In November 2022, the United States saw a 7.1% increase in prices compared to the previous year, according to the monthly consumer price index (CPI) for goods and services. The CPI, which measures the rate of inflation, shows the percentage change in the price of a basket of goods and services over time. Inflation in the United States has been particularly high in 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain issues, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The annual inflation rate in the United States has risen from 3.2% in 2011 to 8.3% in 2022, indicating a decrease in the purchasing power of the U.S. dollar.
According to data from the International Monetary Fund, the U.S. CPI was approximately 258.84 in 2020 and is expected to reach 325.6 by 2027, compared to the base period from 1982 to 1984. In November 2022, the monthly percentage change in the CPI for urban consumers in the United States was 0.1% compared to the previous month.
Inflation is a significant economic indicator and is being closely watched in countries around the world. Brazil saw an inflation rate of 8.3% in 2021 compared to the previous year, while China's rate stood at 0.85%.
Like a Bottle!
The yield curve represented in blue on the bottom is the graphical representation of the relationship between bond yields and their corresponding maturities. In general, long-term bonds tend to have higher yields than short-term bonds, as investors demand a higher return to compensate for the additional risk associated with tying up their money for a longer period of time. This results in a normal yield curve, where long-term yields are higher than short-term yields.
However, in some cases, the yield curve may become inverted, with short-term yields exceeding long-term yields. This can occur when investors are concerned about the future outlook for the economy and are willing to accept lower returns on long-term bonds in exchange for the added security of a shorter investment horizon.
One specific aspect of the yield curve that is often monitored is the spread between the 10-year and 2-year yields. When the 10-year yield is lower than the 2-year yield, it is known as a yield curve inversion. A yield curve inversion is often viewed as a bearish sign for the stock market, as it can indicate that investors are concerned about the economic outlook and are becoming more risk-averse.
Historically, yield curve inversions have preceded recessions and bear markets, as investors become less willing to take on risk and demand safer, lower-yielding investments. As a result, a yield curve inversion can be an important signal for traders to consider when evaluating market conditions and making investment decisions.
One historical example of a yield curve inversion preceding a market crash is the global financial crisis of 2008. In early 2007, the yield curve inverted, with the yield on the 10-year Treasury bond falling below the yield on the 2-year Treasury bond. This was a clear warning sign that investors were becoming increasingly concerned about the economic outlook and were seeking out safer, shorter-term investments.
As the year progressed, the financial crisis deepened, with the housing market collapsing and major financial institutions experiencing significant losses. The stock market, as measured by the S&P 500 index, reached its peak in October 2007 and then began a steep decline, eventually bottoming out in March 2009.
The yield curve inversion was just one factor contributing to the financial crisis and market crash, but it was an important warning sign that investors should have paid attention since it is currently inverted, which has historically preceded a recession within the next two years. However, the size of the inversion does not necessarily determine the severity of the recession. While the current inversion is larger than previous ones, it does not necessarily mean that the upcoming recession will be worse. In addition, the stock market's recent behavior is not indicative of a burst bubble, meaning that the potential decline in the market during the recession may not be as severe as previous ones
It's worth what you pay for it
In the first quarter of 2023, earnings will be in focus for the market. The recent sell-off in stocks, particularly those such as Amazon that have almost reached 2020 lows, has raised concerns about what will happen next. The 10-year Treasury yields have risen to their highest levels since November, which could indicate a longer period for the Federal Reserve to combat inflation and support the economy. These factors, along with the high rates of Covid outbreaks and the potential for stagflation, have contributed to the rotations seen in the market, with energy, utilities, financials, staples, healthcare, and other inflation plays performing well, while semiconductors, tech, consumer discretionary, clean energy, and solar have struggled. The VIX, or volatility index, has also reached levels similar to those seen during the Global Financial Crisis, raising concerns about a potential fear-driven market in 2023. The U.S. two-year yield and 10-year yield have also risen, with the potential for inflation to increase due to the recent Covid outbreaks and supply chain disruptions. The high yield market has also weakened, with the rejection of topping islands and a deviation from the usual two to one ratio with the S&P 500. These factors could all impact market performance in the coming year.
Fearing Futures
The US dollar futures are currently looking strong, with indications of accumulation in the market. This is supported by the recent closure of nice wick rejections off the lows and a move above 104. The two-hour chart shows evidence of accumulation at this point, with a critical bottom and big rejections at a certain level, as well as a double bottom formation. If the market breaks above 104, there is potential for a bigger trade to reach 107. Despite negative sentiment towards the US dollar recently, most trend lines show a break through. It is important to note that a strengthening US dollar may not be positive for the US stock market. Gold has been exhibiting a series of higher lows and has broken to a new high. However, it is important to be cautious when trading gold at this time of year due to large spreads and illiquidity. Gold is currently rejecting these levels and it is important to monitor the weekly chart for any potential break and close above a certain price, which could lead to a drop met by strong demand. Oil stopped at 81 and has fallen off, with wick rejections in the 81-82 range. The two-hour chart for oil is difficult to interpret at this time, with no new lows. It is important to monitor the market for a break below a certain price, which could indicate a potential move to the downside.
King Elon, the Musk
The performance of Tesla (TSLA) has been a key focus in recent market analysis. According to the provided text, TSLA has recently moved above the 104 level, indicating some form of accumulation in the market. This is supported by the presence of "nice Wick rejections" at this level and the establishment of a new high, followed by a pullback to the 618 Fibonacci level where buyers were found again. While sentiment towards the US dollar has been negative, the trend lines suggest that the currency may continue to strengthen, which may not be positive for the US stock market as a whole. However, TSLA's performance may not be directly impacted by this trend. Instead, the focus is on whether TSLA can break above the 104 level and potentially reach a bigger trade with a target of 107. It is recommended to buy dips in TSLA at this time, although caution is advised due to the potential for large spreads and illiquidity in the market around the new year. Overall, the performance of TSLA will be closely watched in the coming week, as key indicators such as long leg doji candles suggest indecision or equilibrium in the market. It is important to exercise patience and react to developments rather than attempting to predict them, as the market for TSLA may be challenging to trade in the short term. The Tesla stock price has experienced significant volatility recently, with the stock reaching new highs and then falling off. This has resulted in many traders experiencing stop loss triggers and margin calls. The market has been bearish on tech stocks, particularly those with high valuations, and this has weighed on the overall market. It remains to be seen how the market will react to Q1 earnings, but it is expected to be a significant event that could impact the direction of the market. In the meantime, traders should keep an eye on key levels and be prepared for potential volatility.
Weighing a Giant
Apple's weekly close is significant because if it goes below the low formed in June, it may indicate that the biggest stock in the world is facing significant headwinds. There may be rallies, but they may be sold due to the stock approaching key levels. The Gap close for Apple is also relevant to Amazon, which is approaching its 2020 low at around 81.33. This may cause some buyers to recommit and trigger a lot of sell signals, as well as margin a lot of people's stop losses. Semiconductors have continuously sold off due to concerns about valuations and the impact on tech stocks, particularly in the market. It is possible that this could be due to selling rumors ahead of Q1 earnings. The Dax has been more technical and has sold off after reaching a resistance level. If the market trends sideways over the next few days, it may trap options money. The US30 has held up relatively well, but it has not yet reached a new high above 33,000. There may be gaps left behind in the area between 32,500 and 33,000. The US500 has formed a bearish flag and may test its 200-day moving average. If it breaks down from this pattern, it may indicate that the market is heading lower. The Nasdaq has been underperforming and may test its 50-day moving average. The Russell 2000 has been lagging and may test its 50-day moving average. The US dollar has been in a range and may test its 200-day moving average. Gold has formed a bearish flag and may test its 200-day moving average. Oil has formed a bearish flag and may test its 50-day moving average. The 20th is a significant options expiration date with almost 5 million units, and there is a large number of puts stacked compared to calls. This may indicate that the market may rally initially and then sell off later. Bitcoin has pulled back to a key level and needs to rally through 17,000 again to potentially reach 17,500 to 17,600. However, the current outlook is negative and there is a potential for it to go lower. The market trend has been for rallies to be met with sell demand due to risk-on and risk-off assets, with Bitcoin being a risky asset. In general, it is expected to trade between $9.5k and $11.5k
See charts:
TLDR
Bond market developments and their potential impact on Q1 2023 earnings
Santa rally may not occur in 2022 due to bear market
Some stocks, such as Amazon, approaching 2020 lows
NASDAQ has experienced 20% annual drop in past, negative consequences in subsequent years
10-year treasury yields at highest levels since November, Federal Reserve may not provide support
Market prices expected to remain around current levels by end of year, some S&P predictions of 3400, 3650, 3725
Shooting star-style candle on market signals potential significant drops in S&P 500
Rotation in market performance in past month, with energy, utilities, financials, staples, healthcare performing well, and semiconductors, tech, consumer discretionary, clean energy, solar struggling
Stagflation trend reflected in performance of assets like gold and GDX
Valuation compression in clean energy sector
VIX at levels similar to Global Financial Crisis, potential fear-driven market in 2023
U.S. two-year and 10-year yields have risen, potential for inflation due to Covid outbreaks and supply chain disruptions
High yield market has weakened, rejection of topping islands and deviation from usual two
Earnings in focus for market in Q1 2023
Sell-off in stocks raises concerns about future, 10-year Treasury yields at highest levels since November
Factors such as high Covid rates and potential stagflation contributing to market rotations
Potential for additional fiscal stimulus, potential for vaccine rollouts to impact market
It is important to monitor key levels and consider protective measures for portfolios heading into 2023
If you want to continue, good luck, Chuck!
The Blackest of Rocks
In a recent article, BlackRock Vice Chairman Philipp Hildebrand explains that the Great Moderation, a four-decade period of stable activity and inflation, is over and that we are now in a new regime of greater macro and market volatility. This new regime is characterized by a recession that is foretold and central banks that are on course to overtighten policy in an effort to tame inflation, leading to persistent inflation and output volatility, rate hikes that damage economic activity, rising bond yields, and ongoing pressure on risk assets. Hildebrand and the BlackRock Investment Institute team suggest that a new investment playbook is needed to navigate this new regime, with three key themes: pricing the damage, rethinking bonds, and living with inflation. They recommend balancing views on risk appetite with estimates of how markets are pricing in economic damage, taking more granular views by focusing on sectors, regions, and sub-asset classes, and considering tactical and strategic investments in inflation-linked bonds.
According to Mr. Hildebrand and the team at BlackRock, we have entered a new regime characterized by persistent inflation and output volatility, central banks pushing policy rates to levels that damage economic activity, and ongoing pressure on risk assets. This new regime is being driven by production constraints such as aging populations leading to worker shortages and the pandemic shift in consumer spending from services to goods causing shortages and bottlenecks. Central banks' policy rates are not equipped to resolve these production constraints and are left with a trade-off between crushing demand to achieve their inflation targets and allowing for more inflation. As a result, a recession is likely on the horizon, but as the economic damage becomes more apparent, central banks may stop their rate hikes even though inflation will not fully return to target levels. There are also long-term trends such as aging populations, persistent geopolitical tensions, and the transition to net-zero carbon emissions that are expected to continue to constrain production capacity and cement this new regime.
In the report "Navigating Markets in 2023" published by BlackRock, it is noted that navigating markets in 2023 will require more frequent portfolio changes.In determining tactical portfolio outcomes, BlackRock plans to consider two assessments: their assessment of market risk sentiment and their view of the economic damage reflected in market pricing. BlackRock is currently at its most defensive stance, with options for turning more positive, especially on equities. The company is also underweight in nominal long-term government bonds in each scenario in the new regime, which is their strongest conviction in any scenario. BlackRock can turn positive in different ways, either through their assessment of market risk sentiment or their view on how much damage is reflected in market pricing.
A recession is imminent as central banks attempt to control inflation. In contrast to past recessions, loose policy will not be used to support risk assets. As a result, the traditional strategy of "buying the dip" is not applicable in this context of increased macro volatility and trade-offs. Instead, it is necessary to continuously reassess the extent to which central bank actions are damaging the economy and factoring this damage into investment decisions. In the U.S., the impact can be seen in rate-sensitive sectors, such as the housing market, as well as declining CEO confidence, delayed capital spending plans, and a depletion of consumer savings. In Europe, the energy shock is exacerbated by tightening financial conditions. The ultimate economic damage will depend on the measures taken by central banks to reduce inflation. The author's approach to tactical investment is influenced by their assessment of market participant risk appetite and the extent to which damage is reflected in equity earnings expectations and valuations. They expect central banks to stop raising rates and for activity to stabilize in 2023, but do not believe that earnings expectations currently factor in even a mild recession. As a result, the author is currently underweight on developed market (DM) equities on a tactical horizon. However, they are prepared to become more positive as valuations better reflect economic damage and risk sentiment improves.
The recent increase in yields has made fixed income assets more attractive to investors who have been seeking yield for a long period of time. Blackrock takes a specific approach to investing in this environment, rather than taking broad, aggregate exposures. They believe that the case for investment-grade credit has improved and are raising their overweight position both tactically and strategically. They believe that these assets can hold up in a recession due to the fortification of company balance sheets through debt refinancing at lower yields. Agency mortgage-backed securities, a new tactical overweight, can also serve a diversified income role. Short-term government debt is also attractive at current yields, and Blackrock has created a separate tactical view for this category. In contrast, Blackrock does not believe that long-term government bonds, which have traditionally protected portfolios during recessions, will serve this purpose in the current environment. They argue that the negative correlation between stock and bond returns has reversed, meaning that both can decline simultaneously. This is due to the likelihood that central banks will not implement rapid rate cuts during recessions that they have caused in an effort to bring down inflation to policy targets. Instead, policy rates may remain higher for longer than the market expects. Investors may also demand higher compensation, or term premium, to hold long-term government bonds due to high debt levels, increasing supply, and rising inflation. Central banks are decreasing their bond holdings and Japan may cease purchases, while governments are continuing to run deficits, leading to the private sector having to absorb more bonds. As a result, Blackrock remains underweight on long-term government bonds in both tactical and strategic portfolios.
High inflation has caused cost-of-living crises, leading central banks to take action to bring down inflation. However, there has been little discussion about the impact on growth and employment. Blackrock believes that the narrative around the "politics of inflation" is on the verge of shifting as the negative effects become more apparent and the "politics of recession" take center stage. They also believe that central banks may be forced to stop tightening in order to prevent financial cracks from becoming more severe, as seen in the UK when investors reacted negatively to fiscal stimulus plans. Despite the impending recession, Blackrock expects that inflation will persist above policy targets in the coming years. They attribute this to normalization of spending patterns and a decrease in energy prices, as well as long-term constraints such as aging populations, geopolitical fragmentation, and the transition to a low-carbon world. Blackrock's strategic views have reflected this new regime, with an overweight to inflation-protected bonds for several years. However, market expectations and economist forecasts have only recently started to acknowledge the persistence of inflation. Blackrock believes that markets are underappreciating inflation and, as a result, have a high conviction, maximum overweight to inflation-linked bonds in strategic portfolios and maintain a tactical overweight regardless of how the new regime plays out.
Blackrock says, the best way to predict the future is to examine what their companies are saying. They have a 2023 playbook that is ready to adapt quickly depending on how markets price economic damage and their risk stance evolves. Blackrock prefers short-term government bonds for income, due to the increase in yields and the reduced need to take on risk by seeking yield further out the curve. They are adding to their overweight position in investment grade credit, which they believe may be better positioned than equities to weather recessions due to higher yields and strong balance sheets. They also like U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities for their higher income and credit protection through government ownership of the issuers. Blackrock's expectation for persistent inflation relative to market pricing keeps them overweight in inflation-linked bonds. They remain underweight on long-term government bonds and overall underweight on equities, as they do not believe that the upcoming recession is fully reflected in corporate earnings expectations or valuations, and disagree with the assumption that central banks will eventually support markets with rate cuts. Instead, they plan to focus on sectoral opportunities resulting from structural transitions, such as healthcare amid aging populations, in order to add granularity while staying underweight overall. Among cyclicals, they prefer energy and financials, with energy sector earnings expected to ease from historically high levels while still holding up amid tight supply and higher interest rates benefiting bank profitability. They also like healthcare due to attractive valuations and likely cashflow resilience during downturns.
“We expect views to change more frequently than in the past. Our stance heading into 2023 is broadly risk-off, with a preference for income over equities and long-term bonds. “
The Great Moderation, which allowed for relatively stable strategic portfolios, will not be effective in the current regime. Instead, they believe that portfolios will need to be more nimble. They do not expect a return to conditions that will support a joint bull market in stocks and bonds like the one that occurred in the prior decade. They argue that the asset mix is more important now and that getting the mix wrong could be four times as costly as it was during the Great Moderation. This is because the zero or even positive correlation between the returns of stocks and bonds means that it will take higher portfolio volatility to achieve similar levels of return. Blackrock sees private markets as a core holding for institutional investors, but is broadly underweight due to the potential for valuations to fall and the expectation of better opportunities in the future. They maintain a modest overweight on developed market (DM) equities, but believe that the overall return of stocks will be greater than fixed-income assets over the coming decade. Within fixed income, they prefer to take risk in credit, specifically public credit rather than private. They remain overweight on inflation-linked bonds and underweight on nominal DM government bonds, with a preference for short maturities to generate income and avoid interest rate risk.
Blackrock says that the aging population is a significant factor in the current production constraints and will continue to be a problem in the future. As the population ages, the share of the U.S. population that is of retirement age and therefore not in the workforce is increasing. This is a major contributor to the decline in the labor force participation rate, which measures the share of the adult population that is in work or actively looking for work. The aging population is also negative for economic growth because it means that the available workforce will expand much more slowly in the coming years, leading to reduced production capacity and continued inflation pressure. Additionally, rising government spending on care for the elderly is expected to add to debt. Within equities, Blackrock views the healthcare sector as attractive due to its focus on developing medicine and equipment to meet the needs of an aging population.
To conclude their playbook:
“A bottom-up look at what our
companies are telling us is
probably the best lens we have
into the future.”
The 2023 playbook is ready to
quickly adjust depending on how
markets price economic damage
and our risk stance evolves.
They prefer short-term government
bonds for income: The jump in
yields reduces the need to take risk
by seeking yield further out the
curve. U.S. two-year Treasury yields
have soared above 10-year yields.
See the chart. They break out shortterm Treasuries as a neutral.
They add to their overweight to
investment grade credit. Higher
yields and strong balance sheets
suggest to them investment grade
credit may be better placed than
equities to weather recessions.
They like U.S. agency mortgagebacked securities (MBS) for their
higher income and because they
offer some credit protection via the
government ownership of their
issuers. And their expectation for
persistent inflation relative to
market pricing keeps them overweight
inflation-linked bonds.
Long-term government bonds
remain challenged as they have
described, so they stay underweight.
In equities, they believe recession isn’t
fully reflected in corporate earnings
expectations or valuations – and they
disagree with market assumptions
that central banks will eventually
turn supportive with rate cuts. They
look to lean into sectoral
opportunities from structural
transitions – such as healthcare
amid aging populations – as a way
to add granularity even as they stay
overall underweight. Among
cyclicals, they prefer energy and
financials. They see energy sector
earnings easing from historically
elevated levels yet holding up amid
tight energy supply. Higher interest
rates bode well for bank profitability.
They like healthcare given appealing
valuations and likely cashflow
resilience during downturns.
A new strategic approach
The Great Moderation allowed for
relatively stable strategic
portfolios. That won’t work in the
new regime: They think they will need
to be more nimble.
They don’t see a return to conditions
that will sustain a joint bull market
in stocks and bonds of the kind they
experienced in the prior decade.
The asset mix has always been
important, yet their analysis posits
that getting the mix wrong could be
as much as four times as costly as
versus the Great Moderation. See
the difference between the orange
bar and yellow markers on the
chart. Zero or even positive
correlation between the returns of
stocks and bonds means it will take
higher portfolio volatility to achieve
similar levels of return as before.
They see private markets as a core
holding for institutional investors.
The asset class isn’t immune to
macro volatility and they are broadly
underweight as they think valuations
could fall, suggesting better
opportunities in coming years than
Now.
To read their full report with graphics see this link:
www.blackrock.com
Fear the VIX
If you're a bear on the market, a VIX at 45 might have you doing a happy dance - but for bulls, it could be a different story. The S&P 500 index is a widely-recognized measure of the performance of 500 large publicly-traded companies in the United States. It is often used as a benchmark for the overall health of the U.S. stock market and has generated an average annual return of around 9% since its inception in 1957. The index reached an all-time high in early 2020 but experienced a steep decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic, although it has since recovered much of those losses and is currently trading near all-time highs.
The CBOE Volatility Index, or VIX, is a measure of the expected volatility of the S&P 500 index over the next 30 days. It is calculated using option prices on the S&P 500 index and is commonly referred to as the "fear index." A high VIX suggests that investors expect the stock market to be more volatile in the near future, while a low VIX indicates that investors expect relatively stable market conditions.
For a bearish investor, or someone who expects stock prices to fall, a high VIX may be viewed as an opportunity to profit from falling stock prices. This is because a high VIX can be a sign of increased uncertainty or fear in the market, which may be caused by negative factors such as economic recession, geopolitical tensions, or natural disasters. On the other hand, a high VIX may be seen as a warning sign for bullish investors, who may decide to reduce their exposure to the stock market or implement protective measures to mitigate the potential impact of market volatility.
However, it's worth noting that the VIX is not a perfect indicator of market conditions and can be influenced by a range of factors beyond just the level of fear or uncertainty in the market. Additionally, a longer-term mindset bull, or someone with a long-term bullish outlook on the stock market, may actually welcome a spike in the VIX as it can sometimes signify a market bottom, or a point at which stock prices have reached a low point and are likely to start rising again. In this case, the high VIX may be viewed as an opportunity to buy into the market at a discounted price, with the expectation of generating returns over the long run. As such, it's important for investors to consider their individual investment goals and horizon when evaluating the significance of the VIX and other market indicators.
On the Chart Al La Carte
On the chart, we can see the daily movements of both the S&P 500 index (SPX) and the VIX. Historically, there has been a correlation between a spike in the VIX and a market bottom in the SPX. One of the most notable examples of this relationship was during the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) in 2020, when the VIX reached over 80. The reversal of the VIX marked the bottom of the market on March 16, 2020, a few days before the SPX hit its bottom on March 23.
Since the GFC, we have seen similar, although smaller, spikes in the VIX and corresponding market bottoms. These include October 28, 2020, January 24, 2022, March 8, 2022, March 19, 2022, June 16, 2022, and October 12, 2022. It's important to watch for divergence between the VIX and the SPX to understand if a market bottom may be forming.
See chart
One strategy that some investors use is to watch for divergence between the VIX and the SPX. When the VIX is rising and the SPX is falling, it may be a sign that the market is approaching a bottom. Conversely, when the VIX is falling and the SPX is rising, it may indicate that the market has reached a bottom and is starting to recover.
One example of divergence between the SPX and VIX occurred in late 2018, when the SPX was in a long-term uptrend and the VIX was trending downwards. This divergence may have indicated that the market was approaching a top and that investors should be cautious about taking on additional risk.
Another example of divergence occurred in March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The SPX experienced a steep decline due to the economic impact of the pandemic, while the VIX spiked to over 80. This divergence may have indicated that the market was approaching a bottom and that it was a good time for investors to start looking for opportunities to buy into the market.
One example of a technical analysis tool that can be used to understand the relationship between the SPX and the VIX is the "Vix_Fix" indicator. This indicator uses a number of inputs, including the lookback period for standard deviation, the Bollinger Band length, the Bollinger Band standard deviation, the lookback period for percentile, and the highest and lowest percentiles, to calculate the Williams Vix Fix (WVF). The WVF is a measure of the momentum of the SPX and is plotted on the chart as a histogram. The "Vix_Fix" indicator can be used to identify periods of divergence between the SPX and the VIX, as well as to identify potential points of market reversal. When the SPX is pushing lower and the VIX is pushing higher, it may be a sign that the market is approaching a bottom. Conversely, when the SPX is rising and the VIX is falling, it may indicate that the market has reached a bottom and is starting to recover.
See chart
In conclusion, it is important for investors to keep track of various economic indicators, such as the S&P 500 index, VIX, federal fund rate, and yield curve, in order to make informed investment decisions. While a bear market may be welcomed by some investors, it is important to consider the potential impact on the economy and individual investments. Understanding the historical trends and correlations between these indicators can help investors navigate bear markets and make the most of their investment strategy. It is also crucial to consider a range of factors and not rely on a single source of information when making investment decisions. Overall, staying informed and understanding the market can help investors make the most of their investments, even during a bear market.
If you made it this far, congratulations, you are one dedicated reader and thank you for your time!
Tesla TSLA Market Cycle Signaling Capitulation Stage Coming? Lots of hype about the moves as of late in Tesla TSLA stock price, so I wanted to compare the Market Psychology & Cycle Timing phases to the Monthly Chart on TSLA.
Do you think we are in the latter stages moving toward capitulation ?
My take is that if we see a bounce from these levels into the new year (January 23'), it is likely another opportunity to short TSLA to under <$100 per share — potentially to a long-term trendline on the monthly chart that resides in the $80 area.
Monthly TSLA Market Psychology & Cycle Timing 📊
Monthly Chart w/ Regression Channel
Weekly TSLA Market Psychology & Cycle Timing 📊
Weekly Chart w/ Regression Channel
Daily TSLA Market Psychology & Cycle Timing 📊
Daily Chart w/ Regression Channel
Monthly TSLA Market Psychology & Cycle Timing w/ Yearly Returns Since IPO 📊
Indicator by @tradingview user @Botnet101
Indicator by @tradingview user @everget
Are U.S. Yield Curve Inversions Signaling 2023 Recession? Looking at the Inverted Yield Curve Chart s of the U.S. 10yr Treasury vs. U.S. 3mo Treasury (US10Y - US03M), along with the U.S. 10yr Treasury vs. U.S. 2yr Treasury (US10Y - US02Y) — are yields signaling a topping process? Or, should we even higher yields into 23'?
4-Hour Inverted Yield Curve Chart 📊
Top Chart: US10Y - US03M
Bottom Chart: US10Y - US02Y
Daily Inverted Yield Curve Chart 📊
Top Chart: US10Y - US03M
Bottom Chart: US10Y - US02Y
Weekly Inverted Yield Curve Chart 📊
Top Chart: US10Y - US03M
Bottom Chart: US10Y - US02Y
Monthly Inverted Yield Curve Chart 📊
Top Chart: US10Y - US03M
Bottom Chart: US10Y - US02Y
Monthly Inverted Yield Curve Chart 📊
Bottom Chart: US10Y - US02Y
U.S. 2yr Treasury (Inverted) vs. SPY (SPX ES1!) 📊
Black Line: SPY
Blue Line: US02Y Inverted
U.S. 2yr Treasury (Inverted) vs. QQQ (NQ Nasdaq) 📊
Black Line: QQQ
Blue Line: US02Y Inverted
U.S. 2yr Treasury (Inverted) vs. DIA (Dow Jones Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA) 📊
Black Line: DIA
Blue Line: US02Y Inverted
U.S. 2yr Treasury (Inverted) vs. IWM (Russell 2000 Russell Small Caps RUT) 📊
Black Line: IWM
Blue Line: US02Y Inverted
Do you think that yields have reached their peak for this Federal Reserve tightening cycle here in late 22'? Or, will we see further rises in yields, putting more pressure on risk assets in the new year (23')? 👇🏼
Yield Curve Inversion Chart Template 📊👇🏼
www.tradingview.com
Inverted U.S. 2yr Treasury Curve vs. Asset (SPY QQQ DIA IWM) Chart Template 📊👇🏼
www.tradingview.com
10Y Rate - Headed HigherToday you can review the technical analysis idea on a 1W linear scale chart for 10 Year Treasury Yield (TNX).
In December 2021, I posted a chart showing that the 10Y rate was going to go much higher. I was exactly on point almost to the exact number.
Today I was reviewing the 10Y rate chart and saw the RSI formed a double bottom base with the 10Y rate ready to make another move higher. I also added in the Keltner Channel indicator which shows that when the 10Y rate is higher than the median line, there is a strong chance it touches the top of the Keltner Channel. I see the 10Y as well as other long term rates going much higher as shown in the chart.
If you enjoy my ideas, feel free to like it and drop in a comment. I love reading your comments below.
Disclosure: This is just my opinion and not any type of financial advice. I enjoy charting and discussing technical analysis. Don't trade based on my advice. Do your own research! #millionaireeconomics
How to Adjust Your Stock Chart for Inflation, Dividends, and TaxUsing a pretty simple formula involving CPI , we can adjust the stock chart to show real returns instead of nominal returns. Real returns represent a more accurate picture of the return of the stock over time. In addition, we can easily adjust returns for dividends and estimated taxes.
FOMC Economic Projections Effect on GoldOANDA:XAUUSD
**Repost from Dec 14th 2022 since the original post disappeared**
Hello all TradingView speculators,
In my opinion, I think there was an overreaction from the market's participation on the CPI numbers that was announced to be lower than expected. In addition to this, some technical indicators are showing us some signals to be careful on the buy side from bearish divergence signal between the price and RSI on 4H timeframe. This indication does not mean that the trend will reverse immediately but it indicates that the current trend has chances of stopping and turn into either sideway or downtrend in short term.
Based on the current price level, Risk to Reward Ratio seems to be in favor of the bears. However, I would wait to see the price action in 1H timeframe tries to test 1815 first and if it fails then I believe that follow sell position after this price action fails to go above 1815 and if price makes a lower low below 1804 can be a worthy trade
Swiss franc reverses slide after SNB hikeMajor central banks were in the spotlight this week, as the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank raised rates by 50 basis points at their final meeting of the year. These moves overshadowed a 50 bp rate increase by the Swiss National Bank, where rate moves are unusual - this week's rate increase, which brought the benchmark rate to 1.0%, was only the third hike this year.
The driver behind the rate hike was the all-familiar battle to curb inflation. Switzerland's inflation rate of 3% pales in comparison to the eurozone (10.0%) or the US (7.1%), but is above the SNB's target of 0-2%. The SNB has been aggressive, raising rates by 50 bp in June and an oversize 75-bp hike in September. After years of negative rates, the Bank has dramatically changed policy, responding to what it called a "challenging situation" in a press release after the meeting.
The SNB also reminded the markets that it was "willing to be active in the foreign exchange market as necessary". The Bank has not hesitated in the past to intervene in order to prevent the Swiss franc from climbing too high and damaging the export sector. USD/CHF has declined over 7% since November 1st, and the SNB will be watching to see if the Swiss franc's appreciation continues.
The markets are still digesting the Fed's hawkish stance at this week's meeting. Actually, anyone who has been listening to Jerome Powell and FOMC members would see that the Fed reiterated that it would continue to raise rates and that inflation remained far too high. The markets, however, have been marching to their own beat, expecting that a series of soft inflation reports might change the Fed's tune.
There was talk of the Fed winding up its current rate cycle in February, but the rate statement dampened such hopes, stating that the Fed expected ""ongoing increases" in interest rates." Powell dismissed the recent drop in inflation, saying more evidence was required that the downward trend was sustainable. It seems a given after this hawkish meeting that the terminal rate is likely to rise above 5%, with some forecasts projecting that rates will go as high as 5.6%.
USD/CHF is testing resistance at 0.9285. The next resistance line is at 0.9372
There is support at 0.9228 and 0.9144
Aussie slides on Fed hawkishnessThe Australian dollar is sharply lower on Thursday. In North American trade, AUD/USD is trading at 0.6755, down 1.58%.
Australia's robust labour market continues to impress, with a stellar performance in November. The economy created 64,000 new jobs, above the October reading of 32,000 and blowing away the consensus of 19,000. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.4%.
There was more good news as the Melbourne Institute's Inflation Expectations fell to 5.2%, down from 6.0% previously and below the consensus of 5.7%. The reading has been overshadowed by the employment report and the Fed rate meeting, but is an indication that stubborn inflation is falling. The Reserve Bank of Australia doesn't meet until February and a lot can happen until then, but as things stand now, we can expect a fourth straight hike of 25 basis points at the next meeting.
The Federal Reserve has been talking hawkish for months, but the markets haven't been listening all that well. Soft inflation reports and a better-than expected nonfarm payrolls had the markets convinced that the Fed was poised to wind up its current rate cycle, which sent equities higher and the US dollar sharply lower. Investors were subject to a cold shower on Wednesday as the Fed sounded much more hawkish than the markets had anticipated. Policy makers shrugged off the recent declines in inflation, instead focusing on strong job gains and the high level of inflation. The Fed plans to maintain a restrictive policy into 2023 in order to continue the battle with inflation, and it's clear that the current tightening cycle will continue for some time. The hawkish performance sent risk apprehension higher and boosted the US dollar.
AUD/USD is testing support at 0.6772. The next support level is at 0.6693
There is resistance at 0.6875 and 0.6954
The Fed won't be able to get inflation back to 2%The Fed says they are trying hard to get inflation down however the commodities chart is sticking out it's tongue at the Fed.
Everyone on social media is screaming: The Fed is going to cause a major RECESSION; MAJOR RECESSION IS COMING!!!
Yet this chart is not screaming a major recession is coming (nor is it at all scared by the Central Banks "hawkish" talk)?
Let's look at past recessions (notated by the vertical red lines):
July 2008-Notice how commodities plummeted after the high was made...literally just straight down due to the nature of the recession. (During the recession commodities dropped about 57%)
March 2020-Commodities started to plummet in Jan 2020 and then plummeted hard during the short lived recession. (During the recession commodities dropped about 40%)
April 2001-Commodities started to weaken after double topping in 2000 but didn't come down too much during the recession. (During the recession commodities dropped about 27%)
What does this analysis tell me?
1. That we are not on the brink of a severe recession (like 2008). At this point; commodities are just in correction mode.
2. During a recession commodities plummet along with all the Indexes. Therefore, if this chart plummets so will just about every other chart.
4. We have a double breakout in commodities from the LT downtrend line & the LT horizontal trend line...any good pullbacks in commodities will be met with buyers hence inflation is NOT transitory and will remain sticky.
5. The soft landing narrative is a farce because you cannot get commodities to plummet unless you cause some sort of recession.
6. Commodities are saying the FED is actually not being hawkish enough.
7. The reason for inflation is very simple: money flowed into commodities. It all starts with raw materials.
So are the Central Banks around the world really trying to get inflation under control? Or are they just "talking the talk"?
At this point, the only way to get inflation down to 2% would be to cause a major recession but the rate hikes thus far have NOT scared the commodity chart into submission therefore Powell and all the other central bankers around the world are actually not doing enough at this point.
So.....Stagflation continues!
(BTW...the bond market has spoken: Cheap debt won't be making a comeback anytime soon!)
NZD/USD awaits Fed, GDPAll eyes are on the Federal Reserve, which winds up its policy meeting later today. Policy makers are expected to raise rates by 50 basis points at this final meeting of 2022, with an outside chance of a more aggressive 75 basis point hike. This year has set a record for tightening, but despite that, the Fed stills finds itself in an uphill battle to convince the markets that it remains in a hawkish mode. The dramatic inflation report on Tuesday was softer than expected at 7.1%, once again raising risk appetite and sending the US dollar sharply lower.
Any drop in inflation is welcome news for the Fed, but let's not forget that inflation is still more than three times the Fed target of 2%. The Fed has reiterated that it is committed to curbing inflation and has not given any indications of winding up the current tightening cycle, stating that it expects the terminal rate to be "somewhat higher" than anticipated in September. Despite this, speculation is growing that the Fed might deliver one more rate hike in February, perhaps by 25 bp, and then call it quits.
New Zealand releases fourth-quarter GDP later today, and the markets are bracing for a weak gain of 0.8% q/q. This follows the 1.2% gain in Q3, as the economy was boosted by the booming tourist trade as the border reopened. The New Zealand dollar has recovered nicely, gaining about 400 points against the US dollar since October 1st. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand will be on a long break, as the next policy meeting is not until February 22nd. We could see some volatility from NZD/USD in today's North American session, with the Fed rate announcement and the New Zealand GDP release.
0.6472 is a weak resistance line. Above, there is resistance at 0.6591
There is support at 0.6388 and 0.6311
USD/JPY takes a tumble after soft CPIThe Japanese yen is sharply higher on Tuesday. In the North American session, USD/JPY is trading at 134.97, down 1.95%.
The US dollar is in broad retreat after US CPI was softer than expected. The November reading dropped to 7.1% y/y, down from 7.7% in October and slightly lower than the 7.3% consensus. The trend was similar for core CPI, which dipped to 6.0%, down from 6.3% and below the consensus of 6.1%. We've seen this story before - equities jump and the US dollar slides after a soft CPI report, as the markets speculate that the Fed could make a dovish pivot in response to falling inflation.
What makes this inflation report even more interesting is that the Fed winds up its policy meeting on Wednesday. Today's CPI data hasn't changed the pricing of a 50-bp hike tomorrow, which has about an 80% likelihood. The markets will be listening carefully to the tone of Jerome Powell's rate statement and follow-up remarks, hoping for clues about the next meeting in February. There is a strong chance that the Fed will hike by 25 bp and then take a pause - this would be significant because it would that the rate tightening cycle would terminate at 4.75%, below the 5.00% level or higher which many forecasts projected for the terminal rate.
In all the market enthusiasm, investors would be well to remember that even with the recent fall in inflation, it remains more than three times the Fed's target of 2%. The battle with inflation is far from over and we are yet to hear the Fed utter the magic phrase that "inflation has peaked". Jerome Powell and Co. may continue to drum out a hawkish message, but the critical question is whether anyone in the market is listening.
USD/JPY broke below support at 136.20 earlier. This is followed by support at 1.3453
There is resistance at 1.3734
impact of two important following news on DXYTwo important factors that been driving Dollar prices in last several month as we all know is Federal Funds Rate and Inflation data like CPI.
In this week we have both of them coming out on Tuesday and Wednesday, now we want to see how it can affect the market.
Price usually tend to be at important resistive or supportive areas at the time of important news hit the market and as we can see now price is at supporting area and at the Daily low which probably will remain here until the news hit the market so we can expect of low volatility movement on USD and other major crosses, But what will happen when the news releases?
As we know CPI balance is curving to downside and shows that inflation is cooling down and as we see the prediction of tomorrow CPI news we can see that the market expect this trend to continue. Now here is the tricky part, if CPI data put out like prediction or lower than the prediction this means that fed has the inflation under control which makes trader to believe that federal reserve would not need to raise prices very aggressively like before and as a result we may see a risk on environment in the market which can lead Dollar prices to come lower, but on the other hand SPX, TLT, EUR,JPY and also commodity currencies like AUD,NZD to take benefit from the situation.
But if CPI data comes out higher than expectation then we can argue that federal reserve do not have inflation under control so it needs to continue hiking prices like before and this situation may lead to higher prices for Dollar and lower prices for all the other assets that we covered above.
Also if the second scenario take place tomorrow we can expect USYIELD to continue going higher which have negative effect on US treasury bond and very bad effect on SPX index.
Put CPI analysis apart the other important news that can shake prices real hard is federal reserve which going to hit the market on Wednesday. On that time we can see that what exactly is in the mind of federal reserve and how they are going to impact the economy. In overall, if they raise rate same or below the expectation its going to be very good for risky assets since it shows that we are getting close to end of rate hiking cycle but if federal reserve going for raising rate higher than expectation then it will have a very good impact on Dollar but bad impact on risky assets.
Inflation Slowing, but Still a Concern for the Federal ReserveInflation in the United States, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI), is expected to have slowed again in November. This is due in part to a weaker economy, which has reduced inflation pressures. However, the expected 0.3% increase in the CPI is not enough to ease concerns at the Federal Reserve or prevent the central bank from raising interest rates even higher to slow the economy.
Gas prices have fallen since the summer, reversing the spike in spring that sent inflation to a 40-year high. As a result, the cost of living has risen more slowly in the past four months. If the forecast is accurate, the annual rate of inflation would taper off to 7.3% from 7.7% in October and a peak of 9.1% in June.
The core rate of inflation, which excludes food and gas, is also forecast to rise 0.3% in November. This is still higher than the monthly gains that were the norm before the pandemic. The yearly rate of core inflation may fall slightly to 6.1% from 6.3% in the previous month. The rate peaked at 6.6% in November.
The increase in the cost of goods, excluding energy, has relaxed to 5% in October from 12.4% in February. However, the increase in the price of services continues to accelerate. The cost of services, excluding energy, has risen 6.8% in the past year. This is due in part to the increasing cost of labor, which is the biggest expense for most service-oriented businesses.
Rents have jumped 7.5% in the past year, marking the biggest surge since 1982. Rents are starting to decrease as the economy slows, but the Fed and Wall Street are watching for clear evidence of a reversal. Even if rents and home prices level off, the change may not immediately show up in the CPI report.