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Investment-Grade Debt vs. Treasuries and Stock Market ImplicatioIntroduction: The ratio between investment-grade corporate debt (LQD) and 3-7 Year Treasuries (IEI) serves as a key measure of market liquidity, carrying important implications for the stock market. When this LQD-to-IEI ratio rises, it indicates stronger market liquidity, typically reducing the risk of a stock market downturn. Monitoring this ratio can provide early signals on the market’s broader risk environment. Analysis: Liquidity Signal: A rising LQD-to-IEI ratio reflects improved liquidity conditions, which can offer a more favorable environment for stocks by reducing systemic risk and easing funding conditions. Technical Pattern: Currently, the LQD-to-IEI ratio is approaching a potential breakout from a rounding bottom formation, which is a bullish pattern. A confirmed breakout, possibly supported by recent Federal Reserve liquidity measures, would strengthen the case for a continued stock market uptrend. Market Implications: A breakout in this ratio would indicate robust liquidity, offering a supportive backdrop for stock gains. Strong liquidity tends to encourage investment in equities, as it alleviates funding pressures and risk concerns. Conclusion: The LQD-to-IEI ratio offers a vital signal of market liquidity, with a potential breakout from its rounding bottom pattern indicating a bullish scenario for equities. If liquidity conditions remain strong, stocks could see continued support, reducing the chances of a market crash. Do you agree with this outlook on liquidity’s impact on stocks? Share your perspective below! Charts: (Include relevant charts showing the LQD-to-IEI ratio, the rounding bottom formation, and breakout potential) Tags: #Liquidity #CorporateDebt #Treasuries #StockMarket #LQD #IEI #TechnicalPatterns
AMEX:LQD
by Richtv_official
Introduction to Relative Strength or Ratio 1-2In part one (linked) we discussed how to construct and use relative strength ratios (RS) in trading and analysis. We also discussed common errors and best use. In part two we finish that general discussion. In part three we will analyze consumer staples verses consumers discretionary and begin to discuss other ratios that I find useful. How do spreads correct? One mistake is assuming that a spread will always be corrected by the rich security moving lower to meet the cheaper security. In actuality there are multiple ways a spread can correct. For instance, the rich market corrects lower relative to the cheaper market, the rich market declines while the cheap market rises, or the rich market remains relatively fixed while the cheap market rallies. And remember, this is all done within the context of the broader market trend. This isn't particularly important when using spreads as informative to the business or market cycle (as I do). But if you are trading pairs (which outside of rates markets, I don't) the legs should generally be market neutral or directionally ambivalent. Along this same line, if the dollar value of the two legs is vastly different, the share counts must be adjusted to close to money neutral or the disproportionally large side of the trade will dominate. This can also be an issue when the notional amounts of the two instruments are very different. For instance, two-year futures verses ten-year futures. Twos represent 200k notional while tens represent 100k notional. They also have far different sensitivities (duration) to a given change in rates. It should also be recognized that some sectors or ETFs are dominated by one or two very large names that skew directionality in favor of those few names. Looking for ETFs comprised of equally weighted components will mostly eliminate this issue. For instance equal weighted consumer staples (RSPS) verses equal weighted consumer discretionary (RSPD). It's extremely important that you know what you are measuring. A good example is the change in the ratio between investment grade bonds (LQD) and high yield bonds (HYG). A quick glance at the chart might suggest that High Yield is weakening relative to Investment Grade. The easy conclusion would be that fundamentals in the high yield sector were deteriorating and investors were exiting HYG. While fundamentals are modestly deteriorating in HYG more quickly than in LQD, the dominant driver is the difference in duration between the two sectors. This can be seen when running the ratio between ten year and three-year treasuries and comparing it to LQD/HYG. Many analysts smooth the RS line with moving averages. This is particularly useful when adjusting for the higher volatility of shorter time frames. This isn't my preference. First, I prefer to use longer periods (particularly weekly) in my analysis. Second, while averages are useful, they aren't an essential part of my own analysis toolkit. But there is value and moving averages can be used on spreads just as they are used on the underlying securities. Finally, ratios can provide tremendous insight into economy and market cycles, for instance when, after a long RS decline, copper begins to strengthen relative to gold, the industrial economy may be entering the early stage of recovery. Or when consumer staples RS inflects higher relative to consumer discretionary it's likely that the outlook for the consumer, and by extrapolation the economy, is weakening. In future parts we will discuss and illustrate several of these ratios. And finally, many of the topics and techniques discussed in this post are part of the CMT Associations Chartered Market Technician’s curriculum. Good Trading: Stewart Taylor, CMT Chartered Market Technician Taylor Financial Communications Shared content and posted charts are intended to be used for informational and educational purposes only. The CMT Association does not offer, and this information shall not be understood or construed as, financial advice or investment recommendations. The information provided is not a substitute for advice from an investment professional. The CMT Association does not accept liability for any financial loss or damage our audience may incur.
Editors' picks
AMEX:LQDEducation
by CMT_Association
7
I'm buying the LQD Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETFUS Interest Rates have been raised to 5.25% and inflation has fallen down to 5%... an inflection point has been reached, the US seems to have inflation under control ahead of the UK and the Euro zone. I'm buying the AMEX:LQD Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF as newer issued bonds my be issued at lower interest rates, increasing the value of the bonds I'm holding in the LQD Bond ETF. This will be a long term trade. In time interest rates will have peaked and the FED will start lowering rates to stimulate the economy again.... the yield curve will eventually start to normalize too.
AMEX:LQDLong
by JaredBooysen
Why Corporate Bonds are not a good option for Retail InvestorsCorporate bonds or tradeable debt instruments issued by corporations are a type of fixed income security. Given the recent media attention and the rising demand for fixed income investments among retail investors, it may come as a surprise that they are not suitable for all investors. Corporate bonds have different risks associated with them than other fixed income investments like savings accounts, money market funds, and even municipal bonds. If you are considering investing in corporate bonds or are already holding some in your portfolio, here is why you should avoid them as a retail investor What is a Corporate Bond? A corporate bond is a debt instrument issued by a corporation to raise money. Corporate bonds typically have a set maturity date after which the outstanding principal will be repaid. There are many kinds of corporate bonds, including investment grade and high yield, government and non-government, and they can be issued in local or foreign currencies. Corporate bonds are often traded on the secondary market, which means they are liquid and can be bought and sold easily. Investors earn a return on corporate bonds by receiving interest payments and by the increase in the bond’s value as it matures. The interest rate on a corporate bond is based on factors like the company’s credit rating, the length of time the bond is outstanding, and the bond yield in the market at that time. Corporate bonds are typically less liquid than stocks, and may have shorter holding periods, especially if you purchase them on the secondary market. Risks of investing in Corporate Bonds Corporate bonds are considered a form of debt financing, and as such, there are risks associated with holding them. The main ones are default, liquidity, and interest rate risk. - Default risk - Investing in corporate bonds entails the risk that the issuing company will default on the payment of interest or the repayment of principal. However, since corporate bonds are issued by companies in different industries, there is a low probability that they will all default at the same time. - Liquidity risk - The risk that you will not be able to sell the investment in a timely fashion at a price that is attractive to you. - Interest rate risk - The risk that if you hold the investment until maturity, you will earn a lower rate of return because interest rates will have risen in the meantime. Why you should avoid Corporate Bonds as a Retail Investor While corporate bonds may be suitable for institutional investors, they are not a good option for the average retail investor. For one, you will have to educate yourself on the various types of corporate bonds, their risks and returns, and what kind of companies you should be investing in. Even if you are successful at taking this on, you are likely to end up with a very concentrated portfolio, which brings us to the next problem. The other issue is that retail investors typically hold a small number of bonds and these bonds are often concentrated in a few issuers. This is not a good strategy because if a company defaults, you could lose a large portion of your capital. This is clearly a bad strategy. So, How about Investment grade debt ETFs? LQD, In a rising interest-rate scenario. The bonds' tenure is clearly working against them, especially since unemployment continues to fall at an astonishing rate. This is not the time to invest in this ETF if the Fed raises interest rates to combat inflation. In order to completely comprehend this analysis we must know how important the duration is, while investing in bonds. Duration is an important topic. It is the bond's effective maturity, which means it is oriented to something lesser than the time of the bond's final payment since part of the bond's value, generally from coupons, happens earlier in the bond's existence. If a bond has a longer effective maturity at a fixed interest rate, it indicates that investors are tied to an interest rate that was once market for a longer period of time, and if rates increase as they are currently, you will be bound to an uneconomical rate for a longer period of time. Simply put, longer term bonds lose value more severely when interest rates increase. How maturity of a these bonds (Duration) is affecting LQD Unemployment has gone down despite the increased rates, which has surprised many analysts. The Phillips Curve is back in force, where low unemployment yields high inflation if inflation is kept down, and contrary to common perception, Consumer spending has declined, but unemployment is so low that it might rise again unless the Federal Reserve, which is committed to lowering inflation, continues its anti-inflation campaign. The Federal Reserve has raised rates as well as given gloomy recession predictions, and more banks are following its lead, including the Bank of England. LQD, which has dropped 14% this year, have long-duration bonds, majority of fixed-rate, which is concering for this ETF. Credit Spread Global Cooperate Bonds in general Corporate bonds continuing their strong performance in July, producing $80 million (+76% year on year).  July was the most profitable month of the year for CBs . Their  revenues in 2022 have exceeded from 2021 ($512 million). Average balances increased by 9.8% year on year, average costs increased by 59% year on year, and usage have increased by 27% year on year. Spreads on non-investment grade and high yield bonds continue to widen as corporate prospects deteriorate owing to weakening consumer demand and stricter financial conditions. In-turns , asset values fall, yields rises, and borrower demand increases. However, CG Debt funds have seen the highest monthly outflows in May and June (-$73.7 billion) In July, High Yield Bonds enjoyed the relieve rally. Interest rates vs Corporate Bonds comparison Alternatives to Corporate Bonds for retail investors For retail investors, the most advisable option is to go with government bonds. Government bonds have historically offered a lower risk profile compared to corporate bonds. The best way to go about investing in government bonds is to go for a diversified bond fund. Using a bond fund reduces the risk associated with investing in bonds further as the fund manager may hold a large number of different bonds. If you are looking at a short-term investment horizon (less than 10 years), then you could also opt for short-term government bonds. If you have a long-term horizon, then you could consider a long-term government bond fund. Savings accounts, money market funds, and short-term government bonds are very liquid forms of low risk investment options. Conclusion It is important to understand that the corporate bond market is not risk-free. When interest rates are rising, corporate bonds are generally falling in price as they are competing against government bonds with lower interest rates. In times of economic uncertainty or when interest rates are rising, the risk of default is generally higher for companies issuing corporate bonds. Thus, it is advisable to invest in corporate bonds only when the economy is growing steadily. For retail investors, the best options are to go with government bonds or short-term government bonds. These are low risk, liquid investments and will help you achieve your financial goals.
Editors' picks
AMEX:LQDEducation
by EQTSHARES
10
Fed's Catch-22A Catch-22 is a problem for which the only solution is denied by a circumstance inherent in the problem or by a rule. This is exactly the problem the Federal Reserve faces. Historic inflation continues to accelerate, becoming embedded into the market's expectations and risking a spiral effect In order to stop rapid inflation, and achieve its mandate of price stability, the Fed must raise interest rates as rapidly as inflation is rising. The Fed cannot raise interest rates as rapidly as would be needed to slow rapid inflation because it would rapidly begin to freeze liquidity in the corporate bond market. Rapid tightening would spillover to corporate earnings, asset prices, consumer borrowing and spending, economic growth and ultimately employment, countering the Fed's mandate of maintaining stable employment. The last time that investment grade corporate bond prices fell below their monthly EMA ribbon support was in March 2020, when the Fed made emergency purchases of corporate bond ETFs to ensure liquidity. Now the bond prices are falling below their monthly EMA ribbon support and the Fed is taking the exact opposite measure by calling for accelerated rate hikes. Is it possible to avoid a recession at this point? Only time will tell but the charts seem to doubt it.
AMEX:LQD
by SpyMasterTrades
4
Credit Monitoring Basics: A Must Have SkillThese data series are all available in the Trading View platform. Since the turn of the year the price of LQD, the investment grade corporate credit ETF, has declined nearly 10 points (-7.3%) and since early August is down 13 points (-10%). The important question is…. Why? Knowing how to monitor credit is an important skill, particularly since so many in the commentary or advice business so misunderstand it. In this post I want to provide basic tools that will allow you to perform a down and dirty evaluation. Why is credit so important? The Federal Reserve is much more sensitive to credit distress than they are to equity distress. If companies are unable to secure funding, they may face liquidity problems, and liquidity problems have the potential to become systemic. In 2008 and again in 2020 credit markets were, in essence, frozen. Particularly in 2008, even short term funding markets froze. There were plenty of offers but in many cases no bids. Being an old bond guy, I may be prejudiced, but credit makes the economy go and in general terms is much more important to short term functionality than equity. I think the Fed is more responsive to credit market functionality than it is to equity distress. Listening to the angst of the want-to-be macro analysts or simply looking at the price of credit ETFs like LQD or HYG might lead one to believe that credit was generating an economic warning or danger sign. That narrative is, at least for now, false. Corporate bond yield has two primarily components: • Base rate: In the case of fixed coupon corporates the base rate is the nearest maturity on-the-run (most actively traded) U.S. Treasury (TR). The base rate is generally thought of as the risk free rate. • Spread to the base rate: The spread above the base rate compensates credit investors for the higher risk of default and downgrade and the wider bid-offer (liquidity) spreads involved in corporate trading. • For instance: 10 year Treasuries yield 2.00% and a ten year XYZ corporate security is offered at 120 basis points (bps) to TR. All-in-yield for XYZ is 3.20%. Because there are two primary constituents of a corporate yield, price change can be driven by two things. • Changes in the base rate. In other words, changes in treasury yields. • Changes in the credit spread. Spreads widen/narrow to the base rate as investors seek additional/less compensation for default, liquidity and downgrade risk. Normally the primary driver of changes in corporate ETFs and indices is change in the base rate/treasury yields. Said another way, TR yields are more volatile than corporate spreads. • Big changes in Treasuries equate to big changes in corporate bond prices. Chart 1: This is a long term chart of IEF (7-10 year Treasury ETF) plotted with LQD (the investment grade bond ETF). • You can see how closely the two correlate. • There will be some difference due to differences in duration (a measure of rate sensitivity) of the index versus the duration of the Treasury and changes in the spread component. • But, clearly, changes in Treasury rates have an outsized influence on corporate bond rates/prices. Chart 2: Option adjusted spread of the ICE BofA Investment Grade (IG) and High Yield (HY) Corporate Index's: • The OAS offers a way to assess the credit spread component of a corporate bonds yield. • Investment grade index is +1.08% to the base rate. • High yield spread is +3.44% to the base rate. ○ There is more default risk in high yield, so the compensation, or spread to the base rate, is correspondingly higher than that of IG. • Both IG and HY spreads remain very near historic lows with very little evidence that credit investors are growing fearful of default, downgrade, or liquidity risk. Chart 3: All in yield BBB corporate index (top), BBB OAS or credit spread (center) and ten year treasury note yields (bottom). • The all-in-yield, of the ICE BofA BBB index has risen significantly over the last few months. ○ Remember that in a bond, higher yields equate to lower prices. So a higher all-in-yield means that corporate bond prices are lower. • BBBs are the lowest rating category of the Investment grade index and are more sensitive to the ebb and flow of default and downgrade risk than the investment grade index as a whole. • While the all-in-yield has risen sharply over the last few months the OAS has barely budged from support. Investors are not yet demanding more compensation for default risk. The change in corporate pricing has been driven by the sharp rise in rates. Bottom Line: To understand the state of the credit market, you have to assess both changes in rate and changes in the spread. Hopefully you now have the tools to do a down and dirty assessment of your own. Good Trading: Stewart Taylor, CMT Chartered Market Technician Shared content and posted charts are intended to be used for informational and educational purposes only. The CMT Association does not offer, and this information shall not be understood or construed as, financial advice or investment recommendations. The information provided is not a substitute for advice from an investment professional. The CMT Association does not accept liability for any financial loss or damage our audience may incur.
Editors' picks
AMEX:LQDEducation
by CMT_Association
40
Credit - The Second Wave - EvergrandeIdea for Credit: - Stocks had a bit of a reprieve as China's collapsing property firms were halted for 2 weeks, and China's markets had gone on holiday for Golden week. - Stock market had an unwinding of hedges last week, but are things really 'Back to Normal'? - The bond market does not think so, and seems to be presaging more drawdown to come. - EM High Yield has been in capitulation, while US Corporate bonds and HY are accelerating their declines. - High Yield Spreads are about to breakout. - This is a problem that has not simply gone away, but rather will only get worse. - Nikkei had even erased all losses of the year in 2 weeks, then lost them again in 2 weeks more, to continue its bear market: - Remains to be seen how far-reaching the effects will be on China's 5T property market. The drag on global property market is real: More to come on that later. The stock market has its best days in bear markets as volatility increases, and this is really telling of the situation. I think we are already in a global bear market and recession. 110 1911 222 GLHF - DPT
AMEX:LQDShort
by UnknownUnicorn1043646
1