Pro Perspectives 12/16/24

 

 

 

 

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December 16, 2024

In my last note we talked about the synchronized global easing cycle.
 
Major global central banks responded, in coordination, to the global health crisis. 
 
They responded, in coordination, to the subsequent inflation. 
 
And over the past year, they've responded, in coordination, to the disinflationary trend. 
 
So, global policy making has been intentionally synchronized, and that includes Japan — which served a very important role as the global liquidity provider (with QE + negative rates) as the rest of the world was inflation fighting.
 
Now Japan is attempting to "normalize" policy, as the rest of the world is easing.
 
But as we also discussed in my last note, while monetary policy has converged, the economic outlook within this consortium of major central banks/ leading countries has diverged. 
 
And if we simply use consumer and business confidence as our gauge, the divergent economic outlook has come from diverging structural agendas (structural policy). 
 
The U.S. has had a populist political shakeup. 
 
And that catalyst for change has infused confidence in the U.S. economic outlook.
 
 
It's a new roadmap.  And this chart highlights the impact (i.e. divergence in government policy paths = divergence in economic outlook).
 
And as I suggested in my note on Thursday, this divergence doesn't close without a catalyst, and that catalyst might come in the form of a populist political shakeup in Europe.

 
We've seen the Macron government fall in France over the past two weeks.  And just this afternoon, the screws were turned on Scholz in Germany.  He lost a confidence vote.  The Germans will have a snap election likely in late February to determine what might be a new political landscape.
 
And in Canada, Trudeau's government lost two key cabinet members today to resignation (Finance Minister and Housing Minister), and a no confidence vote looks likely early next year. 
 
This is beginning to look like the 2015-2016 populist pushback that delivered Grexit, Brexit and the Trump vote. The people want freedom from the globalist agenda, and they want sovereignty restored.
 
In Europe, if the political dominoes fall in the coming months, it will come with complicated financial risk — a reversion to nationalist governments in Europe would be a clear threat to the future of the euro (the common currency).  
 
 
 

Pro Perspectives 12/12/24

 

 

 

 

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December 12, 2024

On Tuesday, we talked about the Trump effect on the NFIB's Small Business Optimism Index.
 
It was a repeat of 2016.  The spike in the November reading broke a streak of 34 consecutive months UNDER the 50-year average for the index.
 
Also on Tuesday, the Business Roundtable, an association of more than 200 CEOs of America's leading companies, representing every sector of the U.S. economy, released its survey and update to its CEO Economic Outlook Index.
 
This is big corporate America.  And this index spiked too, "above its long-run average for the first time in nine quarters."  Plans for hiring, investing and expectations for sales all jumped.
 
On Monday the New York Fed released a survey of consumer expectations.  This gives us a gauge on how consumers are feeling post-election.  The year-ahead expectations on household financial situation "improved considerably in November." 
 
The share of householders surveyed expecting a better financial situation a year from now rose to its highest level since February of 2020 (just before the pandemic). 
 
This enthusiasm about the economic outlook was clear and on display this morning at the New York Stock Exchange, with a crowd of corporate executives on hand to watch Trump ring the bell to open markets.
 
Now, let's take a look at this chart below of U.S. stocks vs. German stocks and talk about the contrast with what's going on in Europe.
 
 
This chart overlays U.S. and German stocks (S&P 500 and the German Dax). 
 
And as you can see, from October of last year, when Jerome Powell signaled the end of the tightening cycle in the U.S., the two stock markets have tracked closely — on the tailwinds of a synchronized global easing cycle.
 
That said, this morning the European Central Bank cut rates again — now down 100 basis points since April, in response to the disinflation trend.  And by next week, the Fed will likely have taken the Fed Funds rate down by 100 basis points (total) in this easing cycle. 
 
But for the respective stock markets, the economic picture is very different. 
 
The U.S. economy is growing at better than 3% over the past two years.  The eurozone economy is growing at a sub-1% rate over the past six quarters. 
 
And the Trump effect won't work for Europe in the same direction that it's working for the U.S. outlook.   
 
And that said, confidence measures in Europe are 32 consecutive months below the 20-year trend, and with no positive catalyst ahead.
 
 
With this, we should start to see divergence between the performance of U.S. stocks and European stocks, at least until a positive catalyst emerges. 
 
What might that positive catalyst be?  A populist political shakeup in Europe.  

    

Pro Perspectives 12/11/24

 

 

 

 

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December 11, 2024

We had no surprises from the inflation data this morning.
 
With that, as we discussed on Monday, the Fed should do nothing to disrupt market expectations for a quarter point rate cut next week.  But they will almost certainly make significant adjustments in their Summary of Economic Projections (SEP) — reducing expectations on the number of cuts for next year.  
 
Even though the U.S. rate outlook is less "easy" than it was three months ago (following the Fed's 50 bps cut), it's important to remember that this easing cycle (as was the tightening cycle) is synchronized with other major global central banks.  
 
The Bank of Canada cut rates today.  The Swiss National Bank will be cutting tomorrow, and so will the European Central Bank.  It's a global easing cycle. 
 
Add to this, now China is looking to stimulate aggressively next year. 
 
And we should expect China to counter Trump's tariffs with their favorite tool:  a weak yuan (their tool for manipulating economic advantage).
 
In the seven weeks surrounding the 2016 election (early October through late November), the Chinese central bank made the largest seven week devaluation of the yuan since adopting the managed float exchange rate regime back in 2005.
 
This time they will head into Trump 2.0 with the yuan already set at the weakest levels since 2007.      
 
 

Pro Perspectives 12/10/24

 

 
 

 

 

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December 10, 2024

Remember, back in 2016, small business optimism spiked in the weeks that followed the Trump election.

As we discussed last week, we should expect a repeat, especially given that the index that measures small business optimism (by NFIB) was below 2016 levels, having spent 34 consecutive months under the UNDER the 50-year average.

The November report was published this morning, and as you can see, indeed the Trump effect is back for small business.   

This surge in optimism was even bigger than the November 2016 surge, and was described as “clearly” driven by “a major shift in economic policy, particularly tax and regulation, that favors economic growth.”  

Remember, the Fed was influenced by the Trump agenda in 2016, and the related reset in consumer and business attitudes that came with it, so much so that they proactively hiked rates a month after the election, in an economy that had averaged only slightly above 1% PCE inflation that year. 

That won’t be the case this December.  The easing cycle will continue, but it’s a matter of how many more cuts before the Fed goes into a holding pattern, swayed by their perception of potential inflation from what they think is hot growth. 

As we discussed yesterday, the Fed has misjudged the strength of economic output for two consecutive years (an economy which has run at a rate of about 3%).  And they see the long run growth rate for the economy now at less than 2%.

Clearly, they think the below average growth of the past fifteen years is the “new normal.” 

As we observed in my note yesterday, in this chart below, the Fed’s expectations are more than a full percentage point below the long-term average growth of the economy.   

 

With all of this in mind, the Fed is slowly acknowledging that we’re in a productivity boom (likely driven by the technology revolution, generative AI).  We had more data this morning to support that.

And as we’ve discussed often in my daily notes, hot productivity gains promote wage growth, which is needed to reset wages to the increased level of prices (which restores quality of life).  And it can fuel wage growth without stoking inflation. 

And Jerome Powell himself presented back in 2016 at the Peterson Institute (here), that higher productivity growth is a driver of a higher long-term potential growth rate of the economy.

So, they should not be surprised by the current 3%+ GDP growth, and low inflation. 

In fact, with real rates (Fed Funds rate minus PCE) still over 200 basis points, which is historically very restrictive territory (putting downward pressure on the economy), the Fed should be looking to maximize growth.  They should continue to aggressively reduce the ristriction on the economy. 

If we look back at the late 90s boom, which was fueled by a technology revolution (the internet), we were in a productivity boom.  Economic growth averaged 4.5% a year, stocks averaged 26% a year over a five-year period, and inflation averaged just 1.6%.  Still, the Fed was tinkering around with historically high real rates.

But we didn’t have the extent of indebtedness we have today. 

Again, in this high productivity environment, the Fed should be focused on maximizing growth.  Growing the denominator in this chart goes a long way toward solving the debt problem. 

 

Pro Perspectives 12/9/24

 

 

 

 

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December 09, 2024

We get the November inflation report on Wednesday.
 
And we go in, with the market pricing a near certainty of a third consecutive rate cut to be delivered by the Fed next week.
 
That said, the Fed made a considerable effort last week to lower the market confidence on the speed of the easing cycle.
 
Assuming they will do nothing to disrupt market expectations for a December cut, they will certainly make significant adjustments in their Summary of Economic Projections (SEP).
This is how they saw things in September …
 
 
As you can see in this table above, coming out of their September meeting, they saw the Fed funds rate significantly lower by the end of 2025 (highlighted in yellow).  The 3.4% level would be 125 basis points lower than the current level.
 
Since then, as we've discussed, the Trump agenda seems to be influencing the Fed's growth and inflation outlook (higher) — as it did in the weeks following the 2016 election.  
 
Add to that, they've already underestimated 2024 GDP growth by what looks like a full percentage point, just like they did in 2023.
 
There's $3 trillion of excess money still sloshing around the economy (i.e. persistent above trend money supply) and the government is still running crisis-level deficit spending — yet the growth impact is all somehow miscalculated by the Fed. 
 
And then we are in the early stages of a technology revolution, which may be the most productivity enhancing technological advancement of our lifetime.  Productivity growth is a driver of the long-term growth potential of the economy — (that's higher growth, without stoking inflation).
 
With all of this, if you take a look at the orange highlighted number in the table above, the Fed sees long-run GDP growth at only 1.8%.
 
What is the long-term average growth of the economy?  Much higher.   
 

 
Let's talk about some "new news" that could impact the inflation outlook …
 
We've been looking at this chart throughout the inflation cycle …
 
 
 
As you can see, Chinese producer prices led U.S. consumer prices on the way up (and global price pressures), and have led on the way down.  They just reported the 26th consecutive year-over-year deflation in producer prices. 
 
And overnight, for the second time in three months there is news of stimulus to come out of China. 
 
The September announcement gave Chinese markets a jolt, said to be the most aggressive monetary stimulus since the pandemic, which included direct support for the stock market. 
 
This time, it's said to be the biggest monetary policy support since 2010 (depths of the Global Financial Crisis).
 
What did China do with freshly printed yuan back in 2010?  They stockpiled global commodities.    

Pro Perspectives 12/5/24

 

 

 

 

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December 05, 2024

We get the November jobs report tomorrow morning.
 
As a refresher, Jerome Powell maintained the stance in his November press conference that a negative surprise in the labor market was the condition to cut rates faster.
 
This condition has been primarily focused on the rise in the unemployment rate.  
 
They've been most concerned with the speed of the rise, not necessarily the level. 
 
On that note, as you can see below, the peak was July, and we've since had three lower months.  The rise has stalled.
 
 
With that, in the recent commentary from Fed officials we've heard the word "stablized" to describe the unemployment rate.  And Jerome Powell recently said the economy was in "very good shape."
 
Add to that, based on their reaction to the 2016 election, it's fair to say that the Fed is already incorporating policies from the incoming administration into their outlook — policies which should be favorable to the labor market, and boost business confidence.
 
So, it seems likely that this labor market condition/reaction function for the Fed (which amounts to a "Fed put") has diminished at this point.

Pro Perspectives 12/4/24

 

 

 

 

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December 04, 2024

We heard from the Richmond Fed President this morning and then the Fed Chair this afternoon.
 
As we've discussed in recent days, the Fed has lined up speakers this week, with what appears to be an effort to lower the market confidence that a third consecutive rate cut will come when the Fed meets on December 18th.
 
It hasn't worked.  The market is pricing in a 78% chance of a quarter point cut this month.
 
That said, we've talked about the hawkish response the Fed had to the 2016 election, based on assumptions that Trump policies would bolster the growth and inflation path.
 
It's not a stretch to assume the recent election has also influenced the Fed's outlook.  
 
It was mentioned yesterday by Fed Governor Kluger, who said trade policy under the incoming administration may affect prices.
 
And today, at a conference in New York, the Richmond Fed President noted a survey of CFOs, where he said the confidence about growth and the economy were "significantly more optimistic" after the election. 
 
We didn't get much out of the Fed Chair today, other than to say "the economy is in very good shape" and they "could afford to be a little more cautious" in the easing cycle.  
 
What is no longer clear?  
 
With a "picture" Jerome Powell says is stronger now than it was when we they made the 50 basis point rate cut back in September (more stable employment, stronger growth, and a little higher inflation), will they still react, as they've promised in recent months, to any "cracks" in the labor market? 
 
Is the "Fed put" still in play, given the outlook for Trumponomics?
 
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Pro Perspectives 12/3/24

 

 

 

 

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December 03, 2024

As we discussed yesterday, we have a lineup of Fed speakers this week, and they are clearly trying to prepare markets for the possibility of "no cut" at the December 18th meeting.
 
Fed Governor Chris Waller gave a speech yesterday titled, "Cut or Skip?".
 
This is the same guy, after the 75 basis point cut in September, who said he would support "big rate cuts" if needed.  Just two and half months ago, he said he's fine moving in 50s to get to "where they want to go."
 
Now he's considering no cut.
 
Today we heard from a few more Fed members. 
 
The San Francisco Fed President said a rate cut [in December] is "not off the table." 
 
Keep in mind, the market is pricing in a better than 70% chance of a quarter point cut coming this month.
 
Let's revisit the reason for that level of confidence in the chart below …
 

 
As you can see, the Fed's favored inflation gauge, PCE, is very near its 2% target (the red line). 
 
And yet the gap between inflation (the blue line) and where the Fed has set the Fed Funds rate (the orange line) is still very wide. 
 
So, after 75 basis points of rate cuts, the "real rate" (Fed Funds rate minus inflation) is still at historically high levels.  That means policy remains restrictive (i.e. its putting downward pressure on the economy).  The Fed still has its foot on the brake, with plenty of pressure.
 
So why is the Fed setting expectations for a potential pause in the policy path?
 
Fed Governor Kugler said today, what the Fed Chair (Jerome Powell) would prefer not to say out loud.  She said, trade policy under the incoming administration may affect prices.
 
 
We'll see if Jerome Powell tries to moderate the market's rate expectations tomorrow.  He's on the schedule for a discussion at the New York Times DealBook Summit. 

Pro Perspectives 12/2/24

 

 
 

 

 

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December 02, 2024

We start the last month of the year with stocks on record highs, and asset prices broadly having one of the better years on record.

The economy is tracking above 3% growth for the quarter.  The Fed is in an easing cycle.  Businesses and consumers are anticipating a pro-growth, deregulation agenda from the incoming Trump administration.

And the VIX (downside insurance for investment managers), looks like no fear …

Despite the many shock risks in the world, the VIX appears to be signaling relative calm.

With that, the bigger influence on how stocks close the year, and open the New Year, will likely come from the December 18th Fed meeting.

We come into the month with the market pricing in a little better than a coin flips chance of a 25 basis point cut this month (following the 50 bps cut in September and 25 bps cut in November).

But we have a number of Fed members speaking this week, including Jerome Powell on Wednesday.  And we should expect some signaling.

It appears to have started with Fed Governor Chris Waller.

Waller had some prepared remarks at the American Institute for Economic Research today, with the not so subtle title:  “Cut or Skip?”

So, without even getting into the text, clearly the Fed wants to prepare markets for the possibility of a skip, a “no rate cut” this month.

What would justify a skip.

They’ll see jobs data this week.  They’ll see CPI and PPI next week.  All unlikely to justify holding rates at a level the Fed acknowledges to be well in restrictive territory.

And they’ll see this next week …

Remember, back in 2016, small business optimism spiked in the two readings that followed the election.  Also notice where the index stands now.  It’s lower than 2016, having last reported a 34th consecutive month UNDER the 50-year average. 

We should expect to see a boom in this small business optimism index starting with the next report, which comes on December 10th.

And with that, as we discussed in my November 14th note (here), the pro-growth Trump agenda did indeed influence the Fed’s policymaking back in 2016 (just a month after the election).  They assumed a hotter price pressure environment was coming, enough to proactively hike rates in an economy that had averaged only slightly above 1% PCE inflation that year.

Also in that December 2016 meeting, the Fed revised UP inflation forecasts, saying “some of the participants” incorporated the “assumption of a change in fiscal policy” into their projections.

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Pro Perspectives 11/26/24

 

 

 

 

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November 26, 2024

Trump is already governing from Mar a Lago, lobbing threats of tariffs at China, as a penalty for China's deadly fentanyl export.  And he's used the tariff threat to put Canada and Mexico to work on stopping the border invasion.
 
Cue the tariff inflation alarmists …
 
Keep in mind, these are the same people that, just a few years ago, thought cramming ten years worth of money supply growth into a two-year period would result in just "transitory" inflation.
 
Remember, as we discussed earlier this month, if we look back at the three years prior to covid, when the Trump trade war was full blown: The U.S. economy grew at an average of 2.7% annualized (the best three-year average growth since 2007), with an average of just 1.7% inflation (PCE).
 
That said, growth was good, business confidence was at 37-year highs, but key to the Trump agenda in his first term was structural reform, repairing global trade imbalances.  The priority, over optimizing for growth and short-term stability, was fixing this …
 
 
With that, if we look back at the Trump first term, he was clearly willing to do unpopular things, and at unpopular times.  He was willing to act on threats (which he did), and willing to escalate to force concessions and get to a deal, particularly with China.  All of this, even if it meant impeding the economic strength at the time, or creating waves in financial markets (which he did).