Two Speed Recovery

July 19, 2021 — Mitul Kotecha

The spread of the COVID Delta variant globally holds key risks for markets in the weeks ahead.  However, as long as hospitalisation rates remain relatively low, it should be less detrimental to the path of re-opening in countries with higher vaccination rates.  As a stark example, the UK will shed almost all of its COVID restrictions today despite spiking COVID cases amid relatively low hospitalisation rates.  

This is particularly difficult for many emerging markets including much of Asia given low vaccination rates.  As such, a two-speed recovery between developed and emerging economies is occurring, with the former registering much higher vaccination rates compared to the latter.  Unlike the move to re-open in developed markets, re-opening in many emerging markets is far more difficult given sharply increasing hospitalisation rates among unvaccinated people as the Delta variant runs rampant. 

As such, the risks of renewed restrictions in many countries could put the global recovery process in jeopardy at a time when we are already past peak growth.  Maybe this is helping to dampen US bond yields or yields are being supressed by the fact that the market has a lot of faith in the Fed even as inflation has surprised on the upside in many countries.  Whatever the cause, US 10y bond yields have slipped below 1.3% back to levels not seen since mid-February and continue to edge lower.    

Event highlights this week include several central bank policy decisions including in China (Tue), Eurozone, Indonesia, South Africa (all Wed) and Russia (Fri).  No changes are expected for China’s Loan Prime Rate (LPR) though the risk of easing has increased marginally following the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) reserve requirements (RRR) cut last week. The Central Bank of Russia (CBR) is expected to hike by 75bp, with risks of a bigger move.  Bank Indonesia is likely to remain on hold despite growing economic pressure.  South Africa’s Reserve Bank (SARB) is expected to remain on hold and remain dovish while a change in forward guidance from the European Central Bank (ECB) is expected this week. 

Oil will be in focus today after OPEC+ agreed on a deal to expand output, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia putting away differences to agree upon a 400k barrels a day increase in output from August.  The US dollar (USD) is trading firmer, but overall looks like it is close to topping out.  For example, EURUSD looks oversold relative to real rate differentials.  Interest rates markets will eye US fiscal developments, with Democrats crafting the budget resolution needed for a reconciliation bill, which may see additional progress this week.

Posted in Asia, Asian currencies, central banks, China, Commodities, coronavirus, COVID-19, Currencies, ECB, Economics, Economy, emerging markets, equity markets, Europe, eurozone, Federal Reserve, Fiscal/Budget, FX, Indonesia, Interest rates, Monetary Policy, oil, Politics, Russia, South Africa, US, US administration. Tags: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Lots Of Buyers On Dips

July 12, 2021 — Mitul Kotecha

Last week’s bout of risk-aversion proved short-lived though more volatility likes lies ahead. The reflation trade looked like it was falling apart last week as reflected in the sharp decline in US Treasury bond yields and the shift out of value into big tech/growth stocks.  The markets appeared to have increasingly absorbed the Fed’s message that inflation increases will be transitory while a reversal of crowded market positioning in reflation trades exacerbated the moves.  The malaise in markets coincided with several indicators revealing peak growth has passed and the rapid spread of the Delta variant globally.

However, clearly that didn’t appear to be the case by the end of last week as equities rallied strongly and the US Treasury curve shifted higher.  The US dollar gave up some of its gains while oil and gold rallied.  While there are still concerns about peak growth passing and the rapid spread of the Delta variant, there are obviously still plenty of buyers willing to jump in on dips. 

China’s central bank, PBoC went ahead with a much anticipated reserve requirement ratio cut sooner than expected on Friday though this targeted liquidity easing is unlikely to change the fact that growth is losing momentum amid a weakening credit impulse.  This week, key events include China’s June trade data (Tue) for which outsized gains in exports and imports is likely.  China’s monetary and credit aggregates will also be out sometime over the week as well as Q2 GDP and the June data dump, with some further moderation likely to be revealed. 

Top US data includes June CPI inflation (Tue) and retail sales (Fri).  CPI is likely to record another sizeable 4.9% y/y increase though the Fed’s repeated message of transitory inflation, will limit any market concerns over inflation pressures.  Also given the gyrations in markets last week, there will be even more focus on Federal Reserve Chair Powell’s semi-annual testimony to Congress (Wed & Thu).  The start of the Q2 earnings season will also come under scrutiny, with expectations of a 63% surge forecast according to FactSet data.   

Monetary policy rate decisions in New Zealand, Canada, Turkey (all on Wed), Korea (Thu) and Japan (Fri) are on tap, with the former two likely to reveal upbeat views while the CBRT in Turkey will have limited room to ease given the recent spike in inflation.  BoK in Korea may dial back a little of its hawkish rhetoric giving increasing virus cases in the country, while BoJ in Japan is likely to revise higher its inflation forecasts but leave its economic outlook unchanged.  Australian and UK jobs data (Thu) will also garner attention. 

Posted in Asia, Asian currencies, Bank of Japan, Bond markets, Canada, central banks, China, coronavirus, COVID-19, Currencies, Economics, Economy, equity markets, Federal Reserve, Fiscal/Budget, FX, Interest rates, Japan, Monetary Policy, New Zealand, Trade, Turkey, UK, US, US administration. Tags: , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

US Jobs Report Provides Comfort For Markets

July 5, 2021 — Mitul Kotecha

The US June jobs report released on Friday provided plenty of comfort for US equity markets. Non-farm payrolls rose by an above consensus 850,000 while the unemployment rate ticked higher to 5.9% from 5.8%.  The strong increase in payrolls helped US equities close out another week in positive mood; S&P 500 rose 0.75% and the Nasdaq gained 0.81% as investors continued to pile back into growth stocks. US Treasury bonds were supported, helped by an increase in the unemployment rate, while the US dollar fell.

Despite the jobs gain, payrolls are still around 6.8 million lower than pre-Covid levels, suggesting a long way to go for a full recovery. Federal Reserve officials will likely need to see several more months of jobs market improvement to achieve their “substantial further progress” tapering criterion.  Overall, the data played into the Fed’s narrative that tapering is still some way off and higher US interest rates even further away, leaving little for markets to fret about.

OPEC+ tensions between Saudi Arabia and UAE have increased, delaying OPEC+ talks to today against the background of oil prices pushing higher above $75 per barrel.  Riyadh along with other OPEC+ members appear keen to increase production over coming months while the UAE supports a short term increase, rather than the end of 2022 which other OPEC members are looking for.

Markets activity is likely to be subdued at the start of the due to the US holiday and there seems to be little to break out of the low volatility environment that we are currently in the midst off, though the US dollar will look to extend recent gains against the background of persistent short market positioning as reflected in the CFTC IMM data.  

This week attention will turn to the Federal Reserve FOMC Minutes of its last meeting (Wed), ISM non-manufacturing survey (Tue), and central bank policy meetings in Australia (Tue) and Poland (Thu) alongside Chinese June inflation (Fri) and credit aggregates data (from Fri). 

Given the sharp market reaction following the less dovish Fed FOMC meeting, markets will look for any further elaboration on the potential timeline for tapering in the Fed Minutes.  While both the RBA in Australia and NBP in Poland are likely to stay on hold, the RBA is likely to strike a dovish tone in its statement and Q&A while the NBP is likely to announce a new set of economic projections.  No shocks are expected from China’s June CPI inflation reading, though producer price inflation, PPI is likely to remain elevated.

Posted in Asia, Asian currencies, Australia, central banks, China, coronavirus, COVID-19, Currencies, Economics, Economy, emerging markets, equity markets, Federal Reserve, FX, Interest rates, Middle East, Monetary Policy, Poland, US, US administration. Tags: , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

What Could Prompt Higher Volatility?

June 28, 2021 — Mitul Kotecha

Equities were buoyed last week in the wake of US President Biden’s infrastructure deal and renewed reflation trade optimism amid mixed post Federal Reserve FOMC messages from Fed officials. This resulted in US stocks recording their biggest weekly gain since February.  The prospects of passing the infrastructure deal has improved in the wake of Biden’s decision not to tie it to a much larger spending package that is being pushed through by Democrats but is not supported by Republicans. 

Given heightened sensitivity over inflation, the slightly weaker than expected US Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) data on Friday, which increased 0.5% m/m in May, slightly below the 0.6% consensus, added further support to the reflation trade, helping the US Treasury curve to steepen.  Moreover, the University of Michigan 5-10y inflation expectations series came in lower in June compared to the previous month. Fed officials likely put much more emphasis on this long-term series and will view the 2.8% reading as consistent with their “largely transitory” take on the pickup in inflation.

Cross-asset volatility has continued to decline, which bodes well for carry trades and risk assets.  For example, the VIX “fear gauge” index has dropped to pre-COVID level, something that has been echoed in other market volatility measures.  However, it’s hard to ignore the shift in tone from many central banks globally to a more hawkish one while risk asset momentum will likely wane as the strength of recovery slows, suggesting that low volatility may not persist.  It is notable that changes in global excess liquidity and China’s credit impulse have both weakened, implying a downdraft for risk assets and commodity prices and higher volatility. 

If there is anything that could prompt any increase in volatility this week, its the US June jobs report on Friday.  June likely saw another strong (consensus 700k) increase in nonfarm payrolls while the unemployment rate likely dropped to 5.7% from 5.8% previously.  Despite the likely strong gain in hiring, payrolls would still be close to 7 million lower compared to pre-COVID levels, suggesting a long way to go before the US jobs market normalises. The June US Institute for Supply Management (ISM) manufacturing index will also come under scrutiny though little change is expected from the May reading, with a 61.0 outcome likely from 61.2 in May. 

Other data and events of importance this week include the 100th year anniversary of China’s Communist Party (Thu), the release of purchasing managers indices (PMI) data globally including China’s official NBS PMI (Wed) for which a slight moderation is expected.  Eurozone June CPI inflation (Wed) which is likely to edge lower, Sweden’s Riksbank policy decision (Thu) where an unchanged outcome is likely and Bank of England (BoE) Governor Bailey’s Mansion House Speech (Thu), will be among the other key events in focus this week. 

Posted in Biden, Bond markets, central banks, China, Commodities, coronavirus, COVID-19, Currencies, Economics, Economy, emerging markets, equity markets, Europe, eurozone, Federal Reserve, Financial crisis, FX, Interest rates, Monetary Policy, Trade, Trump, UK, US, US administration. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Plethora Of Central Banks

June 15, 2021 — Mitul Kotecha

This week is a busy one for central bank meetings and data releases.  There are key policy meetings in the US (Wed), followed by Indonesia, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, Brazil (all on Thu) and Japan (Fri).  None are expected to change policy settings except the BCB in Brazil, with the consensus expecting a 75bp hike there.

There will however, be lot of attention on the language of the statements for any hawkish tinges.  The US Federal Reserve FOMC for instance is likely to continue to highlight that inflation pressures are transitory but could state they have started to discuss some form of progress-dependent tapering plan even as the Fed remains far from actual tapering. 

While markets may be buying the “transitory” inflation story, consumer expectations remain elevated.  The New York Fed survey showed that consumer inflation expectations 3 years out rose to an 8 year high of 3.6% in May while 1-year expectations rose to a record 4%.  However, markets may find some solace from the drop in lumber prices, which have dropped by around 40% since early May though the CRB commodities index remains near multi-year highs.   

Norway’s Norges Bank may start preparing markets for a third quarter rate hike.  In contrast, in Turkey, attention will be on any clues to when the central bank will ease policy amid calls for a cut from President Erdogan. The Bank of Japan is likely to extend COVID aid for businesses while Bank Indonesia is likely to focus on transmission of past easing rather than cut again. 

Key data this week includes US May retail sales (today) for which a monthly decline in headline sales is likely though spending is still likely to have grown strongly over the quarter.  China’s May data dump (Wed) will also garner attention, with healthy gains in both retail sales and industrial production likely, even taking account of base effects. 

Australia’s May jobs report (Thu) is forecast to show an increase though there are downside risks emanating from JobkKeeper’s expiry in May.  Reserve Bank of Australia June minutes (today) and speech by governor Lowe (Thu) will also be scrutinized for thinking on whether RBA will extend the YCC bond to the Nov 24s and quantitative easing commitment. 

There are also several other central bank speeches of importance this week including two speeches by Bank of England governor Bailey, and several European Central Bank speakers. 

Posted in Asia, Asian currencies, Australia, Bank of Japan, Biden, Bond markets, Brazil, central banks, China, Commodities, coronavirus, COVID-19, Currencies, Economics, Economy, emerging markets, equity markets, eurozone, Federal Reserve, FX, Indonesia, Interest rates, Japan, Monetary Policy, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, US, US administration. Tags: , , , , . Leave a Comment »
« Older posts
Newer posts »