Tag Archives: #tradetalks

Uncertainty Reigns

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Concerns over trade still remain,
For bullish investors, a bane
They want to believe
That Trump will achieve
His goals, so investments can gain

But right now uncertainty reigns
Resulting in stock market pains
When risk is reduced
Then bonds get a boost
While euros and pounds feel the strains

The one thing we know for sure is that the trade situation continues to be a major topic on investor minds, whether those investors are of the equity or fixed income persuasion. Despite the ostensible good news that Chinese vice-premier Liu He would still be coming to Washington later this week to continue the trade talks with Mnuchin and Lighthizer, it seems the market has become a bit less convinced that a deal is coming soon. As I have written several times over the past few weeks, it seems clear the market had fully priced in a successful completion of the trade talks and an (eventual) end to tariffs. But the President’s tweets on Sunday has caused a serious reconsideration of that pricing. Arguably, the 2% decline we have seen in US equity indices over the past two sessions is not nearly enough to offset the full risk, but it is a start. Ironically, I think the constant reiteration by financial heavyweights like Christine Lagarde and Mario Draghi, of how important it is to avoid a trade war, has set up a situation where in the event no deal is reached, the market reaction will be worse than if they had never piped up in the first place.

At any rate, the increased tensions have certainly reduced risk appetites across the board. Not only have equity markets suffered (Nikkei -1.5%, Shanghai -1.1% after yesterday’s US declines) but Treasury yields continue to fall. This morning 10-year Treasury yields have fallen to 2.43%, their lowest since late March and essentially flat to the 3-month T-Bill. Expect to hear more discussion about an inverted yield curve and the omens of a recession in the near future.

Away from the trade situation, it seems most other market stories are treading water. For example, the Brexit situation has been back page news for the past two weeks. PM May continues to negotiate with opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, but there is no consistency to the reports of progress. Labour wants to join the customs union which is something the pro-Brexiteers are fiercely against. Depending on the source of the article you read, a deal is either imminent or increasingly unlikely, which tells me that nobody really knows anything. The pound, which had seen some strength last week, especially on Friday when rumors of a deal were rife, has fallen a further 0.45% this morning and is back near the 1.30 level. It seems increasingly likely to me there will be no solution before the EU elections, and that there will be no solution before the October 31 deadline. Parliament remains riven and leadership there has been completely absent. I expect this to be exhibit A in the long tradition of muddling through by European nations.

Elsewhere in the FX markets, the RBNZ did cut rates last night by 25bps, unlike their Australian brethren who stayed on hold. Kiwi is softer by 0.25% this morning on the back of the news and has helped drag the Aussie with it. Of course, part of the malaise in these currencies is the ongoing uncertainty over the trade talks, as well as the suspect Chinese data.

Speaking of that data, last night China released much worse than expected trade results with exports falling 2.7% and imports rising just 4.0% resulting in a trade surplus of ‘just’ $13.8B, well below expectations. It seems that the tariffs are starting to have a real impact now that inventories need to be replenished. Aside from the impact on the Shanghai exchange noted above, the renminbi also drifted modestly lower, -0.1%, and continues to push toward levels last seen in January. One thing of which I am confident is that if the trade talks fall apart completely, CNY will weaken sharply and test the 7.00 level in short order. Part of the recent stability in the currency has been due to a general malaise in the FX market as evidenced by the extremely low volatility across the board. But part of it, no doubt, is the result of the PBOC managing the currency and absorbing any significant selling in order to demonstrate they are not manipulating the currency lower to enhance their trade. But that will surely end if the talks end unsuccessfully.

Away from those stories it is much more about a modest risk-off scenario today with both JPY and CHF stronger by 0.2%, while EMG currencies are suffering (MXN -0.4%, TRY -0.5%). However, the overall market tone is, not unlike the Fed, one of patience for the next catalyst to arrive. Given the dearth of important data until Friday’s CPI, that should be no real surprise.

In fact, this morning there are no data releases in the US although we do hear from Fed Governor Lael Brainerd at 8:30. Yesterday’s comments from Governor Clarida were generally unenlightening, toeing the line that waiting was the best idea for now and that there were no preconceived notions as to the next rate move. As such, I expect Brainerd to be on the same page, and the FX market to continue to tread water at least until Friday’s CPI.

Good luck
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Cold Sweats

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The President’s tactic of threats
On trade talks gave some the cold sweats
So equities fell
But then by the bell
Those sellers had many regrets

Stock prices rebounded with verve
But bonds, if you look at the curve
Continue to price
A fools’ paradise
And cuts by the Federal Reserve

One of the most interesting dichotomies that we see these days is the completely different views of the global economy by stock markets and bond markets. Stock prices continue to see every glass as at least three-quarters full, willing to look past any potential bad news and rally. Yesterday saw a rout in the Far East after the President’s tweets regarding the raising of tariff rates by the end of this week. Europe continued the trend, closing down sharply as concerns grew that a change in tactics by the US could result in a renewed focus on the European auto sector and, not surprisingly, US equity markets opened sharply lower. But within a few hours, buyers emerged as the story morphed from ‘the US-China trade talks were about to collapse’ to ‘this is just a negotiating tactic by President Trump and everything is still on track for a successful (and fully priced) completion of these negotiations.’ And overnight, equity markets in Asia steadied with generally modest gains, although not nearly enough to offset Monday’s price action. Overall, equity markets remain quite optimistic.

At the same time, Treasury yields have fallen further and are back below 2.50% in the 10-year for the first time in a month. The implication is that bond investors and traders are now far less sanguine over the outcome of these talks. Certainly, if the trade talks do collapse, markets would be severely impacted with equity prices likely to see sharp declines and risk assets, in general under pressure. Treasuries (and Bunds) however, would very likely see a significant uptick in demand and it would not be hard to envision another period of a yield curve inversion. My point is it almost appears as if equity investors and bond investors are reading different stories about current events. I guess the reality is that bond investors are inherently more risk averse, so any hint of trouble forces a response. And of course, equity investors are the ones who continue to highly value ‘zombie’ companies, those firms whose profits cannot cover interest payments and who stay in business by the grace of Federal Reserve largesse.

The upshot is that risk seeking behavior remains the dominant theme in markets. As long as central banks continue to add liquidity to the mix (which despite the Fed having stopped, the BOJ and ECB continue to add as does the PBOC), that money needs to find a home somewhere. And stock markets have been the primary destination for the past ten years.

The interesting thing about the willingness to seek risk is that the dollar continues to outperform most other currencies. For the longest time, during periods of strong global growth, the dollar would soften as investment flowed to other nations and drove economic activity. However, the current situation shows a willingness to take risk and yet a simultaneous desire to hold dollars. For instance, a look at the Dollar Index (DXY) which is a broad measure against a number of currencies, shows that the dollar remains near its highest level in two years and the trend remains higher. All I’m saying is that there seems to be a disconnect between the three key global markets with both FX and bonds seeing a much darker future than equity markets.

Looking at the overnight activity, the RBA left rates on hold, which was mildly surprising as at least half the analyst community was looking for a rate cut. In the end, AUD rallied 0.4% and is, by far, the best performer of the day. As it happens, the RBNZ meets tonight and is widely expected to cut rates by 25bps thus the kiwi is lower by 0.25%. The euro and pound are essentially unchanged as there has been precious little in the way of new information either data wise or regarding the ongoing Brexit fiasco. And the rest of the G10 seems to be under very modest pressure with CAD and CHF both softer by about 0.15%.

In the emerging market space, CNY continues to fall, down a further 0.15% this morning and we continue to see pressure on LATAM currencies (MXN -0.2%). TRY is also under pressure (-1.0%) as the investors exit both stock and bond markets there in the wake of the decision to rerun the Istanbul mayoral election and the further erosion of democracy in Turkey. In APAC, MYR is little changed in the wake of the widely anticipated 25bp rate cut by the central bank there, although it has been falling steadily for the past two weeks in anticipation. But otherwise, in truth, it has been quiet.

Data today brings just the JOLTs Jobs Report (exp 7.24M) and we hear from Randal Quarles, the Fed governor overseeing regulations. Yesterday’s Fed talk was largely in line with the view that the recent dip in inflation is ‘transitory’ and that they continue to watch the data for information to help them make their next move. Overall, it is shaping up as a pretty dull session, and unless we hear something else on the trade front, I expect limited movement in most markets.

Good luck
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Still Feeling Stressed

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The overnight data expressed
That China is still feeling stressed
But Europe’s reports
Showed growth of some sorts
Might finally be manifest

The dollar is on its heels this morning after data from Europe showed surprising strength almost across the board. Arguably the most important data point was Eurozone GDP printing at 0.4% in Q1, a tick higher than expected and significantly higher than Q4’s 0.2%. The drivers of this data were Italy, where Q1 GDP rose 0.2%, taking the nation out of recession and beating expectations. At the same time Spain grew at 0.7%, also better than expectations while France maintained its recent pace with a 0.3% print. Interestingly, Germany doesn’t report this data until the middle of May. However, we did see German GfK Consumer Confidence print at 10.4, remaining unchanged on the month rather than falling as expected. Adding to the growth scenario were inflation readings that were generally a tick firmer than expected in Italy, Spain and France. While these numbers remain well below the ECB target of “close to but just below” 2.0%, it has served to ease some concerns about Europe’s future. In the end, the euro has rallied 0.25% while European government bond yields are all higher by 2-5bps. However, European equity markets did not get the memo and remain little changed on the day.

Prior to these releases we learned that China’s PMI data was softer than expected, with the National number printing lower at 50.1, while the Caixin number printed at 50.2. Even though both remain above the 50.0 level indicating future growth, there is an increasing concern that China’s Q1 GDP data was more the result of a distorted comparison to last year’s data due to changed timing of the Lunar New Year. Remember, that holiday has a large impact on the Chinese economy with manufacturing shutdowns amid widescale holiday making, and so the timing of those events each year are not easily stabilized with seasonal adjustments to the data. As such, it is starting to look like Q1’s 6.4% GDP growth may have been somewhat overstated. Of course, China remains opaque in many ways, so we may need to wait until next month’s PMI data to get a better handle on things. One other clue, though, has been the ongoing decline in the price of copper, a key industrial metal and one which China represents approximately 50% of global demand. Arguably, a falling copper price implies less demand from China, which implies slowing growth there. Ultimately, while it is no surprise that the renminbi is little changed on the day, Chinese equities edged higher on the theory that the PBOC is more likely to add stimulus if the economic slowdown persists.

Of course, the other China story is that the trade talks are resuming in Beijing today and market participants will be watching closely for word that things are continuing to move in the right direction. You may recall the President Xi Jinping gave a speech last week where he highlighted the changes he anticipated in Chinese policy, all of which included accession to US demands in the trade talks. At this point, it seems the negotiators need to “simply” hash out the details, which of course is not simple at all. But if the direction from the top is broadly set, a deal seems quite likely. However, as I have pointed out in the past, the market appears to have already priced in the successful conclusion of a deal, and so when (if) one is announced, I would expect equity markets to fall on a ‘sell the news’ response.

Turning to the US, yesterday’s data showed that PCE inflation (1.5%, core 1.6%) continues to lag expectations as well as remain below the Fed’s 2.0% target. With the FOMC meeting starting this morning, although we won’t hear the outcome until tomorrow afternoon, the punditry is trying to determine what they will say. The universal expectation is for no policy changes to be enacted, and little change in the policy statement. However, to me, there has been a further shift in the tone of the most recent Fed speakers. While I believe that Loretta Mester and Esther George remain monetary hawks, I think the rest of the board has morphed into a more dovish contingent, one that will respond quite quickly to falling inflation numbers. With that in mind, yesterday’s readings have to be concerning, and if we see another set of soft inflation data next month, it is entirely possible that the doves carry the day at the June meeting and force an end to the balance sheet roll-off immediately as a signal that they will not let inflation fall further. I think the mistake we are all making is that we keep looking for policy normalization. The new normal is low rates and growing balance sheets and we are already there.

As Powell and friends get together
The question is when, it’s not whether
More policy easing
Will seem less displeasing
So prices can rise like a feather

Looking at this morning’s releases, the Employment Cost Index (exp 0.7%) starts us off with Case-Shiller home prices (3.2%) and then Chicago PMI (59.0) following later in the morning. However, with the Fed meeting ongoing, it seems unlikely that any of these numbers will move the needle. In fact, tomorrow’s ADP number would need to be extraordinary (either high or low) to move things ahead of the FOMC announcement. All this points to continued low volatility in markets as players of all stripes try to figure out what the next big thing will be. My sense is we are going to see central banks continue to lean toward easier policy, as the global focus on inflation, or the lack thereof, will continue to drive policy, as well as asset bubbles.

Good luck
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A Victimless Crime

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Investors are biding their time
Til GDP data sublime
But what if it’s weak?
Will havoc it wreak?
Or is that a victimless crime?

In general, nothing has really happened in markets overnight. Perhaps the only exception is the continued weakness in the Shanghai Composite, which fell another 1.2%, taking the week’s decline beyond 5%. But otherwise, most equity markets are little changed, currencies have done little, and bond yields are within 1 bp of yesterday’s closes as well. The blame for this inactivity is being laid at the feet of this morning’s US GDP data, where we get our first look at Q1. What is truly interesting about this morning’s number is the remarkably wide range of expectations according to economist surveys. They range from 1.0% to 3.2% and depending on your source, I have seen median expectations of 2.0% (Tradingeconomics.com), 2.2% (Bloomberg) and 2.5% (WSJ). The problem with such a wide range is it will be increasingly difficult to determine what is perceived as strong or weak when it prints. However, my view is that we are in the middle of a market narrative which dictates that a strong print (>2.5%) will see equity and dollar strength on the back of confidence in the US economy continuing its world leading growth, while a weak number (<2.0%) will lead to equity strength but dollar weakness as traders will assume that given the Fed’s recent dovish turn, expectations for rate cuts will grow and stocks will benefit accordingly while the dollar suffers. We’ll know more pretty soon.

Returning to the China story, there are actually two separate threads of discussion regarding the Chinese markets and economy. The first, which has been undermining equities there this week, is that the PBOC is backing off on its recent easing trajectory, slowing the injection of short-term funds into the market. The massive equity market rally that we have seen there so far this year has been fueled by significant margin buying, however, if easy money is ending then so will the rally. While I am certain the PBOC will do all it can to prevent a major correction in stock prices, the tone of discussion there is that the PBOC is no longer supporting a further rise.

The second part of the story was a speech last night by President Xi regarding the Belt and Road Initiative. In it, he basically acceded to the US demands for honoring IP, ending forced technology transfer and maintaining a stable currency. Adding to that was the PBOC’s fix at a stronger than expected rate of 6.7307, reinforcing the idea that they would not seek advantage by weakening their currency. Given that the renminbi has been weakening steadily for the past seven sessions and reached its weakest point in more than two months, the PBOC’s actions have served to reinforce their desire to maintain control of the currency.

But arguably, the more important part of the speech was that it cleared the way, at the highest levels, for the Chinese to agree to numerous US demands on trade, and thus successfully conclude the trade talks. Those talks get going again next week when Mnuchin and Lighthizer travel back to Beijing. Look for very positive vibes when they meet the press.

Given that one of the key constraints in the global economy lately has been trade concerns, led by the US-China spat, a resolution will be seen as a harbinger to deals elsewhere and the removal of at least one black cloud. Will central banks then return to their tightening efforts? I sincerely doubt that we will see anything of the sort in the near term. At this point, I expect the reaction function for the central banking community is something along the lines of, ‘we will raise rates after we see inflation print at high levels for several consecutive months, not in anticipation that higher inflation is coming because of growth in another variable.’

So despite my earlier concerns that the market had already priced in a successful conclusion of the trade deal, and that when it was signed, equity markets would retreat, it now seems more likely that we have further to run on the upside. Central banks are nowhere near done blowing all their bubbles.

And those are the big stories for the day. As well as the GDP data at 8:30 we get Michigan Sentiment at 10:00 (exp 97.0), although that seems unlikely to have any impact after GDP. The dollar has had a hell of a week, rallying steadily as we continue to see weak data elsewhere (Japanese IP -4.6% last night!), and some emerging markets, notably ARS and TRY have come under significant new pressure. It wouldn’t surprise if there was some profit taking after the data, whether strong or weak, so I kind of expect the dollar to fade a little as we head into the weekend.

Good luck and good weekend
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Continue Restrained

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Come autumn and next Halloween
The UK may finally wean
Itself from the bloc
To break the deadlock
But Parliament still must agree(n)

Meanwhile Signor Draghi explained
That growth would continue restrained
And Fed Minutes noted
That everyone voted
For policy to be maintained

There has been fresh news on each of the main market drivers in the past twenty-four hours, and yet, none of it has been sufficient to change the market’s near-term outlook, nor FX prices, by very much.

Leading with Brexit, there was a wholly unsatisfying outcome for everyone, in other words, a true compromise. PM May was seeking a June 30 deadline, while most of the rest of the EU wanted a much longer delay, between nine months and a year. However, French President Emanuel Macron argued vociferously for a short delay, actually agreeing with May, and in the end, Halloween has a new reason to be scary this year. Of course, nothing has really changed yet. May will still try to get her deal approved (ain’t happening); Euroskeptic Tories will still try to oust her (possible, but not soon) and Labour will push for new elections (also possible, but not that likely). The topic of a second referendum will be heard frequently, but as of right now, PM May has been adamant that none will not take place. So, uncertainty will continue to be the main feature of the UK economy. Q1 GDP looks set to be stronger than initially expected, but that is entirely due to stockpiling of inventory by companies trying to prepare for a hard Brexit outcome. At some point, this will reverse with a corresponding negative impact on the data. And the pound? Still between 1.30 and 1.31 and not looking like it is heading anywhere in the near future.

On to the ECB, where policy was left unchanged, as universally expected, and Signor Draghi remarked that risks to the economy continue to be to the downside. Other things we learned were that the TLTRO’s, when they come later this year, are pretty much the last arrow in the policy quiver. Right now, there is no appetite to reduce rates further, and more QE will require the ECB to revise their internal guidelines as to the nature of the program. The issue with the latter is that EU law prevents monetization of government debt, and yet if the ECB starts buying more government bonds, it will certainly appear that is what they are doing. This morning’s inflation data from France and Germany showed that there is still no inflationary impulse in the two largest economies there, and by extension, throughout the Eurozone.

At this point, ECB guidance explains rates will remain on hold through the end of 2019. My view is it will be far longer before rates rise in the Eurozone, until well into the recovery from the next recession. My forecast is negative euro rates until 2024. You read it here first! And the euro? Well, in its own right there is no reason to buy the single currency. As long as the US economic outlook remains better than that of the Eurozone, which is certainly the current case, the idea that the euro will rally in any meaningful way seems misguided. Overnight there has been little movement, and in fact, the euro has been trading between 1.12 and 1.1350 for the past three weeks and is currently right in the middle of that range. Don’t look for a break soon here either.

The FOMC Minutes taught us that the Fed is going to be on hold for quite a while. The unanimous view is that patience remains a virtue when it comes to rate moves. Confusion still exists as to how unemployment can be so low while inflation shows no signs of rising, continuing to call into question their Phillips Curve models. In fact, yesterday morning’s CPI showed that core inflation fell to 2.0% annually, a tick lower than expected and continuing to confound all their views. The point is that if there is no inflationary pressure, there is no reason to raise rates. At the same time, if US economic growth continues to outpace the rest of the world, there is no reason to cut rates. You can see why the market is coming round to the idea that nothing is going to happen on the interest rate front for the rest of 2019. Futures, which had priced in almost 40bps of rate cuts just last month, are now pricing in just 10bps (40% chance of one cut). Despite the ongoing rhetoric from President Trump regarding cutting rates and restarting QE, neither seems remotely likely at this juncture. And don’t expect either of his Fed nominees to be approved.

Finally, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin declared that the US and China have agreed a framework for enforcement of the trade agreement, with both nations to set up an office specifically designed for the purpose and a regular schedule of meetings to remain in touch over any issues that arise. But Robert Lighthizer, the Trade Representative has not commented, nor have the Chinese, so it still seems a bit uncertain. Enforcement is a key issue that has been unsolved until now, although IP protection and state subsidies remain on the table still. Interestingly, equity markets essentially ignored this ‘good’ news, which implies that a completed deal is already priced into the market. In fact, I would be far more concerned over a ‘sell the news’ outcome if/when a trade deal is announced. And of course, if talks break off, you can be certain equity prices will adjust accordingly.

This morning brings Initial Claims (exp 211K) and PPI (1.9%, 2.4% ex food & energy) and speeches from Clarida, Williams, Bullard and Bowman. But what are they going to say that is new? Nothing. Each will reiterate that the economy is doing well, still marginally above trend growth, and that monetary policy is appropriate. In the end, the market continues to wait for the next catalyst. In equities, Q1 earnings are going to start to be released this afternoon and by next week, it will be an onslaught. Arguably, that will drive equities which may yet impact the dollar depending on whether the earnings data alters overall economic views. In the meantime, range trading remains the best bet in FX.

Good luck
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Much Darker Moods

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Five decades of trade under GATT
Resulted in policies that
Increased global trade
While tariffs did fade
And taught us the term, technocrat

Then followed the WTO
And new rules that they did bestow
The Chinese then joined
(And some say purloined)
Much IP which helped them to grow

But in the past year attitudes
Have shifted to much darker moods
So trade growth is slowing
As nations are showing
A willingness to stir up feuds

It seemed that half the stories in the press today were regarding trade issues around the world, notably the ongoing US-China trade talks, but also the struggle for the EU and China to put together a communique after a locally hyped trade summit between the two. Shockingly the EU is also unhappy with Chinese IP theft and their subsidies for state-owned companies that compete with European companies. Who would have thunk it? But in their ongoing efforts to maintain the overall world trade order, they found some things on which they could agree in order to prevent the meeting from becoming a complete fiasco.

In addition, today we hear from the IMF with their latest global economic updates that are widely touted to have an even more pessimistic view than the last one which, if you recall, produced substantial downgrades in economic growth forecasts. IMF Managing Director Christine LaGarde has been quite vocal lately about how all the trade spats are slowing global growth and she continues to exhort everyone to simply get back to the old ways. Alas, the trade toothpaste is out of the tube and there is no putting it back. It will likely be several more years before new deals are inked and the new trading framework fleshed out. In the meantime, expect to see periodic, if not frequent, discussions on the benefits of free trade and the good old days.

The question remains, however, if the good old days was really ‘free’ trade. Arguably, the fact that there are now so many ongoing trade issues globally is indicative of the fact that, perhaps, freedom was in the eye of the beholder. And those voters who saw their jobs disappear due to the ‘benefits’ of free trade, have clearly become a lot more vocal. Like virtually everything else in life, the case can be made that trade sentiment is cyclical, and there is a strong argument that we have seen peak trade for this cycle. The reason this matters for the FX market is that restrictions on trade will result in changing fortunes for economies and changing flows in currencies. It is still far too early to ascertain the direct impact on many currencies, although given the increasing probability that this will reduce risk appetite, it would be fair to assume the yen and dollar will be beneficiaries over time.

The Brexit saga, meanwhile, continues to rush toward the new deadline this Friday without any resolution in sight. Not surprisingly, trade plays a big role in this process, as the ability to negotiate new trade deals for the UK was a key selling point in the vote to leave. While PM May’s minions continue to have discussions with Labour to find some kind of compromise, they have thus far come up short. At the same time May is heading to Brussels to meet with Frau Merkel and Monsieur Macron in an effort to find some support for her request for another extension to June 30. At the same time, the Euroskeptics in her Tory party back home are trying to figure out how to oust her from Number 10 Downing Street, although, like the Brexit process, they have been unable to arrive at a coherent solution. With all this drama ongoing, and the emergency EU summit scheduled for tomorrow, the pound continues to hover around the 1.30 level. The one notable thing about the pound has been the reduction in market liquidity as fewer and fewer traders are willing to run positions with the potential for a bombshell announcement at any time. And seriously, who can blame them? The situation remains the same here where clarity in either direction will result in a sharp movement, but until then, flat is the best way to be!

Overall the dollar is under modest pressure this morning (EUR +0.15%, JPY +0.15%, CAD +0.2%), and in truth was in similar shape yesterday. The thing is, the magnitude of the movement has been so limited, I am reluctant to give it any credence with regard to a trend. In fact, since the dollar’s rally peaked last summer, we have been essentially trendless. I expect that this will remain the case until one of the big stories we have been following; trade, Brexit or central banking, has a more distinctive outcome than the ongoing uncertainty we have seen lately. Well, I guess that’s not completely correct, the central bank story has been one of universal dovishness, but the result is that no currency benefits at the expense of any other.

Turning to the data this week, prices are the focus with CPI tomorrow, and we also see the FOMC Minutes and hear from the ECB. And boy, do we have a lot of Fed speakers this week!

Today NFIB Small Biz Optimism 101.8 (released)
  JOLTs Job Report 7.55M
Wednesday CPI 0.3% (1.8% Y/Y)
  -ex food & energy 0.2% (2.1% Y/Y)
  FOMC Minutes  
Thursday ECB Rate Decision -0.4% (unchanged)
  Initial Claims 211K
  PPI 0.3% (1.9% Y/Y)
  -ex food & energy 0.2% (2.4% Y/Y)
Friday Michigan Sentiment 98.0

We have nine Fed speeches including Chairman Powell three separate times although there is absolutely no indication that any views are changing within the Mariner Eccles Building. However, with the increasing drumbeat of pressure from the White House for the Fed to ease policy further and restart QE, it will be very interesting to see how Powell responds. While early indications were that he seemed impervious to that pressure, these days, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

Ultimately, there is no reason to believe that the FX market, or frankly any market, is going to see much movement today given the lack of new catalysts. As I wrote above, we need a resolution to shake things up, and right now, those are in short supply.

Good luck
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Fleeing the Scene

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The latest news from the UK
Is that they have sought a delay
Til midsummer’s eve
When, they now believe,
They’ll duly have something to say

But Europe seems not quite so keen
To grant that stay when they convene
It should be a year
Unless it’s quite clear
The UK is fleeing the scene

Despite the fact it is payroll day here in the US, there are still two stories that continue to garner the bulk of the attention, Brexit and trade with China. In the former, this morning PM May sent a letter to the EU requesting a delay until June 30, which seems to ignore all the points that have been made about a delay up until now. With European elections due May 23, the EU wants the UK out by then, or in for a much longer time, as the idea that the UK will vote in EU elections then leave a month later is anathema. But May seems to believe that now that she is in discussions with opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, a solution will soon be found and the Parliament will pass her much reviled deal with tweaks to the political codicil about the future. The other idea is a one-year delay that will give the UK time to hold another referendum and get it right this time determine if it is still the people’s will to follow through with Brexit given what is now generally believed about the economic consequences. The PM is due to present a plan of some sort on Wednesday to an emergency meeting of the EU, after which time the EU will vote on whether to grant a delay, and how long it will be. More uncertainty has left markets in the same place they have been for the past several months, stuck between the terror of a hard Brexit and the euphoria of no Brexit. It should be no surprise the pound is little changed today at 1.3065. Until it becomes clear as to the outcome, it is hard to see a reason for the pound to move more than 1% in either direction.

Regarding the trade story, what I read as mixed messages from the White House and Beijing has naturally been construed positively by the market. Both sides claim that progress is being made, but the key sticking points remain IP integrity, timing on the removal of tariffs by the US, and the ability of unilateral retaliation by the US in the event that China doesn’t live up to the terms of the deal. The latest thought is it will take another four to six weeks to come to terms on a deal. We shall see. The one thing we have learned is that the equity markets continue to see this as crucial to future economic growth, and rally on every piece of ‘good’ news. It seems to me that at some point, a successful deal will be fully priced in, which means that we are clearly setting up a ‘buy the rumor, sell the news’ type of dynamic going forward. In other words, look for a positive announcement to result in a short pop higher in equity prices, and then a lot of profit taking and a pretty good decline. The thing is, since we have no real idea on the timing, nor where the market will be when things are announced, it doesn’t help much right now in asset allocation.

As a side note, I did read a commentary that made an interesting point about these negotiations. If you consider communism’s tenets, a key one is that there is no such thing as private property. So, the idea that China will agree to the protection of private property when it contradicts the Chinese fundamental ruling dicta may be a bit of a stretch. Maybe they will, but that could be quite a hurdle to overcome there. Food for thought.

Now, on to payrolls. Here are the latest consensus forecasts:

Nonfarm Payrolls 180K
Private Payrolls 170K
Manufacturing Payrolls 10K
Unemployment Rate 3.8%
Average Hourly Earnings 0.3% (3.4% Y/Y)
Average Weekly Hours 34.5

A little worryingly, the ADP number on Wednesday was weaker than expected, but the month-by-month relationship between the two is not as close as you might think. Based on what we have heard from Fed speakers just yesterday (Harker, Mester and Williams), the FOMC believes that their current stance of waiting and watching continues to be appropriate. They are looking for a data trend that either informs coming weakness or coming strength and will respond accordingly. To a wo(man), however, these three all believe that the economy will have a solid performance this year, with GDP at or slightly above 2.0%, and that it is very premature to consider rate cuts, despite what the market is pricing.

Meanwhile, the data story from elsewhere continues to drift in a negative direction with Industrial Production falling throughout Europe, UK House Prices declining and UK productivity turning negative. In fact, the Italian government is revising its forecast for GDP growth in 2019 to be 0.1% all year and all eyes are on the IMF’s updated projections due next week, which are touted to fall even further.

In the end, the big picture remains largely unchanged. Uncertainty over Brexit and trade continue to weigh on business decisions and growth data continues to suffer. The one truism is that central bankers are watching this and the only difference in views is regarding how quickly they may need to ease policy further, except for the Fed, which remains convinced that the status quo is proper policy. As I continuously point out, this dichotomy remains in the dollar’s favor, and until it changes, my views will remain that the dollar should benefit going forward.

Good luck
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Still Some Doubt

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One vote from six hundred is all
That set apart sides in this brawl
So hard Brexit’s out
But there’s still some doubt
That hard Brexit they can forestall

Well, Parliament finally found a majority yesterday regarding Brexit. In a cross-party vote, by 313-312, Parliament voted to not leave the EU without a deal in hand. While they still hate the deal on the table, there are now discussions between PM May and opposition Labour leader Corbyn as to how they can proceed. There is lots of talk of a customs union solution, which would essentially prevent the UK from making trade deals on its own, one of the key benefits originally touted by the pro Brexit crowd. But time is still running out with PM may slated to speak to the EU next Wednesday and explain why the UK should be granted another delay. Remember, it requires a unanimous vote of the other 27 members to grant that delay.

Another interesting tidbit is that the UK government has 10,000 police on standby for potential riots this weekend as there is some talk that Parliament may simply cancel Brexit completely. You may recall that late last year, the European Court of Justice ruled that the UK could do that unilaterally, and so that remains one option. This follows from the train of thought that now that the law states they cannot leave the EU without a deal, if there is no deal to which they can agree, then not leaving is the only other choice. Arguably, the most interesting thing about this has been the market’s reaction. The pound is actually a touch softer this morning, by just 0.1%, but that was after a very modest 0.2% rally yesterday. It continues to trade just north of 1.30 and market participants are clearly not yet convinced that a solution is at hand. If that were the case, I would expect the pound to have rallied much more significantly. If Brexit is canceled, look for a move toward 1.38-1.40 initially. The thing is, it is not clear that it will maintain those levels given the ongoing economic malaise. Ultimately, if we remove Brexit from the calculations, the pound is simply another currency that needs to compare its economic fundamentals to those in the US and will be found wanting in that category as well. I expect a slow drift lower after an initial jump.

Turning to the US-China trade discussions, today Chinese vice-premier Liu He is scheduled to meet with President Trump, a sign many believe means that a deal is quite near. From the information available, it seems that the sticking points continue to be tariff related, with the US insisting that the current tariffs remain in place until the Chinese demonstrate they are complying with the deal and only then slowly rolled back. The US is also seeking the ability to unilaterally impose tariffs in the future, without retaliation, in the event that terms of the deal are not upheld by China. Naturally, China wants all tariffs removed immediately and doesn’t want to agree to unilateral action by the US. One side is going to have to back down, but I could see it being a split where tariffs remain for now, but unilateral action is not permitted. In the end, one of the key issues has always been the fact that the Chinese tend to ignore the laws they write when it is deemed to suit the national interest. Will this time be different? History shows that this time is never different, but we shall see.

Certainly, equity markets cannot get enough of the idea that this trade deal is coming as it continues to rally, especially in China, on the prospects of a successful conclusion. While markets today are generally little changed, Shanghai did manage another 1% jump last night. I guess the real question here is if a deal is agreed and President’s Trump and Xi meet and sign it sometime later this month, what will be the next catalyst for the equity market to rally? Will growth really rebound that quickly? Seems unlikely. Will the central banks add more stimulus? Also unlikely if they see these headwinds fade. In other words, can risk-on remain the market preference indefinitely?

Turning to the actual data, once again Germany showed that the slump there is real, and possibly worsening. Factory Orders fell 4.2% in February, much worse than the expected 0.2% gain and the steepest decline in two years. It is also the third decline in the past four months, hardly the sign of an economy rebounding. In fact, German growth forecasts were cut significantly today by its own Economy Ministry, taking expectations for 2019 down to 0.8% GDP growth for the year, less than half the previous forecast. But despite the lousy data, the euro is basically unchanged on the day and actually over the past week. Traders are looking for a more definitive catalyst, arguably something new from a central bank, before they make their next move. Ultimately, as the German data shows, I think it increasingly unlikely that the ECB can tighten policy in any way for a long time yet, and that bodes ill for the since currency.

There has been one noteworthy mover overnight, the Indian rupee has fallen a bit more than 1% after the RBI cut rates by 25bps at their monthly meeting last night. While this was widely anticipated, the RBI came out much more dovish than expected, indicating another cut was on the way and that they would ‘…use all tools available to it to ensure liquidity in the banking system…’ which basically means that easier money is on the way. I expect that the rupee will have a bit further to fall from here.

But otherwise, it was a pretty dull session overnight. The only data this morning is Initial Claims (exp 216K), but with payrolls tomorrow, that is unlikely to quicken any pulses. We also hear from both Loretta Mester and John Williams, but the Fed story is carved in stone for now, no policy changes this year. Yesterday’s softer than expected ISM Non-Manufacturing data will simply reconfirm that there is no reason for the Fed to start tightening again. All told, it doesn’t feel like much is going to happen today as the market starts to prepare for tomorrow’s NFP report. Unless Brexit is canceled, look for a quiet session ahead.

Good luck
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Feeling Distress

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The dollar is feeling distress
As Treasury prices compress
The data released
Shows growth has increased
Thus risk is now ‘cool’ to possess

Risk is back in fashion this morning as better than expected Chinese Services PMI data (54.4 vs. exp 52.3) and better than expected German Services PMI data (55.4 vs exp 54.9) have combined with renewed optimism on the US-Chinese trade talks to revive risk taking by investors. If you recall, it was just last month that the PMI data was pointing to a global slowdown, which was one of the keys to market activity. It was part and parcel of the yield curve inversion as well as the dollar’s modest strength as investors fled most other countries for the least bad option, the US markets. But it seems that not only have markets responded positively to the complete u-turn by global central bankers, so have purchasing managers. In the end, everybody loves easy money, and the fact that virtually every nation has reversed early signs of policy tightening has played well on Main Street as well as on Wall Street.

So maybe recession is much further away than had recently been feared. Of course, we continue to see our share of weak data with this week already producing subpar Retail Sales (-0.2%, -0.4% ex autos) and weak Durable Goods Orders (-1.6%, +0.1% ex transport). This makes an interesting contrast to the stronger than expected ISM data (55.3) and Construction Spending (+1.0%). But investors clearly see the glass half-full as equities respond positively, and maybe more impressively, Treasury yields have backed up 14 bps in the past week. This means the yield curve is no longer inverted and we are already hearing a lot of dismissals about how that was an aberration and not a precursor of a recession. You know, ‘This time is different!’

The one thing that remains clear is there is a concerted effort by central bankers everywhere to focus on the good, ignore the bad and try to keep the global economy going. I guess that’s their collective job, so kudos are due as they have recently proven quite nimble in their responses. Of course, the fact that they seem to be inflating new debt bubbles with the potential for very serious consequences when they pop cannot be ignored forever.

Prime Minister May’s at a loss
And so now the aisle she’ll cross
It’s Labour she’ll ask
To help with the task
Of proving her deal’s not just dross

The other market surprise was the news that after a seven-hour cabinet meeting, PM May has given up on the Tories to help her pass the Brexit deal and has now reached out to Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, to see if they can come up with something that can garner a majority of votes in Parliament. Yesterday, Parliament tried to come up with their own plan for a second time, and this time handily rejected 11 suggestions. The problem for May is that Labour, itself, is split on what it wants to do, with a large portion looking for another referendum, while it has its own significant portion of Leavers. Quite frankly, the view from 3000 miles away is that this initiative is not going to result in any better solution than the already rejected ones. And while everyone abhors the idea of a hard Brexit, apparently nobody abhors it enough to concede their own viewpoint. However, the market continues to wear its rose-colored glasses and the pound has rebounded 0.5% today and more than 1.1% since yesterday morning. The pound continues to be completely driven by the Brexit saga, as it rallied despite a very poor Services PMI outturn of 48.9.

Away from those stories, market optimism has been fanned by the hints that the US-China trade talks are continuing to make progress. Chinese vide-premier, and lead negotiator, Liu He, is in Washington today and tomorrow to resume the conversation. Meanwhile, central banks continue to back away from any further policy tightening, even in marginal countries where it had been expected. Poland is the latest to sound more dovish than previous comments, and markets are also now pricing in further rate cuts in both India and South Africa. The point is that the market addiction to easy money is growing, and there does not appear to be a single central banker anywhere who can look through the short-term and recognize, and respond to, long term concerns.

But in the meantime, stocks continue to rally. Today, after the Chinese data, we saw the Nikkei jump 1.0%, and Shanghai rally 1.25%. Then after the Eurozone data, the DAX rocketed 1.85% and even the CAC, despite the weak French data, rallied 1.0%. I guess the fact that there are still weak areas in Europe implies that Signor Draghi will never be tempted to raise rates. And not to be outdone, US futures are pointing to a 0.5% rise at the open.

This morning’s data brings ADP Employment (exp 170K) and then ISM Non-Manufacturing (exp 58.0). If things hold true to form, look for a better ISM number, although the ADP will be quite interesting. Remember, last month’s NFP number was shockingly weak so there are still questions about that. Friday, we will learn more, especially with the revisions.

And the dollar? Well, as is often the case on days where risk is accumulated, the dollar is under broad pressure, down 0.3% vs. the euro, NOK and SEK. It is also under pressure vs. EMG currencies with INR (+0.7%) and PHP (+0.6%) leading the way in Asia, while the CE4 are all higher by roughly 0.3%. There is no reason to think this pressure will abate today, unless we see something quite surprising, like the US-China trade talks falling apart. In other words, look for modest further dollar weakness as the session progresses.

Good luck
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Hawks Are Now Doves

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Two years ago Minister May
Put Article 50 in play
But when she unveiled
Her deal, it detailed
A course many felt went astray

Instead of the exit they sought
And for which the Brexiteers fought
Today the UK
Is forced, still, to play
By rules that the EU has wrought

So, it’s Brexit day and yet there is no final solution. Later today Parliament will vote on the legally binding aspects of the negotiated deal, but that still appears destined to fail. The problem remains that the Northern Irish DUP, which holds the ten votes that maintain the Tory majority in Parliament, has categorically refused to back the deal. The problem, as they see it, is that the deal splits them away from the UK and impinges too greatly on their sovereignty. If this vote fails (it is due to take place at 10:30 this morning) then the debate will shift to what to do next. The EU has afforded the UK another two weeks to come up with any decision at all, but even that seems increasingly doubtful. Earlier this morning, it appeared that the probability of a no-deal Brexit was increasing, at least according to the market as the pound traded down to 1.30 (-0.3%), but it has since rebounded a bit and is, in fact, higher by 0.35% on the session now. It appears the ebbs and flows of the debate in Parliament are moving the price right now, so be prepared for a sharper move in a few hours. It is devilishly difficult to predict political outcomes, thus at this point, all we can do is watch and wait.

Both patience and data dependence
Are hallmarks of Powell’s transcendence
The hawks are now doves
And everyone loves
The theory of Fed independence

This takes us to the other topic of note in the markets, the Fed. Yesterday, yet again, we heard from Fed speakers who have all said virtually the same thing. The current mantra is there is no reason for the Fed to act right now on rates, and that they will carefully analyze all the data, both from the US and the rest of the world, before making their next decision. They cannot tell us frequently enough how in 1998-9, when growth elsewhere in the world was suffering (the Asian crisis was unfolding), the Fed eased policy even though things were fine in the US, and that is what helped prevent a much worse outcome. (Of course, they never discuss how those extra low rates helped inflate the tech bubble which burst dramatically the following year, but that doesn’t really suit the narrative, does it?) At any rate, it is abundantly clear that the Fed is on hold for the rest of the year, and that the balance sheet program is going to taper off and end by the autumn. And there is no question that the Fed has remained independent throughout this process, remember that!

The last of the big three stories, trade talks with China, was back in the news as well as the US delegation was seen going “line by line” through the text with their Chinese counterparts to try to come to an agreement. It does appear that the Chinese are conceding some points, with a story this morning about how US cloud companies are going to be allowed access, without a partner, into China to compete with locals. The other story was about a change in Chinese law that ostensibly addresses IP theft. These are two key issues for the US and seem to indicate that there is a real possibility that an agreement will actually make changes in the relationship that could benefit the US in the long run. Certainly, equity markets see it that way as Chinese stocks rallied sharply, more than 3% and Europe is higher along with US futures.

Elsewhere, yesterday’s BRL collapse was largely reversed, although the Turkish lira continues to suffer ahead of the local elections this weekend. In the former, it appears that foreign investors are taking advantage of a weaker real and stock market to buy in at better levels as there is an underlying belief that pension reform will be passed. In the latter, it remains to be seen how President Erdogan’s allies fare this weekend, and there is no clarity as to how he will react if he loses some measure of power.

Yesterday saw the dollar perform well, overall, despite the GDP data coming in on the soft side (2.2% vs. 2.6% expected), but again, that is backward looking data. This morning brings PCE (exp 1.4%, core 1.9%) as well as Personal Income (0.3%) and Spending (0.3%). We also see Chicago PMI (61.0), New Home Sales (620K) and Michigan Sentiment (97.8) later on. There are also a few more Fed speakers, but we pretty much know what they are going to say, don’t we?

Overall, the dollar has performed well this week, although it is a touch softer this morning. My sense is that we could see a bit more weakness by the end of the day, simply on position adjustments. And of course, if somehow the UK makes a decision of some sort, that will help the pound rebound and add to pressure on the buck. Just don’t count on that last part!

Good luck and good weekend
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