Latest from BCA Research
Yields remain the force dominating the evolution of markets. A peak in yields would help European assets rebound, but the war in the Middle East could push higher energy prices, with negative consequences for Europe.
Numerous breakdowns are occurring in global equities outside the US large cap. All these market moves point to a global economy that cannot handle high borrowing costs. Unless EM share prices find a bottom in absolute and relative terms before year-end, they will have experienced a structural breakdown.
This week's Insight gauges the potential of a dollar breakout or breakdown and suggests a few trade ideas.
US monetary policy is restrictive, as evidenced by a falling jobs-workers gap. The reason that unemployment has not risen is because labor demand still exceeds supply. That will change in the second half of 2024 when the US economy succumbs to recession. Investors should increasingly favor bonds over stocks.
Comments on recent Fedspeak, bond market moves and this morning’s CPI report.
As global financial institutions like the IMF draw attention to the real-estate crisis in China, the CCP will be forced to step up regulatory and restructuring efforts to contain its spread and limit further contagion domestically and globally. The Party also will be forced to deliver stronger fiscal- and monetary-policy support to beleaguered banks and developers. We expect it to do so, which keeps us bullish energy and metals. Failure raises the odds of a collapse in the property markets, which would be socially destabilizing, and lead to greater risk aversion and volatility globally.
The sharp sell-off in long duration bonds (ticker TLT) has reached the collapsed 130-day complexity that implies a probable and playable rebound. More strategically, long-duration bonds yielding close to 5 percent are an excellent structural investment assuming central banks choose to slay inflation and the cost is a near-term recession. We discuss how to time and how to play the potential rebound.
Investors should book profits on our long Egyptian Treasury bill trade as the outlook for the Egyptian pound has worsened. The position has generated an 11.4% return in US dollar terms since its initiation eight months back.