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8 Mar 2024

Food for Thoughts

Source: Succeeded Mind

8 Mar 2024

Bank of Japan boj now owns nearly 60% of the entire Japanese government bonds

Source: Game of Trades

8 Mar 2024

Higher female board presence may give ETFs 2.2% performance edge

ETFs that invest in companies with at least 25% women on their boards outperformed by 2.2% in 2023 rivals that invest in firms with fewer female directors. Statistical analysis suggests that relationship may be more causal than coincidental, adding to the value proposition of female corporate oversight.

Source: Bloomberg Intelligence

7 Mar 2024

CEOs' economic outlook is surging

America's top executives are strikingly more confident about the economy, with expectations of stronger sales and capital investments. For the first time in two years, the Business Roundtable's quarterly gauge of CEO sentiment is above its historical average. By the numbers: The lobbying group's index jumped by 11 points in the first quarter to 85 — topping the long-running average by 2 points. source : axios

7 Mar 2024

Less and less listed companies; but big companies are getting bigger...

The number of publicly listed companies in the US has declined by 50% since 1995. Currently, there are just over 4200 public companies in the US. The same trend has been seen in the number of banks in the US which was at 31,000 in 1920 but just 4,000 today. Meanwhile, the top 10% of stocks in the US now reflect ~75% of the entire market. This is, by far, the most concentrated 🇺🇸 stock market since the Great Depression in 1931. Even in the Dot-com bubble of 2001, concentration of the top 10% of stocks peaked at ~72% before the 2008 Financial Crisis, it peaked at nearly 66%. Big companies are indeed getting bigger! Source: The Kobeissi Letter, Wall Street Engine

7 Mar 2024

As expected, the ECB lefts rates unchanged.

The European Central Bank approach continues to follow a data-dependent approach in determining rate path. THE STATEMENT • Inflation forecasts by ECB staff have been lowered, especially for 2024, largely due to reduced energy price pressures. Inflation is now expected to average 2.3% in 2024 and to stabilize around 2.0% in the following years; core inflation projections also revised downwards. They nevertheless say that domestic price pressures remain high, partly due to wages. They say that domestic price pressures remain high, partly due to wages. • Growth projections for 2024 have been downgraded to 0.6%, with a gradual recovery anticipated, leading to 1.5% growth in 2025 and 1.6% in 2026. • The ECB believes current interest rates, if maintained, will significantly contribute to reducing inflation and has committed to keeping rates at restrictive levels as needed. MARKET REACTION • EUR/USD is weaker on the news (to 1.0875) and EUR rates extend their move lower (they were already down every day this week, and prior to the ECB announcement). German 10y is down -7bp to 2.25% at the time we write • Rate cuts expectations are slightly increased for this year, but not massively so far (still four 25bp rate cuts by the end of the year when rounding the probabilities) OUR TAKE • Overall, this is a rather dovish statement for now - let see if Lagarde press conference will reinforces the dovish reading or if she counterbalances the message from the downward revisions on growth in inflation. Source: chart: Bloomberg

7 Mar 2024

Nvidia, $NVDA, has hit a record $2.2 TRILLION in market cap and is now up 83% in 2024.

Since the October 2023 low, Nvidia has risen 125% and added $1.3 TRILLION in market cap. Nvidia is also now just 18% away from passing Apple, $AAPL, as the 2nd most valuable company in the world. Since October 27th, Nvidia has added an average of $15 billion in market cap PER TRADING DAY. This truly is one of the most historic runs in a stock ever. Source: The Kobeissi Letter

7 Mar 2024

Goldman Sachs has upgraded its buyback forecast for 2024, anticipating a total of $925 billion in buybacks for S&P 500 companies, marking a 13% year-over-year increase.

They also took the opportunity to introduce a prediction for 2025: $1.075 trillion in buybacks, thus surpassing the trillion-dollar mark, setting a new historical record, and representing a 16% year-over-year growth. source : GS

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