Looming Threat to Japanese Bonds: A Setback for the Global Fixed-Income Rally?
Amidst the impressive year-end rally in the global fixed-income market, a significant development last night casts a shadow over this upward momentum. The yield on the Japanese 10-year bond surged by 12 basis points, driven by comments from BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda and Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino, instigating a belief that change might unfold sooner than anticipated. The probability of the BOJ ending its negative rates policy this month skyrocketed to nearly 45%, as Himino's speech was perceived as relatively hawkish, amplifying the significance of the BOJ's December meeting to a live event. Adding to the market tension, the Japan 30-Year Bond Sale recorded its lowest bid-cover since 2015. Notably, the sharp steepening of the Japanese curve, from 20 bps in March to 80 bps at the end of October, coincided with a significant increase in US Treasury yields over the same period... Source: Bloomberg
Odds of rate cuts beginning as soon as January 2024 are rising quickly
There is now a ~15% chance of rate cuts beginning next month. The base case shows a ~56% chance of rate cuts beginning in March 2024. Markets are currently expecting a total of FIVE 25 basis point rate cuts in 2024. Still, the Fed has yet to discuss the possibility of any rate cuts at all. Markets are fully bought in to the "Fed pivot." We believe that the economy will continue to slow down and that rate cuts will take place next year. However, a lot pof these cuts are already priced in. This could generate some volatility for bonds and stocks in case of disappoinment (aka macro data surprising on the upside). Source: The Kobeissi Letter
Record Low: Equity/Bonds Volatility Ratio Hits Unprecedented Levels!
The divergence between two widely recognized measures of volatility, the VIX index for Equity and the MOVE index for Rates, continues to be stark. In the U.S., equity volatility has reached new lows for 2023, while volatility in U.S. Treasuries remains persistently high. Calculating the ratio between the VIX and MOVE indexes reveals a significant trend—the lowest point since 1994/1995! Anticipate dynamic shifts in 2024! 📈 #MarketTrends #VolatilityAnalysis #Outlook2024
Chinese total private sector debt (level and relative to GDP). This helps explain why Moody's downgraded China's credit rating today...
Source: Longview Economics
Global Money Market Funds All-Time High 🚨:
A record high $8.3 Trillion is parked in global money market funds according to Goldman Sachs. $5.73 Trillion of this are U.S. based funds. As global central banks cut rates, could this capital find its way back into equities? Source: Barchart
A BofA report shows the remarkable correlation between the Austria government 100-year bond and Ark Invest Innovation ETF
Their point: if bond yields are going "tactically" lower, "distressed tech" is set for a big rally... Source: BofA, www.zerohedge.com
This chart shows that correlation between stocks and long duration bonds remain quite high
This is a regime change from previous decade and has implications for portfolio construction. Source: J-C Parets
Bond Market's Best Month Since 1980s Sparks Cross-Asset Rally
In a year in which little has gone right in the US bond market, November turned out to be a month for the record books. Investors frantically bid up the price of Treasuries, agency and mortgage debt, sparking the best month since the 1980s and igniting a powerful pan-markets rally in everything from stocks to credit to emerging markets. Source: Bloomberg
