#economics

There was a big repricing of inflation expectations over February, as the January Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed an uptick in inflation and the January Jobs report was much stronger than expected. Here are 3 things you need to know:

1. 2yr U.S. inflation breakevens were up +85 basis points (bps) to 3.18%, having ended January at just 2.33%. This was the second largest monthly move higher since February 2009 after the +87bps move in October last year. (Source: Deutsche Bank, FRED Economic Data)
2. February saw the 2-year Treasury yield increase more than +70bps and the 10-year Treasury yield increase more than +50bps. Yields move inversely to prices.
3. Bloomberg’s Global Aggregate Bond Index had its worst February since inception in 1990. (Source: Bloomberg Finance LP)

Sources: J.P. Morgan Asset Management – Economic Update; Bureau of Economic Analysis (www.bea.gov); Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov); Federal Open Market Committee (www.federalreserve.gov); Bloomberg; FactSet.

Indices:

• The Bloomberg Barclays Aggregate Bond Index is a broad-based index used as a proxy for the U.S. bond market. Total return quoted.
• The S&P 500 is designed to be a leading indicator of U.S. equities and is commonly used as a proxy for the U.S. stock market. Price return quoted.
• The MSCI ACWI ex-US Index captures large and mid-cap representation across 22 of 23 developed market countries (excluding the U.S.) and 27 emerging market countries.  The index covers approximately 85% of the global equity opportunity set outside the U.S. Price return quoted.
• The MSCI Emerging Markets Index captures large and mid-cap segments in 26 emerging markets. Price return quoted (USD).

Disclosure: BFSG does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to BFSG’s website or blog or incorporated herein and takes no responsibility for any such content. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly. Please remember that different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy (including those undertaken or recommended by Company), will be profitable or equal any historical performance level(s). Please see important disclosure information here.

Although this year has felt spooky, the U.S. stock market rallied in October after enduring several straight months of losses, leading to optimism that the end of the bear market may be in sight.

Here are 3 things you need to know:

1. The S&P 500 ended the month up 8%. Ten of the 11 sectors of the S&P 500 rose during the month, with energy stocks leading the way higher.
2. Gilts (a UK Government liability in sterling) led the way in fixed income thanks to the fiscal U-turn and a new Prime Minister after a disastrous decline under former PM Liz Truss. But they’re still down -35% year-to-date (in US Dollar terms).
3. U.S. WTI Oil had a good month as the OPEC+ group cut production, and it’s far and away the best year-to-date performer (+15%).

Sources:

1. Sources: J.P. Morgan Asset Management – Economic Update; Bureau of Economic Analysis (www.bea.gov); Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov); Federal Open Market Committee (www.federalreserve.gov); Bloomberg; FactSet; Deutsche Bank.
2. Indices:
   • The Bloomberg Barclays Aggregate Bond Index is a broad-based index used as a proxy for the U.S. bond market. Total return quoted.
   • The S&P 500 is designed to be a leading indicator of U.S. equities and is commonly used as a proxy for the U.S. stock market. Price return quoted.
   • The MSCI ACWI ex-US Index captures large and mid-cap representation across 22 of 23 developed market countries (excluding the U.S.) and 27 emerging market countries.  The index covers approximately 85% of the global equity opportunity set outside the U.S. Price return quoted.
   • The MSCI Emerging Markets Index captures large and mid-cap segments in 26 emerging markets. Price return quoted (USD).

Disclosure: BFSG does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to BFSG’s website or blog or incorporated herein and takes no responsibility for any such content. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly. Please remember that different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy (including those undertaken or recommended by Company), will be profitable or equal any historical performance level(s). Please see important disclosure information here.

By:  Thomas Steffanci, PhD, Senior Portfolio Manager

The Q3 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate of 2.6% was in line with the consensus. But it was anything but normal. The increase was entirely driven by a large increase in the trade balance. Net exports surged 2.8% due to a 1.6% increase in exports of energy commodities and military hardware, and a 1.2% decrease in imports. Inventory liquidation was lower than Q2, giving a boost to GDP.  Consumer spending rose 1%, mostly in services, offsetting a decline in consumer goods purchases. Capital spending creeped up with residential investment falling for the third straight quarter.

The big market reaction to this report came from the GDP price deflator rising just 4.1%, well below the 5.3% expected, and down more than half from 9.0% last quarter. But much of this was the result of a decline in the growth of import prices due to the rising dollar. With the dollar having declined over 4% from its September 28 top, import prices are not likely to repeat their magnified impact on the GDP deflator going forward.

Bottom Line? The report, excluding the trade balance, showed little core growth in Q3 and by itself should not change the Federal Reserve’s (the Fed) thinking/forecasts for 1-2% GDP growth. The main reason the GDP print was strong is because Europe is collapsing into a recession and is now overly reliant on US energy and weapons exports. It also did little to dispel fears that the US will eventually tip into a classical recession given the aggressive steps the Fed is taking to stamp out elevated inflation.

The decline in 10-year bond yields seems to be the ongoing reaction to the Fed in becoming more aware of the liquidity strains the strong dollar has created in global currency markets, anticipating a slowdown in their rapid ascent in the Fed funds rate. Those expectations were boosted by today’s (outlier) decline in the growth of the GDP deflator. The stock market reaction highlighted these events as both energy and industrial stocks are leading the advance.

Disclosure: BFSG does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to BFSG’s website or blog or incorporated herein and takes no responsibility for any such content. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly. Please remember that different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk, and there can be no assurance that the future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy (including those undertaken or recommended by Company), will be profitable or equal any historical performance level(s). Please see important disclosure information here.

By:  Thomas Steffanci, PhD, Senior Portfolio Manager

The print of the monthly payroll employment number brings Wall Street cheers or anguish, filling the market airwaves with new prognostications of economic growth or stagnation. The November release was a clear example of such harrumphing.

According to the Labor Department, employment rose by just 210,000, far below the consensus of a 545,000 gain. The S&P 500 fell 1.2% and 10 bond yield fell 9 basis points to 1.33% on Friday, the lowest close for bond yields since late September. The word was the Federal Reserve may have to go slower in withdrawing their bond buying because employment is stagnating. There was some truth to the tale, however. The three-month average of monthly payroll employment gains slipped from 845,000 to 378,000, implying a labor market slowdown.

But under the hood, things appear much better, and the labor market seems to be doing just fine. First off, the unemployment rate fell from 4.6% to 4.2%. And the reason is that household employment is based on a monthly survey of the same 60,000 households which rose by 1.1 million workers. And it is the household employment measure that is used to calculate the unemployment rate, not the establishment survey that gets all the attention. Along with that increase, the labor force added 594,000 workers. That means that new entrants into the workforce were able to find jobs easily. Since unemployment is measured as a percent of the labor force, typically if employment gains are less than labor force growth, the unemployment rate rises. Not so in November.

But there is more. The labor force participation rate (the percent of the working age population looking for work and thereby in the labor force) rose to 61.8%, climbing out of the range it had been in since mid-2020. This is important because it shows that workers that have laid back looking for work for various reasons like federal and state unemployment assistance, are now willing and able to be employed.

While the markets viewed the November report as a sign of slackening in employment, more robust measures suggest otherwise. Along with the labor force participation rate, weekly initial claims for unemployment insurance have declined sharply over the past two months, from 364000 to 222,000, a 39% reduction, bolstering the message of continuing momentum on the job front.

Disclosure: BFSG does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to BFSG’s website or blog or incorporated herein and takes no responsibility for any such content. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly. Please see important disclosure information here.

By:  Thomas Steffanci, PhD, Senior Portfolio Manager

Is the real unemployment rate 2.3%? If you back out people who quit voluntarily to look for better paying jobs, the answer is yes. Quitters are still “employed”. They are in transition to other employment opportunities and should be considered as part of the labor force. If you adjust the current unemployment rate of 4.8% for the 2.5% “quit rate” (highest in 20 years) the “real” unemployment rate is 2.3%. This belies the Federal Reserve’s continuing easy monetary policy because of a weak labor market.  If it is actually “tight” it adds to the case that inflation is likely to be more persistent and higher, prompting earlier increases in the Federal funds rate than the market now expects.

*Note – blog post corrected corrected 10/22/2021.

Disclosure: BFSG does not make any representations or warranties as to the accuracy, timeliness, suitability, completeness, or relevance of any information prepared by any unaffiliated third party, whether linked to BFSG’s web site or blog or incorporated herein and takes no responsibility for any such content. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly. Please see important disclosure information here.