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28 August 2020

 

Video commentary for August 27th 2020

 

Eoin Treacy’s view

A link to today’s video commentary is posted in the Subscriber’s Area.

Some of the topics discused include: Fed is going to run the economy hot. Bonds suffer, gold eases, stocks form, Dollar volatile.

 

Powell Fed Shift Allows for Higher Employment and Inflation

This article from Bloomberg may be of interest to subscribers. Here is a section:

The new strategy is being undertaken to tackle years of too-low inflation. It hands the central bank flexibility to let the job market run hotter and price pressures float higher before taking action as it may previously have done.

“They really, really, really are not going to be raising interest rates any time soon,” said James Knightley, chief international economist at ING Financial Markets. “The Fed is saying rates will be lower for longer, but don’t worry inflation is not going to be picking up.”

While it doesn’t target a specific rate of unemployment broadly or for certain demographic groups, the approach may help address other weaknesses in the economy.

During the longest U.S. economic expansion on record until the pandemic hit earlier this year, many groups benefited — including minorities and women. With millions out of work and unrest flaring up across the U.S. over racial inequality, questions about how the Fed’s policy helps diverse communities have been raised.

 

Eoin Treacy’s view

The Fed is happy to run the economy hot. That begs the question what happens next? Will they attempt to support the Treasury market in what is already de facto yield curve control? As the economy responds to the trillions in new liquidity, how will the Fed react to the rise in the velocity of money? If they are willing to run the economy hot a somewhat steeper yield curve is desirable but stoking inflation can have many unintended consequences.

 

No One Wants to Buy Ships as Virus, IMO Rules Hit Demand Hard

This article by Krystal Chia and Annie Lee for Bloomberg may be of interest to Subscriber’s Area. Here is a section:

Shipowners are also lacking the finances to make purchases, according to Ralph Leszczynski, head of research at shipbroker Banchero Costa & Co.

“Most shipping markets are coming from a relatively poor decade, 2009 to 2019, in terms of earnings so most shipowners do not have that much cash in their pockets,” he said. “External finance is also in short supply as banks are now largely steering clear off shipping after the defaults they suffered after 2008.”

Still, fewer orders and slower fleet growth will likely bolster shipping rates. Lines are likely to continue to keep capacity in check into 2021 to minimize the impact from slowing global trade, said IHS Markit’s Kapoor.

That’s already translating to increasing costs for transporting goods by ocean liner, with one benchmark of trans-Pacific container rates more than doubling since late-May to a record. Bulk-carrier costs have also rebounded from a four-year low. Maersk, which idled about 20% of its capacity in April before gradually reinstating it in subsequent months, saw earnings beat estimates in part due to improved freight rates.

 

Eoin Treacy’s view

When new regulation imposes new costs that are greater than the value of the original asset it raises important questions about the sustainability of businesses. Installing new engines in new ships is an ideal solution but its expensive. Meanwhile the lesser of two evils are scrubbers to the emissions but these often exceed the value of older ships. This is a recipe for a loss of supply from the global shipping fleet.

 

Equity Insights: EU’s ‘Hamilton Light’ Recovery Plan Marks a Paradigm Shift, and Markets Cheered

This article by Anik Sen for PineBridge Investments may be of interest to subscribers. Here is a section:

The EC’s paradigm shift

By becoming the borrower through its issuance of €750 billion of debt, the EC sets a new precedent while becoming a major new force in the sovereign debt markets. It is also expected to demonstrate maximum flexibility in managing its debt to achieve the most favorable terms for the member states. The bonds are expected to be repaid through the EU budget through the end of 2058. New tax revenues have been proposed, such as a plastic levy, a digital tax, and a review of the EU Emissions Trading System.

The recovery plan marks a significant moment in which EU Leaders recognized the need to create a new structure for raising funds under the auspices of the EC and funded by the EU budget. This structure has a strong likelihood of becoming a permanent funding mechanism at the EU level for emergency programs and other funding needs for the fiscally weak member states. They have also acted swiftly to stem the risks to the eurozone’s stability from alarmingly high fiscal deficits, and to front-load the raising of funds in order to plug the enormous fiscal gaps into the future. They have recognized the need to move away from the failed austerity approach of the past and to adopt a pro-growth policy through grants and loans on attractive terms with light conditionality – a major departure from the past.

‘Hamilton light’ plan is an auspicious beginning

The recovery plan could well become a permanent feature for the EU, serving to underpin the debt issued by the periphery member states. This has enormous significance for the EU banking industry, which has become reliant on the ECB’s QE programs for its stability and capital adequacy. If the fear of default is truly removed for any eurozone sovereign debt, without assuming intervention by the ECB, there could be broader implications for financial system integration within Europe, with cross-border mergers and acquisitions within the EU finally taking place. This is sorely needed to drive greater scale in a banking system that has poor profitability compared to that of the US.

The recovery fund may not be quite as far-reaching as Alexander Hamilton’s re-ordering of the financial system in the newly born United States. However, the progress made by EU leaders this summer points to a measured yet pivotal step toward very similar ends.

 

Eoin Treacy’s view

Europe has just created Federal bonds which will be repaid from the bloc’s budget. New taxes are being proposed to increase the size of the budget and there are aspirations for the system to become permanent.

 

Eoin’s personal portfolio: last updated on August 11th

Eoin Treacy’s view

One of the most commonly asked questions by subscribers is how to find details of my open traders. In an effort to make it easier I will simply repost the latest summary daily until there is a change. I’ll change the title to the date of publication of new details so you will know when the information was provided.

 

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