Morning Report: Overseas yields hit a record low

Vital Statistics:

Stocks are higher this morning on no real news. Bonds and MBS are down.

We are seeing lots of articles tying trade to rate cuts. IMO, I think the business press and politicians overestimate the effects of trade sometimes, but there is no doubt that there is a sea change in opinion. The markets are pricing in a 96% chance of a rate cut this year. Only 1 month ago, they were pricing in a 53% chance of no movement at all. Compare the forecast now versus May 3. Amazing how much sentiment has changed. The central tendency is now for 2 rate cuts (although the markets expect the Fed to hold steady at the June meeting in a couple of weeks).

Is trade the driver of the change in sentiment? It plays a part, no doubt. But, the yield curve inversion has more to do with general economic malaise especially in Europe. The  German Bund (Germany’s 10 year bond) has hit a record low yield of -21 basis points. This is a big deal, and is the real culprit behind the drop in US Treasury rates. Relative value trading (in other words managers selling Bunds which pay nothing for Treasuries which pay something) is pulling US rates lower, which has inverted the yield curve. An inverted yield curve occurs when short term rates (like the 1 month T-bill) are higher than long term rates like the 10 year. The 1 month T-bill pays 2.35% while the 10 year pays 2.11%. Historically, an inverted yield curve has been a recessionary indicator, but that probably isn’t what is going on right now. I certainly don’t think the Fed imagines a recession is imminent or even a decent possibility – we will get an idea however when they release their economic projections at the June FOMC meeting.  That said, the markets see two rate cuts this year, and the dot plot will be an interesting view.  Strange to think that the Fed tightened to fight nonexistent inflation and will ease to fight a nonexistent recession, but here we are….

Home prices rose 1% MOM and 3.6% YOY in April, according to CoreLogic. They do see home price appreciation picking back up over the next year, and are forecasting a 4.7% increase over the next year.

Author: Brent Nyitray

In the physical sciences, knowledge is cumulative. In the financial markets, it is cyclical View all posts by Brent Nyitray