評価
Highlights Portfolio Strategy Lack of profit growth, deficient industry demand, perky valuations and extremely overbought conditions all suggest that the time is ripe for an underweight stance in the S&P semi equipment index. The chip down cycle is far from over, leading global semi sales indicators remain downbeat and our semi profit growth model is waving a yellow flag, compelling us to put the S&P semiconductors index on downgrade alert. Recent Changes Downgrade the S&P semiconductor equipment index to underweight, today. Table 1 Feature The S&P 500 made fresh all-time highs last week, despite the ongoing profit contraction and a well telegraphed hawkish Fed interest rate cut. The “hope rally” continues and the longer it lasts defying sagging profit fundamentals, the larger the snapback will be in the ensuing months. We remain cautious awaiting a turn in our proprietary four-factor macro SPX earnings growth model and in the meantime our strategy is to sell this strength and raise dry powder. Worrisomely, Chart 1 shows that analysts have thrown in the towel and are downgrading SPX long-term profit growth expectations at a faster pace than in the aftermath of the dotcom bubble. Historically, the S&P 500 and its five-year forward EPS growth estimates are joined at the hip, and the current message is bearish for the broad equity market. Chart 1Will Sinking Profit Growth Expectations Pull Stocks Lower? Importantly, on the valuation front, in May of 2018 we first showed the SPX P/E/G ratio and at the time we accurately argued that “on this valuation measure the SPX appears cheap”.1 How times have changed since then. Following that trough, the P/E/G ratio has nearly doubled and is now sitting right at 1.5 or one standard deviation above the historical mean (we divide the 12-month forward price-to-earnings ratio by the long-term EPS growth rate using I/B/E/S data, second panel, Chart 2). We are clearly in overshoot territory and this valuation metric represents another yellow flag. Chart 2SPX P/E/G Ratio Is In Overshoot Territory Moving on to the bond market, what caught our attention was a recent WSJ article detailing how investors are no longer paying up to own the lowest quality paper and while overall junk spreads were coming in, at the bottom of the pit investors were shunning CCC rated junk bonds.2 What is interesting is that this lowest quality corner of the junk market has some excellent forward looking properties and tends to lead not only the overall junk market, but also equities. Chart 3 shows the CCC rated option adjusted spread (OAS) versus the overall high yield OAS on a year-over-year change basis on inverted scale. This measure of bond market stress is moving in the opposite direction of S&P 500 momentum and we expect stocks to converge lower to this junk bond market stress indicator (JBMSI). Chart 3Bond Market Not Buying Stock Market Euphoria This week we are downgrading a niche tech subgroup that has gone parabolic and updating another early-cyclical tech subindex. The overall corporate bond ratings migration data (defined as downgrades minus upgrades as a percent of total) corroborates the JBMSI message and warns that the steep divergence with stocks is unsustainable (corporate bond ratings migration data shown inverted, middle panel, Chart 4). Chart 4Unsustainable Divergences Similarly, the S&P 500’s net earnings revision ratio is also negative and before long it will exert downward pull on SPX momentum (bottom panel, Chart 4). Under such a backdrop, we continue to recommend investors avoid chasing the broad equity market higher and instead build up their cash coffers, at least until we get a definitive signal that the path of least resistance is higher for profits. This week we are downgrading a niche tech subgroup that has gone parabolic and updating another early-cyclical tech subindex. Sell The Semi Equipment Exuberance Tech stocks have been on a tear with the sector besting the SPX by over 40% since 2015. While such a breakneck pace is unsustainable, what is missing from this outperformance is relative forward earnings participation. In fact, tech profit expectations stalled versus the overall market in late-2018 and have not been able to keep up with relative share prices. In other words, the forward multiple has skyrocketed and is now trading at a 15% premium to the SPX, at a time when relative margins are sinking like a stone (Chart 5). Importantly, given that stock performance should follow profit performance we are perplexed by this dynamic with investors religiously bidding up the sector’s forward multiple. Tack on the recent news of a plunge in overall tech capex growth – especially excluding software – and the tech sector’s bleak profit outlook dims further (Chart 6). Worryingly, within the tech sector the semiconductor equipment space is even more puzzling. Chart 7 shows that relative forward profits are trailing relative share prices as investors have extrapolated the recent positive trade news far into the future. As a reminder this index has a 90% foreign sales exposure with roughly 30% of sales originating from China. As a result, the S&P semiconductor equipment forward P/E is just below the broad market, nearly doubling on a year-over-year basis (middle panel, Chart 7). Chart 5Mind The Gap Chart 6Even Tech Investment Is Cracking The last time we tried to lean against semi equipment exuberance on the back of deteriorating profit fundamentals was on July 8 when we downgraded this index to underweight. But, we were offside and thankfully our risk management metric (stop loss at -7%) limited our downside a mere ten days later. Chart 7Sell Semi Equipment Stocks Since then, relative share prices have skyrocketed by 40% and we now have more confidence to re-enter our position. Today we recommend a downgrade in the S&P semi equipment index to a below benchmark allocation. This is a speculative/tactical downgrade and thus we also set a trailing stop loss near the -10% relative return mark. While bulls would buy this breakout, we are sticking our heads out and recommend selling the strength and warn that the S&P semi equipment all-time highs look more like a mania, eerily similar to the dotcom bubble era (Chart 8). Chart 8Chip Equipment Mania The contracting ISM manufacturing survey signals that relative share price momentum running at a 60%/annum clip is unwarranted and bound to return to earth (second panel, Chart 9). The same holds true for relative forward profit and revenue growth expectations, especially given the ongoing contraction in global semi sales (third & bottom panels, Chart 9). This deficient demand for semis and therefore semi equipment manufacturers is also apparent in deflating DRAM prices, our industry pricing power proxy. Historically, relative profit expectations and pricing power have moved in lockstep and the current message is to fade sell-side analysts’ buoyancy. Net earnings revisions have slingshot from extreme pessimism to extreme optimism during the past quarter and are vulnerable to disappointment (Chart 10). Chart 9To The Moon… Chart 10…And Back? Not only is the relative share price momentum running at the fastest clip in 19 years, but our proprietary Technical Indicator is also signaling that it is a good time to shun away from these hyper-cyclical tech stocks. The last three times our TI spiked to over one standard deviation above the historical mean, relative share prices corrected on average by 36% in the ensuing 12-18 months (Chart 11). While we are confident to downgrade this index to underweight, there is a risk to our bearish view. Were the U.S. dollar to depreciate definitively from current levels, then it would reflate the global economy and put this position offside. In fact, there are some green shoots in the emerging markets that are appearing, but in order for them to blossom further and not get nipped in the bud the trade-weighted U.S. dollar has to fall (Chart 12). Chart 11Time To Be Contrarian In sum, lack of profit growth, deficient industry demand, perky valuations and extremely overbought conditions all suggest that the time is ripe for an underweight stance in the S&P chip equipment index. Chart 12Risk To View: U.S. Dollar The Global Reflator Bottom Line: Downgrade the S&P semi equipment index to underweight, today with a stop loss at the -10% relative return mark. The ticker symbols for the stocks in this index are: BLBG – S5SEEQ – AMAT, LRCX, KLAC. Is Semi Euphoria Warranted? Similar to the broad tech space and the S&P semiconductor equipment subgroup, semi producers are also showing signs of excess. Chart 13 shows that relative forward EPS are in a clear and steep downtrend with no end in sight, whereas relative share prices are near post GFC highs, pushing the semi forward P/E on a par with the SPX. While the relative margin squeeze in chip stocks has been a whopping 5%, semi forward margins are still projected to outpace overall market by an impressive 15% (bottom panel, Chart 13). Trailing semiconductor earnings are contracting and our newly created top-down chip profit growth model is sputtering, warning that more earnings pain lies ahead (semi pricing power, global exports and the greenback comprise our proprietary S&P semiconductors earnings model, Chart 14). While chip earnings season has been a mixed bag with INTC on the bullish side and TXN on the bearish camp, TXN’s CFO commentary really grabbed our attention musing that: “When there are tensions in trade and obstacles to trade, what do businesses do? They become more cautious. And they pull back. And we are at the very end of a long supply chain. And when the ones at the very front pull back, it becomes a traffic jam” (emphasis ours). Chart 13Falling Profits Should Exert Downward Pull On Stocks Chart 14BCA Chip Profit Growth Model Is Bearish Our global semi sales-to-inventories ratio is still contracting also warning that the path of least resistance is lower for chip profits (Chart 15). In other words, the inventory liquidation phase has just began and steep price concessions to rebalance the markets will continue to weigh on the sector’s profit prospects. With regard to chip final-demand, while 5G euphoria has gripped the sector, our proprietary global auto sales proxy and global capex indicator (using the IFO’s World Economic Survey dataset) underscore that the global chip down cycle is far from over (Chart 16). Chart 15Semi Down Cycle … Chart 16… Is Far… Netting it all out, the chip down cycle is ongoing and leading global semi sales indicators remain downbeat. Other macro variables confirm that semi end-demand remains feeble. The global manufacturing PMI is waning and our diffusion index is probing multi-year lows. Our in-house calculated Global ZEW survey is also heralding additional global semi sales weakness in the coming months as it is hovering near levels last hit during the Great Recession (middle panel, Chart 17). Chinese electronics imports remain in contractionary territory (bottom panel, Chart 17) and U.S. new orders for computers & electronic products are on the verge of contraction (not shown). Despite this souring backdrop, investors have given the semi industry the benefit of the doubt and are anticipating a swift final-demand recovery. Our indicators suggest otherwise, and we expect relative share prices to converge lower to still contracting relative profit and revenue estimates (Chart 18). Chart 17…From Over… Chart 18…But Investors Are Mesmerized Netting it all out, the chip down cycle is ongoing and leading global semi sales indicators remain downbeat. Moreover, our semi profit growth model is waving a yellow flag, compelling us to put the S&P semiconductors index on downgrade alert. Bottom Line: Stay on the sidelines in the S&P semiconductors index for now, remove the upgrade alert and put it on downgrade watch. Stay tuned. The ticker symbols for the stocks in this index are: BLBG – S5SECO – INTC, TXN, ADI, AMD, MXIM, XLNX, MCHP, NVDA, AVGO, QCOM, MU, SWKS, QRVO. Anastasios Avgeriou U.S. Equity Strategist anastasios@bcaresearch.com Footnotes 1. Please see BCA U.S. Equity Strategy Report, “Resilient” dated May 14, 2018, available at uses.bcaresearch.com. 2. https://www.wsj.com/articles/wave-of-financial-stress-hits-low-rated-companies-11571736606 Current Recommendations Current Trades Size And Style Views Stay neutral cyclicals over defensives (downgrade alert) Favor value over growth Favor large over small caps (Stop 10%)
Analysis on Mexico and Central Europe is available on pages 6 and 10, respectively. Highlights Deflationary pressures have been intensifying in Malaysia and the central bank will be forced to cut its policy rate. To play this theme, we recommend receiving 2-year swap rates. In Mexico, pieces are falling into place for stocks to outperform the EM equity benchmark on a sustainable basis. We are also keeping an overweight allocation on Mexican sovereign credit and local currency bonds. In Central Europe (CE), inflation will continue to rise as both labor shortages and ultra-accommodative monetary and fiscal policies promote strong domestic demand. We are downgrading our allocation of CE local currency bonds from overweight to neutral. Malaysia: Besieged By Deflationary Pressures Malaysian interest rates appear elevated given the state of its economy. Deflationary pressures have been intensifying and the central bank will be forced to cut its policy rate. The Malaysian economy continues to face strong deflationary pressures. To play this theme, we recommend receiving 2-year swap rates. We are also upgrading our recommended allocation to Malaysian local currency and U.S. dollar government bonds for dedicated EM fixed-income portfolios from neutral to overweight. The Malaysian economy continues to face strong deflationary pressures, requiring significant rate cuts by the central bank: Chart I-1 shows that the GDP deflator is flirting with deflation, and nominal GDP growth has slowed to the level of commercial banks’ average lending rates. Falling nominal growth amid elevated corporate and household debt levels is an extremely toxic mix (Chart I-2, top panel). Notably, debt-servicing costs for the private sector – both businesses and households – are high at 13.5% of GDP and are also rising (Chart I-2, bottom panel). Chart I-1The Malaysian Economy Is Flirting With Deflation Chart I-2High Leverage & Debt Servicing Costs Among Businesses & Households Crucially, real borrowing costs are elevated. In real terms, the prime lending rate stands at 5% when deflated by the GDP deflator, and at 3% when deflated by headline CPI. Notably, private credit growth (outstanding business and household loans) has plunged to a 15-year low (Chart I-3), underscoring that real borrowing costs are excessive. Chart I-3Malaysia: Credit Growth Is In Freefall Chart I-4Malaysia's Corporate Sector Is Struggling Malaysia’s corporate sector is struggling. The manufacturing PMI is below the critical 50 threshold and is showing no signs of recovery. Listed companies’ profits are shrinking (Chart I-4, top panel). Poor corporate profitability is prompting cutbacks in capex spending (Chart I-4, middle and bottom panels) and weighing on employment and wages. The household sector has been retrenching; retail sales have been contracting and personal vehicle sales have been shrinking (Chart I-5). The property market – in particular the residential sub-sector – is still in recession. Property sales and starts are falling, and property prices are flirting with deflation (Chart I-6). Critically, monetary policy easing and exchange rate depreciation are the only levers available to policymakers to reflate the economy. Fiscal policy is constrained as the budget deficit is already large at 3.4% of GDP, and public debt is elevated. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is in fact aiming to reduce the total national debt (including off-balance-sheet debt) back to the government’s ceiling of 54% of GDP (from 80% currently). Chart I-5Malaysian Households Are Retrenching Chart I-6Malaysia's Property Sector Is In A Downturn Bottom Line: The Malaysian economy is besieged by deflationary pressures and requires lower borrowing costs. The central bank will deliver rate cuts in the coming months. Investment Recommendations A new trade idea: receive 2-year swap rates as a bet on rate cuts by the central bank. Consistently, for dedicated EM bond portfolios, we are upgrading local currency and U.S. dollar-denominated government bonds from neutral to overweight. Chart I-7Overweight Malaysian Local Currency And U.S. Dollar Government Bonds While we are downbeat on the ringgit versus the U.S. dollar, Malaysian domestic bonds will likely outperform the EM GBI index in common currency terms on a total return basis (Chart I-7, top panel). The same is true for excess returns on the country’s sovereign credit (Chart I-7, bottom panel). The basis for the ringgit’s more moderate depreciation, especially in comparison with other EM currencies, is as follows: First, foreigners have reduced their holdings of local currency bonds. The share of foreign ownership has declined from 36% in 2015 to 22% now of total outstanding local domestic bonds in the past 4 years (Chart I-8). Hence, currency depreciation will not trigger large foreign capital outflows. Second, the trade balance is in surplus and improving. This will provide a cushion for the ringgit. Finally, the ringgit is cheap in real effective terms which also limits the potential downside (Chart I-9). Dedicated EM equity portfolios should keep a neutral allocation on Malaysian stocks. We are taking profits on our long Malaysian small-cap stocks relative to the EM small-cap index position. This recommendation has generated a 6.6% gain since its initiation on December 14, 2018. Chart I-8Foreigners' Share Of Local Currency Bonds Has Dropped Chart I-9The Ringgit Is Cheap Ayman Kawtharani Editor/Strategist ayman@bcaresearch.com Mexico: Raising Our Conviction On Equity Outperformance Mexican local currency bonds, as well as sovereign and corporate credit, have been one of our highest conviction overweights for some time. These positions have played out very well (Chart II-1). Presently, pieces are falling into place for Mexican stocks to outperform the EM equity benchmark on a sustainable basis. First, long-lasting outperformance by Mexican local currency bonds and corporate credit will lead to the stock market’s outperformance relative to the EM benchmark. Chart II-2 shows that when Mexican local currency bond and corporate dollar bond yields fall relative to their EM peers, the Bolsa tends to outperform. In brief, a relative decline in the cost of capital will eventually translate into relative equity outperformance. Chart II-1Mexico Vs. EM: Domestic Bonds And Credit Markets Chart II-2Mexico: Relative Stock Prices Are Correlated With Relative Cost Of Capital Second – as discussed in detail in our previous Special Report – market worries about Mexico’s fiscal position are overblown, especially relative to other developing nations such as Brazil and South Africa. Orthodox fiscal and monetary policies, as well as low public debt, warrant a lower risk premium in Mexico, both in absolute terms and relative to other EM countries. Moreover, market participants and credit agencies have overstated the precariousness of Pemex’s debt and financing requirements. Pemex U.S. dollar bond yields have been falling steadily compared to EM aggregate corporate bond yields since the announcements of policies aimed at supporting the company’s debt sustainability. We have discussed Pemex’s financial sustainability and its effect on public finances in past reports.1 Third, having cut rates twice since September, the Central Bank of Mexico (Banxico) has embarked on a rate cutting cycle. This is positive for stock prices, as it implies higher equity valuations and will eventually put a floor under the economy. Given that both core and headline inflation have fallen within the target bands, this gives the monetary authorities more room to reduce interest rates. Banxico members have been vocal about their desire to cut rates further, which is being foreshadowed by the swap market (Chart II-3, top panel). Given that both core and headline inflation have fallen within the target bands, this gives the monetary authorities more room to reduce interest rates. The slowdown in the domestic economy and Andrés Manuel López Obrador’ (AMLO) administration’s tight fiscal policy will enable and encourage Banxico to further ease monetary policy (Chart II-3, bottom panel). Fourth, another positive market catalyst for Mexican equities is the ongoing outperformance of EM consumer staples versus the overall EM index. Consumer staples have a large 35% share of the overall Mexico MSCI stock index, while this sector in the EM MSCI benchmark accounts for only 7%. Therefore, durable outperformance by consumer staples often hints at a relative cyclical outperformance for the Mexican bourse (Chart II-4). Chart II-3Mexico: Continue Betting On Lower Rates Chart II-4Mexican Equities Are A Play On Consumer Staples Chart II-5Mexican Stocks Offer Reasonable Value Finally, Mexican equities are not expensive. Chart II-5 illustrates that according to our cyclically-adjusted P/E ratios, Mexican stocks offer good value in both absolute terms and relative to EM overall. We continue to believe AMLO’s administration is proving to be a pragmatic government with the aim of reducing rent-seeking activities and addressing structural issues such as poverty, corruption and crime. These policies will be positive for the economy over the long run and share prices will move higher in anticipation. Bottom Line: We are reiterating our overweight allocation on Mexican sovereign credit and domestic local currency bonds within their respective EM benchmarks. With further rate cuts on the horizon, yet upside risks to EM local currency bond yields, we continue to recommend a curve steepening trade in Mexico: receiving 2-year and paying 10-year swap rates. We now have high conviction that Mexican share prices will stage a cyclical outperformance relative to their EM peers. The bottom panel of Chart II-4 on page 8 illustrates that Mexican stocks seem to have formed a major bottom and are about to begin outperforming the EM equity benchmark. Dedicated EM equity managers should have a large overweight allocation to Mexican stocks. Our recommendation of favoring small-caps over large-cap companies in Mexico has been very profitable since we argued for this trade last November. We are taking a 12.9% profit on this position and recommend keeping an overweight allocation to both Mexican large- and small-caps within an EM equity portfolio. Juan Egaña Research Associate juane@bcaresearch.com Arthur Budaghyan Chief Emerging Markets Strategist arthurb@bcaresearch.com Central Europe: An Inflationary Enclave In Deflationary Europe Our macroeconomic theme for Central European (CE) economies – Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic, elaborated in the linked report, has been as follows: Inflation will continue to rise as both labor shortages and ultra-accommodative monetary as well as fiscal policies in CE promote strong domestic demand. CE economies have stood out as an inflationary enclave in Europe. Notably, CE economies have stood out as an inflationary enclave in Europe. Going forward, inflation will continue to rise across this region, despite the ongoing contraction in European manufacturing. First, Hungary’s and Poland’s central banks are behind the curve – they remain reluctant to hike rates amid rampantly rising inflation within overheating economies (Chart III-1). In turn, real policy rates across CE are becoming more negative and will promote robust money and credit growth (Chart III-2). Chart III-1CE Central Banks Are Behind The Curve Chart III-2Low Real Rates Promote Rampant Credit Growth Policymakers are justifying stimulative policies by stressing ongoing woes in the Europe-wide manufacturing downturn. Yet, they are paying little attention to genuine inflationary pressures in their own economies. Most notably in Hungary, the National Bank of Hungary (NBH) has been aggressively suppressing its policy rate and engaging in a corporate QE program, despite rising inflation and an overheating economy. Similarly, the National Bank of Poland (NBP) seems inclined to cut rates sooner rather than later. On the other end of the spectrum though, the Czech National Bank (CNB) is the only CE central bank to have embarked on a rate hiking cycle over the past 18 months. Going forward, the CNB looks most likely to normalize rates by continuing its hiking cycle. This development will favor rate differentials between it and the rest of CE. As such, we remain long the CZK versus both the HUF and PLN (Chart III-3). Chart III-3Favor CZK Versus PLN & HUF Chart III-4Germany's Manufacturing Cycles And CE Inflation Second, European manufacturing cycles have historically defined CE inflation trends, with time lags of around 12 to 18 months. However, this time around, the euro area manufacturing recession will not translate into slower CE inflation and growth dynamics (Chart III-4). Above all, booming credit induced by real negative borrowing costs has incentivized robust domestic demand in general and construction activity in particular in CE. In addition, employment growth remains strong and double-digit wage growth has supported strong consumer spending (Chart III-5). As a result, manufacturing production volumes have remained relatively resilient in Hungary and Poland, even as manufacturing output volumes in both Germany and the broader euro area have been contracting (Chart III-6). Chart III-5Strong Domestic Demand In CE… Chart III-6...Entails Divergences In Manufacturing With Euro Area Third, inflationary pressures in CE are both acute and genuine. Wage growth has been rising faster than productivity growth across the region, leading to surging unit labor costs (Chart III-7). Mounting wage pressures reflect widespread labor shortages. Further, output gaps in these economies have turned positive, which has historically been a precursor of inflationary pressures. Finally, fiscal policy in CE will remain very expansionary, supporting strong business and consumer demand. Bottom Line: Super-accommodative monetary and fiscal policies have led to a classic case of overheating within CE, particularly in Hungary and Poland, and less so in the Czech Republic. Chart III-7Genuine Inflationary Pressures In Central Europe Chart III-8A Widening Current Account Deficit Is A Symptom Of Overheating Investment Implications Deteriorating current accounts (Chart III-8), rising inflation and behind-the-curve central banks warrant further currency depreciation in both Hungary and Poland. This is why we continue to recommend a short position on both the HUF and PLN versus the CZK. We are closing our Hungarian/euro area relative three-year swap rate trade with a loss of 87 basis points. Our expectation that the market would price in rate hikes in Hungary despite the central bank’s dovishness has not materialized. Investors should remain overweight CE equities within an EM portfolio due to strong domestic demand in these economies and no direct economic exposure to China. As we expect EM equities to underperform DM stocks, we continue to recommend underweighting CE versus the core European markets. We are downgrading our allocation to CE local currency bonds from overweight to neutral within an EM domestic bond portfolio. The primary reason is a risk of a selloff in core European rates. Anddrija Vesic Research Analyst andrija@bcaresearch.com Footnotes 1. Please see Emerging Markets Strategy, "Mexico: The Best Value In EM Fixed Income," dated April 23, 2019 and "Mexico: Crying Out For Policy Easing," dated September 5, 2019, available at ems.bcaresearch.com Equities Recommendations Currencies, Credit And Fixed-Income Recommendations
Highlights Equities & Bonds: The accelerating upward momentum of global equities – the ultimate “leading economic indicator” – suggests that the current rise in global bond yields can continue. Maintain below-benchmark overall duration exposure, while staying overweight global corporate credit versus government bonds. U.S. Agency MBS: U.S. agency MBS spreads are now attractive relative to high-quality U.S. corporate bonds, both in absolute terms and on a risk-adjusted basis. Increase allocations to agency MBS, while reducing exposure to Aaa-, Aa- and A-rated U.S. corporates. Feature The U.S. Federal Reserve and European Central Bank (ECB) are both set to ease monetary policy this week. The Fed is almost certain to deliver a third consecutive 25bp rate cut at tomorrow’s FOMC meeting, while the ECB will restart its bond buying program on Friday. Yet government bond yields around the world continue to drift higher, as markets reduce expectations of incremental rate cuts moving forward. Equity prices are an excellent leading indicator of global growth, while bond yields typically reflect current economic conditions. Thus, equity prices should be considered a leading indicator of bond yields. Chart of the WeekMore Upside For Global Bond Yields Yields are finally responding to the evidence that global growth is troughing - a dynamic that we have been telegraphing in recent weeks. Global equity markets are rallying, with the U.S. S&P 500 hitting a new all-time high yesterday. The year-over-year increase in global equities, using the MSCI World Index, is now at +10%, the fastest pace of upward acceleration seen since January 2017. Some of that rally in U.S. stock markets can be chalked up to 3rd quarter earnings beating depressed expectations. Yet there is also a forward-looking component of the rally that bond markets are starting to notice. Equity prices are an excellent leading indicator of global growth, while bond yields typically reflect current economic conditions. Thus, equity prices should be considered a leading indicator of bond yields. We see no reason to discount the positive message on growth from rallying equity markets, especially when confirmed by an improvement in our global leading economic indicator (LEI), led by the more cyclical emerging market (EM) countries (Chart of the Week). Falling stock prices in 2018 accurately heralded the global growth slowdown of 2019 which triggered the huge decline in bond yields. Why should rising stock prices not be interpreted in the same light, predicting better global growth – and higher bond yields – over the next 6-12 months? Multiple Signals Point To Higher Bond Yields The more optimistic message on growth is not only confined to developed market (DM) stock prices. EM equities and currencies have begun to perk up, with EM corporate credit spreads remaining stable, as well, mimicking the moves seen in U.S. credit markets. Bond volatility measures like the U.S. MOVE index of Treasury options are retreating to the lower levels implied by equity volatility indices like the U.S. VIX index, which is now just above the 2019 low (Chart 2). Markets are clearly pricing out some of the more negative tail-risk outcomes that prevailed through much of 2019. Some of that reduction in volatility can be attributed to the recent de-escalation of U.S.-China trade tensions and U.K. Brexit risks, both important developments that can help lift depressed global business confidence. A reduction in trade/political uncertainty should help fortify the transmission mechanism between easing global financial conditions and economic activity – an outcome that could extend the rise in yields given stretched bond-bullish duration positioning (Chart 3). Chart 2A More Pro-Risk Global Market Backdrop Chart 3Less Uncertainty = Higher Yields The improving global growth story remains the bigger factor pushing bond yields higher, though. While the manufacturing PMI data within the DM world remain weak, the downward momentum is starting to bottom out on a rate-of-change basis (Chart 4). The EM aggregate PMI index is showing even more improvement, sitting at 51 and above the year-ago level, helping confirm the pickup in EM equity market momentum (bottom panel). Importantly, if this is indeed the trough in the EM PMI, the index would have bottomed above the 2015 trough of 48.5. Given the improvement seen in “Big Mo” for global equities and global LEIs and PMIs, we remain comfortable with our current below-benchmark stance on global interest rate duration exposure. Given the improvement seen in “Big Mo” for global equities and global LEIs and PMIs, we remain comfortable with our current below-benchmark stance on global interest rate duration exposure. How high could yields rise in the near term? Looking at yields on a country-by-country level, a reasonable initial target for yields would be a return to the medium-term trend as defined by the 200-day moving average (MA). For benchmark 10-year DM government yields, those targets are: U.S. Treasuries: the 200-day MA is 2.18%, +23bps above the current level German Bunds: the 200-day MA is -0.22%, +11bps above the current level U.K. Gilts: the 200-day MA is 0.89%, +17bps above the current level Japanese government bonds (JGBs): the 200-day MA is -0.10%, +2bps above the current level Canadian government bonds: the 200-day MA is 1.59%, -2bps below the current level Australian government bonds: the 200-day MA is 1.53%, +43bps above the current level Among those markets, the U.S. is likely to reach the level implied by the 200-day MA, led by the market pricing out the -53bps of rate cuts over the next twelve months discounted in the U.S. Overnight Index Swap curve (Chart 5) – a number that includes the likely -25bp cut tomorrow. A move beyond that 200-day MA may take longer to develop, as it would require markets to begin pricing in some reversal of the Fed’s “mid-cycle cuts” of 2019. That outcome would first require a pickup in TIPS breakevens. The Fed would not feel justified in risking a tightening of financial conditions by signaling rate hikes without the catalyst of higher inflation expectations. Chart 4EM Growth Leading The Way? Chart 5UST Yields Have More Upside German Bund yields are even closer to that 200-day MA than Treasuries but, as in the U.S., a sustained move beyond that level would require an increase in bombed-out inflation expectations, with the 10-year EUR CPI swap rate now sitting at only 1.05% (Chart 6). As for other markets, the likelihood of reaching, or breaching, the 200-day MA is more varied (Chart 7). Chart 6Bund Yield Upside Limited By Inflation The move in the Canadian 10-year yield to just above its 200-day MA fits with Canada’s status as a “high-beta” bond market, as we discussed in last week’s report.1 Chart 7Which Yields Will Test The 200-day MA? The Bank of Canada also meets this week and, while no change in policy is expected, the central bank will be publishing a new Monetary Policy Report that will update their current line of thinking about the Canadian economy and inflation. U.K. Gilts should easily blow through the 200-day MA if and when a final Brexit deal is signed, as the Bank of England remains highly reluctant to consider any policy easing even as political uncertainty weighs on economic growth. With the European Union now agreeing to an extension of the Brexit deadline to January 31, and with U.K. prime minister Boris Johnson now pursuing an early election in December, the political risk premium in Gilts will persist. Thus, Gilt yields will likely lag the move higher seen in higher-beta markets like the U.S. and Canada. JGBs remain the ultimate low-beta bond market with the Bank of Japan continuing to anchor the 10-yield around 0%, making Japan a good overweight candidate in an environment of rising global bond yields. Australian bond yields have the largest distance to the 200-day MA, but the Reserve Bank of Australia is giving little indication that it is ready to shift away from its dovish bias anytime soon, while inflation remains subdued. We do not expect a rapid jump in yields back towards the medium-term trend in the near term, and Australian yields will continue to lag the pace of the uptrend in the higher-beta global bond markets. Net-net, a climb in yields over the next 3-6 months to (or beyond) the 200-day MA is most likely in the U.S. and Canada, and least likely in Japan, Germany and Australia (and the U.K. until the Brexit uncertainty is finally sorted out). Bottom Line: The accelerating momentum of global equities – the ultimate “leading economic indicator” – is suggesting that the current rise in global bond yields can continue. Maintain below-benchmark overall duration exposure, while staying overweight global corporate credit versus government bonds. Raise Allocations To U.S. Agency MBS Out Of Higher Quality Corporate Credit Chart 8U.S. MBS More Attractive Than High-Rated U.S. Corporates Our colleagues at our sister service, BCA Research U.S. Bond Strategy, recently initiated a recommendation to favor U.S. agency MBS versus high-rated (Aaa, Aa, A) U.S. corporate bonds.2 This week, we are adding this position to the BCA Research Global Fixed Income Strategy recommended model bond portfolio. There are three factors supporting this recommendation: 1) The absolute level of MBS spreads is competitive The average option-adjusted spread (OAS) for conventional 30-year U.S. agency MBS – rated Aaa and with the backing of U.S. government housing agencies - is currently 57bps. That is only 3bps below the spread on Aa-rated corporates and 26bps below that of A-rated credit. (Chart 8). 2) Risk-adjusted MBS spreads look very attractive Agency MBS exhibit negative convexity, with an interest rate duration that declines when yields fall. The opposite is true for positively convex investment grade corporate bonds, where the duration rises as yields decrease. This makes agency MBS look attractive on a risk-adjusted basis after the kind of big decline in bond yields seen in 2019. The average duration of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. agency MBS index is now only 3.4 compared to 7.9 for an A-rated corporate bond. Both of those durations were around similar levels at the 2018 peak in U.S. bond yields, but now the gap between them is large. With those new durations, it would take a 17bp widening of the agency MBS spread for an investor to see losses versus duration-matched U.S. Treasuries, compared to only an 11bp widening of the A-rated corporate spread (bottom panel). This is a big change in the relative risk profile of agency MBS versus high-rated U.S. corporates compared to a year ago, making the former look relatively more attractive. That was not the case the last time agency MBS duration fell so sharply in 2015/16, since corporate bond spreads were widening (getting cheaper) at that time. Today, corporate bond spreads have been stable as corporate duration has increased and agency MBS duration has plunged, making risk-adjusted MBS spreads more attractive. Given our view that U.S. Treasury yields will continue to grind higher, favoring lower duration assets like agency MBS over higher duration investment grade corporates makes sense. Given our view that U.S. Treasury yields will continue to grind higher, favoring lower duration assets like agency MBS over higher duration investment grade corporates makes sense. 3) Macro risks are reduced Mortgage refinancing activity remains the biggest macro driver of MBS spreads, particularly in an environment when mortgage rates are falling and prepayments are accelerating. There was a pickup in refinancing activity over the past year as mortgage rates fell, but the increase has been small relative to similar-sized rate declines in the past (Chart 9). We interpret this as an indication that, after the sustained period of low mortgage rates seen in the decade since the Great Financial Crisis, most homeowners have already had an opportunity to refinance. In other words, the so-called “refi burnout“ is now quite high. Chart 9Muted Refi Activity Keeping Nominal U.S. MBS Spreads Low Beyond refinancing, the other macro risks for agency MBS are subdued. The credit quality of outstanding U.S. mortgages remains solid. The median credit (FICO) score for newly-issued mortgages remains high and stable near the post-2008 crisis highs, while mortgage lending standards have mostly been easing over that same period according to the Federal Reserve Senior Loan Officers Survey. In addition, U.S. housing activity remains solid, with the most reliable indicators like single-family new home sales and the National Association of Home Builders activity surveys all up solidly following this year’s sharp drop in mortgage rates (Chart 10). This makes MBS less risky for two reasons: a) stronger housing activity typically leads to higher mortgage rates, which limits future refi activity; and b) more robust housing demand will boost home prices, the value of the underlying collateral for MBS securities. Chart 10U.S. Housing Activity Hooking Up Chart 11Relative Value Favoring U.S. MBS Over U.S. Corporates Given the improved risk-reward balance of agency MBS versus higher-quality U.S. corporates, we recommend that dedicated fixed income investors make this shift within bond portfolios, reducing allocations to Aaa-rated, Aa-rated and A-rated corporates while increasing exposure to agency MBS. Agency MBS is part of the investment universe of our model bond portfolio. Thus, we are increasing the recommended weighting of agency MBS while reducing the exposure to U.S. investment grade corporates in the portfolio. The changes can be seen in the table on Page 11. We do not split out the investment grade exposure by credit tier in the portfolio, as we prefer to allocate by broad sector groupings (Financials, Industrials, Utilities). So we cannot implement the precise “MBS for high-rated corporates” switch in the model portfolio. There is still a case for reducing overall investment grade exposure and adding to MBS weightings, however. The relative option-adjusted spread of agency MBS and investment grade corporates typically leads the relative excess returns (over duration-matched U.S. Treasuries) between the two by around one year (Chart 11). Thus, the compression of the spread differential between MBS and corporates over the past year is signaling that agency MBS should be expected to outperform the broad U.S. investment grade universe over the next twelve months. Bottom Line: U.S. agency MBS spreads are now attractive relative to high-quality U.S. corporate bonds, both in absolute terms and on a risk-adjusted basis. Increase allocations to agency MBS, while reducing exposure to Aaa-, Aa- and A-rated U.S. corporates. Robert Robis, CFA Chief Fixed Income Strategist rrobis@bcaresearch.com Footnotes 1 Please see BCA Research Global Fixed Income Strategy Weekly Report, “Cracks Are Forming In The Bond-Bullish Narrative”, dated October 23, 2019, available at gfis.bcaresearch.com. 2 Please see BCA Research U.S. Bond Strategy Weekly Report, “Two Themes And Two Trades”, dated October 1, 2019, available at usbs.bcaresarch.com. Recommendations The GFIS Recommended Portfolio Vs. The Custom Benchmark Index Duration Regional Allocation Spread Product Tactical Trades Yields & Returns Global Bond Yields Historical Returns
Highlights Duration: The upturn in bond yields is not yet confirmed by our preferred global growth indicators. We anticipate that a reduction in trade uncertainty during the next few months will cause our indicators to rebound. But until then, investors should view the bond sell-off as tenuous. Yield Curve: Expect modest 2/10 steepening during the next few months, as the Fed keeps rates low even as economic growth improves. Steepening will show up in real yields, not in the TIPS breakeven inflation curve. The 2/10 slope will stay in a range between 0 bps and 50 bps for the next 6-12 months. Yield Curve Strategy: The 5-year Treasury note looks expensive compared to the rest of the yield curve, and historical correlations suggest it will rise the most if the Fed delivers fewer rate cuts than are currently expected. We recommend that investors short the 5-year bullet versus a duration-matched 2/30 barbell. Await Confirmation Bond yields look like they might be bottoming. The 2-year and 10-year Treasury yields are up 10 bps and 31 bps, respectively, since the 2/10 slope briefly inverted in late August (Chart 1). We are cautiously optimistic that the growth revival getting priced into Treasury yields will materialize. However, it’s vital to note that the yield rebound is not yet confirmed by the economic data. Even timely global growth indicators like the CRB Raw Industrials index remain downbeat (Chart 1, bottom panel). If global growth measures don’t bottom soon, then Treasury yields are certain to fall back. Chart 1Yields Are Ahead Of The Data We do expect the economic data to follow bond yields higher. We noted in last week’s report that the weakness in US economic data is concentrated in survey measures (aka “soft” data), while measures of actual economic activity (aka “hard data”) are holding up well.1 For example: The ISM Manufacturing survey is below its 2016 trough, but the year-over-year growth rate in industrial production is well above 2016 levels (Chart 2, top panel). Capacity utilization also remains elevated (Chart 2, bottom panel). New orders for core capital goods are holding firm, even with CEO confidence at its lowest since 2009 (Chart 2, panel 2). Employment growth remains strong, despite the employment component of the ISM Non-Manufacturing survey being just above the 50 boom/bust line (Chart 2, panel 3). Chart 2Will "Soft" Data Rebound? Our interpretation of the divergence is that uncertainty about the US/China trade war is weighing on sentiment and holding survey measures down. If that uncertainty is removed, survey measures will quickly rebound and converge with the “hard” data. On that front, we think it’s very likely that trade uncertainty diminishes during the next few months. The US and China have already agreed to an informal “phase one deal” that will require China to buy $40-$50 billion of US agricultural goods while the US delays the October 15 tariff hike. Odds are that President Trump will also delay the planned December 15 tariff hike and probably roll back some existing tariffs.2 The reason is that while Trump’s overall approval rating has been consistently low; until recently, he had been receiving high marks for his handling of the economy (Chart 3). But his economic approval rating took a tumble this summer and, as we head toward the 2020 election, he desperately needs an economic boost and/or policy victory to push up his numbers. We already see some tentative signs of a rebound in the regional Fed manufacturing surveys. A tactical retreat on trade should improve sentiment and cause survey data to move higher, alongside bond yields. And in fact, we already see some tentative signs of a rebound in the regional Fed manufacturing surveys (Chart 4). October figures are out for the New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, Kansas City and Dallas surveys, and they have all diverged positively from the national ISM. Chart 3It's Trump's Economy Chart 4Some Optimism From Regional Surveys Bottom Line: The upturn in bond yields is not yet confirmed by our preferred global growth indicators. We anticipate that a reduction in trade uncertainty during the next few months will cause our indicators to rebound. But until then, investors should view the bond sell-off as tenuous. Yield Curve: Macro Drivers We noted in the first section that the 2/10 Treasury slope has steepened sharply since it briefly broke below zero in late August. In this section, we consider whether this 2/10 steepening might continue. To do this we run through the main macro drivers of the yield curve. The Fed Funds Rate Traditionally, there is a very tight correlation between the fed funds rate and the slope of the curve (Chart 5). Fed tightening puts upward pressure on the curve’s front-end relative to the back-end, leading to a bear-flattening. Conversely, Fed easing drags the front-end down relative to the long-end, leading to bull-steepening. Chart 5The Fed's Yield Curve Control The traditional pattern broke down between 2009 and 2015 when the fed funds rate was pinned at zero. This period saw many episodes of bear-steepening and bull-flattening. But since the funds rate has been off zero, the traditional correlation has begun to re-assert itself. Our base case outlook calls for one more 25 bps rate cut tomorrow, followed by an extended on-hold period. This scenario might be expected to impart some mild steepening pressure to the curve, except for the fact that the front-end is already priced for 53 bps of easing during the next 12 months, significantly more than we expect. Our base case outlook calls for one more 25 bps rate cut tomorrow, followed by an extended on-hold period. If our base case scenario is incorrect, and growth continues to deteriorate, forcing the Fed to cut rates all the way back to zero. Then we would expect some initial bull-steepening, followed by bull-flattening as the funds rate approaches the zero bound. Wage Growth Wage growth is another excellent yield curve indicator, mainly because it helps determine the direction of the fed funds rate. Stronger wage growth causes the Fed to tighten and the curve to flatten. On the flipside, wage growth is a less effective indicator during Fed easing cycles, when it tends to lag changes in the funds rate (Chart 6). In fact, while wage growth is tightly correlated with the 2/10 slope, it lags changes in the slope by about 12 months (Chart 6, panel 2). Chart 6Wages Lead Tightening, But Lag Easing The upshot is that if the economy heads toward recession, then wage growth will not be a timely indicator of Fed rate cuts. However, if recession is avoided and wages continue to accelerate (Chart 6, bottom 2 panels), strong wage growth will limit how accommodative the Fed can be as it seeks to re-anchor inflation expectations. As such, persistently strong wage growth will limit the amount of curve steepening that can occur. Inflation Expectations The Fed’s need to re-anchor inflation expectations in a range consistent with its target is the main reason to forecast curve steepening. At present, the 10-year TIPS breakeven inflation rate is a mere 1.66%, well below the 2.3%-2.5% range that the Fed would consider “well anchored”. One might conclude that if the Fed succeeds in driving this rate higher, it will impart significant steepening pressure to the curve. However, we must also note that the 2-year TIPS breakeven inflation rate is even lower than the 10-year rate (Chart 7). Given our view that long-dated inflation expectations adapt only slowly to the actual inflation data, we would expect both the 2-year and 10-year breakevens to rise in tandem, exerting some modest flattening pressure on the curve.3 Chart 7Any Steepening Will Come From Real Yields Ironically, if the Fed is successful in re-anchoring long-dated inflation expectations, we expect it will cause the yield curve to steepen, but through its impact on real yields. At present, the 2-year and 10-year real yields are 0.37% and 0.14%, respectively. The act of holding rates steady for long enough to re-anchor inflation expectations will exert downward pressure on the 2-year real yield, while the 10-year real yield will rise in response to an improved growth outlook. The Fed’s goal of re-anchoring inflation expectations will likely lead to some curve steepening, but through the real component of yields, not the inflation component. The Neutral Rate The neutral rate – the fed funds rate that is neither inflationary nor deflationary – is a major wild card when it comes to the yield curve. Right now, the median Fed estimate calls for a neutral rate of 2.5%, while the market is pricing-in an even lower rate of 2%, at least according to the 5-year/5-year forward Treasury yield (Chart 8). Neutral rate estimates have been revised lower during the past few years, exerting significant flattening pressure on the yield curve. In theory, if we reach an inflection point where neutral rate estimates are revised higher, it would lead to substantial curve steepening. One thing to watch to help predict movement in neutral rate estimates is the gold price.4 Gold performs well when the market perceives monetary policy as increasingly accommodative, either because the Fed is cutting rates or because the assumed neutral rate is rising. The 2013 drop in gold foreshadowed downward revisions to the Fed’s neutral rate estimate (Chart 8, bottom panel). A further increase in gold, especially once the Fed stops cutting rates, would send a strong signal that current neutral rate estimates are too low. Monetary policy arguably exerts its greatest economic impact through the housing market. Investors can also watch the housing market for clues about the neutral rate. Monetary policy arguably exerts its greatest economic impact through the housing market. If housing activity starts to wane, it can be a strong signal that interest rates are too high. Last year, housing activity started to flag once the mortgage rate moved above 4% (Chart 9). If 4% proves to be the ceiling on mortgage rates, it would mean that the Fed’s current neutral rate estimate is roughly correct. However, home prices have moderated since last year, and new construction has started to focus more on the low-end of the market, where supply remains scarce.5 This shift in focus from homebuilders has caused the price of new homes to fall considerably (Chart 9, bottom panel), a supply side re-adjustment that could make the housing market more resilient in the face of higher rates. Chart 8Tracking The Neutral Rate: Gold Chart 9Tracking The Neutral Rate: Housing An upward re-assessment of the neutral rate would impart steepening pressure to the yield curve, but only if it occurs quickly, before the Fed has time to deliver offsetting rate hikes. However, we think it’s more likely that any increase in neutral rate estimates will occur gradually, alongside Fed tightening. In that case, a roughly parallel upward shift in the yield curve would be the most likely outcome. Verdict Considering all of the above factors, we would look for some modest 2/10 curve steepening during the next few months. The steepening will be driven by the Fed’s desire to re-anchor long-dated inflation expectations, a desire that will result in them keeping rates steady (apart from one more cut tomorrow), even as economic growth improves. As noted above, this steepening will show up in real yields, not in the TIPS breakeven inflation curve. That being said, strong wage growth and overly dovish market rate cut expectations will ensure that any steepening is well contained. We expect the 2/10 slope to stay in a range between 0 bps and 50 bps for the next 6-12 months. Yield Curve Strategy Chart 10Treasury Yield Curve When thinking about how to position a Treasury portfolio for our expected yield curve outcome, we first look at the value proposition offered by different Treasury maturities. Chart 10 shows the Treasury yield curve, and also each maturity’s 12-month rolling yield. The rolling yield is simply the combination of each maturity’s 12-month yield income and the price impact of rolling down the curve. It can be thought of as the return you would earn holding each bond for 12 months in an unchanged yield curve environment. The first thing that sticks out in Chart 10 is that the 5-year note offers poor value. We also note that the curve steepens sharply beyond the 5-year maturity point, so maturities greater than 5 years benefit a lot from rolldown. The simple intuition from Chart 10 is confirmed by our butterfly spread models.6 Chart 11shows that the 5-year bullet looks very expensive relative to a duration-matched barbell portfolio consisting of the 2-year and 10-year notes. In fact, with only a few exceptions, bullets are expensive relative to barbells across the entire Treasury curve (see Appendix). Chart 11Bullets Are Very Expensive All else equal, bullets tend to outperform barbells when the yield curve steepens. However, given current valuations, it would take a lot of steepening for bullets to outperform barbells during the next few months. Chart 12Yield Curve Correlations Further, Chart 12 shows that the front-end of the yield curve – out to about the 5-year/7-year point – tends to steepen when our 12-month discounter rises, while the long-end of the curve – beyond the 7-year point – tends to flatten. Given that our 12-month discounter is currently -53 bps, meaning that the market is priced for 53 bps of rate cuts during the next year, we expect it will rise during the next few months. This should exert the most upward pressure on the 5-year/7-year part of the curve. We have been recommending that investors play the curve by going long a 2/30 barbell and shorting the 7-year bullet. But given the significant rolldown advantage in the 7-year compared to the 5-year, we amend that recommendation this week. We now recommend that investors short the 5-year bullet and go long a duration-matched barbell consisting of the 2-year and 30-year maturities. Bottom Line: The 5-year Treasury note looks expensive compared to the rest of the yield curve, and historical correlations suggest it will rise the most if the Fed delivers fewer rate cuts than are currently expected. We recommend that investors short the 5-year bullet versus a duration-matched 2/30 barbell. Appendix Table 1Butterfly Strategy Valuation: Raw Residuals In Basis Points (As of October 25, 2019) Table 2Butterfly Strategy Valuation: Standardized Residuals (As of October 25, 2019) Ryan Swift U.S. Bond Strategist rswift@bcaresearch.com Footnotes 1 Please see U.S. Bond Strategy Weekly Report, “Crisis Of Confidence”, dated October 22, 2019, available at usbs.bcaresearch.com 2 For further details on BCA’s outlook for US/China trade negotiations please see Geopolitical Strategy Weekly Report, “How Much To Buy An American President?”, dated October 25, 2019, available at gps.bcaresearch.com 3 For further details on how inflation expectations adapt to the actual inflation data please see U.S. Bond Strategy Weekly Report, “Adaptive Expectations In The TIPS Market”, dated November 20, 2018, available at usbs.bcaresearch.com 4 Please see U.S. Bond Strategy Weekly Report, “A Signal From Gold?”, dated May 1, 2018, available at usbs.bcaresearch.com 5 Please see U.S. Bond Strategy Weekly Report, “The Long Awkward Middle Phase”, dated July 2, 2019, available at usbs.bcaresearch.com 6 For details on our butterfly spread models please see U.S. Bond Strategy Special Report, “Bullets, Barbells And Butterflies”, dated July 25, 2017, available at usbs.bcaresearch.com Fixed Income Sector Performance Recommended Portfolio Specification
The once-reliable negative correlation between gold and the USD was indefinitely suspended beginning in 4Q18 by the pervasive economic uncertainty we identified last week as the culprit holding back global oil demand growth via a super-charged dollar.1 This uncertainty is most pronounced in the U.S. and Europe vis-à-vis gold, and partly explains the performance of safe havens, particularly the USD, which has soared to new heights on a trade-weighted goods basis, and gold (Chart of the Week). So far, gold has held its ground after breaking above $1,500/oz from the low $1,200s in mid-2018, indicating investors are much more concerned about economic risks arising from economic policy uncertainty than inflation and other diversifiable risks gold typically hedges (Charts 2A, 2B). Cyclically we remain positive on gold prices on the back of a lower dollar and rising inflation pressure in the U.S. Chart of the WeekDemand For Safe Havens Soars As Economic Policy Uncertainty Rises Economic policy uncertainty in Europe and the U.S. supports gold prices. Even so, we are putting a $1,450/oz stop-loss on our long gold portfolio hedge to cover tactical risks showing up in our technical indicators. In addition, as is the case with oil demand, if the ceasefire we are expecting in the Sino-U.S. trade war materializes in 1H20 and limited trade – mostly in ags and energy – is forthcoming, demand for safe-haven assets could weaken gold prices at the margin. Fiscal and monetary stimulus globally also could revive economic growth and commodity demand, pushing global yields higher, which would put negative pressure on gold at the margin, as well, given the high correlation between real rates and gold prices. Chart 2AU.S., Euro Economic Uncertainty Correlated With Gold Prices Chart 2BU.S., Euro Economic Uncertainty Correlated With Gold Prices Highlights · Energy: Overweight. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are on the verge of signing an historic pact to restart production from the Neutral Zone. Kuwait expects to sign the pact within 30 to 45 days. Potential production from the jointly operated fields – Khafji and Wafra – is estimated at ~ 500k b/d. Ramping up production at the Wafra field could take up to 6 months. Importantly, both countries are expected to respect their production quota mandated under the OPEC 2.0 agreement expiring in 1Q20.2 Separately, Chevron’s waiver to operate in Venezuela was extended for three months from the Trump administration this week. · Base Metals: Neutral. Chile copper production was up 1% and 11% y/y in July and August, according to the World Bureau of Metal Statistics. Earlier this week, the Union of workers at Chile’s Escondida copper mine – the world’s largest – held a strike in support of broader protests sparked by the increase of metro fare last Friday. Chile’s President suspended the fare hike on Saturday, but the protests are still ongoing and have now caused 15 deaths.3 · Precious Metals: Neutral. The gold/silver ratio fell 9% since July 2019. Our tactical long spot silver recommendation is up 3% since inception in August 2019, and our strategic long gold position is up 21%. Cyclically, we remain positive on both silver and gold prices, more on this below. A tactical pullback is possible; money managers have started liquidating some of their long gold positions, dropping by 67k contracts from September levels, according to CFTC data. · Ags/Softs: Underweight. According to USDA data, corn and soybean harvest are 30% and 46% complete, lagging behind their respective 47% and 64% five-year average pace. For corn, the USDA rates 54% of the U.S. crop good or excellent, vs. 66% a year earlier. For beans, 56% of the crop is rated good or excellent, vs. 68% last year. Separately, China announced waivers allowing up to 10mm MT of U.S. soybeans to be imported by domestic and international crushing concerns. The waivers are in place until March 2020. Feature The once-reliable negative correlation between gold and the USD will remain muted over the short-term tactical horizon – 3 to 6 months – as economic policy uncertainty continues to stoke global demand for safe havens.4 The once-reliable negative correlation between gold and the USD will remain muted over the short-term. This can be seen in the elevated correlations between the USD’s broad trade-weighted goods index with the Baker-Bloom-Davis (BBD) Economic Policy Uncertainty (EPU) indexes for the U.S. and Europe (Chart 3).5 Rising economic uncertainty – particularly since 4Q18 – has created a rare environment in which both the USD and gold trended up simultaneously and continue to move in the same direction. The implication of this is that gold’s correlation with both the USD and EPU is weaker than before because economic policy uncertainty now is positively correlated with the dollar. Chart 3Strong USD, EPU Correlation Chart 4Correlation of Daily Gold, USD Returns Also Moving Sharply Higher There is a possibility global policy uncertainty could be reduced later this year if the U.S. and China can agree on a trade ceasefire... The typically negative correlation between daily returns of gold and the USD also is weakening, moving toward positive territory (Chart 4), as both the USD and gold trend higher simultaneously (Chart 5). Chart 5Gold and USD Levels Trending Higher ...If this occurs, the risk premium supporting gold will ease, and markets will once again turn their attention to possible inflationary consequences of the global stimulus. Our short-term technical indicator is signaling an overbought gold market (Chart 6), and our fair-value model indicates gold should be trading ~ $1,450/oz (Chart 7). The latter signal off our fair-value model is less concerning, given the demand for safe-haven assets like the USD and gold now dominates gold’s typical drivers. Chart 6Gold Technical Indicators Signal Overbought Market Chart 7High USD Correlation Throws Off Fair-Value Model However, to be on the safe side, we are placing a $1,450/oz stop-loss on our long-term gold position, which as of Tuesday’s close was up 21% since inception on May 14, 2017. This is a precautionary measure, which recognizes the possibility global policy uncertainty could be reduced later this year if the U.S. and China can agree on a trade ceasefire, and global fiscal and monetary policy are successful in reviving EM income growth, which would revive commodity demand generally, pushing up global bond yields. If this occurs, the risk premium supporting gold will ease, and markets will once again turn their attention to possible inflationary consequences of the global stimulus. During that period, the monetary and fiscal aggregates we track as explanatory variables for gold prices will reassert themselves as the dominant drivers of gold prices (see below). This could produce tension between a falling USD and rising real rates as growth picks up, which would send us to a risk-neutral setting re gold, given the current high correlation between gold and real rates, which should remain strong until the Fed starts hiking rates again, most likely in 2020 (Chart 8). This is part of the reason we are including the stop-loss at $1,450/oz for our existing gold position: During this risky period going into 1H20 economic uncertainty could dissipate, and real rates could rise. Although the USD depreciation would mute these effects, rising real rates would be a risk to gold prices Chart 8Rising Real Rates Could Weaken Gold Prices Economic Uncertainty Dominates Gold’s Fundamentals At present, economic policy uncertainty overwhelms the other factors we typically use as explanatory variables when modeling gold prices. In Table 1, we collect the variables we consider when assessing gold’s fair value. At present, economic policy uncertainty overwhelms the other factors we typically use as explanatory variables when modeling gold prices. This variable broadly falls in the geopolitical risk we regularly account for in our analysis of gold markets. Table 1Fundamental And Technical Gold-Price Drivers If the uncertainty captured by the EPU indexes is resolved, we would expect the dollar to fall and the negative gold-USD correlation to reassert itself and strengthen. Checking off each of these groups, we see: · Demand for inflation hedges remaining muted over the short-term, as inflationary pressures remain weak. In line with our House view, however, we do expect inflation could move higher toward the end of next year and overshoot the Fed’s 2% target for the U.S. This would support gold prices. · Monetary and financial aggregates are working less well as explanatory variables for gold prices in a market dominated by economic policy uncertainty. The USD-gold correlation continues to be disrupted by strong demand for safe-haven assets. As inflation picks up next year, we expect nominal bond yields to rise. Real rates, however, could remain subdued, as long as the Fed is not aggressively raising rates to get out ahead of a possible revival of inflation (Chart 9). Later in 2020, the correlation between rates and gold should be supportive for gold prices – the correlation fades when the Fed tightens, which creates a demand for safe-haven assets like gold. All the same, an increase in real rates would be a risk to gold prices in 1H20. · At present, demand for portfolio-diversification assets via safe-haven assets is a powerful force in gold’s price evolution. It is worthwhile pointing out, however, that if global economic uncertainty is resolved and global growth does rebound, recession fears will diminish, thus reducing the marginal impact of geopolitical shocks. On the other hand, if the uncertainty captured by the EPU indexes is resolved, we would expect the dollar to fall and the negative gold-USD correlation to reassert itself and strengthen. Should that happen, short-term volatility in gold will rise (Chart 10). Chart 9Bond Yields Should Rise As Inflation Revives In 2H20 Chart 10Investors Expect Large Positive Moves In Gold And Silver Prices Investment Implications As India’s and China’s economic growth picks up, we expect income to grow, which would support physical gold demand in EM countries. Over a tactical horizon – i.e., 3 to 6 months – we expect global economic policy uncertainty to remain elevated. Going into 2020 – and particularly in 2H20 – we expect the USD to weaken on the back of global monetary accommodation policies and increased fiscal stimulus. We also are expecting a ceasefire in the Sino-U.S. trade war, which will revive trade somewhat and support EM income growth and commodity demand. These assumptions, which we’ve laid out in previous research, will be bullish cyclical factors supporting commodities generally. Bottom Line: A ceasefire in the Sino-U.S. trade war, coupled with global fiscal and monetary stimulus, will reduce some of the economic uncertainty dogging aggregate demand. This should be apparent in the data in 1H20. As a result, we continue to expect rising EM income growth to be cyclically bullish for commodities generally. This will allow inflation to revive – again, assuming the Fed does not become aggressive in raising rates. Chart 11EM Income Growth Will Support Demand For Gold Net, this will be bullish for gold: As India’s and China’s economic growth picks up, we expect income to grow, which would support physical gold demand in EM countries (Chart 11). Robert P. Ryan Chief Commodity & Energy Strategist rryan@bcaresearch.com Hugo Bélanger Senior Analyst Commodity & Energy Strategy HugoB@bcaresearch.com Footnotes 1 Please see our report entitled “Policy Uncertainty Lifts USD, Stifles Global Oil Demand Growth,” published October 17, 2019. It is available at ces.bcaresearch.com. 2 Please see “Kuwait Sees Neutral Zone Oil Pact With Saudis Within 45 Days,” published by Bloomberg.com on October 19, 2019. 3 Please see “Chile lawmakers call for social reforms as protests mount,” published by reuters.com on October 22, 2019. 4 We expect a ceasefire in the Sino-US trade war to be announced in 1H20, which will defuse – but not eliminate – an important risk for global growth in our analytical framework. We expect this will allow the relationship between the USD and gold to move back to its previous equilibrium in 1Q20 or 2Q20. 5 For more info on the Baker-Bloom-Davis index, please see policyuncertainty.com Investment Views and Themes Recommendations Strategic Recommendations Tactical Trades TRADE RECOMMENDATION PERFORMANCE IN 2019 Q3 Commodity Prices and Plays Reference Table Trades Closed in 2019 Summary Of Trades Closed In 2018 Summary Of Trades Closed In 2017 Summary Of Trades Closed In 2016
Highlights Portfolio Strategy Soft housing demand, the trough in interest rates, new home price deflation and weak industry employment prospects suggest that an underweight stance is now warranted in the S&P homebuilding index. Firming demand/supply dynamics, IMO Sulfur 2020 regulations, and bombed out relative profit expectations all signal that further gains are in store for pure-play refining equities. Recent Changes Downgrade the S&P homebuilding index to underweight, today. Table 1 Feature Equities made a run for fresh all-time highs last week, continuing to cheer the trade war “phase one” deal and breathing a big sigh of relief on better-than-expected bank earnings. We doubt a real deal will materialize which would include Intellectual Property and the tech sector. Instead all we got was a trade truce, at best. Larry Kudlow’s recent football analogy is worth repeating: “It's like being on the seven-yard line at a football game…And as a long suffering New York Giants fan, they could be on the seven and they never get the ball to the end zone…When you get down to the last 10 percent, seven-yard line, it's tough". As a reminder, steep tariffs remain in place and there are high odds that the damage already done to global trade is severe enough that it will be months before the emergence of any green shoots. Meanwhile, following up on our “chart of the year candidate” we published two weeks ago, we drilled deeper and discovered two additional economically sensitive indexes that have consistently peaked prior to the SPX in the past three cycles (Chart 1). They now comprise the U.S. Equity Strategy’s Equity Leading Indicator – an equally weighted composite of the S&P Banks index, the Russell 2000 index and the Value Line Geometric index – which signals that the easy money has already been made this cycle in the SPX (Chart 2). Chart 1Three Bulletproof Signals... Chart 2...Combined Into One Leading Equity Indicator Importantly, absent profit growth, it remains extremely difficult for equities to embark on a sustainable fresh leg up by solely relying on multiple expansion. Chart 3 shows our updated Corporate Pricing Power Indicator (CPPI) and it continues to deflate. In fact the steep fall in our CPPI more than offsets the fall in wage growth warning that the margin contraction in the S&P 500 has staying power1 (bottom panel, Chart 3). Drilling beneath the surface, our CPPI is waving a red flag. As a reminder, we calculate industry group pricing power from the relevant CPI, PPI, PCE and commodity growth rates for each of the 60 industry groups we track. Table 2 also highlights shorter term pricing power trends and each industry's spread to overall inflation. Only 42% of the industries we cover are lifting selling prices by more than 1%, and 33% are outright deflating. Worrisomely, only 26% of sectors are raising prices at a faster clip than overall inflation. With regard to pricing power trends, two thirds of the industries we cover are either flat or in a downtrend (Table 2). Chart 3Nil Corporate Pricing Power Table 2Industry Group Pricing Power Gold has jumped to the top of our table galloping at a 26%/annum rate (keep in mind it was deflating in our early July update), and only three additional commodity-related industries made it to the top twenty (Table 2). The disappearance of the commodity complex from the top ranks is consistent with global PPI ills and U.S. dollar strength. This week we update two groups, one early and one deep cyclical. Interestingly, defensive sectors have a healthy showing in the top ten spots with five entries. On the flip side, commodities in general and energy-related industries in particular occupy the bottom of the ranks as WTI crude oil is steeply deflating from the October 2018 peak. Adding it up, corporate sector selling price inflation is sinking in line with depressed inflation expectations. As we posited in our recent profit margin Special Report, profit margins have already peaked for the cycle. We reiterate our cautious overall equity market view on a cyclical 9-to-12 month time horizon. This week we update two groups, one early and one deep cyclical. Cracking Homebuilding Foundations We recommend downgrading the niche S&P homebuilding index to underweight, as most, if not all, positive profit drivers are already reflected in relative share prices. Specifically, the drop in interest rates has been more than accounted for by the year-to-date outperformance in homebuilders. Since the Great Recession, homebuilders have been in clearly defined mini up-and-down cycles, and there are high odds we will soon enter a down oscillation (bottom panel, Chart 4). Interest rates bottomed in early September and there is little additional push they can exert to relative share prices (10-year Treasury yield shown inverted, top panel, Chart 4). Chart 4Relative Gains Are Exhausted Worrisomely, consumers’ expectations to purchase a new home nosedived last month according to The Conference Board’s survey, and that demand softness will weigh on housing starts and ultimately homebuilding revenues (Chart 5). Chart 5Cracks Forming Adding insult to injury, new house selling prices are losing ground to existing home prices, but such discounting is no longer boosting volumes as new home sales market share gains have stalled recently. Already, S&P homebuilding sales are contracting and the risk is that deflation gets entrenched in this construction industry (Chart 6). While the mortgage application purchase index (MAPI) has been rising on the back of the plunge in interest rates, the 30bps rise in the 10-year Treasury yield since September 1 signals that the MAPI has tentatively crested (second panel, Chart 7). Chart 6Contracting Sales Chart 7Margin Trouble Simultaneously, lumber prices are gaining steam and coupled with contracting new home prices signal that homebuilding profits will suffer a setback (middle & fourth panels, Chart 7). This stands in marked contrast to the sell-side community that has been ratcheting up profit estimates for the S&P homebuilding index (bottom panel, Chart 7). Netting it all out, soft housing demand, the trough in interest rates, deflating new home prices and weakening industry employment prospects suggest that an underweight stance is now warranted in the S&P homebuilding index. On the operating front, the labor market is also emitting a distress signal. Job openings in the construction industry are sinking like a stone and residential construction employment growth is flirting with the contraction zone. Historically, the ebbs and flows in construction jobs have moved in lockstep with relative share price performance and the current message is to expect a drawdown in the latter (Chart 8). Most of the indicators we track underscore a challenging homebuilding backdrop in the coming months. However, there is a key risk to our view: interest rates. Were the 30-year fixed mortgage rate to fall further from current levels, it would entice first time home buyers and cushion the blow to homebuilding demand (mortgage rates shown inverted, top panel, Chart 9). Similarly, bankers are willing extenders of mortgage credit and are reporting rising demand for residential real estate loans as a lagged consequence of falling rates. But, our sense is that the easy gains are exhausted and a reversal is in the offing in most of these measures (Chart 9). Chart 8Heed The Labor Market's Message Chart 9Potentially Lower Rates Are A Key Risk Netting it all out, soft housing demand, the trough in interest rates, deflating new home prices and weakening industry employment prospects suggest that an underweight stance is now warranted in the S&P homebuilding index. Bottom Line: Downgrade the S&P homebuilding index to underweight, today. The ticker symbols for the stocks in this index are: BLBG – S5HOME – DHI, LEN, PHM, NVR. Stick With Refiners While our bullish take on refiners got to a slippery start, it has recovered all the losses and this position is now in the black. Factors are falling into place for additional gains in the coming months and we recommend investors stick with this overweight recommendation in pure-play downstream stocks. Encouragingly, refining stocks have been trouncing the overall energy index of late and have resumed their multi-year relative uptrend (top panel, Chart 10). With regard to the export relief valve, U.S. net exports of refined products are on a secular uptrend and surprisingly unaffected by the greenback’s moves (bottom panel, Chart 10). Tack on the soon to be adopted International Maritime Organization (IMO) Sulfur 2020 regulations in maritime transportation fuel, and U.S. refiners that produce lower-sulfur fuel oil are well positioned to outearn the SPX. Chart 10Resumed Uptrend Domestic refined product consumption remains upbeat and should serve as a catalyst to unlock excellent value in this niche energy subgroup (middle panel, Chart 11). In fact, gasoline consumption is expanding anew on the back of rising vehicle miles travelled (bottom panel, Chart 11). Chart 11Solid Demand... Refining product supply dynamics are also moving in the right direction. Gasoline inventories are getting whittled down and should boost beaten down refining relative profit expectations (inventories shown inverted, bottom panel, Chart 12). Importantly, this firming demand/supply backdrop has been a boon to refining margins and should continue to underpin relative share price momentum (middle panel, Chart 12). In terms of what is baked in the cake for this industry, the expected profit growth bar is extremely low and falling and relative value has been fully restored. First in terms of relative valuations, the relative trailing price-to-sales ratio has corrected 35% from the mid-2018 peak (middle panel, Chart 11). On a forward PE ratio basis refiners are extremely appealing compared with the SPX following a near halving in the relative forward PE in the past fifteen months (second panel, Chart 13). Chart 12...Supply Backdrop Is Boosting Crack Spreads Chart 13Profit Hurdle Is Uncharacteristically Low Second, relative EPS growth has sunk below the zero line both twelve months and five years forward. Such pessimism is overdone and we would lean against sell-side bearishness (bottom panel, Chart 13). Even the refining industry’s net earnings revisions ratio has collapsed, which is contrarily positive (third panel, Chart 13). Adding it all up, firming demand/supply dynamics, IMO Sulfur 2020 regulations, and bombed out relative profit expectations all signal that further gains are in store for pure-play refining equities. Bottom Line: Stay overweight the S&P oil & gas refining & marking index. The ticker symbols for the stocks in this index are: BLBG – S5OILR – MPC, VLO, PSX, HFC. Anastasios Avgeriou, U.S. Equity Strategist anastasios@bcaresearch.com Footnotes 1 Please see BCA U.S. Equity Strategy Special Report, “Peak Margins” dated October 7, 2019, available at uses.bcaresearch.com. Current Recommendations Current Trades Size And Style Views Stay neutral cyclicals over defensives (downgrade alert) Favor value over growth Favor large over small caps (Stop 10%)
ハイライト
通貨市場は短期的な期待と長期的な要因の点で二分されている。スウェーデンクローナ、ノルウェークローネ、英ポンドは長期的には堅調に買いだが、短期的には非常にボラタイルなままでいる可能性がある。
我々はドルの単純な押し目買いよりもクロス通貨に引き続き注目している。SEK/NZD、GBP/JPY、NOK/SEKはロングを維持。利益保護のためGBP/JPYのロスカットを引き締める。
世界的な成長が改善すればEUR/SEKは天井を打つはずだ。
先週のレポートで推奨した通り、金/銀比率を90で売る。1
特集
Chart I-1
2018年以降の一方通行
2018年以降の一方通行
2018年以降の一方通行
我々が注目するG10通貨の中で、最も不可解なのはおそらくスウェーデンクローナだ。リクスバンクは今年利上げを行った数少ない中央銀行の一つだが、クローナは依然としてG10で最も弱い通貨である。確かにスウェーデンの製造業のパフォーマンスはみじめで、特に9月はそうだったが、これはスウェーデンだけの話ではない。製造業の深刻な景気後退を経験しているユーロ圏の方が、よりハト派な欧州中央銀行（ECB）にもかかわらず通貨のパフォーマンスは良好だった。
クローナのアンダーパフォーマンスは、世界的な製造業の景気後退が長引くことを示しているのか、それともスウェーデン固有の内生的な問題を示しているのかという疑問を投げかける。言い換えれば、USD/SEK（さらにはUSD/NOK）の上昇を牽引してきたのはドル高なのか、それともより国内的な要因なのか（Chart I-1）？ もし後者であれば、反転が近づいている場合に注目すべき重要な指標は何か？
ソフトデータ対ハードデータの議論
スウェーデンにとって大きな問いは、製造業がただボラタイルに底打ちしているだけなのか、それともこれからさらに大きく収縮するのか、という点だ。鉱工業生産は現在前年比で4％成長しているが、ソフトデータのシグナルは二桁の縮小を示唆している（Chart I-2、上段）。したがって、投資家の認識と現実の間に大きな乖離があるか、あるいは我々がはるかに深刻な製造業の落ち込みの瀬戸際にいるかのどちらかだ。為替は幅広い経済データの織り込みが極めて流動的であり、スウェーデンの場合は世界成長の見通しを織り込む傾向にある。しかし、EUR/SEKが10.8、USD/SEKが9.7（後者は2008年の高値を大きく上回る）であることを踏まえれば、深刻な不況以外の結果であればクローナは強くなると見て差し支えない。
スウェーデン製造業の底を示す比較的一貫した指標の一つは新規受注対在庫比率だ（Chart I-2、下段）。9月の低下は不安を誘う。しかし、製造業PMIとは異なりこの比率は新たな安値を付けていない点は注目に値し、我々が長期的な落ち込みではなくボラタイルな底打ちプロセスにあるかもしれないという暫定的な証拠である。我々がこのような発散を最後に見たのは2011/2012年の欧州債務危機の最中であり、その際にはスウェーデンのハードデータが最終的に経済全体の正しいシグナルを送った。
製造業の悪化は、まだ国内消費一般や労働市場には影響を与えていない。
製造業の悪化は、まだ国内消費一般や労働市場には影響を与えていない。PMI指数の輸入項目は輸出のそれを大きく上回っている。一方で、PMIの雇用項目は今年の中頃から安定化し始めており、雇用成長は約1％前後で底打ちするはずだ（Chart I-3）。スウェーデンの輸出は多くの先進国よりも製造業の上位サプライチェーンに位置しており、自動車は重要な役割を果たす。しかしこれまでのところ、スウェーデン経済は自動車の減速を比較的うまく耐え抜いており、生産は依然として年率約7％で推移している。
Chart I-2
ソフトデータがはるかに悪い
ソフトデータははるかに悪化している
ソフトデータははるかに悪化している
Chart I-3
国内需要は堅調に持ちこたえている
国内需要は堅調に推移している
国内需要は堅調に推移している
スウェーデンの失業率の上昇は問題だが、我々はこれが労働市場のダイナミクスに重大な変化をもたらしたとは考えていない。スウェーデンは多くの他の欧州諸国よりも亡命希望者や難民に対して開放的である歴史が長い。数年前のシリア危機は例外的な急増を引き起こし、亡命希望者数は15万人を超え、総人口のほぼ1.5％にまで達した（Chart I-4）。歴史的に移民はスウェーデンに大きな労働力の恩恵をもたらし、成長は米国やユーロ圏を上回ってきた。ただし、新たな移民が労働力に統合される過程で摩擦的失業も生じている。
Chart I-4
統合される必要のある新たな労働力プール
統合しなければならない新たな労働力のプール
統合しなければならない新たな労働力のプール
外国生まれの労働者は現在総人口の約20％を占め、その大部分が新しい言語を学び新たなスキルを習得する必要がある（Chart I-5A）。この成長のメリットは今後何年にもわたって享受されるだろう。統合は政治的に敏感な問題であり、2016年中頃に採択された高度に制限的な亡命・再統合法は移民ブームの後退を意味する可能性が高い。2018年9月の選挙で反移民派のスウェーデン民主党が台頭したのはその典型例だ。しかし、民主主義国の有権者が右寄りに向かう動きは世界的な現象であり、相対的に見ればスウェーデンにとってそれほどネガティブではない。つまり、ほとんどの先進国と比較して、スウェーデンの人口見通しは依然として比較的良好だ（Chart I-5B）。
Chart I-5A
巨大な労働力の恩恵
巨額の労働配当
巨額の労働配当
Chart I-5B
明らかな人口の崖は見えない
明らかな人口の崖は見られない
明らかな人口の崖は見られない
移民の流入はインフレに対して混合的な影響を与える。賃金が低い就業比率の上昇により賃金を押し下げる圧力がある一方で、労働者数の増加に応じて住宅と消費には上押し圧力が掛かる。これは政府が社会サービスに支出を増やす財政刺激にもつながる。一方で、外国生まれの人々の失業率は約15％に達している。これはフィリップス曲線が最初の数年間は平坦で、その後急勾配になることを意味する。しかし新たな労働力が最終的に経済に吸収されれば、賃金圧力を生み出し始めるはずだ。
リクスバンクはこれらのダイナミクスを明確に理解しており、だからこそ過去数年はスウェーデン経済が比較的持ちこたえている局面でもハト派の姿勢を取ってきた。金利は2015年にマイナス領域に引き下げられ、2016年から2017年の世界的な回復期を通じて-0.5％に据え置かれた（ECBの政策金利より低い）。また量的緩和はECBの資産購入プログラムの再開発表よりも早く2020年まで延長された。これらは弱い通貨を通じて含め、スウェーデンの金融状況を大いに緩和した。今後、クローナの下値抵抗が薄く上昇しやすいと考える主要な理由がいくつかある：
弱いクローナは通常12か月のラグをもって製造業を助けてきた。
弱いクローナは通常12か月のラグをもって製造業を助けてきた。マイナスの乖離は深刻な不況の前にしか起こらない傾向がある。現在がまさにそのような状況でない限り、比較的安価になったスウェーデン製品（ボルボ対BMWを想起せよ）への需要が強まれば、クローナは強含みになるはずだ（Chart I-6）。
確かにRiskbankは量的緩和を実施してきたが、バランスシートの拡大ペースはここ数四半期で鈍化している。USD/SEKはリクスバンクとフェドの相対的なバランスシート動向を追う傾向があるが、クローナに有利な大きな差が開きつつある（Chart I-7）。一方で、フェドがバランスシートを再拡大しようとしていることも、USDに対してSEKを強める方向に働くはずだ。
Chart I-6
スウェーデンクローナと製造業
スウェーデン・クローナと製造業
スウェーデン・クローナと製造業
Chart I-7
USD/SEKと相対的バランスシート
USD/SEKと相対的バランスシート
USD/SEKと相対的バランスシート
スウェーデンの住宅市場はリクスバンクにとって悩みの種になりつつある。2015年にマイナス金利が導入された際、住宅価格は前年比で15％という急上昇を見せた（Chart I-8）。最近では移民抑制がある程度の冷却をもたらしたが、スウェーデンの家計のレバレッジは依然として非常に高い。1990年代の住宅危機の記憶が鮮明なため、現行の政策スタンスにリクスバンクは強い違和感を抱いている。
キャリーコストは米ドルをショートするよりNZDをショートする方が低い。
我々のバイアスは、ステファン・イングベス総裁ができるだけ速やかに政策を正常化したがっている一方で、彼が扱っているのは貿易がGDPの約45％を占める小規模開放経済であり、外部条件に翻弄されやすいという点だ。SEKはG10の中で最も割安な通貨であり、世界成長の底打ちを示すいかなる弱い証拠に対しても急反発する可能性がある。さらに、世界的な成長が上向けば資源利用がひっ迫し、スウェーデンの基調的なインフレ圧力が高まるはずだ（Chart I-9）。
Chart I-8
スウェーデンの住宅価格##br## バブル気味
スウェーデンの住宅価格はバブル状態にある
スウェーデンの住宅価格はバブル状態にある
Chart I-9
スウェーデンの資源利用とインフレ
スウェーデンにおける資源の活用とインフレ
スウェーデンにおける資源の活用とインフレ
SEKの取引ストラテジーに関しては、USD/SEKとNZD/SEKは高い相関を示す傾向にある。SEKはキウイよりも世界成長に対するベータが高い（スウェーデンはGDPの45％を輸出、ニュージーランドは27％）。相対的に見ると、スウェーデン経済は米国よりも底打ちしているように見え、SEK/NZDはUSD/SEKの下落をプレーする魅力的な手段だ。一方、キャリーコストは米ドルをショートするよりもNZDをショートする方が低い（Chart I-10）。EUR/SEKについては、当面現水準で推移したのち下落に向かう可能性があるが、最終的には世界成長が再加速するとピークを打つだろう。
Chart I-10
SEK/NZDはロングを維持
SEK/NZDのロングを維持
SEK/NZDのロングを維持
結論：我々は相対価値プレーとしてSEK/NZDを引き続きロングしているが、真の上昇余地はSEK/USDクロスにある。ソフトデータの失望に市場が注目していることがSEK安の主因である一方、ハードデータは比較的耐性を示しているというのが我々の見方だ。調査が示すほど世界成長環境が危うくないことが明確になれば、クローナは急反発する可能性がある。
事務連絡
我々のGBP/JPYロングは今週5%の含み益となった。利益を守るためストップを138に引き締める。EUR/NOKショートは2%の損失でロスカットされた。現時点では様子見である。EUR/NOKは現在2008年のリセッション時の水準を上回っており、それは長期化した景気後退のみで正当化されうるが、リスク管理の観点からは当面忍耐が必要だ。続報を待たれたい。
チェスター・ントニフォア, 外国為替ストラテジスト chestern@bcaresearch.com
脚注
1 詳細はForeign Exchange ストラテジー 週次レポート、題名「マネー回転率、EUR/USD、そして銀」（2019年10月11日付）を参照。fes.bcaresearch.comで入手可能
通貨
米ドル
Chart II-1
USDテクニカル 1
USD テクニカル 1
USD テクニカル 1
Chart II-2
USDテクニカル 2
米ドルテクニカル 2
米ドルテクニカル 2
米国の最近のデータは軟調である：
9月の小売売上高は前月比-0.3％。鉱工業生産は前月比-0.4％。
9月の輸出物価・輸入物価はともに前年比-1.6％下落。
ミシガン消費者信頼感指数は10月に96まで上昇、前月の93.2から上昇。
NYエンパイア・ステート製造業指数は10月に4に上昇、9月の2から。
9月の建築許可と住宅着工はそれぞれ前月比-2.7％、-9.4％と減少したが、住宅回復は維持されている。
10月11日終了週の新規失業保険申請件数は214Kに増加。
DXY指数は今週0.7％下落した。最新のベージュブックは米経済が緩やか〜中程度のペースで拡大しているとまとめた。製造業の減速は依然として最大のリスクであり、貿易摩擦は企業心理と設備投資意向に重しをかけ続けている。最近の貿易協議における“合意”は、夏を通じて続いてきた高い不確実性からの転換点を示す可能性がある。
レポートリンク：
マネー回転率、EUR/USD、そして銀 - 2019年10月11日
暴動ポイントにおける資本保全 - 2019年9月6日
通貨の風景は変わったか？ - 2019年8月16日
ユーロ
Chart II-3
EURテクニカル 1
EUR テクニカル分析 1
EUR テクニカル分析 1
Chart II-4
EURテクニカル 2
EURのテクニカル分析 2
EURのテクニカル分析 2
ユーロ圏の最近のデータは低調のままである：
9月の総合インフレ率は前年比0.8％に低下し、約3年ぶりの低水準となった。ただしコアインフレは前年比1％に上昇した。
ユーロ圏の鉱工業生産は8月に前年比-2.8％と引き続き縮小した。
ユーロ圏のZEW景況感は10月にさらに低下し-23.5となったが、これは予想の-33を大きく上回る。ドイツのZEW期待指数も10月に-22.8に低下した。期待は現状に比べて改善している点は注目に値する。
ユーロ圏の貿易収支は8月に203億ユーロに改善、7月の下方改定された175億ユーロから上昇した。ただしこれは主に輸入の縮小によるものだ。
EUR/USDは今週0.9％上昇し、広範なドル安が一因となった。ユーロ圏の貿易動向は依然憂慮すべきで、8月の輸出は前年比-2.2％、輸入は前年比-4.1％と大きく落ち込んだ。注目すべきは、年初来で対米のEUの貿易黒字が1年前の910億ユーロから1030億ユーロに拡大する一方、中国との貿易赤字は1160億ユーロから1270億ユーロにさらに拡大している点だ。
レポートリンク：
マネー回転率、EUR/USD、そして銀 - 2019年10月11日
いくつかのトレードアイデア - 2019年9月27日
中央銀行の対決 - 2019年6月21日
日本円
Chart II-5
JPYテクニカル 1
JPYのテクニカル分析 1
JPYのテクニカル分析 1
Chart II-6
JPYテクニカル 2
JPY テクニカル指標 2
JPY テクニカル指標 2
日本の最近のデータは引き続き失望的である：
8月の鉱工業生産は前年比-4.7％。
8月の稼働率は前月比-2.9％低下。
日本円は今週対米ドルで0.8％下落した。黒田総裁は経済状況がさらに悪化し続ければ躊躇なく行動すると改めて強調した。一方で、フェドやECBが資産買入を通じてバランスシートを拡大する方向にある中で、日銀がイールドカーブコントロールを超えてどれだけ追加で打ち手を講じられるかは不透明である。我々は日銀が攻撃的に動くには「リーマン級の瞬間」が必要だと考えており、円をロングで保有している。
レポートリンク：
いくつかのトレードアイデア - 2019年9月27日
通貨の風景は変わったか？ - 2019年8月16日
薄い夏場の取引に向けたポートフォリオ調整 - 2019年7月5日
英ポンド
Chart II-7
GBPテクニカル 1
GBP テクニカル指標 1
GBP テクニカル指標 1
Chart II-8
GBPテクニカル 2
GBP テクニカル分析 2
GBP テクニカル分析 2
英国の最近のデータは概ねネガティブである：
ILO失業率は8月にわずかに上昇して3.9％に。平均賃金の四半期成長率は3.8％に鈍化したが、予想の3.7％を上回った。
小売物価指数は9月に前年比2.4％と、前月の2.6％から減速。
総合インフレ率は9月に前年比1.7％で横ばい、コアインフレは1.5％から1.7％に上昇。
小売売上高は9月に前年比3.1％増、前月の2.6％から上昇。
GBP/USDは欧州理事会のブレグジットに関する楽観が高まったことで今週3.3％急騰した。バリュエーションの観点からは、ポンドはそのフェアバリューに対して大きく割安で取引されている。ブレグジットに関するポジティブなニュースが続けば、ポンドはさらに上昇し得る。我々はGBP/JPYをロングしており含み益は5％超。ストップを138に引き上げる。
レポートリンク：
いくつかのトレードアイデア - 2019年9月27日
英国：循環的減速か構造的停滞か？ - 2019年9月20日
中央銀行の対決 - 2019年6月21日
豪ドル
Chart II-9
AUDテクニカル 1
AUD テクニカル 1
AUD テクニカル 1
Chart II-10
AUDテクニカル 2
AUD テクニカル分析 2
AUD テクニカル分析 2
豪州の最近のデータは穏やかである：
NAB企業景況感はさらに-2に低下したが、Q3の活動状況は1に改善した。
労働市場では9月の失業率が5.2％に低下。14.7Kの雇用が創出され、うち26.2Kがフルタイム、11.4Kがパートタイムの減少だった。
AUD/USDは今週0.4％上昇した。今週初めにRBA議事録が公表されたが、低金利の効果について鋭い論争が示されている。一方では低金利は完全雇用とインフレ目標達成のため理論的に正当化される。だが他方で、一部のRBAメンバーは低金利が既に高騰している住宅価格をさらに煽ることを懸念している。したがってRBA議事録後、追加利下げの確率は低下した。
レポートリンク：
豪ドルに関するコントラリアンの見解 - 2019年5月24日
限界効用逓減に注意 - 2019年4月19日
まだ安全圏を脱していない - 2019年4月5日
NZドル
Chart II-11
NZDテクニカル 1
NZD テクニカル分析 1
NZD テクニカル分析 1
Chart II-12
NZDテクニカル 2
NZドルのテクニカル分析 2
NZドルのテクニカル分析 2
ニュージーランドの最近のデータはネガティブである：
観光客到着数は8月に前年比1.8％増と、前月の2％からわずかに低下。
第3四半期の総合インフレ率は前年比1.5％に鈍化。
NZD/USDは今週ほぼ横ばいで推移した。世界成長に密接に結びつくニュージーランドドルは米中貿易の見出しの浮き沈みに伴って変動している。両国は先週部分合意に達したが、詳細はまだあいまいだ。キウイはハイベータ通貨である一方、クロスではアンダーパフォームするはずだ。我々は引き続きオーストラリアドルとスウェーデンクローナを通じてキウイの弱さをプレーしている。
レポートリンク：
USD/CNYと市場の動揺 - 2019年8月9日
米ドルは次にどこへ向かうか？ - 2019年6月7日
まだ安全圏を脱していない - 2019年4月5日
カナダドル
Chart II-13
CADテクニカル 1
CADのテクニカル分析 1
CADのテクニカル分析 1
Chart II-14
CADテクニカル 2
CADのテクニカル 2
CADのテクニカル 2
カナダの最近のデータは比較的強い：
9月の失業率はさらに低下し5.5％に。さらに平均時給は前年比4.3％の伸びを続け、前月の3.8％から加速した。最後に9月の雇用者数は53.7Kの増加で、予想の10Kを大きく上回った。
9月の総合インフレ率とコアインフレ率はともに前年比1.9％で横ばいだった。
カナダドルは先週公表された好調な雇用データを受けて対米ドルで1％の上昇となった。今月の総選挙はカナダのエネルギーセクターと環境政策の将来にとって重要となり得る。
レポートリンク：
暴動ポイントにおける資本保全 - 2019年9月6日
薄い夏場の取引に向けたポートフォリオ調整 - 2019年7月5日
金、原油、暗号通貨について - 2019年6月28日
スイスフラン
Chart II-15
CHFテクニカル 1
CHF テクニカル分析 1
CHF テクニカル分析 1
Chart II-16
CHFテクニカル 2
CHF テクニカル 2
CHF テクニカル 2
スイスの最近のデータは良好である：
貿易黒字（貴金属除く）は9月に急拡大し28.8億CHFとなった。特に化学・製薬製品の販売増によりスイスの輸出は月次で8.2％増の203億CHFとなった。輸入は月次で1.4％減の174億CHFだった。
生産者物価と輸入物価は9月に前年比-2％のまま推移した。
USD/CHFは今週1％下落した。スイスフランは防御的通貨としての性格と、SNBによる操作ツールとしての性格の綱引きにさらされ続けるだろう。我々の推定ではEUR/CHF1.06が究極のストレスポイントである。グローバルポートフォリオは構造的にアウトパフォームするという単純な理由からスイスフランを保険として保有すべきだ。
レポートリンク：
SNBに関する注記 - 2019年10月4日
スイスフランへの対処法 - 2019年5月17日
限界効用逓減に注意 - 2019年4月19日
ノルウェークローネ
Chart II-17
NOKテクニカル 1
NOKのテクニカル指標 1
NOKのテクニカル指標 1
Chart II-18
NOKテクニカル 2
NOK テクニカル 2
NOK テクニカル 2
ノルウェーの最近のデータは低迷している：
貿易収支は9月に12億NOKの赤字に転じた。これは前年比で240億NOKの減少である。
ノルウェークローネは今週対米ドルでほぼ1％下落した。エネルギー価格はここ数週間低迷している。さらにノルウェーの貿易収支は2017年11月以来初めて赤字に転じた。輸出はエネルギー製品の販売減により前年比-19.5％と急落し、一方で輸入は前年比+12.9％と増加した。メッセージは明確だ――ノルウェーは国内的には比較的堅調だが、石油輸出への依存が成長見通しにボラティリティをもたらしている。BCAは2019年の原油価格見通しを引き下げており、これがノルウェークローネの魅力をそいでいる。続報にご期待ください。
レポートリンク：
いくつかのトレードアイデア - 2019年9月27日
薄い夏場の取引に向けたポートフォリオ調整 - 2019年7月5日
金、原油、暗号通貨について - 2019年6月28日
スウェーデンクローナ
Chart II-19
SEKテクニカル 1
SEK テクニカル 1
SEK テクニカル 1
Chart II-20
SEKテクニカル 2
SEK テクニカル 2
SEK テクニカル 2
スウェーデンの最近のデータは中立的である：
9月の失業率は7.1％で横ばいだった。
USD/SEKは今週1.1％下落した。今年に入って最もパフォーマンスが悪いG10通貨として、スウェーデンクローナは現在そのフェアバリューに対して大きく割安に取引されている。今週の本文前半でスウェーデン経済とクローナに関する詳細分析を提示しているので参照されたい。
レポートリンク：
米ドルは次にどこへ向かうか？ - 2019年6月7日
G10全体の国際収支 - 2019年2月15日
通貨の単純な魅力度ランキング - 2019年2月8日
トレード＆予測
予測サマリー
コアポートフォリオ
タクティカルトレード
指値注文
決済済み取引