onsdag den 4. november 2009

FED's biggest problem is that the economic data is improving too fast - Macro Blog

On the eve of the FOMC meeting I will dare to suggest that the 'real issue' for FED is the fact that the data is better than expected!

Yes, lending is still weak, yes all in all housing is still dismal, and most of the improvement is in sentiment index', but... that the whole plan of Obama or the Harvard School of Economics as some people with tendencies for compartmental disorders.

Yes(again), you are reading this correct!

Obama has been successfull in creating the illusion of doing something, not unlike him winning the Nobel Prize on intentions alone!

He has now succeed in getting everyone to buy-into his 'hope' (Do not worry - it is ALL hope - no substance).

This leads me directly to todays FOMC meeting - the mere talk of EXIT STRATEGY gets people nervous, but it is hard for Fed to not change their communication:

1. Because its too tempting, always, for politicians and bureaucrats to take claim for something they nothing to do with (See chart below where US PMI surges past China and Europe)

Screenshot - 04-11-2009 , 15_44_00.png

Source: Societe General Cross Asset Research

2. It is paramount for Fed to create another illusion, the illusion that they have a plan for how to take the easy monetary policy back, for how to sell their old bikes, ladies hats on their balance sheet in the future.

This should be tied in with the massive shortening of term debt-structure which has been happening in the US: (see link below)

  • Maturity of outstanding US Debt is down to 50 mth from 70 month
  • Almost 50% of debt is due in the next 12 month (Will Fed hike making it more expensive for themselves to refinance?
http://fabiusmaximus.wordpress.com/2009/10/30/maturity/

It seems that the thinking in Fed is to 'pre-alert'the market, to communicate is the tool. Some observers Financial Times, and other insiders feels this meeting is too early - but that is it imminent.

http://blogs.ft.com/money-supply/2009/11/04/the-fed-and-its-extended-period-language/
 

Another interesting aspect as pointed out by the excellent research done by Societe Generale Cross Asset Research is the fact the world has a potential for a "decoupling"  (See PMI chart above)

Where early on it seemed the US was lagging China and Europe, it is now clearly the US which is in the lead as seen by recent surge in PMI data!

This would be major game changer - as the US Dollar has become the funding currency of choice.

Imagine if the market would/should/could starts repricing a rising rate structure in the US (it sort of makes sense the US needs to pay more...) while Europe lags - that seems to call more for 1.10 EURUSD than 1.70/1.80 which the consensus in the market.?

At the end of the day the market is in my opinion unprepared for the next move(s) in monetary policy, fiscal stimulus & geo-events.

In other words: Across all products VOLATILITY IS TOO LOW relative the uncertainty of path, which is the true volatility curve.

FOMC tonight I have no clue about - the way the market is setting itself up indicates to me there is 60/40 chance of major disappointment for the RISK-ON people, but as it is always the case with central banks, politicians and people in general: It is not what they say but what they ACTUALLY do do which decides......

Strategy:

Still same positions - massive P&L swings - but will await tonight & most likely Friday Non-farm before moving from aggressively short this market back to neutral. Justice will prevail! :-)

Safe trading,

Steen

1 kommentarer:

Big sagde ...

On the eve of the FOMC meeting I will dare to suggest that the 'real issue' for FED is the fact that the data is better than expected!

Yes, lending is still weak, yes all in all housing is still dismal, and most of the improvement is in sentiment index', but... that the whole plan of Obama or the Harvard School of Economics as some people with tendencies for compartmental disorders.

Yes(again), you are reading this correct!

Obama has been successfull in creating the illusion of doing something, not unlike him winning the Nobel Prize on intentions alone!

He has now succeed in getting everyone to buy-into his 'hope' (Do not worry - it is ALL hope - no substance).

This leads me directly to todays FOMC meeting - the mere talk of EXIT STRATEGY gets people nervous, but it is hard for Fed to not change their communication:

1. Because its too tempting, always, for politicians and bureaucrats to take claim for something they nothing to do with (See chart below where US PMI surges past China and Europe)

Screenshot - 04-11-2009 , 15_44_00.png

Source: Societe General Cross Asset Research

2. It is paramount for Fed to create another illusion, the illusion that they have a plan for how to take the easy monetary policy back, for how to sell their old bikes, ladies hats on their balance sheet in the future.

This should be tied in with the massive shortening of term debt-structure which has been happening in the US: (see link below)

  • Maturity of outstanding US Debt is down to 50 mth from 70 month
  • Almost 50% of debt is due in the next 12 month (Will Fed hike making it more expensive for themselves to refinance?
http://fabiusmaximus.wordpress.com/2009/10/30/maturity/

It seems that the thinking in Fed is to 'pre-alert'the market, to communicate is the tool. Some observers Financial Times, and other insiders feels this meeting is too early - but that is it imminent.

http://blogs.ft.com/money-supply/2009/11/04/the-fed-and-its-extended-period-language/
 

Another interesting aspect as pointed out by the excellent research done by Societe Generale Cross Asset Research is the fact the world has a potential for a "decoupling"  (See PMI chart above)

Where early on it seemed the US was lagging China and Europe, it is now clearly the US which is in the lead as seen by recent surge in PMI data!

This would be major game changer - as the US Dollar has become the funding currency of choice.

Imagine if the market would/should/could starts repricing a rising rate structure in the US (it sort of makes sense the US needs to pay more...) while Europe lags - that seems to call more for 1.10 EURUSD than 1.70/1.80 which the consensus in the market.?

At the end of the day the market is in my opinion unprepared for the next move(s) in monetary policy, fiscal stimulus & geo-events.

In other words: Across all products VOLATILITY IS TOO LOW relative the uncertainty of path, which is the true volatility curve.

FOMC tonight I have no clue about - the way the market is setting itself up indicates to me there is 60/40 chance of major disappointment for the RISK-ON people, but as it is always the case with central banks, politicians and people in general: It is not what they say but what they ACTUALLY do do which decides......

Strategy:

Still same positions - massive P&L swings - but will await tonight & most likely Friday Non-farm before moving from aggressively short this market back to neutral. Justice will prevail! :-)

Safe trading,

Steen