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A Week of Unseen Things
by John Mauldin of Mauldin Economics,
We Americans are celebrating our Independence Day this weekend. The news our ancestors read on this day in 1776 wasn’t so great – but the US survived its rough start. China, Puerto Rico, and Greece will survive, too. But the decisions their government make, just like the ones our fledgling government made all those years ago, will make a great deal of difference. Let’s get past the gloom and doom to see if we can find some good news.
Home of the Free, Land of the Entrepreneur
Where else but in America can a startup such as Uber be valued at $50 billion, higher than 80 percent of the companies in the S&P 500 Index, only six years after its founding? Where else but in America can someone reach billionaire status by inventing a new type of hosiery, as Sara Blakely did with Spanx? Before her now-ubiquitous undergarments were worn by women—and now men—all over the globe, Blakely was so broke that she had to write her own patent without the help of an attorney.
The Business Cycle—Middle-Aged or Elderly?
by Erik Knutzen of Neuberger Berman,
When it comes to the duration of the business cycle, 50 is the new 40. Much the way that better diet, health care and exercise have helped double life expectancy over the past century, central banks have prolonged the current expansion using new elixirs such as zero interest rates and quantitative easing. At 72 months, the business cycle has well surpassed the 58.4-month average of the modern era and is now more than twice the length of the pre-WWII average.
The 2015 Mid-Year Geopolitical Outlook
As is our custom, at mid-year, we update our geopolitical outlook for the rest of the year. This report is less a series of predictions as it is a list of potential geopolitical issues that we believe will dominate the international situation into year’s end. It is not designed to be exhaustive; instead, it focuses on the “big picture” conditions that we believe will affect policy and markets going forward. They are listed in order of importance.
Greek Contagion Fears Likely Overblown
by Gary Black of Calamos Investments,
We remain bullish on global equities despite the expected near-term volatility, as we believe the Greek situation will be resolved in a manner that the markets will view constructively. Although the Greek debt drama has veered off script over the past few days, we believe investors have overdiscounted the impact of Greece defaulting on its IMF loan. We expect volatility will stay high in the run up to the Greek austerity referendum scheduled for July 5.
Data Dependence Is Not a Monetary Policy, But Are the Dots?
by Richard Clarida of PIMCO,
At its June meeting, the Fed emphasized data dependence in setting monetary policy.
Although a data-dependent Fed is one that appears to retain a great deal of optionality on the timing and pace of future rate moves, data dependence itself is not a monetary policy.
The Fed’s reaction function to evolving data will likely determine the path of policy normalization. The “dot plot” provides some insight, but the dots alone don’t tell us how policy will play out if the macro data evolve differently from the baseline.
Epic Uncertainty: Markets React to Greek Debt Crisis
by Laura Sarlo of Loomis, Sayles & Co.,
It's a tense standoff between Greece and its international creditors. Unless both sides dramatically return to the negotiating table, Greece looks set to default on its €1.5 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan payment on June 30.
Don’t be Surprised - Speech to CFA Society of Chicago
by Stephen Romick of FPA Funds,
I’m reminded of a gentleman who discovers a genie in a bottle. Granted one wish only – apparently even genies have pricing power – the man asks for peace in the Middle East. The genie backs away and says, “That’s way too difficult. Give me something easier.” The man ponders his options and asks the genie instead, to help him pick a good mutual fund. The genie quickly responds, “Let me get to work on the Middle East.”
Grantham: Stocks Will Continue Upward until the Election
by Justin Kermond,
Jeremy Grantham says equity valuations are heading toward the “two-sigma” level that is the requisite threshold for a true bubble. At some point – which is not imminent – he says a “trigger” will precipitate the reversion back to mean levels. The market will continue to deliver positive returns until the next election, according to Grantham.
$8 Trillion Alternative Energy Boom Is a Win for Copper
As the world’s population continues to grow, and as more people in developing and emerging countries gain access to electricity, the role alternative energy sources such as wind, solar and geothermal play should skyrocket. Between now and 2040, a massive $8 trillion will be spent globally on renewables, about two thirds of all energy spending, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Solar power alone is expected to draw $3.7 trillion.
Yields Skyrocket! Really?
by Brian Andrew of Cleary Gull,
It is hard to pick up a paper, read an investment blog (mine excluded), or listen to a financial news program without hearing about the global bond market rout. Yields (interest rates) on government bonds in the U.S. and Europe have been on the rise and the financial media is trying to whip everyone into a frenzy about it. Here is why I think you should be celebrating rather than worrying.
Outrunning the Bear: Pension Strategy in a Low Return World
by Jared Gross of PIMCO,
Pension investors often seek to meet two conflicting objectives: delivering high absolute returns and managing risk relative to liabilities.
Unfortunately, this approach has not produced the desired result because the strong absolute performance of risk assets has been eclipsed by even-faster growth in liabilities.
With the era of surging liability values most likely behind us, a realistic goal today may be a relative one: outperforming the value of liabilities, by a smaller margin perhaps, but with more diversification and less risk.
Take Shareholder Yield With a Grain of Salt
A valuation measure called “shareholder yield” has gained credence among investors of late. While shareholder yield may be a one of many useful valuation measures, we caution against overemphasizing the metric. We are particularly concerned that the measure is indifferent to whether cash flow is spent on dividends or share buybacks, the latter being a questionable allocation of capital in our view.
Uncertainty Now; Opportunity Later: 2015 Economic & Stock Market Outlook, Mid-Year Update
The message at mid-year is caution now, but opportunity later. It is not difficult to envision a more constructive environment as we move through the second half. If and when the Fed finally raises rates, conviction in a gradual tightening process could raise Fed policy back to bullish, and better seasonal patterns (and perhaps improved momentum) could be in store in the fourth quarter. On the other hand, a quick return of investor optimism and/or further breadth deterioration could add downside pressure in the near term.
Equities Gather Momentum on Positive Indicators
U.S. equities finished higher last week as the S&P 500 increased 0.8%, recording its highest weekly gain since April. The dovish message from Wednesday’s FOMC announcement boosted markets. Contagion from Greece appears relatively contained. The sell-off in equities in China did not impact global markets. The health care, consumer staples and utilities sectors rallied. Financials lagged as banking lost momentum and energy underperformed.
All Their Eggs in Janet's Basket
by John Hussman of Hussman Funds,
The financial markets are establishing an extreme that we expect investors will remember for the remainder of history, joining other memorable peers that include 1906, 1929, 1937, 1966, 1972, 2000 and 2007. The failure to recognize this moment as historic is largely because investors have been urged to believe things that aren’t true, have never been true, and can be demonstrated to be untrue across a century of history.
A Chinese Swap Meet
by Andy Rothman of Matthews Asia,
The new local bond swap program of China’s Communist Party is its latest effort to manage debt. It aims both to make the amount and structure of local government debt more transparent, and to reduce the financing burden of local government debt. Could this be considered a version of quantitative easing or a bailout? Could it lead to local government defaults?
Gold and Health Care Stocks Get a Clean Bill of Health
Even though the Federal Reserve announced this week that it would wait a little longer to raise rates, spooked investors fled to gold bullion, helping to drive prices above $1,200 an ounce. It was the greatest single-session surge by percentage in nearly a month and a half for the yellow metal, widely seen as a safe-haven investment. As I told MarketWatch yesterday, $1,200 is an important threshold for gold miners because it helps increase profitability and spur production.
Rising Rates Don’t Spell Doom for GRATs
Do higher interest rates really mean the end of the golden years for grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs)? The Wall Street Journal took this view in an article published on June 15, but we think GRATs can still play a major role in estate planning for wealthy families as rates rise—if they are structured right.
Northern Trust Perspective
by Jim McDonald of Northern Trust,
While we expect U.S. growth to see some improvement from the slow start to the year, we think optimists are likely to be disappointed at the overall pace of growth. The U.S. economy has averaged 2.2% growth since the financial crisis, and we don't see a material acceleration during the near-to-intermediate term. The prospect of a pending increase in the Fed funds rate has contributed to a rise in interest rates and strengthening of the dollar, both of which serve as a constraint on growth. We also don't see much upside to the U.S. economy through materially better growth outside the U.S.
Joining the Dots: Fed Keeps Rates Unchanged While Lowering “Dots”
by Liz Ann Sonders of Charles Schwab,
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) kept the fed funds rate unchanged from its 0-0.25% range, where it’s been since 2008. The decision was unanimous. The Fed did raise its assessment of the economy and labor market, which reinforces the view—shared by us—that the Fed will begin hiking rates in September, barring a significant change in the trajectory of the economy, jobs or inflation. It would be the first interest rate increase in almost 10 years.
4 Healthcare REITs For A Healthier Retirement Portfolio
by Chuck Carnevale of F.A.S.T. Graphs,
To be considered prudent investors we must recognize and accept the undeniable reality that all true investing is done in future time. Consequently, the key to long-term investment success is to forecast the future as accurately as we possibly can. Of course, we must simultaneously recognize and accept that forecasting the future can only be accomplished within a reasonable degree of accuracy. Forecasting the future, and investing for that matter, can never be a game of perfect. Nevertheless, our investing success will ultimately be achieved based on how good our forecasts turn out to be.
Managing Risk by Investing in Dividend-Paying Stocks
by The Royce Funds,
Small-cap is an asset class that has historically been associated with increased volatility. We have always believed that dividends, plentiful in the small-cap space, can help mitigate some of that risk. But what are we looking for in the dividend-paying companies in which we invest? Portfolio Manager Jay Kaplan and Co-CIO Francis Gannon discuss.
Double Trouble for Investors?
When I think of doubles, on the positive side I think of my years of playing doubles tennis, Miguel Cabrera winning a Tigers game with one, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Double Trouble band, and even those commercial spots that started in 1959. You know the ones I’m talking about – the Doublemint® gum commercials.
Stocks: Keep Your Eye on the Bull
by Milton Ezrati of Lord Abbett,
Since the equity rally of the past few years has brought most stock indexes to new highs, investors increasingly have expressed skepticism about the possibility of future gains. It is an understandable concern—but it also is misplaced. Stocks still carry attractive valuations, if not as attractive as in past years, and so have ample ability to continue to rise, even if, as expected, the economy only lumbers along the shallow recovery path it has traveled to date.
High Yield Bonds: Rates and Returns
by Heather Rupp of AdvisorShares,
With a number of data points over the past month, including Friday’s better than expected jobs report, pushing the expectations for a September rate hike higher, concerns about the impact of interest rates on various asset classes is heating up. It is important to keep in mind that if and when “rates” do rise, we are talking about the Federal Funds Rate which we expect will primarily impact the short end of the yield curve, and less so those 5-year to 10-year maturities that relate more to the high yield market.
The Market for “Lemons": A Lesson for Dividend Investors
Central banks the world over are buying high-quality bonds, thereby removing them from the market and forcing savers to find alternative strategies to meet their income needs. In this environment of financial repression and near-zero interest rates, dividend-yield (or equity income) investing has become increasingly popular. Investors are understandably reallocating their portfolios from lower yielding bonds to higher yielding equities. But in selecting equities with a high dividend yield, investors should be aware of the risk of concentrating their portfolios in low-quality companies.
Stay with Equities, but Prepare for Turbulence
U.S. equities were up fractionally last week, with the S&P 500 Index up 0.1%
as seven out of ten sectors traded higher. Strong retail sales figures kept
the focus on the Federal Reserve and the prospect of higher interest rates.
Concerns over Greece’s debt problems pushed volatility levels higher. The
banking industry performed well, while cyclical areas of the market such as
transportation lagged.
Gundlach: Rising Rates and Summer Insects
by Robert Huebscher,
You should never ask summer insects about ice, according to the Chinese philosopher Chuang Zhu, because they are bound by a single season. In the same way, many investors have never experienced a period of increasing rates. One who has, however, is Jeffrey Gundlach, who offered his forecast for rates and the one sector of the bond market that is most vulnerable.
Rate Hikes: Investor Risk Perceptions and Historical Context
During a recent quarterly webcast for financial advisors, we asked the audience about their clients’ biggest concerns for the remainder of 2015. The four options were: - Losing money on their equity allocations; - Not earning enough income; - Not keeping up with the stock market; - Losing money on their fixed income allocations. Of these, “losing money on their equity allocations” was by far the most popular response, at just under 40%. In our view, bond market risks are greater than many people realize.
Bonds: Can’t Live With Them, but How Do You Live Without Them?
by Joe Becker of Milliman FRM,
For generations of investors, conventional wisdom regarding managing portfolio risk relied on the cardinal rule of diversification. In its simplest form, this meant holding high quality bonds in an attempt to generate income, and offset volatility and drawdowns in the stock market.
When You Look Back On This Moment In History
by John Hussman of Hussman Funds,
There are moments in time when durable history is made; history that others observe much later, shaking their heads, at a loss to understand how the events that followed could not have been obvious at the time. When you look back on this moment in history, remember these things. When you look back on this moment in history, remember that spectacular extremes in reliable valuation measures already told you how the story would end.
The People’s Republic of Debt
by John Mauldin of Mauldin Economics,
Among the most important questions for all investors and businessmen is, how will China manage its future and the problems it faces? There are many problems, some of them monumental – and at the same time there is an amazing amount of opportunity and potential. Understanding the challenges and deciphering the likely outcomes is itself an immense challenge.
Retired With Money To Invest? Consider Playing Defense With Utilities
by Chuck Carnevale of F.A.S.T. Graphs,
Prudent investors might consider investing in fairly valued utility stocks if they need income, and if they are concerned about safety and capital preservation. Utility stocks can also serve as a viable alternative for parking cash. This last point is especially relevant when the valuations of other equity options are extended as they are today.
Tug of War
The current stalemate in the US market could continue for some time, with bouts of volatility and pullbacks expected as the market anticipates the initial rate hike. Be prepared by staying diversified and consider buying protection, but we would view such an event as the pause that refreshes and help set up the next sustainable bull run. Investors should also look overseas as the aggressive stimulus measures being taken by the ECB appear to be beneficially impacting the economy, and may help equities perform better in the coming months.
U.S. Economy Turns on the Afterburners-Is a Rate Hike Next?
So when will rates be raised again? Next Wednesday the world will tune in to see if Fed Chair Janet Yellen can answer that question. Though it's anyone's guess what she'll say, there's no denying that many of the economic indicators the Fed is keeping an eye on have sharply improved lately.
Results 9,301–9,350
of 11,878 found.
