Stéphan

May 15, 20234 min

Turkey run-off / AAPL>Russel / Low vols-Algos vs macro / U.S debt ceiling focus and G7 up next

  • Algorithms prop up the market as fretful humans sit out the uncertainty >>> Quant funds have been piling into US equities in response to falling volatility-FT

  • Week ahead : U.S retail sales, many Fed and other CB speakers (as usual), debt ceiling focus, banking 'crisis' with regionals, Chinese macro data, and the week will end with G7 headlines on friday

  • US Debt Ceiling: Biden said talks to avert a default are moving along.... "real discussion about some changes,". Fed's Brainard called the tone "serious" and "constructive." The Treasury had just $88 billion of leeway left on May 10, down from about $110 billion a week earlier. Biden and Kevin McCarthy plan to meet on again Tuesday, a person familiar said >>> so far Mr Market didn't care about debt ceiling issues (other than 1month TBills and CDS), because ''you know it can't and won't happen'', that's what every one says, pretty much, which is in some ways what makes me a little concerned, as U.S politics never been more polarized than many of us can remember

  • Erdoğan and Kılıçdaroğlu locked in tight race for Turkish presidency. With more than 98 percent of the ballot boxes opened, preliminary unofficial results show President Erdogan’s share of votes at just below 50 percent, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency

  • Very stagflationary print from UMich survey (late Friday). The sentiment numbers came in way below expectations (which is very strange with unemployment so low..), and the inflation expectations numbers came in a bit higher than expectations (3.2% new highs though).. Powell specifically referenced this survey as key to understanding inflation expectations being well-anchored (too many cuts priced in..)

  • Cheaper eggs are on the way

  • Older commercial real estate out of major UK cities is struggling to attract demand-FT

  • SocGen "estimates that without stocks tied to AI, the S&P 500 would be down 2% so far in 2023, not up almost 8%."

  • Following the completion of its legal takeover of Credit Suisse in the coming weeks, UBS will quickly examine its options and find a solution for Credit Suisse in Switzerland by late summer, UBS Vice Chairman Lukas Gaehwiler said in Lugano on Thursday

  • Thailand election latest: Paetongtarn sees 'smooth' Pheu Thai-Move Forward alliance

  • Germany : Prices in wholesale trade fell by 0.5% in April 2023 YoY. The first YoY decrease since Dec 2020 was mainly driven by mineral oil products (-15.7% YoY), scrap & residual materials (-31,5 %), cereals, raw tobacco, seeds & feedstuff (-25.2%)..Peakinflation etc

  • China’s central bank injected more long-term liquidity into the financial system for the sixth month in May

  • Inflation was "transitory," and now their economists call it "persistently high," particularly when stripping out food and energy costs. The European Commission upgraded both inflation and growth forecasts, with no recession in sight


Markets :
  • While macro data weakens-has weakened lately, UMich on Friday - latest) , low vols pushed Algo's to pile up into equities lately (with VIX near 17 or below..it is / has been about systematic buying). NOW let's be clear, whether any human likes it or not, this IS a huge part of the market

  • Crude prices continue to point to global recession, even after OPEC+ production cuts, however, Hedge funds/CTAs are now massively net short gasoil futures.

  • AAPL market cap is now greater than the whole RTY (Russel). SPX500 back to/still within recent ranges

  • ''USD snapping back'' could be the big surprise in short-term - as pointed out last week, ''EURUSD 'run out of steam' above 1.10+''


US UMich sentiment survey the worst of both worlds | Saxo Market Call (podbean.com)

GOLDMAN: “1Q 2023 earnings season proved to be much better than feared. .. Margins in every sector surprised to the upside .. we believe the worst of the 2023 negative earnings revision cycle is now behind us.”

Druckenmiller at Sohn: "If we get a hard landing, there will be unbelievable opportunities, and I don't want to miss those opportunities by blowing my money now and having some 20-30% loss where my head is all screwed up when those opportunities present themselves."

Euro-Zone Inflation Outlook Raised by EU on Surge in Core Prices - Bloomberg

China’s Central Bank Extends Cash Support in May as Credit Growth Slumps - Caixin Global

What went right this week? The good news you should know about - Positive News

Algorithms prop up the market as fretful humans sit out the uncertainty | Financial Times (ft.com)

Turkey election vote tracker: Follow live results | Elections News | Al Jazeera

Ukraine war latest: Zelenskyy chopper lands at Chequers - as two Russian commanders confirmed dead and China embarks on 'peace mission' | World News | Sky News

California's budget deficit has ballooned to $32 billion | Fortune

jeroen blokland on Twitter: "Global #earnings numbers will very likely drop. Why? Here's a classic 'connecting-the-dots' chart to explain. #China's producer price #deflation intensified in April, with the #PPI falling 3.6% from a year ago. Historically, there is a close relationship between global… https://t.co/yCB6Ohn4aT" / Twitter

Rickards: "Weird Gold Trick" Could End Debt-Ceiling Showdown | ZeroHedge It’s not a fantasy. It was done twice.It was done in 1934 and it was done again in 1953 by the Eisenhower administration. It could be done again. It doesn’t require legislation

Cheaper eggs are on the way (axios.com)

Like any other silly 'panic' last 2 years, toilet paper, NatGas and so on, prices of eggs right back down, good! excellent news

Profit expectations for riskier sectors are moving down, says Piper Sandler's Michael Kantrowitz (cnbc.com)

‘Stranded assets’: investors reckon with obsolete offices | Financial Times (ft.com)

Thailand election latest: Paetongtarn sees 'smooth' Pheu Thai-Move Forward alliance - Nikkei Asia

Lukas Gaehwiler: «We Should Have a Solution for Credit Suisse in Summer» (finews.asia)

What Defines Artificial Intelligence? The Complete WIRED Guide | WIRED

There’s some evidence that AI can make us happier and healthier. But there’s also reason for caution

Nick Tyrone on Twitter: "Jacob Rees-Mogg was the minister for Brexit Opportunities for seven months. In that time, he found no genuine opportunities and is now resorting to claiming something as ridiculous as Brexit saved Ukraine. Brexit is an empty vessel. https://t.co/0SI0bOpfh2" / Twitter

46
0