1 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Bloomberg Surveillance Podcast. I'm Tom Keene Jay Leye. 2 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: We bring you insight from the best in economics, finance, investment, 3 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: and international relations. Find Bloomberg Surveillance on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, 4 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: Bloomberg dot Com, and of course, on the bloomber The 5 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 1: emergency Purchase program is going to run at least through 6 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 1: the end of March. The reinvest that Huey debt for 7 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,560 Speaker 1: an extended period of time even after the first rate hikes. 8 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:41,479 Speaker 1: So if you believe, let's just say you believe that 9 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:43,920 Speaker 1: we'll get a rate hike from the e CP at 10 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: some point in this cycle, after that, the e c 11 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,400 Speaker 1: B will still be reinvesting the debts on its balance 12 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: sheet that they've been buying over the last year. I 13 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 1: want to bring in alberta gallo of Algebras on this 14 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: albert So the CP is going to be in this 15 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: market for a long long time. How does that shape 16 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:07,400 Speaker 1: your view on fixed income in Europe? Good morning. Sometimes 17 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:11,240 Speaker 1: the most interesting things that come out of central banks 18 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: are the things they don't talk about. And there's two 19 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,679 Speaker 1: big questions here. One is how long are they going 20 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 1: to keep going with the emergency purchase program even after 21 00:01:22,720 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 1: the pandemic is over, and it looks like, as you said, 22 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: that that's going to be with us for a long 23 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: period of time, even beyond two two UM. And the 24 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 1: second one is what happens if there's another crisis. Now, 25 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: interest rates are already negative. Net supply of European government 26 00:01:42,560 --> 00:01:45,039 Speaker 1: bonds is negative. This year, d c B is buying 27 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: more than the governments are issuing, so you know, they've 28 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: got to think about something new. And that's where you know, 29 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: some warring scenarios come up for investors, a very very 30 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: strong financial repression, very low yield to be inflation, even 31 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 1: though inflation is pretty low in Europe. Bet So we've 32 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 1: got to jump in because what you're talking about is 33 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: so important. Are you saying that we might not have 34 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 1: seen the end of this and that's something new might 35 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 1: be coming And I'm not saying anytime soon. I just 36 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 1: want to understand the kind of something you're thinking about. 37 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: You're thinking about equities. Surely we've already done everything we 38 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: can do on the fixed income side. You know, the 39 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:28,120 Speaker 1: biggest question here for investors for the next years is 40 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,800 Speaker 1: whether governments are going to be able to beat secular stagnation. 41 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: Now it's it's a moment of celebration in the US 42 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: with the new presidency and probably the Biding administration has 43 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: a shot at this with a lot of fiscal stimulus 44 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:43,919 Speaker 1: and infrastructure spending. But if you look at Europe, the 45 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 1: recovery plan is still very very small, and we've got 46 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: German elections later this year. It's not exactly the year 47 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 1: where you know, the European Union is going to splurge 48 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 1: on on fiscal so you know, the things that doesn't 49 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 1: talk about is how are they going to get inflation 50 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: back up, how much more fiscal is needed, and also 51 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:06,960 Speaker 1: you know what's the end game for the p P 52 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 1: P And it looks like, you know, unless you're seeing 53 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 1: Germany spending a lot more, which is unlikely this year. 54 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,200 Speaker 1: It looks like the emergency purchase program is going to 55 00:03:15,280 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: be with us for a much longer period of time, 56 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: which means savers are getting returns well below inflation. So 57 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:26,359 Speaker 1: you know, one of the casualties of the pandemic has 58 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 1: been the risk free rate. It's now very very deeply 59 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:32,919 Speaker 1: negative and it's going to continue to be like that, 60 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: especially in Europe. It sounds like a process in search 61 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: of a theory, albert Ogella, what's the underlying theory here? 62 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: They literally making it up in the United States of 63 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: Europe as they go. Our theory is interest rates at 64 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 1: the extreme become counter productive. So you know, you've got 65 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 1: Argentina with very high interest rates. In theory, they are 66 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 1: supposed to cur be inflation, but at some point you 67 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: have a compounding impact and they become inflationary. Conversely, when 68 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: you have deeply negative interest rates and they are persistent, 69 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: they create asset bubbles which burst and then create deflation. 70 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:16,880 Speaker 1: They keep zombie companies alive, which reduced productivity. So you 71 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: really need to shake up the system, do reforms, invest 72 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: in infrastructure and improve productivity, which the US has as 73 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 1: a big shot at with this administration in Europe. In Europe, 74 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: it's it's much it's a much tougher game to play 75 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 1: this year. Meanwhile, Alberto, you have a rather difficult decision 76 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 1: as a portfolio manager of whether to just go by 77 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 1: the central banks and ignore risk. At a certain point, 78 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 1: it makes no fundamental sense for Italian bond yields to 79 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:51,760 Speaker 1: be getting lower with respect to German yields as their 80 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:54,680 Speaker 1: government basically threatens to fall apart. This is because the 81 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:56,599 Speaker 1: e c B has been buying more of their debt. 82 00:04:57,000 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 1: Do you lean into that as a portfolio manager or 83 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:04,720 Speaker 1: do you say risk matters? We say risk matters. Last 84 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:08,600 Speaker 1: year we were over half in cash in our own 85 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 1: Globe of Credit fund before the pandemic hit, and we 86 00:05:12,279 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: had a lot of protection on And you know, we're 87 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 1: getting to a point where there is where the odds 88 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:20,800 Speaker 1: are very much skewed against the investors. So you can 89 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: make two cents if you're right, but if you're wrong, 90 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 1: you can lose five or ten. And the BTP example 91 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 1: is spot on. So we're trying to preserve the odds 92 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 1: to be at least equal or in favor of our investors. 93 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: So we're not buying BTPs here, we're not buying long 94 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: data investment grade debt. But there are some areas where 95 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:45,799 Speaker 1: they're still upside in some of the perty free countries, 96 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: in convertible debt, in some of the companies which are 97 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:51,480 Speaker 1: going to be the companies of the future. So you know, 98 00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:54,599 Speaker 1: we're we're pretty cautious, but we still have some upside 99 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: bets on the reopening of the economy. Alberta Smart, Thank 100 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 1: you so much. Alberta god with Algebras Spence here on 101 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 1: an easy be looking for a solution. Speaking of hate, 102 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:12,359 Speaker 1: Mally loves to send me hate, Helen Apple. Michael Holland 103 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: joins US now Holland and Company. He's paid a lot 104 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: of taxes on capital gains over the year. Michael, what 105 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 1: do you do with the stock that's a melt up 106 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:26,360 Speaker 1: and you've got a tax obligation? Do? How do you 107 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: handle that? One of the things you can do is 108 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,039 Speaker 1: to choose your favorite university. You had the Lafayette Endowment 109 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 1: head on a few minutes ago. Give your appreciated stock 110 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: to you the university of your choice for financial aid 111 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: for some of the students. How is that you get 112 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 1: the tax right off and help education and the equalization 113 00:06:45,279 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 1: of opportunity that Jonathan Farrell was just talking about. Well, 114 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:51,359 Speaker 1: Michael'll let you worry about how to deal with the 115 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:53,400 Speaker 1: tax bill. There is a question of how to deal 116 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:55,280 Speaker 1: with risk right now and how to even assess it. 117 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 1: And I gotta say I was really struck by Seth 118 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:00,080 Speaker 1: Klarman this about post Group when he wrote in the 119 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 1: Financial to note that was obtained by the financial time, 120 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 1: so so much stimulus being deployed. Trying to figure out 121 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:06,840 Speaker 1: if the economy is in recession is like trying to 122 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:09,280 Speaker 1: assess if you had a fever after you just took 123 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: a large dose of aspirin. He likened the current situation 124 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: to investors being frogs boiled in water slowly becoming desensitized 125 00:07:18,760 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: to risk. How do you navigate as an investor? Seth 126 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 1: Klarman has been brilliantly investing for decades and would never 127 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: ignore what he's saying. I think right now, he said, 128 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: I'm mindful of where the market psyche is, and with 129 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 1: Janet Yellen pairing up with Jerome Power right now, I 130 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: think they are panacea for people concerned about an overvalued market, 131 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 1: that the market could become even more overvalued. Uh, the 132 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 1: trick will be a year from now when we I 133 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: hope we're talking that that the the economy has fulfilled 134 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 1: some of the heightened expectations about when the vaccine gets 135 00:07:58,440 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 1: out there. I was interested to see a Bloomberg blurb 136 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 1: yesterday about Amazon now moving in to help out with 137 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 1: the distribution of the vaccine. I think we could get 138 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,760 Speaker 1: some positive surprises rather than negative surprise over the next 139 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 1: couple of quarters. On the vaccine front. If that happens, 140 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: I think some of the uh, the animal spirits in 141 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: the economy may start to waken up if the gift 142 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,040 Speaker 1: me for base so cynical, Michael, But do you think 143 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: that big text says the rioting on the wall? And 144 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 1: why is Amazon wait so long to come in and 145 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: talk about this what it swits? And White so long 146 00:08:34,240 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 1: to band Donald Trump? It all seems a little bit 147 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:38,720 Speaker 1: convenient that all of this has happened basically in the 148 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:43,280 Speaker 1: month of the incoming administration is coming through. I think 149 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 1: your cynicism, John is well placed. UH. And I think 150 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:52,720 Speaker 1: that the UH people who run these companies have seen 151 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 1: where we're going UH. And I think there was more 152 00:08:56,960 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 1: than just Netflix yesterday when the ox like Amazon cloud 153 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: to the upside dramatically. I think there's a new sheriff, 154 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 1: and I think it's I think it's going to be 155 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:09,800 Speaker 1: I think that the tech companies are going to have 156 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 1: some some come up and over the next year, but 157 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: I think overall things probably are gonna be okay. Meanwhile, 158 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 1: given your role at State Street UH and at some 159 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: of the biggest asset managers over the years, seeing the 160 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: transformation in that industry, what are you expecting in the 161 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:28,559 Speaker 1: years ahead under the Biden administration when it comes to 162 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: consolidation and asset management into the hands of just a 163 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: few behemoths, I think so long as the behemous behave themselves, 164 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:44,600 Speaker 1: it's difficult to make a serious political headway um in 165 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 1: terms of attacking them. I think the which happened Lisa 166 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 1: over the last decade is, in particularly the last few years, 167 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:59,559 Speaker 1: UH is a dramatic favorable, dramatically favorable position for the 168 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:03,199 Speaker 1: people listening to the call here watching the call with 169 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 1: respect to they just don't pay very much to have 170 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 1: have their money taken care of, and so the fees 171 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: continue to cascade down. It's a very favorable development. So 172 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 1: the behemous if they if they don't manage it right. 173 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: And we just had Jonathan talk about how the texts 174 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,440 Speaker 1: are trying to manage right in a new environment. I 175 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:23,560 Speaker 1: think that the big people like State Street and Van 176 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:26,440 Speaker 1: Garden Fidelity will continue to do the same thing. They're 177 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:29,320 Speaker 1: smart people running these places, and as long as they 178 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 1: keep making it better for all of us is who 179 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:35,719 Speaker 1: are investors. I think they reduced the possibility of draconian 180 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:40,400 Speaker 1: things happening to them. Michael Grant's a catch up as always, 181 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:43,959 Speaker 1: a real gentleman of Wall Street. Malcol Hollands Macaoel thank you, sir, 182 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: thank you very much. As I said, we've got some 183 00:10:50,040 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 1: European yields moving as well, uh this morning, a lesser 184 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 1: negative yield if you will, in Germany. To distill the 185 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 1: sharp distinct, and Jane Foley joins us with Robbo Bank. Jane, 186 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:04,960 Speaker 1: I know it is about effects, and we want to 187 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 1: get to that Paulsweenian myself. But what I would really 188 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 1: want to focus on here is the yield differential, or 189 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:17,880 Speaker 1: the guestimate of future inflation. I went back pre financial crisis, 190 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 1: and the five year five year forward guestimate of inflation 191 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 1: slash interest rates has never been wider. Higher inflation in 192 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:30,080 Speaker 1: the US, a lesser inflation in Europe. What does that 193 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 1: signal to you at Rabble Bank on foreign exchange, Well, 194 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 1: quite simply, it means that the euro is likely to 195 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 1: remain well supported against the US dollar. And to be 196 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 1: honest to him, I think that this is really the 197 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:44,680 Speaker 1: crux of the story from last spring when we saw 198 00:11:44,720 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 1: that will drop in US real interest rates and and 199 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:50,200 Speaker 1: there isn't any sign yet that that's going to really reverse. 200 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 1: So at the start of the year we had this 201 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:53,600 Speaker 1: bit of a correction, and you're a dollar. We had 202 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 1: a lot of new news and make adjusting their positions. 203 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: But fundamentally that story in real interest, it remains unchanged, 204 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 1: and therefore it's likely that the dollar is going to 205 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 1: remain soft until it does change. This is such a 206 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:08,840 Speaker 1: critical question, folks. You know, if you say to me, 207 00:12:09,240 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 1: somebody wrote a forty two page year end study and 208 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 1: they got to redo it into two thousand twenty one, Jane, 209 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 1: I'm going to suggest the rewrite's going to come in July, 210 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 1: and with that is the humility of the ex exis. Okay, 211 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:27,440 Speaker 1: you can say dollars stronger, you can say rates higher 212 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 1: in the US, but there's the when of it. How 213 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:34,000 Speaker 1: hard is it to get those two together, the movement 214 00:12:34,080 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: of a given idea and also the when of it. Well, 215 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:42,160 Speaker 1: you know, I think the markets already starting to talk about, 216 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:45,200 Speaker 1: you know, changing fundamentals. But if we listen to policymakers, 217 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: if we listen to power, for instance, a week or 218 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 1: so ago, that doesn't seem to be any real chance 219 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:53,000 Speaker 1: that we're going to see fundamentals actually changed. When I 220 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 1: talk about fundamentals. I'm talking about, you know what the 221 00:12:55,400 --> 00:12:57,679 Speaker 1: state could potentially do on rates. It's going to be 222 00:12:57,720 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: a long time before they do something on rates, that's 223 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 1: the way they're telling us, and of course on inflation 224 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:05,200 Speaker 1: that perhaps this is a big market story. I think 225 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 1: for this year. The market has already got a bit 226 00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 1: more excited on the prospect of US inflation, but inflation 227 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: prospects in the Eurozone remain very soft. And again we 228 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:16,560 Speaker 1: get back to the story that we've had running for 229 00:13:16,559 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 1: a few years, well before the pandemic story of the 230 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:23,960 Speaker 1: possibility of Japanese depignification in Europe. This this this risk 231 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 1: that we have years of low growth and low inflation 232 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 1: with the EU c be not necessarily having the tools 233 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: to promote inflation. And if that's the case, then real 234 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 1: interest rates in Europe may remain promoted by this sort 235 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:41,319 Speaker 1: of disinflationary or deflationary effect. So, Jane, that's kind of 236 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:42,439 Speaker 1: where I wanted to go. I mean, I was, I 237 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 1: was listening to Christine Leaguard this morning has sounded awfully 238 00:13:45,640 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 1: like Fed chairman Pale in terms of lower for longer here. 239 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 1: So where are currency traders placing their bets for the 240 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 1: next six or twelve months. Again, I still think it's 241 00:13:58,400 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: going to be on the week dollar story in a 242 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:03,839 Speaker 1: Again it's it's not necessarily related to the nominal yield story. 243 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 1: And and most of these central bankers are still saying 244 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:07,880 Speaker 1: more or less the same thing. We saw the Bank 245 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 1: of Japan this morning again suggesting they could do more 246 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:14,840 Speaker 1: if if conditions need be lower for longer. That's the 247 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 1: that's the story for most central banks. But if we 248 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 1: look at inflation expectations, it appears that the US has 249 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 1: got the head start on I'm really being able to 250 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 1: promote that if we were to talk about, you know, 251 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:31,640 Speaker 1: the change in um, the inflation outlook from the UCB 252 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: or from the Bank of Japan, and the markets going 253 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:35,040 Speaker 1: to think, well, you know what, that's a moot point. 254 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: They're never going to get to two percent, at least 255 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: not you know, for the foreseeable. But in the US, 256 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 1: the market seems to believe that, and that is perhaps 257 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:44,680 Speaker 1: why we have real interest rates, you know, so low 258 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 1: in in the U s. And that could stay the way, 259 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: stay that way for quite a while. Jane, We you know, 260 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: we just obviously had the inauguration yesterday at President Biden 261 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: here trying to be aggressive on the fiscal stimulus side. 262 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: How's the FX markets kind of pricing that in. I 263 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: think they have been for a while, at least since 264 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:08,320 Speaker 1: those are Georgian runoffs on the fifth of January. And clearly, 265 00:15:08,400 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 1: you know the market is going to be watching the 266 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 1: Senate to see how much push back there is. Clearly 267 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 1: that there needs to be the support of some Republicans 268 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 1: in the other I have to make sure that you'll 269 00:15:18,000 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 1: go through. We don't know whether or not they're going 270 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:22,480 Speaker 1: to get there for one point nine, but you know 271 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:25,920 Speaker 1: that the market is optimistic that there will be more 272 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 1: fiscal spending. We listened to Janet Yellen earlier only the week. 273 00:15:28,760 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: The market is hopeful of that, and I think a 274 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: lot of that is probably now in the price. Jane 275 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 1: Folly've got to leave it there. Thank you so much. 276 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:42,560 Speaker 1: Jane Foley with Roba think much to talk about here, 277 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 1: and we are now thrilled to bring you on any 278 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:48,800 Speaker 1: number of topics. Kenneth Rogoff of Harvard his service to 279 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 1: us in Davos. You know this is the Davos visit 280 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: I guess this year. Ken Rogoff as well, can you 281 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:59,440 Speaker 1: have written over the years on our fiscal responsibility. How 282 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: out of whack is our fiscal economics as we enter 283 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:10,120 Speaker 1: a new presidency. Well, we're in a wartime situation, and 284 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 1: in a situation like this, you do whatever it takes 285 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:16,920 Speaker 1: and you figure out how to pay for it later. Um. 286 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:19,480 Speaker 1: I think you know the thing that's probably most out 287 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 1: of whack is we probably need a more robust system 288 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 1: of taxes and transfers to deal with inequality. But in 289 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:31,320 Speaker 1: the short term, there's really very little alternative to continuing 290 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 1: these deficits as long as the markets will permit it. Well, 291 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 1: as long as the markets will will permit it. Joe 292 00:16:37,240 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 1: Stiglets to join us later today. I remember conversation ken 293 00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 1: with you with Professor Stiglets and Dabos, where you were 294 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 1: in agreement on an optimism to grow our way out 295 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 1: of our fiscal difficulties. Are we going to be able 296 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:55,840 Speaker 1: to do that with the new potential GDP of America? Now? 297 00:16:55,960 --> 00:16:58,840 Speaker 1: I mean, I think that's not the point at the moment, 298 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 1: with the pandemic is not over. This is the worst 299 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:07,000 Speaker 1: crisis I've seen in my lifetime. I think since the 300 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 1: Great Depression. This is worse than the financial crisis. Uh, 301 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 1: And we have to try to have a robust plan 302 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 1: for dealing with it. And this is this is catastrophe relief, 303 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: this isn't you know, stimulus. Yet I think we have 304 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: to get there with infrastructure spending and such, and the 305 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: President Biden has a lot of ideas about that. What 306 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 1: it What is true is as we emerge from the 307 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:38,480 Speaker 1: wartime economy whenever that is, you can't stay permanently on 308 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:44,959 Speaker 1: wartime footing. You can't solve every social problem, the environment, 309 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:50,359 Speaker 1: everything simply by running deficits. At some point you have 310 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 1: to make choices among policies about what you want to 311 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:57,359 Speaker 1: do and what you don't want to do. Uh. You probably, 312 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:00,480 Speaker 1: as I said, to deal with inequality, need a more 313 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 1: robust system of taxes, transfers, providing more government services. And 314 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 1: I think that's going to be a tough road, but 315 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:12,720 Speaker 1: that's really the direction we need to go. Do you 316 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:16,760 Speaker 1: think that Joe Biden will look at it? And you know, again, 317 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: what does it mean for him being able to actually 318 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 1: push it through? Who knows? I mean, you know, I'm 319 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:30,360 Speaker 1: just relieved that we have a president who comports himself 320 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 1: with dignity. Yes, Trump was not wrong about everything, but 321 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:38,119 Speaker 1: I think really the real issue was the threat to 322 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:44,280 Speaker 1: the constitution, Uh, the institutions, international institutions. It's yes, it's 323 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 1: sometimes good to have somebody who comes and breaks things 324 00:18:47,720 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: up and shakes things up, but it had gone much 325 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:55,359 Speaker 1: too far. And Biden is so levelheaded. I thought it 326 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:58,720 Speaker 1: was actually a very inspirational speech that he gave yesterday, 327 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:02,640 Speaker 1: highlighting at the as issues that that's the most important 328 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:06,159 Speaker 1: thing the president can do. And I think if you 329 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 1: don't have a good system of governance, you will not grow. 330 00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 1: You were talking about Italy earlier. I mean it Italy 331 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:19,120 Speaker 1: certainly struggled with trying to balance all these competing interests 332 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: and it's one of the reasons it's growth performance hasn't 333 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:28,880 Speaker 1: been so great. Uh in certainly in recent decades. But Professor, 334 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 1: when you look at the spending, where does that spending 335 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:35,640 Speaker 1: need to go in the US infrastructure spending is it's 336 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 1: actually internet infrastructure spending to make sure that people have 337 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:44,119 Speaker 1: access to the worldwide but web, especially for education, Like 338 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 1: you know, how should the US spend that money? Well, 339 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 1: I mean again, the pandemic is the first thing. Uh. 340 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 1: The Gates Foundation has done an estimate. It seems much 341 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:59,400 Speaker 1: too loud to me that it would cost billion dollars 342 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: to do international distribution of the vaccines. Suppose it's two 343 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:08,440 Speaker 1: billion dollars that from the Europe in the United States 344 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 1: would be money very well spent to try to tame 345 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:14,400 Speaker 1: this thing. But yes, I mean infrastructure. I think if 346 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 1: it's genuinely productive, is spectacularly useful. And I think you're 347 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:23,719 Speaker 1: right a broader notion of education. I think the future 348 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 1: is not just bricks and mortar education, but online education 349 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,400 Speaker 1: for children and adults. Can you know I said your 350 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:34,080 Speaker 1: Curse of Cash is the bravest book written on economics 351 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 1: in a generation. Clearly Christine Lagarde has read The Curse 352 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:42,360 Speaker 1: of Cash. Do you link bitcoin holy into criminal activity? 353 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:46,160 Speaker 1: And do you consider the new price appreciation of bitcoin 354 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:51,120 Speaker 1: to be speculative? Well, I certainly think I agree that 355 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:56,760 Speaker 1: it's speculative. I've been a bitcoin skeptic, and certainly the 356 00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 1: price has gone up. But there's sort of an ultimate question, 357 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 1: what's the use? Is it just valuable because people think 358 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:07,920 Speaker 1: it's valuable, That is a bubble that would blow up? Um, 359 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 1: I can see bitcoin being used in failed states. It's conceivable, 360 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:17,240 Speaker 1: you know, it could have some use in a dystopian future. 361 00:21:17,760 --> 00:21:20,960 Speaker 1: But I think the governments are not going to allow 362 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:25,800 Speaker 1: pseudonymous transactions on a big scale. They're just not going 363 00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 1: to allow it. Uh. The regulation will come in, the 364 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 1: government will win, It doesn't matter what the technology is. 365 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:36,040 Speaker 1: And so I think, you know, over the long run, 366 00:21:36,080 --> 00:21:39,399 Speaker 1: if there's not a use, yes, the bubble will will burst. 367 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:43,199 Speaker 1: I hope there's not such a valuable use, but I 368 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:47,280 Speaker 1: suppose it's a hedge against dystopia. Would you advise Secretary 369 00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:50,400 Speaker 1: yelling at Treasury that the U s should be proactive 370 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:56,080 Speaker 1: in instituting that regulation which could collapse the price of cryptocurrency, 371 00:21:57,640 --> 00:22:01,199 Speaker 1: but they are. Yeah, yes, I mean that's that's just 372 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:04,399 Speaker 1: true across the poort. It needs to be regulated. Uh, 373 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:08,959 Speaker 1: some some of the perhaps stable coins will you know, 374 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:12,679 Speaker 1: make it through this. But I think, of course that 375 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:16,720 Speaker 1: every central banks working on this. But I was, I'm 376 00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: in the G thirty. We did a report on this, UM, 377 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 1: so you know, I wouldn't say it's so crudely it's 378 00:22:23,359 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: just to say make the price go down. That's not 379 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:30,359 Speaker 1: the purpose. But you know, you need to have the 380 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:37,920 Speaker 1: transactions obey the same kinds of information regulations as everything else. So, Uh, 381 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 1: I think governments are on it. Uh, it's not being 382 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:46,679 Speaker 1: used that widely, and I suspect although the bitcoin lobbyists 383 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:49,199 Speaker 1: have been successful in getting it in some places, that 384 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:53,360 Speaker 1: won't last. Can we go talk to me about how 385 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 1: we can strengthen the financial system from now? I know 386 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 1: the G thirty has also done quite a lot of 387 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 1: work on you know, worrying about solving see maybe worrying 388 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:04,320 Speaker 1: about zombie companies. Are we in a better place now 389 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 1: that we thought we would pre pandemic? Well? As this lingers, 390 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 1: I think some of our defenses will weaken. I mean, 391 00:23:14,600 --> 00:23:18,880 Speaker 1: part of what we did in Round one very effectively 392 00:23:19,040 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 1: was the Federal Reserve basically said I'm going to guarantee 393 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:26,239 Speaker 1: junk bonds. I'm being just a little bit exaggerating, but 394 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:31,200 Speaker 1: they did virtually go to that municipals. They ended up 395 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:34,600 Speaker 1: not having to buy very much. The market responded. But 396 00:23:34,680 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 1: I think as things go on, there will be bankruptcies, 397 00:23:38,040 --> 00:23:41,399 Speaker 1: there will be things, and that the Treasury is going 398 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:43,679 Speaker 1: to step in some places. The Federal Reserve is not 399 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:46,879 Speaker 1: in a position to lose lots of money, and we 400 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:50,560 Speaker 1: could see quite a lot of financial strains as this 401 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:54,160 Speaker 1: goes on. That said, a lot of the problems are 402 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 1: really at you know, among low income small businesses, and 403 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 1: they're terrible for the country. They don't necessarily bring down 404 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:07,119 Speaker 1: the system quite the way that you know, full on 405 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:11,200 Speaker 1: banking crisis does. But of course that people can't pay 406 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:13,680 Speaker 1: their rent and they're not paying their rent, eventually you're 407 00:24:13,680 --> 00:24:18,959 Speaker 1: going to have real estate bankruptcies, etcetera, etcetera. Is there 408 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:25,480 Speaker 1: anything that could be systemic? I mean, of course in 409 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:28,720 Speaker 1: this situation, when you have a shock of this magnitude, 410 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: there's no telling what direction that's going to move things. 411 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:35,040 Speaker 1: I think as long as interest rates stay this low, 412 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 1: the government has sort of a lot of power to 413 00:24:39,080 --> 00:24:42,920 Speaker 1: deal with things. If at some point, for example, Asia 414 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 1: grew much faster for a sustained period and Europe and 415 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 1: the United States didn't, then I think eventually that's going 416 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: to put a lot of stresses on things, and interest 417 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 1: rates will pick up there. You know, interest rates are 418 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:02,199 Speaker 1: below long term trend. Even if long term trend it's declining. 419 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:06,200 Speaker 1: We had declines like this before. Uh, they're at least 420 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:11,639 Speaker 1: substantially reversed. Eventually over a long time. That's going to happen. 421 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:14,000 Speaker 1: Ken Rogoff, thank you so much for joining us to 422 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:16,960 Speaker 1: stay after inauguration He is at Harvard, and I can't 423 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:20,280 Speaker 1: say enough about his effort. The Curse of Cash still 424 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:25,040 Speaker 1: very timely. Thanks for listening to the Bloomberg Surveillance podcast. 425 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:30,440 Speaker 1: Subscribe and listen to interviews on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, or 426 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:34,800 Speaker 1: whichever podcast platform you prefer. I'm on Twitter at Tom 427 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 1: Keane before the podcast. You can always catch us worldwide. 428 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:40,320 Speaker 1: I'm Bloomberg Radio