1 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: This is Bloomberg Surveillance. Monetary policy at the near zero 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,039 Speaker 1: lower bounds should be a symmetric They should be looking 3 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: to overshoot rather than undershoot the market. After many years 4 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: of his low rates and Q and he's has has 5 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 1: lost some of his calibration. We have the highest level 6 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: of inequality of any of the advanced countries. When you 7 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:25,160 Speaker 1: start looking at these statistics, you have to be worried. 8 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Surveillance your link to the world of economics, finance, 9 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:35,279 Speaker 1: and investment on Bloomberg Radio. Good morning, everybody. This is 10 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Surveillance on Bloomberg Radio. I'm Michael McKee along with 11 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 1: David Gerrow Tom Keen. Can you believe we're saying Tom 12 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,479 Speaker 1: Keene is on vacation. He left me a very handy 13 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: packet of things due to prep for the show, fifty 14 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 1: pages of foundational texts. They actually just you know, they 15 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: took a steam shovel and UH and four team out 16 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: the door. We're playing where in the world is Tom Keen? 17 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: And we have mentioned that they accept dollars. Where he is. 18 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 1: He has sand between his toes and they drive on 19 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:13,960 Speaker 1: the left hand side. Um. The primary agriculture product Maze 20 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 1: and fish. So h if I can help anybody figure 21 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,680 Speaker 1: out where Tom Keen is, our our terrific executive preiser, 22 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:27,520 Speaker 1: Rachel is running anywhere in the World's Tom Keen contestant? 23 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: I don't know. I think I'm ineligible, is um And 24 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: you can torture me and I'll probably tell you. All Right, 25 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: we have more breaking news. David Priceline says it's CEO 26 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: has resigned. And what's interesting about this is that they're 27 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: saying it is for a personal conduct issue. They are 28 00:01:55,360 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: not saying what it is, so leaving people to to 29 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 1: guess at that. Um, see if there's anything additional here. 30 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: Darren Houston has resigned. He apparently had a CEO relationship 31 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: with a non direct report. Interesting, you're not supposed to 32 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 1: do that, right, um. And so they have now appointed 33 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: Jeffrey Boyd, he's the chairman and former CEO, as the 34 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 1: interim CEO and president while the board conducts a search 35 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 1: for a successor. And let me see if we have 36 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 1: we don't have any trading in the early hours, and 37 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,839 Speaker 1: they have put a halt on on trading that there 38 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: hadn't been any yet but right now, um, there's a 39 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,239 Speaker 1: halt on price Line shares so um Darren Houston, the 40 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 1: CEO of Price Line Out, price Line of course, the 41 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,079 Speaker 1: travel website owner of many travel websites including Kayak and 42 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:56,639 Speaker 1: Booking dot Com and the like. It has been an 43 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:02,239 Speaker 1: extraordinarily busy morning. We have this news, We have the 44 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:08,119 Speaker 1: mergers out there, a Vy buying Stem Centrics and Abbott 45 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 1: buying the folks at St. Jude. We have a number 46 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: of earnings Ford sixty eight cents to share. The estimate 47 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: was for eighty four cents ups and dollar twenty seven. 48 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 1: The inestimate was for a dollar Bristol Myers seventy four. 49 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 1: The estimate was for sixty five cents. So you would 50 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:27,359 Speaker 1: think we would be having an update in the market, 51 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: would you not? You would be incorrect. All right now, 52 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: SMP futures are down fifteen points down. Futures down a 53 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: hundred and forty two. Let me mention We're brought to 54 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: you by colne Resnick Accounting, Tax and Advisory Trust cone 55 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 1: Resnick for the strategy and insight your business needs to 56 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: move forward. Find out what cone Resnick thinks and sign 57 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 1: up for insights at colne Resnick dot com. It's there's 58 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 1: another one we've got more earnings out MasterCard first quarter 59 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: earnings for share eighty six cents. Eighty five cents was 60 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 1: the consensus for cast. So definitely, uh, we will top 61 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 1: that kind of learning releases. But David, it's oddly enough, 62 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:11,800 Speaker 1: it's all about something that didn't happen last night. We 63 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: were all waiting with with bated breath, those of us 64 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 1: who were awake for the news out of the Bank 65 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: of Japan yesterday, the meeting there, two day meeting there 66 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:22,479 Speaker 1: wrapping up in the middle of the night, and what 67 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 1: ended up happening here at the Bank of Japan deciding 68 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:28,560 Speaker 1: not to do much of anything really continuing with the 69 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: rates that had said in place, opted for holding off 70 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 1: on expanding its monetary stimulus. Uh, sort of wait and 71 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: see approach, I guess you could say. And that, of 72 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 1: course came on the heels of other central bank news, 73 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:43,919 Speaker 1: the FED Federal Reserve meeting in Washington concluding that meeting yesterday. 74 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:45,839 Speaker 1: There was no news conference to follow that. We got 75 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 1: a statement from the Fed. Uh, people were parsing that, 76 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 1: you were parsing that, and they meet it aftermat there 77 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: for uh, some language there in the balance of risk, 78 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 1: and we found that that was that was absent. Yeah, well, 79 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:58,920 Speaker 1: you know, the FED reaction was kind of as expected 80 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,719 Speaker 1: because people didn't think anything would happen. But there are 81 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 1: a lot of people long going into the Bank of Japan, 82 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 1: meaning or in terms of the yen, extremely short, and 83 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 1: no matter which one of those two sides of the 84 00:05:10,320 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 1: trade you had, you lose Yen one O eight seventeen 85 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:18,039 Speaker 1: gaining three percent. One of the most rapid appreciations the 86 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:20,160 Speaker 1: end seen in the last decade. Jane folio as a 87 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 1: senior currency strategist at Rabble Bank, Jane, people really seem 88 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: to have been caught wrong footed in the currency market 89 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: by the Bank of Japan lack of action. Indeed, a 90 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 1: really big movement we sawing on the back of the 91 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 1: the non movement and non policy decision from the Bank 92 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: of Japan. Now, of course, I suppose if we look 93 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 1: through the statements of from the Bank of Japan, if 94 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 1: we look really through the minutes that we've had from 95 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,559 Speaker 1: the the Jaluary the twenty ninth meeting, we do find 96 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:51,279 Speaker 1: conclusive to their inaction. And of course this is what 97 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:54,840 Speaker 1: we picked up more by economist into yesterday's meeting, more 98 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: by the market, because what's the market clearly was very shocked. 99 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 1: If you look at some surveys of economists, well it 100 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: was only just about a consensus view and favor. Further, 101 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: actually many economists out there thinking that they would stand 102 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: pat in the course of this stuff. Go back to 103 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:11,359 Speaker 1: the fact that last January or in January, there was 104 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:14,479 Speaker 1: no strong consensus in favor of the interst rate move. 105 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:17,800 Speaker 1: Four out of the nine members of the committee dissented. 106 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 1: They were worried about that negative interest rate move. And 107 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 1: again in the meetings this week, the statement that we 108 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: saw this morning to two members really didn't monst that 109 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:31,280 Speaker 1: negative interest rate to remain. So given that the level 110 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: of dissent, I think perhaps some of the economists did 111 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,839 Speaker 1: pick up on the fact that the Bank of Japan 112 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:39,840 Speaker 1: was going to sit back and stay pad and really 113 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 1: wait for the dust to settle as a lot of 114 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 1: criticism over the implications of that negative interstrate decision in January. 115 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:49,720 Speaker 1: And let's talk a bit about that two percent inflation target. 116 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: I think this was the fourth time in about a 117 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 1: year that the Bank of Japan delayed the time frame 118 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:57,799 Speaker 1: for reaching that target. The Bank of Japan now saying 119 00:06:57,920 --> 00:06:59,800 Speaker 1: they're going to hit at some point in fiscal year 120 00:06:59,839 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 1: or two thousand seventeen. How big a deal was that. Well, again, 121 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 1: it is a big deal, but again it's not particularly shocking. 122 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: As you say, this is a round about the full 123 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: time in a short period of time. For twenty five 124 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 1: years or so, the Bank of Japan has find it 125 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: really difficult to try and engage some price movement upwards. 126 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 1: Its from that point of view, not a surprise, but 127 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 1: it is a worry. But of course we won't much 128 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 1: focus on the level of dollar yet, and we said, well, 129 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: how are they going to how are they going to 130 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: do this with with dollar year at these sorts of level, 131 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: surely move one twenty would be more conducive to this 132 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 1: inflation target. And that's true. But we've got to remember 133 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 1: that the yend was weakening really quite significantly in recent years, 134 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: and that means that on many measures that the yen 135 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: is still undervalued. It's still a cheap currency, meaning that 136 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 1: it should still be doing some work and trying to 137 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 1: push price is higher. But the fact of the matter 138 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: is is that it isn't just Japan that has seen 139 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 1: some slower growth pressures. We're seeing this, of course an 140 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 1: in many economies, and with China it's still a concern 141 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 1: and really for Japan, but they are going to find 142 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 1: it difficult to really push inflation up towards their target. 143 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: We see euro young gapping also, so this is going 144 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 1: to be bad news for Japan in many different currencies. 145 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: Do you think the Bank of Japan needs to address 146 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: the currencies level or is this going to be short 147 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 1: lived enough that they can focus on their waiting game. Well. 148 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: Of course, often for a central bank, it's it's it's 149 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: it's the stability that they really want, and if they 150 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: have a relative stable or a period of stability in 151 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,839 Speaker 1: the currency, it's easier to deal with. Now, if we 152 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 1: look at the Bank of Japan's measure of the trade 153 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: weighted index for for the Japanese economy last year, that 154 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: hits its lowest level since three Now that we know 155 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: that it's pushed higher since last year and it is firmer, 156 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:05,839 Speaker 1: but from that perspective, it's still relatively cheap. Now, they 157 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:07,719 Speaker 1: don't like the volatility, and we've seen a lot of 158 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 1: volatility this here, but if it were to be more stable, 159 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:15,079 Speaker 1: it is better for investment, it's better for h companies 160 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: setting wages, etcetera. So I think some stability is what 161 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:21,839 Speaker 1: they want to Clearly, yes, a weekly end would be very, 162 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:24,959 Speaker 1: very useful, but of course the back of japan Ministry 163 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 1: of Finance, they don't have or control over their currency 164 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: because it is a safe haven currency. It is it's 165 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: something that the market buyers when when they are worried. 166 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 1: And if we do have another bout of risk aversion 167 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 1: this year, it is likely that the end will remain 168 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:42,439 Speaker 1: on a firm footing. It was just lastly here in 169 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 1: these last few seconds, I wonder how well the Bank 170 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 1: of Japan is telegraphing what it intends to do. We 171 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: we saw this balloon floated here of you know, working 172 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,559 Speaker 1: with the banks to encourage them to lend. That did 173 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 1: not happen. But how would you assess it's it's communication 174 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 1: abilities here? Well, certainly since Friday really not good. I mean, 175 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: the market clear the anticipated that they would be something 176 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 1: that was on that message that we saw on Friday, 177 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:05,800 Speaker 1: that they could be a negative interest rate applied to 178 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: some bank loans and try and take the pressure of 179 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:12,240 Speaker 1: banks stanitsies. Japanese banks do appear to be under pressure. 180 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:15,680 Speaker 1: They haven't recovered in the stock market since Genuate negative 181 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 1: interest rate decision. And many people are concerned that if 182 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: if banks come under pressure, then then access to chief 183 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 1: credit could also be stressed. So there are big concerns 184 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: over the banking set right now, and the Bank of 185 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 1: Japan doesn't need to reassure participants. Jane Folly's senior currency 186 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 1: strategist had Ravel Bank, thanks for joining us this morning. 187 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 1: The Abbot St jude call is underway and Abbott officials 188 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:42,080 Speaker 1: are saying the St JUDEAI will yield five million dollars 189 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 1: half a billion dollars in synergies by twenty twenty. That's 190 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:53,200 Speaker 1: the first headline out of that call. And let's check 191 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,959 Speaker 1: in with Michael Barr and get the latest world in 192 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 1: national headlines like Brank David. Thank you very much, Bernie Sanders, 193 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,320 Speaker 1: as you will be laying off hundreds of paid staffers 194 00:11:02,440 --> 00:11:06,199 Speaker 1: with his presidential campaign. Sanders told The New York Times, 195 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 1: our resources will be allocated to the fourteen contests that remain. 196 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 1: Sanders spokesman says the campaign would continue to have a 197 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:18,040 Speaker 1: staff from one thousand to more than three hundred. Syrian 198 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:20,600 Speaker 1: Monitoring Group and and the First Responders Team say new 199 00:11:20,640 --> 00:11:22,560 Speaker 1: air strikes on the rebel held part of the city 200 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:26,240 Speaker 1: of Aleppo have killed twenty people. That brings the death 201 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:28,559 Speaker 1: toll in Aleppo in the past twenty four hours to 202 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:32,559 Speaker 1: at least sixty one. South Korea says North Korea apparently 203 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:36,440 Speaker 1: fired an intermediate range missile today, but that missile crashed 204 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,800 Speaker 1: moments after liftoff. Global News twenty four hours a day, 205 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: powered by our twenty four hundred journalists and more than 206 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:45,640 Speaker 1: a hundred fifty news bureaus from around the world. On 207 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: Michael bar Mike David, Thank you, Michael. We're keeping an 208 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:52,319 Speaker 1: eye on Abbot and St. Jude Chairs twenty five billion 209 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 1: dollar merging today. Abbott seems to be losing ground down 210 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:58,559 Speaker 1: nine percent right now, but St Jude Chairs up twenty 211 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 1: five it much more. Coming up here on Bloomberg Surveillance, 212 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 1: will continue to chew over that news from the Bank 213 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:12,319 Speaker 1: of Japan with John Vale, currency strategist at NICO. Will 214 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 1: also be talking about the latest GDP numbers coming out 215 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 1: here at eight thirty Wall Street time. That's coming up 216 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 1: on Bloomberg Surveillance