1 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Bloomberg Panel podcast. I'm Paul swing you 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: along with my co host Lisa Brahmas. Each day we 3 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:10,399 Speaker 1: bring you the most noteworthy and useful interviews for you 4 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:12,640 Speaker 1: and your money, whether at the grocery store or the 5 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: trading floor. Find a Bloomberg penl podcast on Apple podcast 6 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to podcasts, as well as at 7 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:22,560 Speaker 1: Bloomberg dot com. Let's bring in Max Abel, centrefinance reporter 8 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: for us here at Bloomberg, to give a sense of 9 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: what his big takeaway has been so far from the hearing. 10 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 1: So Max, well, look, I have to say, these executives 11 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:35,919 Speaker 1: look confident, they look unrattled. I don't know a few 12 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: folks are watching, but it opened. The hearing is opened 13 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: with Maxine Waters trying to sort of like rabbit tat tat, 14 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: go through a lightning round, a lightning round. That's right, 15 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: it was a lightning round. She was um interrupting them. 16 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: They were sort of interrupting each other, she was plowing 17 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:52,479 Speaker 1: through questions. I mean it was fascinating and as a 18 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: viewer and a live blogger here for the Bloomber Terminal, 19 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: I mean, honestly, it was exciting. But there has not 20 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: been um and there have not been any bombshells there. 21 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 1: There hasn't been anything scandalous and exciting. There hasn't even 22 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: been a moment as um shocking as when Manuchin told 23 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 1: Maxine Waters just in the last forty eight hours, you 24 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:15,399 Speaker 1: know that she had to bang her gabble as as 25 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 1: the Treasury Secretary told her um not long ago. You know, 26 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:24,320 Speaker 1: the reality is it's been um relatively predictable, nothing crazy. 27 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 1: So Max, what would be a successful day here for 28 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:32,559 Speaker 1: these CEOs sitting in front of the Congress people, Well, 29 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: remember what this hearing is. It's it's about accountability, and 30 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:40,479 Speaker 1: if they can leave today giving Congress a sense that 31 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: you know, these banks are manageable, they're relatively ethical, and 32 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 1: you know that what they're trying to do is help 33 00:01:49,960 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 1: the country and helps the economy rather than trying to 34 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: hurt the country and hurt the economy, which was I 35 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: think it's fair to say, is a picture that that 36 00:01:56,960 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 1: critics had in their mind, you know, not long ago, 37 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: in the wake of the fine into crisis, that that 38 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: counts as his success. But you know, it's also possible 39 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: that Congress members will get in somebody blows over things 40 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: like investments in guns or forced arbitration, or by the way, 41 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:14,800 Speaker 1: a lack of diversity. What we're seeing is, you know, 42 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: seven white men standing in a row, just like in 43 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:19,960 Speaker 1: the tobacco hearings in the nineties. I'm wondering if that's 44 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: going to come up later today. It's interesting Lloyd Blank 45 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 1: find the former chief executive of Goldman Sachs just tweeting out, boy, 46 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: I really missed my old job. Exclamation point, exclamation point, 47 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 1: exclamation point, and he was he was quoting a tweet 48 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 1: from the New York Post of lawmakers grilling Wall Street 49 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 1: big wigs over risks to the U S economy. It 50 00:02:37,639 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 1: does sort of highlight how being the CEO of a 51 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,360 Speaker 1: major Wall Street bank is increasingly political, and it is 52 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 1: a political role. And it is interesting to note this 53 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 1: at a time when Wells Fargo is looking for another 54 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: head and you know, what is that role at this point? 55 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: I mean, can you talk a little bit about that. 56 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 1: Well the reason that Wells Fargo is looking for a 57 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: new chief executive officer is because the last one did 58 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:03,800 Speaker 1: a pretty infamous job when he was hauled before Congress 59 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 1: not too long ago. Politics are a part of of 60 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,239 Speaker 1: of Wall Street and Wall Street is a part of politics. 61 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 1: One thing that we've been tracking on the live blog 62 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: is that, um, even Democrats like Caroline Maloney and and 63 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 1: especially Republicans, some of their top donors, in some cases, 64 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 1: their literal top donors over their political careers are banks 65 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 1: or a bank lobbying group. You know, politics and finance 66 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:28,239 Speaker 1: are really intertwined in the United States, and I think 67 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 1: the starkest reminder of that is that some of these 68 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:32,640 Speaker 1: ceo s, you know, some some of the banks that 69 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 1: they worked for, would not be functioning companies if it 70 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 1: hadn't been for the bailout. Um, and now it's now, 71 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, it's eleven years ago, it's more than 72 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 1: decade ago. So politics are it's just a crucial part 73 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: of of of what happens on Wall Street. But so far, 74 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:51,320 Speaker 1: it feels like that, um, these executives have the upper hand. 75 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 1: They they sort of um, they just seem relatively calm 76 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: and comfortable. So Max, let's let's take a look at 77 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: Jamie Diamond. It seems like a lot of the questions 78 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 1: are going to him. He's taking in some cases the 79 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 1: lead here. How do you think his performance has been 80 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:06,240 Speaker 1: so far? Well, First of all, you also have to 81 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: give a shout out to Maxine Waters performance. She opened 82 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: this by saying, I've read that you all you executives 83 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: are going to try to rely on Jamie Diamond taking 84 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 1: the microphone, and I'm not going to allow that. So 85 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,800 Speaker 1: she she preempted Diamond was feeling the spotlight for too long, 86 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: which you know, I just have to say I thought 87 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: was fascinating. Diamond is such an important influential character on 88 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: Wall Street. I mean, first of all, all of the 89 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:30,239 Speaker 1: executives here are essentially, you know, pups compared to Jamie Diamond. 90 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 1: We have you know, Solomon who took his job you know, 91 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:37,279 Speaker 1: months ago. We have Charlie Sharf up on up on 92 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: sitting sitting a couple of seats away. Sharf was basically 93 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,679 Speaker 1: Diamond's protege at JP Morgan um and then he lost 94 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 1: his job and and and ended up an executive elsewhere 95 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 1: at Wells Fargo. By the way, um My, my excellent 96 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:54,039 Speaker 1: colleague Hannah did did a rundown of all the people 97 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:56,159 Speaker 1: who might take over the CEO spot it Wells Fargo, 98 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: and a couple of them are people who now work 99 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 1: or have worked for Jamie Diamond. So he's just such 100 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: a powerful, such an influential figure. You know, he's also 101 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 1: just in a superficial sense, he's just also a really 102 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: magnetic guy. You know, he captures the attention of the room, 103 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 1: which is why I want to listeners that, well, why 104 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:17,160 Speaker 1: is a complicated question, but I want to warrant folks that, um, 105 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:20,840 Speaker 1: Michelle Davis and I wrote about a really interesting sort 106 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: of ecosystem of protesters who've been following Jamie Diamond around. 107 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 1: You know, he's magnetic not only in the sense that 108 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: he attracts um you know, fans, he's magnetic in the 109 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:32,479 Speaker 1: sense that he also attracts critics. And we we wrote 110 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 1: about critics who have been falling around the United States, 111 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: which is why I think it's fair to say that 112 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:39,159 Speaker 1: later this afternoon, it's totally possible we're going to hear 113 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:42,839 Speaker 1: from from Chase critics. Um in in hearing itself. All right, 114 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 1: So let's switch gears a little bit, because this all 115 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 1: comes ahead of bank earnings, and that'll get kicked off 116 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 1: talking about Jamie Diamond, JP Morgan. It will be among 117 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: the first to report alongside Walls Fargo, and I'm just 118 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 1: wondering how that backdrop complicates these hearings, the fact that 119 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: banks are expected to report uh subdued numbers at best, 120 00:06:01,760 --> 00:06:04,720 Speaker 1: especially due to a lack of volumes in fixed income 121 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:09,600 Speaker 1: trading and just in general feeling of malaise in markets 122 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 1: during the first quarter. How does that affect these hearings? 123 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 1: You know, I think that you can't take your eye 124 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 1: off the ball of of the big picture, which is 125 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: that the banks um are still so remarkably profitable. You know, 126 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:27,480 Speaker 1: over the last um a few years, they've gotten, they've 127 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 1: gotten bigger, they've they've they've quite literally made more money 128 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:35,000 Speaker 1: than they've ever made before. And I think that it 129 00:06:35,040 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 1: will be hard for Wall Street to plead um tough 130 00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:43,600 Speaker 1: times or to focus on fear um when just I 131 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: think that it would be easy for ban critics just 132 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,160 Speaker 1: to point out just just a simple scale of how 133 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: big they've gotten and and how and how lucrative their 134 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 1: businesses have been, even if the short term outlook might 135 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 1: might look starker than I'd like. So, Max, where do 136 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 1: you think, and you've mentioned that this morning session was 137 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 1: relatively a tame where do you think, uh, some of 138 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:08,919 Speaker 1: these banks CEOs could be exposed here in front of 139 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 1: the committee. Well, you know, one change we've seen recently, 140 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 1: after after Michelle Davis and I wrote wrote that story 141 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: that I mentioned about the ecosystem of skers, is that 142 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: UM JP Morgan came out and they said, you know, 143 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,200 Speaker 1: actually we're no longer going to do business. We're no 144 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 1: longer going to fund private prisons. UM. And you know, 145 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: I have to say, as a journalist who had written 146 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 1: about the subject only a few months earlier, I was 147 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: really surprised. It was sort of amazing to see UM 148 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 1: the powerful kind of change their ways thanks to the 149 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 1: actions of of of relatively powerless critics that JP Morgan 150 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: made a decision that they were going to change. It 151 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 1: would be fascinating if private prisons come up again. It'll 152 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: be fascinating to see how much UM attention climate change 153 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: Cole uh Guns get. We saw David Solomon talk about 154 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 1: not funding I believe, you know, bum bumber stock. You know, 155 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: any of these things could become big, big, big attention 156 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 1: grabbing headlines, even even a relatively boring subject that's close 157 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: to my heart because I've been reporting on it here 158 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:09,679 Speaker 1: at Bloomberg News. Arbitration force arbitration that came up once. 159 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:12,120 Speaker 1: You know, it's totally possible that that will get some 160 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 1: more oxygen. Again, I think the question is, though you 161 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 1: know how how long the oxygen lasts? Just real quick here, 162 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 1: can you tell us the sort of nuts and bolts 163 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 1: of what's at stake with the arbitration issue. Yeah, honestly, 164 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 1: I'm strilled that you would ask so force arbutration was 165 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: basically a subject that no one really cared about only 166 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: a few years ago. Even though arbitration, which if if 167 00:08:32,800 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: listeners don't know, it's basically kind of like a parallel 168 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: shadow system. You know, it's separate from courts, it's a 169 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 1: privatized justice system, and it essentially was just kind of 170 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:45,559 Speaker 1: tiny only a few decades ago, but it's it's now gigantic. 171 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: You know, if you're listening to this and you have 172 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:48,600 Speaker 1: a job, the chances are you have also signed an 173 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 1: arbitration agreement that means you can't see your boss, and 174 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 1: certainly if you're a customer of these banks, there's also 175 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: a good chance you've also signed an arbitration agreement, which 176 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: which would mean that you won't be able to sue 177 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:02,199 Speaker 1: these firms. And that caused a great amount of consternation 178 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 1: among critics um who care about both employees and consumers. Now, 179 00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: the banks will say, or employers will say, arbitration is, 180 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,359 Speaker 1: you know, affair system. It's cheaper. It's kind of less embarrassing, 181 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:14,800 Speaker 1: you know, because if someone has a has a claim, 182 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 1: you know, it doesn't have to go into court. You 183 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:19,079 Speaker 1: can sort of keep it, keep it relatively quiet. The 184 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:22,119 Speaker 1: rub there is it in the ME two era. Arbitration 185 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:27,080 Speaker 1: helps explain why you haven't seen as many harassment claims. Um, 186 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:29,480 Speaker 1: you don't fall under the spotlight because as you might otherwise, 187 00:09:29,480 --> 00:09:31,719 Speaker 1: because they get trapped in the arbitration system. That's the 188 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 1: kind of thing I'll be looking forward to seeing. We'll 189 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,439 Speaker 1: be looking forward to reading. Max Abelson. We're gonna have 190 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 1: to stop it there. Thank you so much for joining 191 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: us on short notice. We appreciate it. Max Abelson from 192 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:57,959 Speaker 1: Bloomberg News covering all things financials. Our next guest has 193 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:01,199 Speaker 1: a very interesting theory how we can be come better investors. 194 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:04,320 Speaker 1: We could become better investors not by playing the cards 195 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,679 Speaker 1: were dealt any harder, but by playing the other players 196 00:10:07,720 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: at the table a lot smarter. Ben Hunt, co founder, 197 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:14,240 Speaker 1: chief investment officer of Second Foundation Partners, joins us. He's 198 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:17,719 Speaker 1: also creator an author of Epsilon theory joins us from 199 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: reading Connecticut. Ben, thanks so much for joining us. Start 200 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 1: off by just giving us your theory about how we 201 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:28,120 Speaker 1: can become better investors. You bet, Paul great, great to 202 00:10:28,160 --> 00:10:30,320 Speaker 1: be on with you and Lisa. You know what I 203 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 1: mean when I say that we need to play the 204 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: players rather than just play the cards. Is I think 205 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 1: it's really important again, whether you're playing poker or you're 206 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:42,319 Speaker 1: playing the markets, to step back and and understand what 207 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:46,079 Speaker 1: what are the stories that at the poker table people 208 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 1: are telling you with their bets and their bluffs, and 209 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: in markets? What are the stories that we are reading 210 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: in the financial media? What what? What are the what 211 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,120 Speaker 1: are the drums that Wall Street is beating? And I 212 00:10:57,160 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 1: think if you step back and you try to look 213 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 1: at that, you can give you a real edge up 214 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 1: and understanding where markets are going and how you can 215 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 1: play a better game. So give us a sense of 216 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:07,959 Speaker 1: what that means today. I mean, what is the drum 217 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: that Wall Street is beating right now? It's the narrative? Sure, sure, well, 218 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 1: let me start with the drums that aren't beating, because 219 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:17,520 Speaker 1: last year this time last year, we had strong drum beating, 220 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: a strong narrative that inflation was back and rearing its head, 221 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 1: that there were concerns about that that coming back. And 222 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:27,680 Speaker 1: then at the end of the spring, going into the 223 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 1: summer and certainly last fall, you had the the trade 224 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:33,920 Speaker 1: war narrative that uh, you know, we're on the verge 225 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:38,679 Speaker 1: of of of a real global economic slow down, if 226 00:11:38,679 --> 00:11:43,200 Speaker 1: not collapse, and leading to the sharp decline you saw 227 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:48,199 Speaker 1: in risk assets last fall and then culminating in December. 228 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:51,600 Speaker 1: But what you saw in December was a resurgence of 229 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 1: our old friend, the narrative that central banks are large 230 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 1: and in charge, the narrative that central banks have got 231 00:11:57,240 --> 00:12:00,040 Speaker 1: your back. And so far this year in tooth I 232 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:03,720 Speaker 1: was in nineteen, that has absolutely been that dominant narrative 233 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:08,000 Speaker 1: that whatever happens in the world right, whatever happens around Brexit, 234 00:12:08,160 --> 00:12:11,920 Speaker 1: or whatever happens with China, or whatever happens anywhere, that 235 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:15,280 Speaker 1: the Fed, the ECB, the central banks of the world, 236 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 1: that they've got your back. So, Ben, what as you 237 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 1: take a look at the other players at the table 238 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:24,040 Speaker 1: right now, what are you learning? What are you thinking about? 239 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 1: Where you I think opportunities lie? Yeah, Well, what's interesting 240 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:30,959 Speaker 1: is that is that while the you know, the central 241 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 1: bank narrative. The this this this idea that that the 242 00:12:34,600 --> 00:12:38,000 Speaker 1: FED and foremost of all of them, has got your back. 243 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:40,719 Speaker 1: You know, this isn't new, right, We've been we've been 244 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 1: We've seeing the promotion this narrative and the reality of it, frankly, 245 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 1: but but it is a lot of the narrative here, 246 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: the belief that the FED is there to to support markets. 247 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: You know, we've been seeing this for the better part 248 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 1: of the decade. Now. What's what's interesting to me is 249 00:12:57,040 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: is not that that narrative shows any sign of weakening, 250 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 1: because it's it's not, if anything, when you look at 251 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:06,240 Speaker 1: what the White House is saying and in you know, 252 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:08,840 Speaker 1: in terms of really trying to push the FED to 253 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 1: do more to stimulate right, to do more easing rather 254 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 1: than tightening. You know, I don't think that this, this 255 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: drum beating, whether it's from the White House or from 256 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 1: the Wall Street, is going to go away at all. 257 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 1: But I'll tell you this, I do see it changing. 258 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:25,680 Speaker 1: And then the way I see it evolving is away 259 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 1: from all central banks linking arms and doing this together. 260 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:32,199 Speaker 1: And more and more you're seeing stories in the narrative 261 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 1: about a competition, particularly around currencies, particularly between the US 262 00:13:36,440 --> 00:13:40,360 Speaker 1: and Europe. So practically, what does this mean in terms 263 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 1: of it Practically, it means that that that both the 264 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:45,679 Speaker 1: ECB and the FED are going to take steps to 265 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:49,959 Speaker 1: weaken their currencies. As an investor, like what should investor 266 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: to do well? For investors, it depends way what aspect 267 00:13:54,559 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 1: you're you're thinking about investing. So if you're looking the 268 00:13:57,240 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 1: fixed income market, I think you've got a real chance 269 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:03,160 Speaker 1: here that, uh, the the inflation narrative will start to 270 00:14:03,200 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: pick up again because the U s economy is frankly strong, 271 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:09,079 Speaker 1: and the FED is going to do more to weaken, 272 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:13,160 Speaker 1: not to tighten. So that's if you're if you're looking 273 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:15,679 Speaker 1: at anything that's going to be inflation sensitive, and if 274 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 1: you're looking at stuff that's right sensitive, especially on the 275 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:21,320 Speaker 1: long end, you know that's that's a that's a negative 276 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 1: thing to happen. But if you're looking for stocks, look, 277 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 1: I mean both in the Europe and and and here 278 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 1: in the States, both central banks are going to do 279 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,080 Speaker 1: more of what they've been doing, which is very supportive 280 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 1: for equity markets. So Ben just kind of going back 281 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 1: to your theory a little bit, is it, And I'm 282 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 1: just kind of reading through a little bit is this 283 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 1: kind of a a new way to kind of look 284 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 1: at money flows. You know, I want to go, I 285 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 1: want to hit more. They ain't kind of thing. Well, 286 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 1: it's it's it's an old idea, really, I mean the 287 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 1: it's it's the old idea that and this goes back to, 288 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 1: you know, how people played the game of markets back 289 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: in the thirties and the forties and the fifties and 290 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 1: the sixties. It's really looking at where is the money going? 291 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 1: Who are the other players on Wall Street? Including who 292 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:06,120 Speaker 1: are the players like at the FED and the White 293 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 1: House and the like. And frankly, it's not looking less 294 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 1: at fundamentals, but realizing that in this sort of world, 295 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: the fundamentals mean less and these money flows mean a 296 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 1: lot more. So how do you factor in the algos, 297 00:15:20,840 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 1: the quantitative funds that are doing ostensibly a lot of 298 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 1: the trading and equities and frankly increasingly even in the 299 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 1: bond markets. I just have to wonder, you know, people 300 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 1: when there's price action that doesn't make sense or seems 301 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 1: you know, overly need jerk, people just said, you know, say, oh, 302 00:15:35,520 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 1: it's the algals. How do you how do you work 303 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:42,080 Speaker 1: with them? Playing poker? Against you. Well, yeah, that's right. 304 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 1: Well I'll say two things. So, so, most most of 305 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:47,200 Speaker 1: the algos that are out there are not what i'll 306 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: call fast twitch investors. They're they're they're barges, right, so 307 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 1: they can rebalance monthly, they rebalance slowly, and so there 308 00:15:56,720 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 1: they really are like a barge and they follow along. 309 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:02,560 Speaker 1: I'm trying to say is that at the margins, it 310 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 1: actually makes the importance of discretionary investors, people who listen 311 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 1: to this radio show and do something, people who are 312 00:16:09,840 --> 00:16:13,440 Speaker 1: you know, managing a discretionary fund. When you when you're 313 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 1: when you're when you're in the river with a lot 314 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 1: of barges, it actually provides a lot more room for 315 00:16:18,880 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 1: the the speedboats to to to make an impact. Right. 316 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 1: So it's it's it's interesting that you're right that that 317 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 1: more of the dollar volume, more of the money flows 318 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 1: in terms of absolute amounts, is handled with these i'll 319 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 1: call them kind of barge like algorithms, but they follow along. 320 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 1: And so it really is is it's interesting to me, 321 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 1: is that the human money, I think, can actually make 322 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 1: more of a difference. And so what I'm trying to 323 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:50,880 Speaker 1: look at is is what is the human money doing 324 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:54,760 Speaker 1: and what is the behavior of investors. That's where I 325 00:16:54,760 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: think you need to go in terms of playing the player. 326 00:16:57,640 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 1: So Ben, you know, one of the things that's interesting 327 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:03,160 Speaker 1: for active investors over the last several years the impact 328 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:06,119 Speaker 1: of social media as a way to kind of track 329 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: investors sentiment, who's paying attention to what stocks, to what stories? 330 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:12,919 Speaker 1: And Bloomberg has a lot of functionality on the terminal 331 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:15,639 Speaker 1: to help terminal users kind of track that is that 332 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:19,640 Speaker 1: kind of a twenty one century way or an analogy 333 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:22,360 Speaker 1: to kind of money flows or reading the tape from 334 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:26,280 Speaker 1: days of viewer. It's similar. But I'll but I'll tell 335 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:28,280 Speaker 1: you this when you're looking at social media. You know, 336 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:33,359 Speaker 1: we talked about influencers a lot, right, and and that 337 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:36,760 Speaker 1: that corollary for markets is it's not how many people 338 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:39,680 Speaker 1: are talking about something, whether we're you know, whether it's 339 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:44,240 Speaker 1: social media or or it's uh, you know, television or newspaper, 340 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 1: it's who is talking about it. So it's it's it's 341 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: really I think much more important to follow the influencers because, 342 00:17:52,920 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: as the name implies, they really do have an influence. 343 00:17:56,359 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 1: We really are hardwired to respond to this stuff. And 344 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 1: that's true if you're you know, a Twitter follower, or 345 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 1: on or on Instagram and you're following an influencer, or 346 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:09,000 Speaker 1: if you're listening to this show or two to end 347 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 1: the financial media, and you know J Powell decides to 348 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:15,440 Speaker 1: come out and say something. So I'll say this, when 349 00:18:15,440 --> 00:18:18,159 Speaker 1: we're looking at media and we're looking at these signals 350 00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:21,359 Speaker 1: that come out of the narrative, it's less important to 351 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,440 Speaker 1: see how many people are saying something, and much more 352 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:27,880 Speaker 1: important to say who is saying something. Ben Hunt, thank 353 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 1: you so much for being with us. Ben Hunt, co 354 00:18:29,880 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 1: founder and chief investment officer of Second Foundation Partners. Well, 355 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:52,360 Speaker 1: the right hailing business is going to get even more 356 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,360 Speaker 1: crowded in the US public apprigity markets. First we had 357 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 1: Lift going public, and now news is coming out that 358 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:00,760 Speaker 1: Uber is right behind like a a file in the 359 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:03,080 Speaker 1: next day or two. But as I look at Lift here, 360 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:06,119 Speaker 1: the stock is down six point two percent today to 361 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:09,639 Speaker 1: sixty three dollars to share. Notable that it is well 362 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 1: below it's seventy two I p O price. So at 363 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 1: least the first right sharing investors are not feeling the love. 364 00:19:16,040 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 1: Let's talk about the space in general. It's a lot 365 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,440 Speaker 1: going on. We welcome Man Deep sing Man Deep is 366 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: a senior tech industry annalys for Bloomberg Intelligence. He ran 367 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:26,640 Speaker 1: literally ran to see us here in a Bloomberg Interactive 368 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 1: broker studio. He did take a car. Okay, sorry, I'll 369 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:34,119 Speaker 1: be all week. So man, Deep, let's start with what 370 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:36,880 Speaker 1: we'll get to Uber. But let's start with Lift. It's 371 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: not the I p O they were looking for, right 372 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: what do what do you think is going on here? 373 00:19:40,640 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 1: I think and I compare Lift to Uber. Uber is 374 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 1: definitely the iconic brand, you know, with scale that's probably 375 00:19:48,920 --> 00:19:52,080 Speaker 1: more brand value than you know, anybody else out there 376 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:55,439 Speaker 1: in the right sharing space. So it really reflects the 377 00:19:55,560 --> 00:19:58,760 Speaker 1: pressure you know, as an investor, as a right sharing investor, 378 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 1: which one would you pick? And my guess is, you know, 379 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 1: given of Uber is much more diversified, it has got 380 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:11,560 Speaker 1: a lot more value generation potential than Lift. Now, the 381 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:13,960 Speaker 1: difference between Lift and Uber is, you know, when you 382 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:19,040 Speaker 1: look at take rates or average revenue provider, Lift is 383 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:21,840 Speaker 1: probably going to be better because of its niche focus. 384 00:20:21,920 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 1: But that's not what investors are going to focus on 385 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:27,399 Speaker 1: because this space is not profitable at all. So it 386 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:32,399 Speaker 1: doesn't matter, you know, even if Lift, it just doesn't 387 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:35,840 Speaker 1: matter money you're baking it? Who cares? I love this 388 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 1: image of Lift coming out and putting their I p 389 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:40,399 Speaker 1: O on the market, getting their thing, and then Uber 390 00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:43,280 Speaker 1: coming in with you know, two big guns, like shooting 391 00:20:43,320 --> 00:20:45,880 Speaker 1: at the sky, being like here we come. I'm wondering. 392 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:48,119 Speaker 1: So the estimate is that they're going to get about 393 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 1: ten billion dollars in the year's biggest ip O. Do 394 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 1: you think it's gonna be over under? Do you think 395 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: it seems like it's being fairly valued? How do we 396 00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 1: even assess the value of a company that makes no 397 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 1: money and has so in this case, from what we 398 00:21:01,760 --> 00:21:06,119 Speaker 1: have learned so far, Uber is about five times bigger 399 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 1: than Lift in terms of bookings, in terms of revenue. 400 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:13,200 Speaker 1: So the fact that they're trying to raise ten billion 401 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 1: makes sense because Lift phrases raised for two billion dollars 402 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 1: close to billion dollars in the ip So from that perspective, 403 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:23,400 Speaker 1: it makes sense. And my guesses they would have probably 404 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:27,040 Speaker 1: eleven of their float as well, so it will be 405 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 1: you know, oversubscribed, that would be my best guess, and 406 00:21:30,920 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 1: it would kind of have a similar first day trading 407 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 1: uh like Lift. But it remains to be seen how 408 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:39,880 Speaker 1: it will trade. You know, a month or two down 409 00:21:39,960 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 1: the line. Given all the focus on profitability and cash burn, alright, 410 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 1: let's let's go to those fundamental things like profitability and 411 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,120 Speaker 1: cash burn. Um so lay after people? Why. I guess 412 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 1: what Lisa and I've heard from fund managers that we've 413 00:21:53,480 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 1: talked to on the show, is there really is a 414 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 1: concern about that path the profitability. It's maybe more so 415 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 1: and they we we thought about when Facebook and Google 416 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 1: were coming public. What's different about these companies and makes 417 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 1: it difficult to really envision that path of profitability. I 418 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 1: think the biggest problem with right sharing business in general 419 00:22:14,119 --> 00:22:17,119 Speaker 1: is the economies of scale are missing. So when I 420 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 1: look at the cost structure, there is no fixed cost 421 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:24,640 Speaker 1: structure for right sharing. The cost grow as you're scaling 422 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:28,000 Speaker 1: the business, which is unheard off. And you look at 423 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:32,160 Speaker 1: you know, any other businesses with scale and fixed cost structure, 424 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 1: you get operating leverage. That's not happening in case off Lift, 425 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:38,680 Speaker 1: that's not happening in case of Uber, which is five 426 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:41,399 Speaker 1: times bigger than Lift. So when will they see the 427 00:22:41,440 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 1: economies of scale? When will the cost structure be stabilized 428 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:47,400 Speaker 1: so that you see operating leverage? And yeah, who knows 429 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:49,879 Speaker 1: right and Deep thing. We're speaking with senior tech industry 430 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:53,359 Speaker 1: analysts for Bloomberg Intelligence. Ben Deep, I'm wondering, Uh, you know, 431 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 1: you say that maybe investors will start to care about 432 00:22:56,680 --> 00:23:00,400 Speaker 1: cash burn and making money a month or two after 433 00:23:00,480 --> 00:23:02,600 Speaker 1: the I p O. Why don't they care about it 434 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:05,040 Speaker 1: before buying into the I p O? I mean, I 435 00:23:05,080 --> 00:23:07,320 Speaker 1: know this is crazy, but why are they gonna wait, 436 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:12,119 Speaker 1: you know, a month to care the euphoria around an 437 00:23:12,359 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 1: iconic brand? I mean think of Were as a global brand. 438 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 1: This is like as big as Amazon investors here with 439 00:23:19,359 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: actual money, right, I mean euphoria, I get it, But 440 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 1: I mean why would they care later? Am I crazy? This? 441 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:27,080 Speaker 1: This is what having been in an I p O banker, 442 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:30,359 Speaker 1: what happens is you get the scarcity value of surrounding 443 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 1: initial public offering and you're you're afraid to miss out. 444 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:36,399 Speaker 1: So it's you know, I really want to own X 445 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 1: number shares, so I'm gonna go put an indication interest 446 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:42,480 Speaker 1: of ten x and then I then oh boy, I 447 00:23:42,520 --> 00:23:44,080 Speaker 1: got two shares and now what do I do with them? 448 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: So there's some of those issues, But I mean, I 449 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 1: guess it's interesting for LIFT. They did go first before Uber, 450 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:54,399 Speaker 1: I guess most people thought it was an advantage, but 451 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:58,120 Speaker 1: maybe not in hindsight. Well, I mean it was an 452 00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 1: advantage because they owned the narrative for the time and 453 00:24:01,359 --> 00:24:04,359 Speaker 1: they were able to raise the IPO pricing. Remember Lift 454 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:06,359 Speaker 1: raise the ip of pricing. They were priced at the 455 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:08,679 Speaker 1: high end, and the stock had a good pop the 456 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:11,720 Speaker 1: first day. The problem is this is happening too close. 457 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:15,160 Speaker 1: You know, right after a lift, Uber is announcing it's 458 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:19,119 Speaker 1: as one within two weeks of that, and so there's 459 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 1: already been a lot of focus in terms of the 460 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: path to profitability. So it begs the question, how quickly 461 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 1: can they get there? Okay, I want to ask the 462 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 1: Flip question, which is didn't hurt Uber to come second 463 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:34,160 Speaker 1: in the sense that lifts I p O is down, 464 00:24:34,359 --> 00:24:36,520 Speaker 1: you know, and you are seeing a rocky kind of 465 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: start to the whole share share registration. So I'm just wondering, 466 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 1: you know, for Uber's sake, could people say, you know, 467 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:46,879 Speaker 1: I kind of was burned on Lift. I'm not gonna 468 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:51,440 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna feel as euphoric. I think it Uber 469 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:57,080 Speaker 1: the brand value ements. It's just the I think people 470 00:24:57,119 --> 00:24:59,840 Speaker 1: are going to invest in Uber for for its brand 471 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:03,160 Speaker 1: or its value generation potential, and they're going to view 472 00:25:03,160 --> 00:25:06,040 Speaker 1: it the same way as an Amazon or Facebook or 473 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,600 Speaker 1: one of these you know, big companies. So let's talk 474 00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 1: about evaluation a little bit. Where where did Lift come public? 475 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:15,680 Speaker 1: Give us kind of a metric, and then maybe where 476 00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:17,720 Speaker 1: do you think Uber is going to come in above that? 477 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:22,880 Speaker 1: Below that? Yeah? So Lift traded initially at about ten 478 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:25,880 Speaker 1: times strilling twelve months sales. That now, that was at 479 00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: the very high end. I think in case of Uber, 480 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:32,520 Speaker 1: it's reasonable to expect that they will trade at the 481 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:35,440 Speaker 1: ten time sales metric as well. So that should take 482 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:39,120 Speaker 1: them above the hundred billion dollar market cap. And uh yeah, 483 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:41,879 Speaker 1: that's that's a reasonable expectation. So I want to go 484 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: to something. You just said that Uber is going to 485 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,640 Speaker 1: be in the same camp as Amazon. Is that right? 486 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,199 Speaker 1: I mean, in other words, what is the barrier to 487 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:54,919 Speaker 1: entry with ridesharing company other than recognition and the downloads 488 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:59,560 Speaker 1: of the app on on people's smartphones. It seems like 489 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:02,720 Speaker 1: the barrier to entry is bigger with Amazon. That is 490 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 1: for Uber. Well, right, sharing is a consolidated space, so 491 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:10,679 Speaker 1: you may hear about new companies coming up, you know, 492 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 1: trying to cater to a knit segment, but right now, 493 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:16,760 Speaker 1: right sharing, the way I look at it, globally, there 494 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:19,920 Speaker 1: are four to five players. Soft Bank is an investor 495 00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:23,960 Speaker 1: in almost all of them, and it's a very consolidated market, which, 496 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 1: to be very honest, helps should help them with the 497 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:32,040 Speaker 1: profitability aspect. And a new entrant can have, you know, 498 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:34,520 Speaker 1: create the same kind of scale, and they don't have 499 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:38,320 Speaker 1: the same data as Uber and Lift have around the drivers, 500 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: around riders, around city, so that's a competitive advantage. I 501 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:44,160 Speaker 1: think about the one of the pushbacks that we heard, 502 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:46,680 Speaker 1: not just for Lift and Uber but the other tech 503 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,760 Speaker 1: um companies in generalists is the super voting stock and 504 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:52,800 Speaker 1: the control that puts into the founders. Is that something 505 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:56,160 Speaker 1: that you think is a real investor concern or most 506 00:26:56,160 --> 00:26:58,359 Speaker 1: people just pretty sanguente about it. So I think that 507 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:01,240 Speaker 1: should play out favorably for the Uber i p O. 508 00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:04,239 Speaker 1: The fact that they don't have special voting rights, the 509 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:08,200 Speaker 1: fact that you know, everybody is an equal investor or 510 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:11,760 Speaker 1: will be an equal investor in Uber, I think should 511 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:15,199 Speaker 1: be favorable for the Uber i p O. But I 512 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:19,720 Speaker 1: think with Lift, given its niche focus, having control with 513 00:27:19,800 --> 00:27:22,080 Speaker 1: the founders isn't such a bad thing. I think they 514 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:25,600 Speaker 1: can steer where they're going with monetization and expansion, and 515 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:27,199 Speaker 1: that may not be a bad thing. What about the 516 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:29,600 Speaker 1: regulatory risks here the idea that you have a lot 517 00:27:29,600 --> 00:27:32,320 Speaker 1: of cities pushing back, especially because of cab drivers that 518 00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 1: are getting put out of business. Do you see that 519 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:39,320 Speaker 1: as being a material threat that is incalculable and concerning 520 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:44,720 Speaker 1: for investors that are overcome by their euphoria. Evidently absolutely, Yeah, Yeah, 521 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,680 Speaker 1: it is a big threat and something where Uber has 522 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 1: seen a lot of lawsuits and so far as the 523 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:54,160 Speaker 1: settlements they have had have been for smaller amounts, So 524 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:57,879 Speaker 1: I don't think it's that big offer risks, but you 525 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:00,720 Speaker 1: never know if if a big city like New York 526 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:03,320 Speaker 1: or San Francisco comes up with a verdict that goes 527 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:06,120 Speaker 1: against them, this is a huge threat. Okay, So it's 528 00:28:06,119 --> 00:28:08,400 Speaker 1: not just Uber. We've got some other tech IPOs coming 529 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 1: up in the next quarter or two. What else are 530 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:13,720 Speaker 1: you and the b I tech team looking at? So, 531 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:17,440 Speaker 1: pinterest is obviously a big one. You know there there 532 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:21,200 Speaker 1: is a food delivery company, Postmates, that's likely to go public, 533 00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:24,840 Speaker 1: and we just published some research around you know, right 534 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:29,000 Speaker 1: sharing companies likely to acquire food delivery because the top 535 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:31,760 Speaker 1: line growth for right sharing is so much better. They 536 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 1: have such a long runway compared to food delivery, which 537 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:37,960 Speaker 1: is much smaller, and they don't have the scale. So 538 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 1: we think right sharing will be the consolidators. The Ubers 539 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:44,960 Speaker 1: and Lift will eventually end up buying a lot of 540 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:48,440 Speaker 1: food delivery companies and consolidated this space even further. And 541 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:52,160 Speaker 1: those are seamless and and things like that. Those are 542 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:55,200 Speaker 1: the ones, and they're going to become uh, they're gonna 543 00:28:55,240 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 1: fall under Uber and Lift. That's a really interesting thesis 544 00:28:58,000 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: and that actually makes a whole lot of sense. Those 545 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,200 Speaker 1: smart people and Bloomberg Intelligence do the right that smart 546 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:04,360 Speaker 1: research you can find on the Bloomberg terminal. B I 547 00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 1: go all right, man Dave Saying, senior tech industry analyzed 548 00:29:07,560 --> 00:29:13,480 Speaker 1: FORRE you go joining us here and active progress. Guys 549 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:29,440 Speaker 1: Welleen has been a risk on environment, no doubt about that. 550 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:32,720 Speaker 1: Stocks and bonds of both staging strong raunies after that 551 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:37,000 Speaker 1: very week. And to to get a sense of where 552 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:40,240 Speaker 1: there are values in interest rates and in the currency markets, 553 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:43,160 Speaker 1: we welcome to our next guest, ed Al Husseini, senior 554 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:46,680 Speaker 1: interest rate and currency analysts for Columbia, thread Needle Investments. 555 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 1: He joins us from hopefully sunny in warm Minneapolis, Minnesota, 556 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: But somehow I doubt it. Um so, ed, just give 557 00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:55,760 Speaker 1: us a sense from your perspectives, you step back and 558 00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:59,760 Speaker 1: look at the global landscape for interest rates where I'm 559 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:02,960 Speaker 1: sorry for currencies. Where are you seeing value now across 560 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:08,280 Speaker 1: the various currencies? Sure, yeah, so we've had um you know, 561 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:10,320 Speaker 1: the headroom has shrunk a little bit in terms of 562 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:14,200 Speaker 1: you know, currency valuation. I would say the broad pressed 563 00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:16,440 Speaker 1: and this has been our position for some time now, 564 00:30:16,560 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 1: is that the dollar continues to be quite attractive. First, 565 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:22,200 Speaker 1: it's a it's a largely positive carry trade versus most 566 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:24,959 Speaker 1: of the developed market piers. And second, when we look 567 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:27,720 Speaker 1: at growth differentials, you know, despite the fact that we've 568 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:31,120 Speaker 1: had a slowdown here in the US, growth outside the 569 00:30:31,160 --> 00:30:33,960 Speaker 1: US it looks looks particularly weak, you know, particularly in 570 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:37,080 Speaker 1: Europe and Asia. So that differential continues to skew in 571 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:40,080 Speaker 1: favor of the dollar. So being long dollar versus versus 572 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:42,360 Speaker 1: the Euro looks attractive. And then if you look at 573 00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:45,680 Speaker 1: the smaller open economies within the developed market space that 574 00:30:45,720 --> 00:30:48,600 Speaker 1: are starting to ease to accommodate for that slowdown and 575 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 1: global growth. You're looking at Sweden, You're looking at Canada, 576 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:54,840 Speaker 1: you're looking at Australia. Those currencies continue to look quite 577 00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:58,320 Speaker 1: vulnerable as well. Let's just set the record straight. Minneapolis 578 00:30:58,320 --> 00:31:01,480 Speaker 1: and spring is absolutely beauty, full and ed. Please support 579 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:05,600 Speaker 1: Minneapolis because I lived near there not so long ago, 580 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:10,000 Speaker 1: and it is absolutely a beautiful, beautiful city except for 581 00:31:10,120 --> 00:31:13,800 Speaker 1: in the winter when it's thirty. But I want, I 582 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 1: want to take the other side of this, the Euro 583 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:19,680 Speaker 1: side of this, and talk about positioning, because you're right 584 00:31:19,840 --> 00:31:22,320 Speaker 1: that it does make sense that that Europe is weakening 585 00:31:22,360 --> 00:31:25,000 Speaker 1: more than the US, so on a relative basis, the 586 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:29,080 Speaker 1: dollar seems like it should uh strengthen versus the euro. 587 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:33,560 Speaker 1: And yet the short euro positioning is so crowded right now. 588 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:36,320 Speaker 1: How do you sort of reconcile that or are you 589 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:39,640 Speaker 1: concerned about that? It's a stretch trade. There's there's no 590 00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:42,120 Speaker 1: way around that. I think I think it's absolutely correct 591 00:31:42,120 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 1: to be concerned. Um I think at this point you 592 00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:48,360 Speaker 1: don't want to front run the data to aggressively in 593 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:51,520 Speaker 1: the sense that if you do expect there to be 594 00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:54,600 Speaker 1: some some global reflation coming back onto the table in 595 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:56,840 Speaker 1: the second half of the year, it does make sense 596 00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:00,160 Speaker 1: to start getting along the door at least cut cut 597 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:03,000 Speaker 1: your daughter alongs UM. But you don't want to run 598 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 1: front to run that too aggressively in an environment where 599 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:08,920 Speaker 1: the ECB is still very much firmly focused on on 600 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 1: easing policy while the feed is essentially sitting on its head. Interesting, 601 00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:19,600 Speaker 1: So as we think about Sterling, um sitting here one 602 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:22,800 Speaker 1: let's go to the dark side. If we have a 603 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:27,479 Speaker 1: hard Brexit, where do you think that goes? I mean 604 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:31,800 Speaker 1: the correct answers, I have no clue. Um, It's honest, 605 00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:38,360 Speaker 1: it's an exceptionally difficult UM, you know, set up for 606 00:32:38,360 --> 00:32:41,160 Speaker 1: for the Sterling. At the moment um. You know, we 607 00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:44,160 Speaker 1: have had some some some more positive you know, noise 608 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:47,000 Speaker 1: in in the political set up. In the course of 609 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:50,080 Speaker 1: the past a couple of weeks, the probability of that 610 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:52,440 Speaker 1: of that hard exit, at least in the short term, 611 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:55,719 Speaker 1: seems to have diminished. Um. Whether you're able to trade 612 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:59,160 Speaker 1: on it, uh is very difficult, and it is a 613 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:02,080 Speaker 1: currency where people a position both ways. But those trading 614 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:05,080 Speaker 1: ranges are exceptionally tight right now. UH, you know, whether 615 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:07,200 Speaker 1: you look at the spot space or or or the 616 00:33:07,200 --> 00:33:10,400 Speaker 1: option space. So it's UM, it's a very difficult trade 617 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:13,200 Speaker 1: to set up. So I want to scarce a little 618 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:16,520 Speaker 1: bit too interest rates. Because every analyst and economists who 619 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:18,920 Speaker 1: we speak to, or not everyone, but the vast majority 620 00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:21,440 Speaker 1: say that the bond market is priced in too much 621 00:33:21,520 --> 00:33:24,080 Speaker 1: pessimism in the United States, given how much the U 622 00:33:24,200 --> 00:33:27,960 Speaker 1: S economy is growing, and yet bond yields continue to fall. 623 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:30,400 Speaker 1: So who is right and is it true? Do you 624 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:33,440 Speaker 1: agree with the idea that there is too much pessimism 625 00:33:33,440 --> 00:33:37,400 Speaker 1: baked into where treasure yields are today? I don't think so, 626 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:40,600 Speaker 1: And I think we're right about fair. I think versus 627 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:43,240 Speaker 1: where we were, you know, say three to six months ago, 628 00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:45,959 Speaker 1: there's definitely a lot less value in the longer end 629 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:48,920 Speaker 1: of the curve, so being exposed to treasury duration is 630 00:33:49,280 --> 00:33:51,840 Speaker 1: less attractive at this stage. Um, And I think the 631 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 1: value is shifted to being long in in the front's end, 632 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:56,920 Speaker 1: so that the cash to the two year segment of 633 00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:59,200 Speaker 1: the curve. Uh. That's the way I would set it 634 00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:02,320 Speaker 1: up in terms of you know, the long und trading 635 00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:05,200 Speaker 1: around two fifty right now, it's sort of the medium 636 00:34:05,280 --> 00:34:08,719 Speaker 1: term range has been to thirty five to fifty five. Uh, 637 00:34:08,840 --> 00:34:12,239 Speaker 1: that's very much fair given the rampdown and growth and 638 00:34:12,280 --> 00:34:14,760 Speaker 1: inflation that we've seen, and I think the inflation picture 639 00:34:14,840 --> 00:34:17,759 Speaker 1: to me is much more troubling. Core inflation, you know, 640 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:20,920 Speaker 1: continues to weaken. Momentum broke somewhere in the middle of 641 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:23,560 Speaker 1: last year, and and and as continued to weaken since then, 642 00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:27,880 Speaker 1: despite the fact that the economy is is relatively healthy 643 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:31,840 Speaker 1: um and the Fed's ability to get inflation up beyond 644 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:34,480 Speaker 1: two percent is quite limited. In other words, the risk 645 00:34:34,560 --> 00:34:38,359 Speaker 1: that inflation moves to the upside are quite limited. This 646 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:41,320 Speaker 1: has brought down the ceiling on rates across the curve 647 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:44,640 Speaker 1: um in our minds. You know, when we look at 648 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:48,400 Speaker 1: sort of the fair value trading range for the tenure 649 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:50,759 Speaker 1: or twelve months out somewhere between two fifty and two 650 00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:54,160 Speaker 1: seventy five. So uh, you know, there's not a ton 651 00:34:54,200 --> 00:34:56,359 Speaker 1: of value, but I think it's it's very close to fair. 652 00:34:56,600 --> 00:34:59,319 Speaker 1: Very good. Ed al Husay any senior interest rates and 653 00:34:59,360 --> 00:35:04,480 Speaker 1: currency and I'll from Columbia, Thread Needle Investments from Lovely Springtime, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 654 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:08,359 Speaker 1: At thanks so much for joining us. Thanks for listening 655 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:10,800 Speaker 1: to the Bloomberg P and L podcast. You can subscribe 656 00:35:10,800 --> 00:35:13,600 Speaker 1: and listen to interviews at Apple Podcasts or whatever podcast 657 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:17,200 Speaker 1: platform you prefer. Paul Sweeney, I'm on Twitter at pt Sweeney. 658 00:35:17,239 --> 00:35:19,480 Speaker 1: I'm Lisa A. Bram Woyds. I'm on Twitter at Lisa A. 659 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:22,120 Speaker 1: Bram Woyits one before the podcast. You can always catch 660 00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:24,040 Speaker 1: us worldwide. I'm Bloomberg Radio