1 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:08,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Bloomberg p m L Podcast. I'm pim Fox. 2 00:00:08,760 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: Along with my co host Lisa Bramowitz. Each day we 3 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: bring you the most important, noteworthy, and useful interviews for 4 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 1: you and your money, whether you're at the grocery store 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: or the trading floor. Find the Bloomberg p m L 6 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:32,640 Speaker 1: Podcast on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, and Bloomberg dot com. The 7 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: blood bath and emerging markets currencies has continued today. You 8 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: can look at the ms C I E M of 9 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: f X index and it is a continuing it's onward 10 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: decline for a fifth day. Here to talk about this, 11 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 1: this rapid fall of one of the darlings of this 12 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:53,519 Speaker 1: year is Jeffrey Dennis. He has head of Global Emerging 13 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: Market Strategy for UBS Securities. So Jeff just weigh in here. 14 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:01,480 Speaker 1: I mean, why are we seeing such severe declines kind 15 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: of escalate in the way that they are right now? 16 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:06,399 Speaker 1: First of all, I think we have to keep all 17 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: this in perspective because actually some of the weaker brethren, 18 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 1: if you like, within the emerging markets that have that 19 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: are under pressure Brazil, Turkey, UM, India, UM, Indonesia to 20 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:23,400 Speaker 1: a settings in Mexico. UM. They're coming off for sure, 21 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 1: but some of the better quality emerging markets, by you know, 22 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: in terms of fundamentals, like China and career in Taiwan 23 00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:34,080 Speaker 1: are hardly see any I have not seen any currency 24 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: decline at all, to speak out. So this is somewhat 25 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 1: isolated or somewhat localized. But it's happening because the dollar 26 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 1: itself is rising and that intern has got quite a 27 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: lot to do with the anticipation of more FED hikes 28 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 1: and also the rise of course in tenure bond yields 29 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: above three percent. But our view is this is all 30 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: happening because the global financial markets, in other words, not 31 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: because of anything going wrong within the emerging markets themselves. 32 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: All right. So Jeffrey Dennis having said that, and maybe 33 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 1: it is uh, maybe a time warned but but really 34 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 1: inaccurate way to look at investments by saying, all right, 35 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:13,799 Speaker 1: we're going to look at this geographically, and we're looking 36 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 1: at emerging markets, so we look country by country. When 37 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: you've got companies that are doing business probably not only 38 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:24,919 Speaker 1: in their home country but in other emerging markets, are 39 00:02:24,960 --> 00:02:30,720 Speaker 1: there specific companies that you would point investors to and say, look, 40 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: this is a great company that you want to own 41 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: for a long period of time, and here's an opportunity 42 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: to buy in when other people are too afraid. Well, 43 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,240 Speaker 1: I'm not going to talk about specific companies, but the 44 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 1: way I would try to answer that is the following, 45 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 1: and that is the the danger sign will be to 46 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:54,559 Speaker 1: what extent these currency declines in certain markets, as I say, 47 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:58,360 Speaker 1: and the rise in inflation, which is partly coming through 48 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 1: because of higher all prices, does that at some point 49 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: cause the fundamental story within the emerging marks to deteriorate? 50 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 1: Does it lead to countries having to raise interest rates aggressively? 51 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:11,640 Speaker 1: Doesn't mean the growth will slow down in some of 52 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: these countries because they have to react to a weaker 53 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:18,280 Speaker 1: currency in higher inflation. That is when you would see 54 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:20,959 Speaker 1: more of a risk coming through to the asset class. 55 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 1: If you've got, in other words, the this contained in 56 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:27,959 Speaker 1: my view, currency weakness. Some does it start to contaminate 57 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 1: the fundamentals And we're and we're not frankly really seeing 58 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: that at this point. We've had a rate rise in Indonesia, 59 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: to be fair, but at this stage we think that 60 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: the basically the growth story in the global economy and 61 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: the growth story and the emerging marks is therefore intact 62 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:42,119 Speaker 1: and so one a lot of your way to answer 63 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 1: your question would be would be to look at export 64 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 1: stocks that are that are coming out of these countries 65 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: with much weaker currencies because they will get some benefit 66 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: because the currencies are cheaper. And elsewhere in parts of 67 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 1: the world where things look more stable, we are not 68 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,839 Speaker 1: seeing much declining currencies whatsoever. You got what you're gonna 69 00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: find then, as some of the domestic stocks will do well. Um, 70 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: and in particular, we have a biggeravaging financials and emerging markets, 71 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: and that's an area we would be looking at. So 72 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: have you gotten a lot of calls from nervous clients recently? 73 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: We've had a lot of inquiries from nervous clients for sure, 74 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:18,479 Speaker 1: and I think, um, it's inevitable when you get this 75 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,279 Speaker 1: this amount of selling of certain currencies, including as you 76 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 1: said in your intro, some of the darlings of I 77 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 1: think last year rather than this year, such as Brazil. 78 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,480 Speaker 1: There is there is a great concern about this. But 79 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, um, you know, the 80 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 1: funds flow story is still pretty strong into the emerging markets. 81 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 1: We haven't seen much of the way of outflows now. 82 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: Of course that could happen, you know, on the back 83 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 1: of all of this, but we we think generally investors 84 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:48,040 Speaker 1: are going to stay relatively calm and on our view 85 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: of a weaker dollar and lower bondial second half of 86 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 1: the year, I think this will prove to be a 87 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:54,480 Speaker 1: very nice buying opportunity on a sort of six to 88 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:56,840 Speaker 1: nine month view. So that's where I was going to 89 00:04:56,880 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 1: go with this, because you said, you know, this isn't 90 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 1: some something fundamental and emerging markets, it's something more of 91 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,159 Speaker 1: a market driven kind of issue. But you could argue 92 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 1: that it was sort of a market driven issue that 93 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 1: there was such a flood of cash going into emerging 94 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 1: markets earlier through index funds UM so you know, what's 95 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: to say that it won't accelerate. To your point, you're 96 00:05:16,960 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 1: not seeing that yet, But how closely are you watching 97 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 1: those sort of passive passive funny fun We are certainly 98 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:25,560 Speaker 1: watching watching that with any question. And one and one 99 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:28,720 Speaker 1: argument people could make for being having a more negative 100 00:05:28,800 --> 00:05:30,520 Speaker 1: view going forward is the fact that a e M 101 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:34,119 Speaker 1: equity funds about fifty three billion dollars of money coming 102 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 1: in so far this year, which is essentially a record 103 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 1: for this time of the year. We haven't seen any 104 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 1: significant We seen a slowdown those flows, but no real outflows. 105 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 1: Were that to happen, obviously that would um you know 106 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:50,000 Speaker 1: that that would be a concern. And but from a 107 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: from a fundamental point of view, if we're alsto alive 108 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 1: by the time we get there, you know, our highest 109 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,159 Speaker 1: view here is that the pressure on bond yells and 110 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:00,599 Speaker 1: the pressure on the upward pressure on the dollar will 111 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:03,160 Speaker 1: fade in the second half of the year, as as 112 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:06,280 Speaker 1: inflation in the US kind of rolls over and is 113 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:08,040 Speaker 1: not seen to be the threat props it is at 114 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: the moment, and if the dollar were to go shall 115 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:12,719 Speaker 1: be lower second half of the year, which is our view, 116 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:14,800 Speaker 1: and bonnos come back a bit. I think that money 117 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 1: money is going to come back, and therefore we are 118 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:20,280 Speaker 1: in the middle of a bit of a nasty storm 119 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:22,159 Speaker 1: here and it may well go on for a few 120 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:24,080 Speaker 1: more weeks, but I don't think it's going to lead 121 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: to a major bear market in emerging market equities at 122 00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:30,720 Speaker 1: this stage, Thank you very much. Jeffrey Dennis is head 123 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:34,919 Speaker 1: of Global Emerging Market Strategy for UBS Securities. He's based 124 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: in Boston, of course, home the Bloomberg one or six 125 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:41,360 Speaker 1: one Boston, Newburyport, in thirty in Metro West and the 126 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:57,760 Speaker 1: South Shore, and he was talking about the dollar. Italy 127 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: could soon have a radical coal Asian government led by 128 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:05,160 Speaker 1: the anti establishment Five Star Movement and the far right 129 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 1: League here to tell us more about Italy and it's uh. Well, 130 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: the economy and the reaction to financial markets to the 131 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: perhaps forming of a new government is uh for Aernando Giuliano. 132 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 1: He is a columns for Bloomberg Opinion based in Rome. Fernando, 133 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 1: thank you very much for being with us. Bring us 134 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 1: up to date on who are the various parties that 135 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 1: may come together to form a real government and what 136 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: is their platform or at least what's their platform today. 137 00:07:36,880 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: So we have two governments, two parties which did not 138 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: run together in the election, let's recall that. So that's 139 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 1: why they had to sit down and negotiate a new program. 140 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 1: On the one hand, we have the Five Star Movements, 141 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: which is a anti establishment party which rose to power 142 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: very quickly over the last few years, which was set 143 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: up initially by the comedian bet Pegrillo and has been 144 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: a little bit of a catch hole party, really grubbing 145 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:05,440 Speaker 1: votes from less and right. And on the other hand, 146 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: we have the League, which is a hard right party 147 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 1: which in the past was taking positions to have the 148 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 1: North basically, you know, to separate the Italy into North 149 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 1: and South, but now it's taken more eurosceptic views. The 150 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 1: two of them are now combined to this turbocharged populist 151 00:08:26,840 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: government which has just produced its coalition agreement. It's a 152 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: list of spending commitments which total more than a hundred 153 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:41,559 Speaker 1: billion euros and include some radical ideas, for example, a 154 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:46,200 Speaker 1: speed cutting income taxes, uh an income support scheme, very 155 00:08:46,240 --> 00:08:49,880 Speaker 1: generous but which most importantly would set Italy on a 156 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 1: collision course with the rest of the Eurozone and the 157 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: European Union if they were to be enacted. You know, 158 00:08:56,280 --> 00:09:01,320 Speaker 1: the response has been notable in some of the Italian markets, 159 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 1: but in some ways it's sort of surprising that you 160 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 1: haven't seen a greater sell off. For example, Italian bonds. 161 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:10,800 Speaker 1: I mean, yes, yields are at the highest level since 162 00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:13,760 Speaker 1: July of last year, but still I mean, basically, they're 163 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: they're calling for a blow out of their deficit and 164 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 1: they're hoping that the Eurozone is going to help fund 165 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:22,520 Speaker 1: their lavish promises, which they're not going to do. Well, absolutely, 166 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: I think the reaction has been there. I mean we've 167 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 1: seen it accelerating over the last couple of days. I've 168 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:32,400 Speaker 1: since you know, it became clear that these two parties 169 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 1: were serious. But it's not been as uh, you know, 170 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: there could be more to come. I mean, I think 171 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 1: that the mitigating factors here are, first of all, the 172 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 1: European Central Bank scheme of quantitative easing, which is still 173 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:48,680 Speaker 1: running and we'll run until the autumn, so there is 174 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:52,719 Speaker 1: still a buyer of Italian debt and investors know that 175 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 1: in the form of a central bank. And on top 176 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 1: of that, we also have the idea that somehow these 177 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:02,679 Speaker 1: proposals are non starters. I mean, they will need to 178 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 1: meet the President on Monday to discuss the program, and 179 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:08,520 Speaker 1: the President has said he will want to play an 180 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 1: active role. And on top of that, you know, many 181 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 1: of these ideas will actually need to be implemented, and 182 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:17,439 Speaker 1: you know, there will be some discussions with Euros and 183 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 1: partners who are going to be you know, quite unsupportive 184 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:23,960 Speaker 1: to say the list. So I think there is you know, 185 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: there is more to come, for sure. But on the 186 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 1: other hand, I think the investors are looking at this, 187 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: you know, mitigating factors, which may explain why the reaction 188 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: is still relatively muted for the NANDO. I mean, just 189 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 1: to sort of put this in a perspective, I was 190 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 1: speaking to an analyst who said, basically, the market is betting, 191 00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: for all intents and purposes, that the current government will 192 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:44,760 Speaker 1: be completely ineffective and the tectocrats will continue to sort 193 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 1: of chart a more logical path forward for the nation. 194 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:52,040 Speaker 1: Um is that a bank of the assumption? Well, I 195 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: think there are you know, several issues. First of all, 196 00:10:54,480 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: this is a coalition which has been you know, is 197 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 1: completely new. So one possibility is that they will start 198 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:04,680 Speaker 1: squabbling once you know, reality kicks ince. So you know, 199 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 1: what do we prioritize between say the flat you know, 200 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: this kind of steep income tax reduction which the League 201 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:14,400 Speaker 1: is very keen on, and the income supports scheme, which 202 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 1: the Five Star is keen on. So they may start 203 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:20,160 Speaker 1: squabbling and so do very little. And then on top 204 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:21,960 Speaker 1: of that, you know, there are a number of constraints. 205 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:24,959 Speaker 1: For example, the Italian constitution has a close which says 206 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 1: that Italy has to balance the budget over the economic cycle. 207 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:31,959 Speaker 1: So there is a possibility that the president may veto 208 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:36,120 Speaker 1: some of the you know, craziest spending bills because they 209 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:38,760 Speaker 1: simply clash with the constitution. So I think there are 210 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 1: a number of, you know, reasons to be relatively sanguine 211 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: about the prospect, the spending prospect of this government. But 212 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: for sure, the document we have in front of us 213 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 1: is explosive from you know, a point of view of 214 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:56,600 Speaker 1: the public finances. This is one of the biggest gambles 215 00:11:56,640 --> 00:12:00,959 Speaker 1: you've seen in a Eurozone country, be since the formation 216 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 1: of the currency Union. Frdando, thank you so much for 217 00:12:04,960 --> 00:12:08,160 Speaker 1: being with us, really interesting insights. I recommend everyone read 218 00:12:08,640 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 1: his columns. Ferdando Giuliano is columnist for Bloomberg Opinion, coming 219 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: to us from Rome, and you can find his columns 220 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 1: on Bloomberg dot com. You can just get a sense 221 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:21,199 Speaker 1: of what they are about. One of the latest Italy 222 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: gets a taste of Boris Johnson's cake, talking about how 223 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:27,679 Speaker 1: the league and five Stars dreamers want the years to 224 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 1: help fund their lavish promises, even though that will break 225 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 1: the rules that have already been established. A really interesting 226 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 1: issue in PAM. Frankly, I am surprised that we're not 227 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:51,960 Speaker 1: seeing a bigger sell off. Is there some kind of 228 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:55,840 Speaker 1: two hundred billion dollar trade deficit deal with China. Is 229 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: they're not different people saying different things. Here to clear 230 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:01,200 Speaker 1: it all up for US is and Mask. He's economics 231 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: editor and columnist for Bloomberg Opinion, joining us here in 232 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 1: our eleven three our studios. So, Dana, what's going on 233 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 1: here and who's right? You know? The key is the 234 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:15,720 Speaker 1: final clause in the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman's answer to 235 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 1: this question. When asked if a two hundred billion dollar 236 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:26,079 Speaker 1: deal has been hatched, he said not to blah blah 237 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: blah blah comma to my knowledge. Now, that is absolutely key. 238 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 1: It was taken as a denial, but really it's a 239 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 1: non denial. This is important just to make sure that 240 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:40,840 Speaker 1: people understand the context here. Uh. Some people were cited 241 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 1: anonymously as saying that the US was close to getting 242 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:48,319 Speaker 1: China to reduce its trade deficit with the US by 243 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 1: two hundred billion dollars. Is that per year? That's unclear, 244 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 1: But if we assume that it is, and that was 245 00:13:56,360 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 1: the total the administration was looking for, that basedly takes 246 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 1: care of the bulk of it, so you'd essentially be 247 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 1: writing off the trade gap in one stroke of the pen, 248 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 1: which is why it seems like a big number and 249 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 1: on the face of it unlikely, but we'll even unlikely times. 250 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:16,760 Speaker 1: You know, did I thought you were going to talk 251 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 1: about sorghum? Well that was going to be this. By 252 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 1: the way, it doesn't contain any gluten if you just 253 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 1: just see, you know, that was really the main question. 254 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 1: That was exactly my wife has Celia was important, so 255 00:14:31,480 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: they were really okay. So after this story was published, 256 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 1: including by Bloomberg last night New York Time, the focus 257 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 1: shifted to Chinese officials in Beijing. Was there a deal 258 00:14:46,600 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 1: for two billion? Was there not a deal? The Foreign 259 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 1: Ministry spokesman statement was taken as a denial. It wasn't really. 260 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:00,200 Speaker 1: It was way more nuanced from a to my ledge, 261 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:02,280 Speaker 1: and by the way, the Foreign Ministry does not have 262 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 1: responsibility for trade policy in China, so it's really a 263 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 1: non denial denial. The point that Pim makes is equally 264 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 1: critical when taken with the knot. To my knowledge, China's 265 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 1: suspension of an anti dumping investigation into US sorghum is 266 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: a way of saying, yeah, we're playing ball here. We're 267 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:25,400 Speaker 1: playing ball here. This doesn't have to be a confrontational thing. 268 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 1: So while no one from China came out in Beijing 269 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 1: overnight and said, yeah, two hundred billion done, there were 270 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 1: signals that were headed toward some kind of something. What 271 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 1: is that? Some kind of something? That is the technical 272 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: term for it? Dan, Can you just put into perspective 273 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 1: zooming out the significance of reducing the tree deficit by 274 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 1: two hundred billion dollars? Is that feasible? I mean, just explain. 275 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: This is sort of the number that people put out 276 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:56,640 Speaker 1: there for how much basically we give to China. It's 277 00:15:56,680 --> 00:16:01,080 Speaker 1: not that simple explain here, Okay? Is it feasible? Sure, 278 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:06,600 Speaker 1: it's feasible. Is it plausible as a sustainable thing? Yeah, 279 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 1: well that's a whole separate question. Look, how could you 280 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: want two hundred billion off? And let's say, for argument's sake, 281 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: the US trade deficit with China is about three d 282 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 1: meaning that we pay for we import three hundred and 283 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 1: fifty billion dollars more from China than they import from US. Correct, 284 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: that's a ballpark figure. Okay. So look, if Chinese airlines, 285 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 1: most of which are controlled by the state, stopped buying 286 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 1: air Bus and started using that cash to buy Boeing, 287 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: they imported a whole lot more US agriculture you could 288 00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:44,960 Speaker 1: get within Cooeye, within shouting distance of two hundred billion. 289 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 1: But does it really realistic to assume they're not going 290 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:50,320 Speaker 1: to buy any more air buses, for example, and that 291 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 1: the US is the only source for agricultural and oil 292 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 1: now that the US is an oil exporter, there's that 293 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: as well. The important thing to remember, which it's lost 294 00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: in a lot of this, is a large chunk of 295 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:08,479 Speaker 1: what the US quote unquote bias from China is stuff 296 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: that's assembled in China by subsidiaries of US multinationals and 297 00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 1: shipped back here for consumption in the domestic market. Look, 298 00:17:19,400 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: the global supply chains are really important here, and the 299 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: vast majority of those global supply chains are anchored by 300 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 1: US headquartered companies. Look, iPhones are assembled by a subsidiary 301 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:37,240 Speaker 1: in China of a Taiwanese company and sent back here. 302 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:41,040 Speaker 1: That this phone Lisa in front of you right now, 303 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:46,200 Speaker 1: Where was it? Where was it? Okay, Korean company? This 304 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:50,880 Speaker 1: iPhone is now holding? Seriously, this thing has wound its 305 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:54,439 Speaker 1: way around the globe half a dozen times before it 306 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:56,720 Speaker 1: appeared at the A T and T store in Montague 307 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:01,959 Speaker 1: Street in Brooklyn. So when we talk about things that 308 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 1: America buys from China and how it's so much more 309 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 1: than China buys from America, you know we need to 310 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 1: be careful. Uh, Dan, can I just ask you in 311 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 1: maybe twenty seconds, isn't it interesting that we are now 312 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:20,760 Speaker 1: even talking about bilateral trade negotiations when maybe two years 313 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:23,639 Speaker 1: ago we were talking about multilateral trade negotiations and this 314 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 1: is turning out to be normal. Part of the doctrine, 315 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 1: if you can even call it that, of Team Trump 316 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:37,639 Speaker 1: is that it's a big conspiracy and everyone everywhere is 317 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 1: out to get the US because we're so noble. Okay, 318 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 1: if the US negotiates with a wide variety of parties simultaneously, 319 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:52,159 Speaker 1: the US doesn't have the same leverage as if it 320 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:57,199 Speaker 1: engages in one on one negotiations. That's part of the 321 00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:59,879 Speaker 1: foundational idea. Again, I don't want to glorify it with 322 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: you sort of intellectual scaffolding, but you get the picture. 323 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:05,959 Speaker 1: Thank you very much. Dan Moss, economics editor, columnist for 324 00:19:06,119 --> 00:19:12,920 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Opinion, talking about the US China trade conversations, confrontations 325 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 1: and denials, but not really denials. Right now, I want 326 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:36,280 Speaker 1: to shift gears a bid and go to Aaron Brown. 327 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:38,879 Speaker 1: He's former managing director and head of financial market Research 328 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:43,439 Speaker 1: at a q R Capital Management, also a Bloomberg opinion columnist. Aaron, 329 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:46,120 Speaker 1: thank you so much for being with us. You wrote 330 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 1: a column that really caught my attention this month where 331 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:52,120 Speaker 1: you were talking about buying and holding the market through 332 00:19:52,240 --> 00:19:55,639 Speaker 1: index funds and the pitfalls that can ensue. Can you 333 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:58,119 Speaker 1: just give us a sense of what you were talking about, 334 00:19:58,359 --> 00:20:03,200 Speaker 1: what the general thesis is it is for this column. Um, sure, 335 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:07,440 Speaker 1: buying and holding the market is clearly the dominant strategy 336 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:12,160 Speaker 1: for most UH retail investors. It's a solid, low cost, 337 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 1: tax efficient, well diversified way to get your stock exposure. 338 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:19,040 Speaker 1: But it's not so obvious how to do it. UH. 339 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:21,639 Speaker 1: The usual way people do it is by an SMP 340 00:20:21,760 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 1: five indext fun which is a perfectly good idea. It's 341 00:20:25,119 --> 00:20:27,919 Speaker 1: low cost, it's the traditional way. It's worked well for 342 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:32,160 Speaker 1: many decades. But there's no particular reason to do it, 343 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:35,160 Speaker 1: and and it kind of looked at in a number 344 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 1: of ways. You're overweighting UH the tech companies, financial companies, 345 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:44,159 Speaker 1: healthcare companies. You're really missing out on a lot of sectors. 346 00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:49,600 Speaker 1: You've got one of your investment in just ten companies UM, 347 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:52,240 Speaker 1: and there's a lot of reason to think about moving 348 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 1: to more diversified versions of it. For example, and equally waited, 349 00:20:56,640 --> 00:20:58,960 Speaker 1: a kind of fund that puts the same amount of 350 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:04,359 Speaker 1: dollars in each five SMP funds. There are other other 351 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:08,439 Speaker 1: schemes people use as well. Before we before you go 352 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 1: onto the other schemes, I just want to drill into 353 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:13,359 Speaker 1: some of the points that you made because they're really 354 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 1: interesting to me. In part. For example, when people get 355 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 1: back their dividends or other kinds of payments, UM, it 356 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:25,119 Speaker 1: just gets funneled into stocks that are by nature the 357 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 1: most expensive. Yes, and and the most expensive which can 358 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 1: mean the best in some cases, but also can mean 359 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 1: the most overvalued. Uh. There are a lot of neglected 360 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 1: stocks that are very good. Uh. You know, near the 361 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 1: bottom of the SMP, the last two stocks and the 362 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:44,280 Speaker 1: sp F hundred. There are some bad stocks in there 363 00:21:44,320 --> 00:21:46,120 Speaker 1: as well. I mean, when you do an index fund, 364 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 1: agree to take the good with the bad because you're 365 00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:51,480 Speaker 1: going for average. But do you want the average of 366 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:54,520 Speaker 1: the best, you know, the highest price ten companies, or 367 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 1: do you want the average of the five biggest companies? Uh? 368 00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:01,959 Speaker 1: Aaron wondering if you could just give people an example 369 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 1: so that we understand that there is a difference between indexes. 370 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 1: Because when you say buying the market, that makes sense. 371 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:11,679 Speaker 1: But then you drill down one step and you go, 372 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:14,199 Speaker 1: all right, so what really is the market? And I 373 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:16,880 Speaker 1: think your point about when you own the SMP five 374 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:22,120 Speaker 1: in an index fund, the top whatever it is ten 375 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:26,439 Speaker 1: holdings of fifteen holdings, and that that's like of the 376 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 1: entire fund. So you're not really invested in the sm 377 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:34,360 Speaker 1: P five hundred companies in an equal way. You are 378 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:43,080 Speaker 1: really lopsided, as you just described, by buying companies like Apple, Microsoft, Berkshire, Hathaway, Johnson, Johnson, uh, Intel, Chevron, 379 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: and so on exactly. And and and those are very 380 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:49,199 Speaker 1: good companies. And and you know, I'm not telling anyone 381 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:52,399 Speaker 1: that's a bad investment to do it. Um it's not 382 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:55,280 Speaker 1: as diversified as it could be. And and those companies 383 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:58,640 Speaker 1: have similarities. They they they're obviously they're all big companies. 384 00:22:58,680 --> 00:23:02,040 Speaker 1: For one thing, Uh, they tend to have high valuation ratios. 385 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 1: So you're not getting a lot of assets, you're not 386 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:06,439 Speaker 1: getting a lot of earnings for your dollar. You go 387 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 1: lower down in the SMP five hundred, and you can 388 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:13,879 Speaker 1: find a lot more value stocks UM, which which you 389 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:16,680 Speaker 1: know many people like, in which have historically have performed. 390 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 1: But I want to be very careful here. Some people 391 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:22,919 Speaker 1: go for a waiting scheme because it's giving them some 392 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:26,520 Speaker 1: particular investment thesis, and you go too far in that direction. 393 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 1: You're back to asset management to get active management, and 394 00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 1: you're paying forty fifty sixty basis points. I'm only talking 395 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 1: about waiting schemes that can be done for twenty basis 396 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 1: points are so very inexpensive. SMP five hundred you get 397 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 1: for four or five basis points if you do it 398 00:23:43,119 --> 00:23:47,720 Speaker 1: with market weights, But you can get very similar and 399 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:50,680 Speaker 1: you get the same stocks waited differently. You pay a 400 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 1: little bit more, you pay ten to twenty basis points UM, 401 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:56,880 Speaker 1: but you do get more diversification, you do get more 402 00:23:57,040 --> 00:24:00,639 Speaker 1: of the broad economy. Can you visit a saron of 403 00:24:00,720 --> 00:24:02,720 Speaker 1: just how much better some of these funds that you 404 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 1: prefer have performed? Well, Okay, I don't like to use 405 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 1: that as a reason. UM, it is true that equal 406 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 1: weight SMP five hundred has outperformed the market cap weight 407 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 1: by about two point two over the last twenty years. 408 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 1: It's one thirteen of the last twenty one years. But 409 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 1: I don't think you should buy it on that basis. 410 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:28,440 Speaker 1: I think you should say, Look, there's no strong reasonably 411 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:31,000 Speaker 1: that it's going to outperform or underperform. In the long run. 412 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 1: We'll probably going to be about the same. I'm just 413 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 1: getting more diversification. I'm getting the average return, but I'm 414 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:39,399 Speaker 1: getting the average return on a much broader base of companies. 415 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: And therefore, uh, in some sense, I think you're reducing 416 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:47,040 Speaker 1: your risk. I think it could easily be true that 417 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 1: it underperforms over the next ten years. We don't really know, uh, 418 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:53,720 Speaker 1: but it is. It strikes me as a more solid investment. 419 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:55,960 Speaker 1: And you could also just go out and buy an 420 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 1: equal dollar amount of all the stocks in the sp 421 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: if you have an awful lot of money. Yes, right, 422 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:08,520 Speaker 1: Uh here, Aaron Brown, thank you so much for being 423 00:25:08,600 --> 00:25:10,720 Speaker 1: with us. We'll have to have you back. You have 424 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:14,720 Speaker 1: a really broad range from uh, some of these interesting 425 00:25:14,760 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 1: strategies to also cryptocurrencies. So Aaron Brown, thank you so 426 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:21,919 Speaker 1: much for being with us. A fascinating column. The title 427 00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:25,240 Speaker 1: is buying and holding. The market has many pitfalls here 428 00:25:25,680 --> 00:25:27,880 Speaker 1: I just mentioned he's also the author of a great 429 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 1: book called The Poker Face of Wall Street. Thanks for 430 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 1: listening to the Bloomberg P and L podcast. You can 431 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:41,119 Speaker 1: subscribe and listen to interviews at Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, or 432 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:44,639 Speaker 1: whatever podcast platform you prefer. I'm pim Fox. I'm on 433 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 1: Twitter at pim Fox. I'm on Twitter at Lisa abramowits 434 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:51,919 Speaker 1: one before the podcast. You can always catch us worldwide 435 00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:52,879 Speaker 1: on Bloomberg Radio.