1 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Bloomberg Surveillance Podcast. I'm Tom Keane. Along 2 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: with Jonathan Ferroll and Lisa Brownowitz. Daily we bring you 3 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 1: insight from the best and economics, finance, investment, and international relations. 4 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: Find Bloomberg Surveillance on Apple Podcast, Suncloud, Bloomberg dot com, 5 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 1: and of course on the Bloomberg terminal. We continue and 6 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: focus on one fellow reserve. It is the Richmond Fed, 7 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:37,599 Speaker 1: which has a fabulous history from Black to broad Us 8 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:40,959 Speaker 1: to Lacquer and now to Barkin. The Richmond Fed one 9 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: of my favorites with the wonderful Tom Humphreys on the 10 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 1: history of our economy. It's had a wonderful leadership, including 11 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:53,520 Speaker 1: under Jeffrey Lacker, the former Richmond FED president joins us. Now, Michael, 12 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: it's a different fet, isn't it. Well, it's a different fat, 13 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 1: It's a different economy and we have learned a lot 14 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 1: and now we have an do reaction function for the FED, 15 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:06,319 Speaker 1: which is where I'd like to start. Jeff, you have 16 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 1: expressed some reservations about this new policy of letting the 17 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 1: economy run a little hot till we can average inflation, 18 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:19,200 Speaker 1: because you've expressed concern that that could unmore inflation expectations. 19 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: Do you think that the Fed, in particular J Powell, 20 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: over the last couple of weeks and with his address 21 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: on Friday, maybe UH put a little bit of those 22 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: concerns to rest by emphasizing the fact that the Fed 23 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 1: is going to stay focused on inflation. UM somewhat, but 24 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: I think UM, I think the Fed's in a tough 25 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 1: spot the UH the danger that they face from this 26 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 1: inflation surge. UM, we have inflation on a six month 27 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: basis higher than it's been since nineteen three. The danger 28 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: is that that persists. Rob Kaplan was talking on Friday 29 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: about the then to which businesses were reporting that they 30 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 1: expect these supply constraints to continue, but then beyond that 31 00:02:05,800 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: getting embedded in inflation expectations. And I think that's the 32 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: real key risk that UM, the FED is running these days. 33 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,520 Speaker 1: So I was glad to see that Powell addressed that 34 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: in his remarks on Friday. He's and he's done that 35 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: elsewhere as well as trying to assure the public that yes, 36 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 1: if inflation persists at a high level, we have the 37 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 1: tools to deal with that. But it's it's somewhat like 38 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 1: I'm a friend of mine likinged it to um, you know, 39 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: dr telling you you have gang green in your leg 40 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 1: and don't worry. We have the tools to deal with it. 41 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: But it's you know, the tools are the amputation kit 42 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: and they include a big saw. So it's what we 43 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: went through in the early eighties to get inflation down 44 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: was exceptionally painful, and that's what motivated those of us 45 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:57,680 Speaker 1: who over time have advocated a more preemptive policy. The 46 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: Fed's moved away from that and it's strategy statement last year. 47 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:07,080 Speaker 1: The risk it runs is that that shift last year 48 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 1: UM is sort of a kin to going off Breton Woods, 49 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,800 Speaker 1: and and that it it gives people the license to 50 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:16,679 Speaker 1: believe that there's an entirely new regime in place now 51 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 1: with regard to inflation. In terms of tools, one of 52 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: the papers presented on Friday at Jackson Hall suggested that 53 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: our star, the level of interest rates that would be neutral, 54 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 1: is much lower than it had been. So does the 55 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 1: FED really have tools? Can they raise rates and cut 56 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: off inflation without sending the economy into recession? And I 57 00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 1: think they very clearly can, and um, you know, more 58 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: to the point, I think they can nudge up the 59 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 1: polar expected policy path um, you know, over the coming year, 60 00:03:50,080 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: and I expect they're going to have to do that 61 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: to keep inflation expectations contained. Um So, I think they 62 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: have the tools to combat it. I mean, it's the 63 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: blunt we haven't used them in a long time, but 64 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 1: um yeah, I think the FED has the tools to 65 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 1: do that if they well, let me put it this way, 66 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: can they go back to jaw jaw to paraphrase Winston 67 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:17,720 Speaker 1: Churchill and job owed uh the economy into place? Or 68 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 1: is it going to take action to get wall streets attention? Now? 69 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 1: I think I think actions have always spoken louder than 70 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: words in this Throughout the seventies, the Fed um loudly 71 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 1: proclaimed it's uh opposition to inflation and it's desire to 72 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: have inflation be lower. It just didn't take the actions 73 00:04:36,880 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 1: to back that up until Volker in one started letting 74 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:46,040 Speaker 1: interest rates rise and engineered the recession that that brought 75 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:51,320 Speaker 1: inflation expectations down. Jeff Lacker, Tom Can, good morning to you. 76 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,359 Speaker 1: You mentioned the preemptive nature of a theory and that 77 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 1: Richmond has led on that. I think of the late 78 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: Marvin good Friend with a cause for concern over inflation, 79 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 1: the whole shadow Open Market Committee. What we saw out 80 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:07,600 Speaker 1: of Carnegie Melon as well. Where did the inflation Eastas 81 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 1: get it wrong? On your watch? So, I think that 82 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: the stability of inflation expectations coming out of the recession 83 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 1: UM was a bit of surprise, I mean a bit. Um. 84 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:25,160 Speaker 1: They were a bit more strongly anchored then I and 85 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 1: several others expected, So the upside risk to inflation didn't emerge. Um. 86 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: I'd point out um at the same time that UH 87 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 1: inflation doubs were also also missed it. They were afraid 88 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:43,239 Speaker 1: of dramatic sag and inflation. Jeff, this came up, Jeff, 89 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: this came up over the weekend. And this is a 90 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 1: critical question in defense of the inflation Easta's the idea 91 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,359 Speaker 1: that the reason we didn't see the inflation is we 92 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:57,160 Speaker 1: just moved the inflationary impulse over to an increased asset 93 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 1: allocation and an asset battle of sheet inequities in real estate, 94 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 1: all the summer properties. Mike McKee can't afford. Sorry about that, Mike, 95 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:12,160 Speaker 1: Good to be with you, Tom Um. So I think, um, 96 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,039 Speaker 1: what people lost sight of with a huge increase in 97 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 1: the Fence balance sheet is that the monetary liabilities it 98 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,240 Speaker 1: was pumping in the economy. We're being absorbed by a 99 00:06:22,279 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 1: tremendously a tremendously large demand for liquid assets by the 100 00:06:28,279 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 1: banking system, driven by the bank's natural reaction to what 101 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: happened in two thousand and eight, but also regulatory um 102 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 1: you know, impetus provided for them to hold larger liquid buffers, 103 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 1: and that means that, you know, the demand for money 104 00:06:43,640 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: is essentially flat at the interest rate on reserves, and yeah, 105 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 1: we could increase the money supply a lot until we 106 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 1: start forcing banks to hold more liquidity than they want. 107 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 1: And we're we were ways away from that, so the 108 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 1: size of the balance sheet wasn't really doing much for 109 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: the economy. On the flip side of the station debate, Jeff, 110 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:03,440 Speaker 1: is the employment picture, and we're gonna get a better 111 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:05,440 Speaker 1: read on that perhaps on Friday. If you were still 112 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:07,479 Speaker 1: on the Fed, what would you be looking for to 113 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,800 Speaker 1: determine just how much slack or how tight the labor 114 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 1: market really is. It's a really good question. You know, 115 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:18,239 Speaker 1: we had all these debates about what maximum employment meant 116 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 1: or what that number was. It's really a long run, 117 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: long horizon kind of thing. It's like, after all the 118 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: sectoral reallocation has occurred. After all the matching that has 119 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 1: to go on between people looking for another job, what 120 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: kind of careers are going to be. I want a 121 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: different occupation. I want to be in a restaurant anymore, 122 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: and uh, firms looking for where they're going to find 123 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: someone with the skills that I need. After that process 124 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 1: plays out, Yeah, maximum employment might be a lower unemployment 125 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 1: rate we have now, but that takes time, and maximum 126 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 1: employment in September of it's really close to where we 127 00:07:57,720 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: are right now. We're really close to September maximum employment. 128 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 1: We can't we can't get maximum unemployment much above where 129 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 1: it's it's going to be in September. So um, I 130 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 1: think that you have to keep in mind the dynamic 131 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 1: process in which labor markets. Heal some recent research by 132 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 1: Bob Hall and Marianna kudlak Um in that regard is 133 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:25,080 Speaker 1: painting a very different picture of labor markets. You think 134 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 1: of the unemployment ratist shooting up in a a recession 135 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 1: coming down, but you know, uh, it looks like it 136 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:38,960 Speaker 1: just comes down at the same pace every every expansion. Jeff, 137 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 1: you were very much an inflation used to when you 138 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:45,000 Speaker 1: were on the board, and I'm wondering if you've seen 139 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:49,439 Speaker 1: what the current FED seems to be arguing that inflation 140 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 1: dynamics have changed, uh, and there is, as j Pal 141 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 1: said on Friday, a natural disinflation in the global economy. 142 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 1: I'm not sure i'd buy it. Um what people have 143 00:09:06,840 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 1: been uh increasing the weight they place on um inflation 144 00:09:12,480 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 1: expectations and inflation dynamics over the last couple of decades. 145 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:18,360 Speaker 1: I know, you know, early two thousands people thought it 146 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 1: was all sort of a backward looking process. The important 147 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 1: thing to remember and think the thing people neglect about 148 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 1: inflation expectations. People talk about it as if it's some 149 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: exogenous external force of nature or else some collective psychological 150 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 1: whim or something. It's really expectations about what the FED 151 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:42,920 Speaker 1: is going to do in the near future. And so 152 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 1: when you look at inflation expectations, that's really credibility of 153 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 1: the FED, and that can change. And the process by 154 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 1: which that shifts and changes over time is not one 155 00:09:55,440 --> 00:10:00,320 Speaker 1: that's deeply deeply understood in the economics profession. So Lecker, 156 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: thank you so much. With VCU and of course the 157 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 1: former president of the Richmond FED, thank you, thank you 158 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:13,479 Speaker 1: so much. We've got the perfect guest for you. Kitchens 159 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 1: of Society General. We spoke to his people last night 160 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 1: and they said he would make an appearance with us, 161 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 1: even though his arsenal struggles there. Kid, let me start 162 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,200 Speaker 1: with the first important question of the week. If Harry 163 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:29,240 Speaker 1: Kane and Ronaldo joined Arsenal, would that help? No, we 164 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 1: can't defend the goal scoring is less of a problem 165 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: unless one of them places full back. It's been sport 166 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 1: to say the least. Kid, let's get started in a 167 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 1: serious matter here. It is the summer doldrums, but it's 168 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 1: not What are you looking for? How do you frame 169 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: a set up to maybe a more active September in October? 170 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 1: I think you know, we have to get away from 171 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:55,120 Speaker 1: being driven just by the FED tape of story. Um, 172 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 1: so you know the the other currents will take over. 173 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 1: I'll be interested, Oh, what's happening outside the United States? 174 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 1: Only in the sense that things change if other parts 175 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: of the world start to see recovery. If you started 176 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 1: to get better data in Europe coming through relative to 177 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: the States, that could change things a little bit. But 178 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: but while we're bogged down with this idea of not 179 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:17,959 Speaker 1: even when does the FED start to slow its asset 180 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,520 Speaker 1: purchases down? But what does that mean about when they're done? 181 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 1: And what does that mean about when rate rice has 182 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 1: come and they're not going to come to three? So hey, 183 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 1: what are we going to do in two? You know, 184 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:28,680 Speaker 1: we have to we have to get past that, that 185 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:31,400 Speaker 1: whole story. But I think you know, there's there's geopolitics 186 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 1: coming up. The comment situation is is is either going 187 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: to improve or or it's going to become a real 188 00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:41,680 Speaker 1: economic factor again, so that that's not static. Um and um. 189 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 1: You know, the the range of forecasts for Friday's peril 190 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 1: numbers over on your side of the pond is huge, 191 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: So we will get surprised by this. We we don't 192 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 1: have a handle on the place of job creation really, 193 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 1: we just guess kit taking a step back, it seems 194 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 1: like the market is saying that the taper is a 195 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: non event. Is that what we're seeing that basically Fed 196 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 1: Chair J. Powell has successfully made tapering the one billion 197 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 1: dollars of monthly bomb purchases an entirely non event from markets. 198 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:11,839 Speaker 1: It should be. I mean, in a sense, the whole 199 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:14,200 Speaker 1: idea of the table was the you know, the FED 200 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 1: slows down its asset purchases at the same time as 201 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 1: the government spends less money and the needs to issue 202 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 1: fewer bombs. So who cares, right, Because what what we've 203 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 1: done is we is the United States finance the pandemic 204 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:31,680 Speaker 1: with the government handing out checks paid for by issuing 205 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 1: debt that was brought by the Fed. Just unwind the process. 206 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:38,760 Speaker 1: Just stop paying out checks and stop stop buying the bombs, 207 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 1: and then and then we can get back to discussing 208 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:45,080 Speaker 1: important stuff, which is did all these checks create savings? 209 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 1: Did all these create checks create demand? Did all these 210 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 1: checks create inflation somewhere out there with all these bottlenecks 211 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:52,760 Speaker 1: and things like that, And I think that's what we're 212 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 1: going to find out. But the focus is on can 213 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:59,559 Speaker 1: can the US government have spent this much money getting 214 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 1: the on me to recover this fast from the pandemic 215 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 1: without without some inflation that's stickier than the legged than 216 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 1: the FED is going to feel comfortable with. And we're 217 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:12,600 Speaker 1: going to find that out over the next six months 218 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:14,560 Speaker 1: in a big way, I think, you know. Okay, speaking 219 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 1: of being this far from the pandemic, it is interesting 220 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 1: that people are saying that when we taper, we have 221 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:22,199 Speaker 1: to go faster given how far into this we are 222 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 1: eighteen months or so. How are you thinking about a 223 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: pace of a taper um. Well, you know that the 224 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 1: consensus view on tapering is you reduce. You reduce the 225 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:37,320 Speaker 1: pace by ten billion each FMC meeting instead of the 226 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:41,439 Speaker 1: five billion for treasuries that they did in twenty fourteen, 227 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 1: and that takes a year. Now you could go every month, 228 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 1: you could try more. In a sense, it should be 229 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: possible to go fast because the Treasury is going to 230 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: be issuing less debt into it, so you're you know, 231 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: you've got you kind of got things lined up. The 232 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,560 Speaker 1: only difficulty would be if we started to get seriously 233 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:02,960 Speaker 1: worried out the inflation data and the strength of the 234 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:04,960 Speaker 1: economy at the same time as they're tapering, and then 235 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 1: the bond market is going to struggle and that kind 236 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 1: of catches us where we are. It's really easy, it's 237 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: really easy to to taper without yields going up if 238 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 1: inflation is low and the economy is not growing too fast. 239 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:18,720 Speaker 1: But if you if you lose control of the story 240 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:21,880 Speaker 1: while you're doing it, it can get pretty messy. So 241 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 1: I think they'll I mean, I would go as fast 242 00:14:24,680 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 1: as the market let me go once I started, because 243 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:30,280 Speaker 1: it buys me a degree of freedom. But you have 244 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 1: to be market lead. You know, if you if you 245 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 1: cut back your your purchases by ten billion one month 246 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:39,200 Speaker 1: um and yields back up study basis points in the 247 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: first week, you know you kind of you go and 248 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:44,680 Speaker 1: have a scratch of your head pretty quickly. Thank you 249 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 1: so much, greatly appreciated. A good conversation to start the 250 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 1: week for me, society General and the chief Foreign Exchange 251 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 1: Strategies right now is the most important conversation of the 252 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 1: day and even of the week. For those that are saying, 253 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 1: you know, lose the fancy talk, just give me some courage. 254 00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: Robert Doll for decades has done just that, a storied 255 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 1: career in the equity markets with cross market global investments, 256 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: and Bob Doll I love within your research. Note you say, look, 257 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:22,520 Speaker 1: we've got to invest in a quote a still good economy. 258 00:15:22,560 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: What does stocks do in a still good economy? They 259 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 1: generally go up. Tom uh. You know, a good economy 260 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 1: means good earnings and so the path of LEAs resistance 261 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 1: has been and likely will continue to be to the upside. 262 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:40,600 Speaker 1: That does not mean there aren't flies in an ointment. 263 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: I can give you a list but the path of 264 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 1: least resistance is still higher. Tom. You know that, Bob, 265 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: the flies an ointment, Let's go right there, because that's 266 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 1: how I roll. I mean, honestly, what material fly in 267 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 1: the ointment are you looking at that potentially could disrupt 268 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: things in a way that people are not expecting. Well, 269 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: if they're all at the margin. You all just talked 270 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 1: about coronavirus and in the delta variant that that that 271 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 1: is one. But inside the market, earnings estimates for the 272 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 1: third quarter peaked in early August and they're off a 273 00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 1: little bit. That's after four quarters were right. During the 274 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 1: quarter of the earnings estimates kept going up. Brett's the 275 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 1: average stock peaked in June. What's that telling us? Its 276 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: telling us the markets get a little tired. So I 277 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 1: can find flies and annointment are the material ones? Great question, Bob? 278 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:28,760 Speaker 1: Can you answer the question for me? Can we get 279 00:16:28,760 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: a reflationary cyclical trade if bond yields don't rise? Uh? 280 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:37,880 Speaker 1: That's the million dollar question. If you dropped me on 281 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:40,800 Speaker 1: the planet and told me everything except where the tangy 282 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,720 Speaker 1: year and asked me to guess, I guess a lot 283 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 1: higher than one thirty something going on the bond market 284 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: when the SUP has the same yield as a tenure treasury. Um. Uh, 285 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 1: we need to watch that carefully. That has that you 286 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 1: has to go up. Uh in my view to have 287 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 1: this cyclical trade. To come back on, Bob Dol, you 288 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:04,880 Speaker 1: have fought against the pendulum of flies in the ointment 289 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: for decades. In decades you have said you have to 290 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:12,240 Speaker 1: participate in the foundation of that, Bob Doll, is it 291 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 1: corporations will adjust? Do you observe and in what way 292 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:23,920 Speaker 1: do you observe corporations adjusting into two thousand twenty two. Well, 293 00:17:23,480 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 1: I'll start look in the rear view mirror. First. If 294 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:28,919 Speaker 1: you had told me they're more companies in the SMP 295 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 1: five dred that would benefit from COVID, then would be hurt. 296 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 1: I wouldn't have believe you wanted to get. But that's 297 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 1: exactly what's happened. Corporations are figuring out how to morph. Uh. 298 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 1: They're dealing with very low interest rates. Uh. They've learned 299 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:47,399 Speaker 1: how to raise prices in environment where pricing power is 300 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:51,400 Speaker 1: coming back. They've kept cost down. A labor I think 301 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:54,560 Speaker 1: will be a flying ointment on that one. But corporations 302 00:17:54,560 --> 00:17:58,359 Speaker 1: have morphed in lots of ways that caused them to 303 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:02,680 Speaker 1: print these slin earnings reports. I'll talk about another flying 304 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:04,680 Speaker 1: the ointment, just to keep repeating the image on this 305 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:08,920 Speaker 1: Monday morning for everybody eating breakfast. I do wonder going forward, Bob, 306 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 1: about the potential for higher taxes, and I look to Washington, 307 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: d C. Pulling together some sort of infrastructure plan. What 308 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:19,160 Speaker 1: have you accounted for in your projections and what isn't 309 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 1: accounted for? Right now? Yeah, I still think the path 310 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 1: the least resistance for that legislation is that we do 311 00:18:26,640 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 1: have a Democrat reconciliation package following the bipartisan um infrastructure plan, 312 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 1: but a much watered down one. Uh. Let's call it 313 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 1: two trillion with up to a trillion dollar of tax increases, 314 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 1: kind of the plane Vanilla ones, higher for higher wage earners, 315 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:48,680 Speaker 1: for corporations, and higher capital gains. But you know, the 316 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:53,640 Speaker 1: Afghanistan thing, uh, does not raise President Biden's political capital 317 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: get that through. So whatever you thought the probability there, 318 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 1: it is lower. Now, Bob Don, what's your target on 319 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:05,439 Speaker 1: SMPF hundred. I'm embarrassed to say fifty. Uh, as the 320 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 1: thing just keeps going up, I've not revised my target. 321 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 1: Let's revise it. Right now. It's a slow Monday. We 322 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:13,280 Speaker 1: had to get Riggs on the show for Taylor. Riggs, 323 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:17,800 Speaker 1: do your revision right now. Al there we go. We're 324 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 1: making news. Bob Doll, thank you so much. Dollar, I 325 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 1: love it, Taylor Dollar, cross Mark pretty cool joining us now. 326 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 1: Peter Truowittz from the London School of Economics with all 327 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:36,880 Speaker 1: of his good work over the years at the University 328 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:40,320 Speaker 1: of Texas at Austin, and Professor Trubowitz. We talked to 329 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:44,000 Speaker 1: Afghan experts. I want to talk to you about United 330 00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:48,200 Speaker 1: States experts, and I go back to your landmark politics 331 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 1: and strategy. Do we have a strategy in foreign policy 332 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:56,359 Speaker 1: that gets us out to say, two thousand twenty three 333 00:19:56,720 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 1: a year before our next election. Well, Tom, it's good 334 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 1: to be with you. I would say we have the 335 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 1: beginnings of a of a strategy. I mean, really, what's 336 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 1: been going on for well over ten years at the 337 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 1: United States is in the process of reassessing and adjusting 338 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 1: strategically and internationally. What that means is moving more of 339 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 1: its energy, it's time, it's energy, and its assets to 340 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:30,199 Speaker 1: East Asia and domestically. I think the principal challenge that 341 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:36,679 Speaker 1: has dogged three administrations. Is UM rebuilding or renewing the 342 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:41,199 Speaker 1: social contract, which has really been badly damaged by the 343 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: country's failure to keep international openness and social protection and balance. 344 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:51,520 Speaker 1: This is the challenge. Afghanistan doesn't really change that, but 345 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: I think it kind of draws our attention to it 346 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:57,119 Speaker 1: in a kind of more focused way. UM. As we 347 00:20:57,160 --> 00:21:01,159 Speaker 1: wind down this chapter and UH and hopefully the United 348 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 1: States begins a new one, I look Peter at a 349 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: new strategy, and it just seems to be all of 350 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:13,200 Speaker 1: the ghosts that the looking back. We look back one year, 351 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 1: we looked back, two decades, we look back three wars. 352 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 1: Which are you looking back to to find perspective? I'm 353 00:21:23,800 --> 00:21:27,359 Speaker 1: not actually looking back at wars. What I think about 354 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:31,439 Speaker 1: is I think about I really do think we're in 355 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:35,800 Speaker 1: a period where the national interest is being redefined, and 356 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:39,200 Speaker 1: it's not being done in the news cycle. It's being 357 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:41,640 Speaker 1: done over an extended period of time. So I look 358 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:46,359 Speaker 1: back at periods for the historians out there, UH, like 359 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:49,680 Speaker 1: the eighteen nineties and the nineteen twenties and the nineteen 360 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 1: forties and the nineteen seventies where the United States readjusted, recalibrated, 361 00:21:56,960 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 1: change the balance between international and domestic stick interest and 362 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:04,240 Speaker 1: and that's what I think we're in the middle of. 363 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 1: And I think it's very hard to see. You have 364 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,359 Speaker 1: to be able to kind of bracket it, step outside 365 00:22:09,359 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 1: of it, and get some distance looking at it from 366 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:16,399 Speaker 1: ten thousand feet rather than from from a hundred feet, 367 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:19,000 Speaker 1: And right when you're in the middle of something like 368 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 1: what's going on in Afghanistan right now, it's very hard 369 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:26,920 Speaker 1: to see that. But I do think that's what Biden wants, 370 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,440 Speaker 1: perhaps trying to get out he is having trouble. That's 371 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:32,720 Speaker 1: where I wanted to go because right now we're looking 372 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:35,439 Speaker 1: at an agenda in Washington, d C. That is almost 373 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:37,880 Speaker 1: solidly Afghanistan. I mean, I was watching the Sunday talk 374 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 1: shows and the political shows are all Afghanistan at a time, 375 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,200 Speaker 1: and we're heading up into the debt ceiling debate. We're 376 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:46,440 Speaker 1: heading up until uh this question about infrastructure and getting 377 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:51,160 Speaker 1: it past. I mean, did this just accomplish the opposite? Yes, 378 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:53,639 Speaker 1: I think that's you know, they said, that's the great 379 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: irony and all of this. One of the reasons that 380 00:22:56,440 --> 00:22:59,879 Speaker 1: Biden was so keen to get out of Afghanistan was 381 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:03,879 Speaker 1: to focus more attention on domestic problems and the messy, 382 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:09,000 Speaker 1: costly withdrawal from Afghanistan has basically only increased the political 383 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:12,600 Speaker 1: risks of failing to deliver on that front and the 384 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:16,439 Speaker 1: difficulties of getting it done because he's now open and 385 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:20,440 Speaker 1: vulnerable to attacks over Afghanistan. You heard it yesterday, people 386 00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:25,080 Speaker 1: calling for impeachment, Lindsey Graham calling for impeachment of Joe Biden, 387 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:27,879 Speaker 1: you know, and and we'll hear more of that in 388 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 1: the coming days. I think, Professor, are our allies rethinking 389 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:37,159 Speaker 1: our commitment to them, and I have Taiwan specifically in mind, 390 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 1: so you know, I think that is going on, although Frankly, Teller, 391 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:45,880 Speaker 1: it's mostly on my side of the Atlantic over here, 392 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:50,120 Speaker 1: and I don't mean the UK, but also in Europe 393 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:52,600 Speaker 1: there's a lot of people who are very piste off 394 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:57,280 Speaker 1: about not being sufficiently consulted about the operations with respect 395 00:23:57,280 --> 00:24:01,200 Speaker 1: to the withdrawal. I hear much less of actually from 396 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:04,359 Speaker 1: our allies in East Asia. So why is that the case. 397 00:24:04,800 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 1: I think it's because they know that the goal behind this, 398 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 1: at least the international goal, is to shift the focus 399 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:16,200 Speaker 1: to East Asia, to China and more broadly, and that's 400 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 1: a concern on this side of the Atlantic on on, 401 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:22,280 Speaker 1: you know, in the European theater, Peter, Are we actually 402 00:24:22,440 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 1: going to see the US remove involvement from that region 403 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:28,159 Speaker 1: or are these drone attacks that we're seeing going to 404 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:30,960 Speaker 1: be ongoing and then the need to put more personnel 405 00:24:31,080 --> 00:24:33,159 Speaker 1: on the ground in order to get intelligence. Then all 406 00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:35,080 Speaker 1: of a sudden, did we really get out in the 407 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 1: first place? Well, I mean, you know, who knows. But 408 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:45,160 Speaker 1: I think we're gonna see now because of the terrorist 409 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 1: strike again that killed you know, US service um men 410 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:53,200 Speaker 1: and women, We're going to see the Biden administration invest 411 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:55,880 Speaker 1: more time and energy in this. I think they really 412 00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:58,879 Speaker 1: cannot afford to see this kind of thing happen. It 413 00:24:58,920 --> 00:25:01,960 Speaker 1: really can't happen on their watch. Whether or not it 414 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 1: can be done over the horizon, that is, with drones 415 00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:07,840 Speaker 1: and some special courses, I think that's the goal. I 416 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:11,720 Speaker 1: do not think there is a huge push anywhere for 417 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:15,600 Speaker 1: more kind of boots on the ground, big time with 418 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:19,000 Speaker 1: nation building the United States. American people, when you look 419 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:22,639 Speaker 1: at the polls, they're piste off about how the withdrawal 420 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:25,560 Speaker 1: was handled, but they are not upset about getting out 421 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 1: of Afghanistan. Peter, Thank you so much. Peter, Trubois with 422 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 1: us the London School of Economics Professor of International Relations 423 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:38,080 Speaker 1: that this is the Bloomberg Surveillance Podcast. Thanks for listening. 424 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 1: Join us live weekdays from seven to ten am Eastern 425 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 1: on Bloomberg Radio and on Bloomberg Television each day from 426 00:25:46,119 --> 00:25:51,320 Speaker 1: six to nine am for insight from the best in economics, finance, investment, 427 00:25:51,520 --> 00:25:56,560 Speaker 1: and international relations. And subscribe to the Surveillance podcast on 428 00:25:56,640 --> 00:26:00,440 Speaker 1: Apple podcast, SoundCloud, Bloomberg dot com, and of course on 429 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: the terminal. I'm Tom keane in. This is Bloomer