1 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, Radio News. 2 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 2: Hello and welcome to another episode of the Odd Blots podcast. 3 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:24,960 Speaker 2: I'm Tracy Alloway. 4 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 3: And I'm Joe Wisenthal. 5 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:27,479 Speaker 2: Joe, the week's not over. 6 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:34,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, we're recording this November sixth at ten point thirty 7 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 3: three am. But one thing that is over is a 8 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 3: lot of people expected that at this point there would 9 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 3: be significant ambiguity about who had won the election, and 10 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 3: actually that part is over. There's no ambiguity at all. 11 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 2: It's been called Yeah, that's right. So Trump has obviously 12 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 2: won the election, and we've seen a pretty big market reaction. 13 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 2: Equities obviously up, but also bond yields are going up, 14 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 2: which means prices are going down. And there's been lots 15 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 2: of talk about the return of volatility in the bond 16 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 2: market and the way investors or traders were sort of 17 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 2: approaching event risk from this election. I wrote about it 18 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:16,880 Speaker 2: in the newsletter. There are other people who have been 19 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:19,640 Speaker 2: writing about it, and of course, as I said, the 20 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:22,880 Speaker 2: week isn't over yet. We still have that FED meeting 21 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 2: on Thursday. 22 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: No, that's right. 23 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:27,839 Speaker 3: You know you mentioned the event risk and the stock 24 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:30,039 Speaker 3: market rally and the bond move and I would say 25 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 3: two things. I think there is probably just sort of 26 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 3: generically probably a view among equity investors that Trump europolicies, 27 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 3: probably less regulation, lower corporate taxes is good for stocks. 28 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 3: That seems like something. On the other hand, it's interesting 29 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 3: because the VICS has absolutely collapsed, and so I think 30 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,560 Speaker 3: part of the reason perhaps for this at least some 31 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 3: component of this stock market reaction is probably just the 32 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 3: end of that election, certainty being gone, the unambiguous outcome, 33 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 3: and setting aside Trump versus Harris policies. Now, on the 34 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 3: other hand, what's interesting is the move index, which may 35 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 3: you know, like the great of the that's lower, but 36 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,520 Speaker 3: not dramatically lower, and it still remains at very high levels, 37 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 3: at least relative to recent years, or at least over 38 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 3: the last year. So there are sort of I would say, 39 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 3: competing forces. You know, some aspects of uncertainty are gone. 40 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 3: That's good. But then there, as you say, this sort 41 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 3: of march up and rates, which is a global story 42 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 3: by the way, is still a big thing out there. 43 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,080 Speaker 2: Yes, so we are going to be focusing on bonds today. 44 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 2: We might record an equity specific episode later this week, 45 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 2: but because of the upcoming FED meeting, and the election 46 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:46,880 Speaker 2: this week we felt, you know, let's look at bonds. 47 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 2: Let's look at bonds, all right, and who better to 48 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 2: look at bonds than Harley Bassman, managing partner at Simplify 49 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:58,680 Speaker 2: Asset Management and the creator of Convexity Maven, which is 50 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 2: an awesome publication. If you're not already reading it, Harley, 51 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 2: thank you so much for coming back on all thoughts. 52 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 4: Thank you very much. Glad you're a wait today. 53 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:09,400 Speaker 3: So I was also the creator of the Move index, 54 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 3: which in addition, oh yeah, it right, in addition creator, 55 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 3: in addition to being the Convexity Maven himself, should anyway 56 00:03:16,760 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 3: keep going traces? 57 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 2: Well, okay, why don't we start with the Move index? Then, 58 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 2: Harley explain or just give us a recap on what's 59 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 2: been going on with the move, because there was one 60 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 2: specific day where we saw a big move upwards ha 61 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 2: ha ha. In the move. 62 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 4: The move is the Vicks for bonds. It's basically a 63 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:38,880 Speaker 4: one month window and so last month when we went 64 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 4: from October four to October seven, the election popped into 65 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 4: that window and that's what and so that's when you 66 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 4: had the big jump in the move. And from that 67 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 4: you could then calculate the market's expectation of volatility from that, 68 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 4: and when we crossed over a month ago, I said 69 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 4: eighteen basis points. When we walked into yesterday it was 70 00:04:02,080 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 4: at seventeen basis points. So the market kind of got 71 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 4: it right. And as a Leco screen right now, tenure 72 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 4: rates moved about eighteen so market kind of called this 73 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 4: thing right on the move that was at one thirty ish, 74 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 4: it's now one seventeen ish. It's going to drop again 75 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 4: after the Fed on Thursday, because we still have the 76 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 4: uncertainty of what they're going to go and do. We 77 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 4: kind of think it's locked in, but not for sure. 78 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 4: You'll see the move kind of dropped down after that. 79 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:27,479 Speaker 4: I guess the contrastor kind of zipping towards is that 80 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 4: the vics at you know, fifteen ish now. It never 81 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 4: got that high. It got like twenty ish two days ago, 82 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,600 Speaker 4: which is barely above its long term average. Stock market 83 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 4: has not moved that much for this entire time. All 84 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 4: the volatility has been in rates, the uncertainty of what 85 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 4: the Fed's going to go and do, and that still 86 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 4: is not over. We still have to figure out what 87 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:54,840 Speaker 4: is the terminal value. The terminal rate the Fed's that 88 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:56,720 Speaker 4: we get to, as well as where we're going to 89 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 4: be this December, which is very interesting right now if 90 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:01,360 Speaker 4: you look at the market, we've had the market pricing 91 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 4: in a lower rate than the dots, the Fed's prediction 92 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 4: of policy going forward. That is now flipped over. We 93 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 4: now have the market at forty basis points higher than 94 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 4: the fed's most recent dot plot, and that's kind of new. 95 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 4: So the market's kind of changing sentiment here about where 96 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 4: we're going to land a December from now and then 97 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:23,280 Speaker 4: two years from now. 98 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 3: Is that rare historically that here we have the vics 99 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 3: really close to rock bottom levels and the move is 100 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 3: still somewhat elevated if you go back historically. Is this 101 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 3: common in period? Because intuitively, I would guess that if 102 00:05:38,279 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 3: there's a high amount of uncertainty about what the FED 103 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:43,880 Speaker 3: is going to do over the medium term, I thought, 104 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,359 Speaker 3: you know, things like inflation and the FED mattered for 105 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:49,600 Speaker 3: stocks and therefore on some level that would translate to 106 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 3: equity markets. How rare is that disconnect? 107 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 4: In general? From thirty thousand feet the move and the 108 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 4: vics go hand in hand. You can't trade them, don't 109 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:02,719 Speaker 4: ever do that, Okay, But they don't want to go 110 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 4: hand in hand. As far as I can tell, this 111 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 4: is the longest period of where there's been a disconnect 112 00:06:07,560 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 4: between the two of them, which is not really a 113 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,160 Speaker 4: shock when you think about it, because all the uncertainty 114 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 4: has been in the bond market. We had, we had QI, 115 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:19,600 Speaker 4: we had QT, we had zup. The FED take and 116 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 4: makes some five hundred points in short order. The uncertainty 117 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 4: has all been in the rates market and not in 118 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 4: the stock market, and for reasons for that, the fiscal 119 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:32,120 Speaker 4: impulse of spending money has kept the stock market and 120 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:36,240 Speaker 4: the economy going well better than expected. So it's surprising, 121 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 4: but when you look at the actual data, it's not 122 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 4: that much of a shock. We still don't know where 123 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:42,159 Speaker 4: rates are going to settle, but we have a pretty 124 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:43,479 Speaker 4: good idea the stocks are going to be okay. 125 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 2: So one thing I've been wondering is you often hear 126 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 2: from Republicans that they think economic growth will offset things 127 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:55,039 Speaker 2: that increase the deficit. So you know, we can have 128 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:58,279 Speaker 2: big tax cuts because the economy is going to boom 129 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 2: and so the US will get more income and that 130 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 2: will ultimately help offset the deficit. I'm always curious from 131 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 2: a bond trader's perspective, How do you actually incorporate like 132 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 2: economic growth specifically into your outlook for rates. 133 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 4: That's a challenge. I mean, you know, we have the numbers, 134 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,080 Speaker 4: but long and variable lags, as the expression goes, tends 135 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 4: to dominate. Like I'm u Chicago, I'm a monitorist. I 136 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 4: think you know, printing money cross inflation just takes time 137 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 4: for it to happen. I mean, what you've seen recently 138 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 4: is the FED basically printed created lots of money, and 139 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:37,720 Speaker 4: the last you know, four years, they set that pile 140 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:40,920 Speaker 4: of money ablaze. And here we go. We have higher rates, 141 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 4: we have inflation, and you have a stock market doing okay, 142 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 4: and it seems like that's not going to change going forward. 143 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 4: Becomes very interesting the markets move to where it's supposed 144 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:50,680 Speaker 4: to kind of go to. I think we're fair value 145 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 4: right now. Now you can go well above fair value, 146 00:07:53,400 --> 00:07:55,120 Speaker 4: but we've kind of gotten to where we're supposed to 147 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 4: go if you kind of take the FED at its 148 00:07:57,280 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 4: word of where they're faking inflation is going to be 149 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 4: and where the economy is gonna be. What we don't 150 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 4: know right now is the push me, pull me effect 151 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 4: between the fiscal impulse of theory that you know, Trump's 152 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 4: kind of they advertise spending seven trillion dollars more versus 153 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 4: immigration policy and tariffs which are negative. How is it 154 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 4: going to work? That's unclear? I mean, which side is 155 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 4: going to go and win? This is kind of why 156 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 4: we have to go And really kind of the expression 157 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 4: has been you take Trump seriously but not literally. I'll 158 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:32,680 Speaker 4: go with that. We don't know what he's actually going 159 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 4: to do. When at the end of the day, is 160 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 4: he going to deport ten million people? Kind of doubt it. 161 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 4: But could he go and to port a million? I 162 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 4: guess so? And will that be impactful? Yeah? Yeah, I 163 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 4: mean is he gonna raise terrorists? He's good? Triple tariffs? No, 164 00:08:45,920 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 4: could you take about twenty thirty percent? Yeah? And what 165 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 4: will that be through the system? 166 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 3: We don't know yet, right, and I think there's gonna 167 00:08:53,160 --> 00:08:56,679 Speaker 3: there's just a tremendous amount of uncertainty on the specifics 168 00:08:56,679 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 3: of this point, and obviously something we're going to be 169 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 3: covering a lot really, I think in the years ahead, 170 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 3: trying to understand how the economy evolves. Let's take it 171 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:09,080 Speaker 3: really short term for a second, because we do have 172 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 3: that FED decision tomorrow. It seems like the market's basically locked. 173 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 3: It's going to be a twenty five basis point cut. 174 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 3: Is there anything that you'll be watching? You know, there's 175 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:21,719 Speaker 3: no dots that are going to come out tomorrow, so 176 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 3: it's I don't know, maybe, especially in the context of 177 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:26,960 Speaker 3: this week, one of the least anticipated FED decisions I 178 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 3: can remember in sometime. But there's always some signal. Is 179 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 3: there anything in particular that you'll be watching or listening 180 00:09:33,920 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 3: for tomorrow when that decision comes out. 181 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:39,400 Speaker 4: I've been saying for many many months now. I mean 182 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 4: I have higher for longer. I will say that I 183 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 4: was on the record thinking they would not cut last time. 184 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 4: I thought they'd wait till after the election, you go 185 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 4: and do it. But I still think we have to 186 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:51,520 Speaker 4: go and focus on what's really important here. The reason 187 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 4: why we still agreed the Greek tragedies we still read 188 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:58,199 Speaker 4: Shakespeare is these guys captured, you know, the essence of mankind, 189 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 4: which is hubris ego. J. Powell does not want to 190 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:05,440 Speaker 4: go down as Arthur Burns, who cut rates as inflation 191 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:07,920 Speaker 4: came down in the seventies and then inflation came roaring 192 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 4: on back and he became you know, the dog of inflation, 193 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 4: whereas vulgar is our saint. I think Powell wants to 194 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:17,680 Speaker 4: go out as the hero. And therefore, with what's going 195 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 4: on and the proposed policies by Trump, I kind of 196 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 4: think he's pretty worried about, you know, a resurgence of 197 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:28,240 Speaker 4: inflation and having his tombstone, say Arthur BYRNS reducts. So 198 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 4: I kind of think he's going to want to go 199 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 4: and sit back a little bit and kind of watch 200 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 4: and see what Trump actually does. I just don't see 201 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:37,080 Speaker 4: if dropping rates as hard as everyone thinks. If he 202 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 4: thinks he's going to go and reignite inflation and damage 203 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 4: his legacy, I think his legacy probably matters more than 204 00:10:43,040 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 4: anything else to him. 205 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, one thing I wanted to ask you about, you know, 206 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 2: you mentioned that idea of taking Trump seriously but not literally, 207 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 2: and how that introduces a lot of uncertainty in the market. 208 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 2: Some of that uncertainty, in addition to being captured in 209 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 2: the move index, has been captured in the term premium, 210 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 2: which has been going up. And term premium, I mean 211 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 2: everyone has different definitions of it, but like a basic 212 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 2: one is that it is the extra compensation or yield 213 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 2: that investors demand to hold longer term debt. And the 214 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 2: thinking here is that the term premium might be going 215 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 2: up because we're going to have all that uncertainty that 216 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:24,960 Speaker 2: comes with a Trump win. How are you thinking about 217 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,359 Speaker 2: the term premium from here on out? 218 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 4: I'm thinking about what is what it's called fair value, 219 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 4: which is almost a meaningless number. But let's just what's 220 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 4: fair value. Let's just say inflation comes in at two 221 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:37,880 Speaker 4: and a half those a two, which is not shock 222 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 4: pcees two to seven. The Fed slaps on thirty forty 223 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 4: basis points of real rate, right, and then you go 224 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 4: and put on the proper curve, and historically going back 225 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 4: thirty five years, including all the stuff up and down, 226 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:55,120 Speaker 4: all the bear's panics and kiwis, basically you average one 227 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 4: hundred and fifty basis points one hundred and forty seventy 228 00:11:57,280 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 4: precise between FED funds and the tenure. Well, if that 229 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 4: fund is going to be two eighty eight, which is 230 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 4: the long term dots we have right now, which is 231 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 4: thirty eight basis points above inflation of two and a half, 232 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 4: so or a real rate of almost a half point there, 233 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 4: that just tens at four thirty five. You know we're 234 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 4: four forty five. We're kind of there right now. What 235 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 4: I see happening is the FED will take rates down 236 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 4: slower and expected the ten years. We're kind of in 237 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:25,880 Speaker 4: the in the kill zone right now, although something crazy 238 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:28,760 Speaker 4: happens and we have nominal GDP coming in like at 239 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:33,000 Speaker 4: five ish, Okay, I mean nominal GDP should kind of 240 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 4: equal ten year rates in the grand scheme of the world. 241 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 4: As a U Chicago person, and so I kind of 242 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 4: think the term premium as we calculate it will expand 243 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:44,599 Speaker 4: as the front end comes down, and we'll all be 244 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:46,599 Speaker 4: right with the world, except for a few bumps and 245 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 4: bruises along the way. Once again, we really don't know 246 00:12:49,920 --> 00:12:54,240 Speaker 4: what's going to happen between immigration and tariffs and immigration. 247 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 4: I don't even hung about the politics of it, but 248 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 4: I want to be very clear at the upper level, 249 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:05,440 Speaker 4: the econ me is people times, hours, test productivity, people 250 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 4: hours productivity. I think what's happened in the last two 251 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 4: years is we've had more people come in via immigration, 252 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 4: legal or otherwise. That's supported the economy. Thus we have 253 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 4: numbers coming in better. And then if we start deporting people, 254 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:23,280 Speaker 4: you'll have less people. You'll bless GDP. Is that bad? 255 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 4: Maybe not. I mean, if you if that's how you 256 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:30,640 Speaker 4: view the world, you want to have reduce immigration, if 257 00:13:30,679 --> 00:13:32,600 Speaker 4: you're willing to go pay a higher interest rate for it, 258 00:13:32,640 --> 00:13:35,839 Speaker 4: that's fine. I'm not going to debate the concept. I 259 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:37,559 Speaker 4: was going to say, what happens at the end of 260 00:13:37,559 --> 00:13:40,320 Speaker 4: the road when you do that? And we're always willing 261 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:44,600 Speaker 4: to go in and make cost benefit payoffs when we 262 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 4: make decisions. Nothing's free in the world. So green policy, 263 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 4: if you want to transfer from oil to solar and 264 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:54,719 Speaker 4: wind right now cost more money to do that. I'm 265 00:13:54,760 --> 00:13:56,839 Speaker 4: not saying it's a bad policy, but we're willing to 266 00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 4: go pay it to go get that climate under control. 267 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 4: That's okay. Just remember you're paying a price for it, 268 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 4: and what's what price you're wanting to pay. 269 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 3: You mentioned Powell and the ghost of Arthur Burns, which 270 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 3: of course is something that people have talked about at 271 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 3: Fairmount and he doesn't want to go down as the 272 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:33,520 Speaker 3: person who really let inflation run wild again. And you know, 273 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 3: earlier this year it seemed like okay, that had been cemented. 274 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 3: They did the fifty bases point cut. Since then, the 275 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 3: economy has been a little stronger than perhaps people had expected. 276 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:45,880 Speaker 3: Then there's all the Trump uncertainty, et cetera. That being said, 277 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:49,160 Speaker 3: this gets to trick taking Trump seriously versus literally, and 278 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 3: the uncertainty about what we don't know what he's gonna do. 279 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 3: One thing we do know that he did last time 280 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 3: was Browbie J. Powell on Twitter and other platforms about 281 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:02,680 Speaker 3: lowering rates. When you think about that time period specifically 282 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 3: twenty eighteen twenty nineteen, I think it was more eighteen. 283 00:15:06,960 --> 00:15:09,880 Speaker 3: Did that have an effect? And should we think about 284 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 3: the pressure that would probably likely emerge in twenty twenty 285 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 3: five again if there's not significant rate cuts. 286 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 4: I suppose, But I think the much bigger event around 287 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:23,120 Speaker 4: that time was that when Powell's time came up for renomination, 288 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 4: the government dragged their feet by like nine months on 289 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 4: that because there was so much you know, I guess 290 00:15:29,480 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 4: think does Biden wanted to put in a moreduvish person. 291 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:36,640 Speaker 3: But in twenty eighteen specifically, that's when Paul was still 292 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 3: hiking rates. We got the far away from neutral comment, 293 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 3: which eventually had to get reversed. And that was when 294 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:45,880 Speaker 3: Trump was doing a lot of tweeting about rates, and 295 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 3: so there was that pressure from the White House to 296 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 3: the you know, nominally independent Federal Reserve or the independent 297 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 3: Federal Reserve. And what I'm curious is whether you think, 298 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 3: as you were called back at that time, that that 299 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 3: pressure had least at the margin, some effect on the 300 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 3: policy setting. 301 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:05,200 Speaker 4: I don't think it had that much. And I don't 302 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 4: because now we've had another, you know, four or five 303 00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:09,800 Speaker 4: eight years to look at this thing. It's unclear to 304 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 4: me that what Trump was saying in Twitter was the 305 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:17,359 Speaker 4: same thing he was saying, you know, via Treasury Secretary. 306 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:19,640 Speaker 4: It seems to me that that there's a there's a 307 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 4: dual level over here of what he actually wants to 308 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 4: do versus what he says using the bully pulpit. So 309 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 4: it could be it could have been going. Let's say 310 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 4: he's telling pell to keep going, to keep everything constant, 311 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 4: but in public he's saying, take him down to go 312 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:34,920 Speaker 4: and you know, sound good root for the home team. 313 00:16:35,200 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 4: It's unclear to me if that wasn't the case. 314 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,479 Speaker 2: Joe had a great piece in our new daily newsletter 315 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:42,520 Speaker 2: last week, or maybe it was two weeks ago. 316 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 3: I think it was too lost track of time. 317 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, time is a flat circle at this point, but 318 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 2: it was about potential constraints on Trump that are introduced 319 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 2: from the rate market. So, for instance, we know that 320 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 2: mortgage rates broadly track US treasury yields, and so those 321 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 2: have been going up recently, and most people don't like 322 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:05,160 Speaker 2: it when mortgage rates go up. 323 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 1: Are there any. 324 00:17:06,320 --> 00:17:12,200 Speaker 2: Political complexities that are introduced for Trump from the rate market? 325 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:14,959 Speaker 2: The sort of real world impact of the rate market. 326 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:17,159 Speaker 4: I think the real world is going to have to 327 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:20,639 Speaker 4: be real money, which means the rates go up, and 328 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 4: therefore the deficit goes up because our interest payments go 329 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:26,119 Speaker 4: up because we have so much of our debt is 330 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,120 Speaker 4: front loaded that keeps rolling over. So you know, it's 331 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:31,480 Speaker 4: not that we put out so much ten or thirty 332 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 4: year paper where the rates locked in. We have most 333 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:35,120 Speaker 4: of the debt in the front end. So if rates 334 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 4: go up by one hundred, that almost immediately goes into 335 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 4: deficit spending. I think those kinds of things where the 336 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 4: real money hits the road, could be a bumper for 337 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:47,560 Speaker 4: how he operates. I don't think the actual rate moving 338 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:49,320 Speaker 4: itself will be the cause. I think we have to 339 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:51,520 Speaker 4: see see the whites of their eyes for it to happen. 340 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:56,119 Speaker 3: I just have one more question I think, but you know, 341 00:17:56,160 --> 00:18:00,399 Speaker 3: you mentioned the sort of multiple messages from the last 342 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 3: Trump administration, and he may have on Twitter been browbeating 343 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:08,560 Speaker 3: Powell about lowering rates. But I think his Treasury secretary, 344 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:11,600 Speaker 3: Steve Manuchen, operated as what I would say is like 345 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:16,560 Speaker 3: a fairly normy treasury secretary, not a lot of populism, 346 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:21,680 Speaker 3: policy adventurism, et cetera. Seemed to actually in retrospect at 347 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 3: the time, but also in retrospect, have a fair degree 348 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:27,280 Speaker 3: of respect among people, I would say, on both sides 349 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 3: of the aisle in the weeks ahead, like how much 350 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 3: are you going to be keying onto personnel decisions when 351 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 3: you're thinking about the medium term or longer term trajectory 352 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:42,200 Speaker 3: of this stuff that the new administration makes in terms 353 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:44,960 Speaker 3: of how that will feed through into things that would 354 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 3: affect interest rates. 355 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,880 Speaker 4: I think you have stumbled over the truth. I think 356 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 4: I think who he picks for his cabinet and his 357 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:57,280 Speaker 4: senior leadership team is almost vastly more important than Trump himself. 358 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:00,400 Speaker 4: We saw who he picked last time, said, I want 359 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:02,760 Speaker 4: to say established with people, but seasoned people who knew 360 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 4: the game. The extent he brings in less seasoned people 361 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 4: that brings in uncertainty. It doesn't mean it's bad, It 362 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 4: just means it's uncertain market d uncertainty. So I think 363 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 4: we're gonna still see a lot of volatility in the 364 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 4: market until we see the slate of who's going to 365 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 4: bring in for the key positions. 366 00:19:19,080 --> 00:19:23,840 Speaker 2: All right, Harley Bassman of Convexity Mave and the Convexity Maven, 367 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 2: thank you so much for coming on All Thoughts at 368 00:19:26,359 --> 00:19:28,560 Speaker 2: short notice to talk about the bond market. 369 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 4: Thanks, thank you. 370 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,720 Speaker 2: Joe. Harley is great and I think he was truly 371 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:49,280 Speaker 2: the perfect guest for this particular conversation. One thing, I'm wondering, 372 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:52,159 Speaker 2: how many times do you think we said uncertainty in 373 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:52,920 Speaker 2: that podcast. 374 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 3: We'll have to go back to the transcript. And look, no, 375 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:58,639 Speaker 3: he was because look it's the Wednesday morning after the election, 376 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 3: and there are so many questions in so much time 377 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:06,639 Speaker 3: in space for sort of big picture future of the country, 378 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:09,719 Speaker 3: future of the Democratic Party. Who all these thoughts and 379 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 3: it's like, I'm not really into trying to figure that 380 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:16,520 Speaker 3: stuff out less than twelve hours after we got the result. 381 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:18,919 Speaker 3: So Harley was great because then of course we have 382 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 3: this FED decision and so nice, a nice stop a 383 00:20:22,119 --> 00:20:27,200 Speaker 3: nice little snapshot of this moment in politics, economics, and 384 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:29,119 Speaker 3: rate market uncertainty. 385 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,000 Speaker 2: I do think though, when it comes to rates, the 386 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:36,480 Speaker 2: move upwards that we've seen recently, there was discussion about 387 00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:39,960 Speaker 2: whether or not they were moving in line with Trump's 388 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:44,280 Speaker 2: chances of winning or signs that the economy was still 389 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 2: going relatively strong and that might imperil the FED cuts. 390 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 2: But I think like maybe that argument is settled somewhat 391 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:57,399 Speaker 2: today with that reaction, because we pretty much know that 392 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 2: the Fed's going to cut tomorrow. Yeah, still rates start 393 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:03,919 Speaker 2: moving up, So at least that's that's one thing I 394 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 2: think that's been kind of settled. 395 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:12,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, Yeah, but there are Look I'm yeah, maybe I'm. 396 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:14,040 Speaker 2: Clutching at straws at this point. 397 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 3: We're looking for something real, you know. I would just 398 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:18,920 Speaker 3: go back to two things, which is, it is interesting, 399 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:25,600 Speaker 3: as hardly confirmed, this disconnect between stock volatility and rates volatility, 400 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:28,920 Speaker 3: and it'll be interesting to see how long this gap persists. 401 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:31,679 Speaker 3: And then the other thing I would say is, you know, 402 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:35,640 Speaker 3: we talk a lot about bond market vigilantes, and I've 403 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:38,119 Speaker 3: never loved that term because I think it prescribes a 404 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:41,560 Speaker 3: certain level of agency to individual investors that I don't 405 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:45,880 Speaker 3: think is necessarily warranted. But two things to your point, 406 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:48,800 Speaker 3: I still think people really don't like higher mortgage rates, 407 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:50,920 Speaker 3: and I think this is going to be a on 408 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 3: some level political challenge for the Trump administration. And b 409 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 3: even though we didn't really talk about equities very much, 410 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:01,520 Speaker 3: people like higher stock price higher sixty one percent of 411 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:05,199 Speaker 3: American households, according to Gallup, owned stock. Stock is how 412 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 3: people fund college education. Stock is how people fund retirement. 413 00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:12,080 Speaker 3: And one thing that I'll be curious about is what 414 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 3: I would call the stock market vigilantes and the degree 415 00:22:14,800 --> 00:22:19,120 Speaker 3: to which equity markets act as a constraint on policy 416 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:22,919 Speaker 3: adventurers and particularly on things like tariffs, et cetera, that 417 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:25,119 Speaker 3: you could imagine a lot of companies in the US 418 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 3: really won't like for various reasons. I just think it 419 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:31,600 Speaker 3: like financial market vigilantes in general, I think it'll be 420 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:35,040 Speaker 3: really interesting to see what kind of limit they impose 421 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:40,240 Speaker 3: on a Trump administration that may be stocked with potentially 422 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:41,920 Speaker 3: different type of personnel than the first one. 423 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:45,119 Speaker 2: Well, I guess the only certainty at this point is 424 00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 2: that we will have lots to talk about. Yeah, sure, 425 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:48,680 Speaker 2: shall we leave it there. 426 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:49,480 Speaker 3: Let's leave it there. 427 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:52,440 Speaker 2: This has been another episode of the All Thoughts podcast. 428 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:55,400 Speaker 2: I'm Tracy Alloway. You can follow me at Tracy Alloway. 429 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:58,400 Speaker 3: I'm Joe Wisenthal. You can follow me at the Stalwart. 430 00:22:58,560 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 3: Follow our guest Harley bass and he's at Convexity Maven. 431 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:05,359 Speaker 3: Follow our producers Carmen Rodriguez at Carmen armand dash Ol 432 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 3: Bennett at Dashbot and kill Brooks at Kilbrooks. Thank you 433 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 3: to our producer Moses Ondam. From our Oddlots content. 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