1 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to The Credit Edge, a weekly markets podcast. 2 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:22,000 Speaker 1: My name is James Crumbie. I'm a senior editor at Bloomberg. 3 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: This week, we're very pleased to have back on the 4 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: show Scott Carpenter, who covers structured finance at Bloomberg News 5 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: in New York. How are you, Scott? 6 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:32,239 Speaker 2: A very good James, thanks for having me. 7 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 1: Very excited to get your take on the markets. Thanks 8 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:37,639 Speaker 1: so much for joining. We're also delighted to welcome back 9 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:41,120 Speaker 1: Arnold Kakuda, a credit analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence in New York. 10 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,279 Speaker 1: And we have a surprise extra guest coming up. 11 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:44,840 Speaker 2: CJ. 12 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:48,480 Speaker 1: Maloney at Bok Financial. He's an authority on mortgage backed 13 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: securities markets. 14 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:50,519 Speaker 2: So do stay with us. 15 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,800 Speaker 1: But first, Scott Carpenter with Bloomberg News, you're all over 16 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:58,280 Speaker 1: the mortgage bond market at the moment. It's worth about 17 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 1: eight trillion dollars. There are a lot of pressure. It's 18 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:04,720 Speaker 1: a market meltdown that has significant implications for anyone who 19 00:01:04,760 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 1: owns a house, so we should all be paying a 20 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 1: lot more attention to it. But before we get into 21 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 1: the current route, just let's talk through what these bonds are. It'scott, 22 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: how are they, how do they work? 23 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:23,400 Speaker 2: What are they sure? A mortgage bond is essentially a 24 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:28,399 Speaker 2: big pool of thousands of mortgages. There's a very good 25 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,119 Speaker 2: chance that if you bought home recently using a mortgage, 26 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 2: that your mortgage would end up in one of these bonds, 27 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:39,679 Speaker 2: which means that when you make your mortgage payment, that 28 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 2: payment is filtered through and ultimately goes to pay the 29 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 2: investors who bought the bonds, and they're trading around in 30 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 2: financial markets. It's a huge market, as you mentioned, eight 31 00:01:54,280 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 2: trillion dollars, and it's I think it's large. It's it's 32 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 2: not as big as the treasury market, but it's one 33 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 2: of the biggest, most liquid markets that there is. 34 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: So essentially these are just the repackaging of family home loans. 35 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:14,800 Speaker 2: Is that right? That's it, That's right, That's what there 36 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:15,160 Speaker 2: is to it. 37 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 3: Yep. 38 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: So why are they under so much pressure at the moment? 39 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 1: There's been a huge sell off of spreads of very wide, 40 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 1: I mean the widest since what two thousand and seven. 41 00:02:24,800 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 1: Things are just falling apart very quickly. Why is it happening? 42 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 2: No, sounds bad, doesn't it. It's happening now because of 43 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:38,120 Speaker 2: what's happening in the treasury market. Treasury yields have gone 44 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 2: up a lot. I think they are now by some measures, 45 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 2: a highest since two thousand and seven. And the mortgage 46 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 2: bond market trades very closely the treasury market. And one 47 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:55,639 Speaker 2: thing that the mortgage bond market does not like is volatility. 48 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 2: Very sensitive to volatility, and anytime autility goes up, which 49 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 2: is exactly what's happened recently, mortgage bonds react accordingly. And 50 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:11,239 Speaker 2: they they have an additional risk against treasuries, and that 51 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 2: risk has essentially gone up, so they followed treasuries, and 52 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:15,919 Speaker 2: then the risk has been a little bit on top 53 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 2: of that as well. 54 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: You know, it's funny we spent most of the summer 55 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,079 Speaker 1: hearing about soft landing, inflation coming down, and maybe even 56 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 1: rate cuts starting soon. That all seems to have been 57 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: thrown right out the window in the last few days, 58 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: and now we're hearing big investors and analysts talking about 59 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:33,760 Speaker 1: a US tenure yield above six percent, which you know, 60 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 1: compares to less than four point eight percent today. You know, 61 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 1: even today's level is about where we were in two 62 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: thousand and seven. So rates going higher, which people expect now, 63 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:50,119 Speaker 1: that's got to hurt anything with duration. Does that mean 64 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: more pain in the mortgage market. 65 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 2: Yep, I think it does. I think it does, you know, 66 00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 2: and things could very well get better from here. But 67 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 2: it's funny because for a long time, for the last 68 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 2: few last well, you know, weeks, maybe a couple of 69 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 2: months now, everybody has been saying, buy mortgage bonds. They're amazing, 70 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 2: they're screaming cheap. And they you know, they certainly were. 71 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:20,039 Speaker 2: They certainly were screaming cheap. It's just that they seem 72 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 2: to have now gotten even cheaper. And you know, the 73 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:29,040 Speaker 2: idea was that rates, long term rates would stabilize, and 74 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 2: once that happened, volatility would go down and mortgage bonds 75 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 2: would turn out to be this amazing investment. And that 76 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 2: hasn't happen. It hasn't happened yet. It could still happen, 77 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:44,359 Speaker 2: but this latest bout of volatility rising yields has spoiled 78 00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 2: the party for those. 79 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:50,159 Speaker 1: People underlying this market. Though there's a bunch of housing 80 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: debt people take out alone to buy a home. As 81 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:57,360 Speaker 1: we discussed, the debt is cured by a property. Everyone 82 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:59,919 Speaker 1: needs somewhere to live. It's the last payment you'll stop 83 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 1: when times get tough, so it should be a pretty 84 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:06,480 Speaker 1: safe bet, right, I mean, why isn't this doing much better? 85 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:08,039 Speaker 1: We don't expect defaults, do we. 86 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a good point. There's two ways there. That 87 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 2: One way is that this is a completely safe market. 88 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,599 Speaker 2: From one perspective. You're if you invest in a mortgage bond, 89 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 2: you are going to get your money back, you know, 90 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,600 Speaker 2: virtually a guarantee on that, and that's because it's guaranted. 91 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 2: It's guaranteed by Fannie May and Freddy Mac, which are 92 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 2: very closely linked to the governments. Essentially, you've got a 93 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 2: guarantee I'm going to get your money back. But there 94 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:43,600 Speaker 2: is another kind of risk, which is interest to rate risk. 95 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 2: You're going to get your money back, the question is 96 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 2: how soon are you going to get your money back? 97 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 2: And are you going to miss out on other trades. 98 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 2: Another important thing to keep in mind here is that 99 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:01,840 Speaker 2: you know, we're talking about this kind of blow up 100 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:05,599 Speaker 2: recently in mortgage bonds, but this is not like what 101 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:09,400 Speaker 2: happened in two thousand and eight. These are generally speaking, 102 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 2: you know, prime mortgages or mortgages. These are bonds backed 103 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:17,840 Speaker 2: by people who are going to pay their mortgages. There's 104 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:20,400 Speaker 2: there's little risk of that. What happened in two thousand 105 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:24,160 Speaker 2: and eight was we had subprime mortgages and a lot 106 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 2: of people ended up not paying those mortgages, and that 107 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:35,920 Speaker 2: caused a genuine crisis for the mortgage bond market. Today, 108 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 2: there really is, you know, not much of the old 109 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 2: subprime mortgage market left. There's been a lot of regulatory changes, 110 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 2: so this is a this is very different market. It's 111 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:51,480 Speaker 2: much safer, but there are still risks, and those risks 112 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 2: are closely related to interest rates and what's happening in 113 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 2: treasury market. 114 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 1: But essentially paper losses, you're not actually going to lose principle. 115 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:02,280 Speaker 1: I mean it seems like that, you know, if the 116 00:07:02,320 --> 00:07:04,640 Speaker 1: market goes down, you should just buy some more. Right, 117 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: means there not a big opportunity for some people. 118 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, there may well be a really big opportunity here. 119 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 2: I think that's another thing we have to report on that. Essentially, 120 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 2: you know, we've been hearing for a while from people 121 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 2: that as soon as volatility stops, as soon as the 122 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:25,000 Speaker 2: Federal Reserve stops hiking interest rates, suddenly the outlook is 123 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 2: going to change. You know, long term yields will stabilize, 124 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 2: spreads will come down and prices of bonds that you 125 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 2: bought will go up, and we're going to keep reporting 126 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 2: and see what happens. 127 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: Are we seeing any signs of contagion to other markets, 128 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: I mean, these other parts of structured finance, will credit 129 00:07:47,480 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: getting hit. 130 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:56,800 Speaker 2: The other parts of structured finance don't react as quickly 131 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 2: to what's happening in treasuries and mortgages, so we're gonna 132 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 2: see I mean, I've heard people say that to people 133 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 2: in the markets earlier this week, used the word heavy 134 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 2: to describe what's happening in asset backed securities markets. In short, 135 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 2: I don't think it's anything to worry about. It just yeah, 136 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 2: this is the mortgage market is very sensitive, and so 137 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:24,040 Speaker 2: that's where we've seen this volatility hit recently. 138 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 1: So we're not seeing signs of investors taking losses on 139 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: their mortgage portfolio and having to sell other assets to 140 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: cover those losses. 141 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:34,679 Speaker 2: Nope, I don't think so. I mean I think that, 142 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:37,959 Speaker 2: you know, when we have big changes in rates like this, 143 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 2: it does cause some portfolio managers maybe to have to 144 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:47,680 Speaker 2: make a few changes, But so far, I don't think 145 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 2: that we've seen any anything like that. 146 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 1: And for the people out there that want to buy 147 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: a new home and get a mortgage, you know, rates 148 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 1: arolreaty sky high. Does this make things worse for them? 149 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:03,520 Speaker 2: Unfortunately? I think it does the more. When you get 150 00:09:03,520 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 2: a mortgage, you're essentially being you know, you're getting it 151 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 2: from a company that ultimately is going to fund itself, 152 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 2: a company or a bank that's going to have to 153 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 2: fund that mortgage by selling it in the market. And 154 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 2: if it now has to sell it in the market 155 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 2: inside of a bond with higher rates, it's going to 156 00:09:24,559 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 2: have to it's going to have to charge more money 157 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 2: to you when you get the mortgage to compensate. So, 158 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 2: you know, I think mortgage rates are now the highest 159 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:40,320 Speaker 2: since around the year two thousand and eventually that will 160 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 2: start to change, but not just yet, and we may 161 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 2: have a little bit more room to go for higher 162 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 2: mortgage rates yet. 163 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 1: So before we talk to other guests, Scott, what else 164 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:53,240 Speaker 1: is on your radar? What else should we be looking 165 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 1: out for instructed finance right now? 166 00:09:56,600 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 2: Well, we're always looking at what's happening with commercial mortgage 167 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 2: backed securities also known as CMBs. One reason why everybody 168 00:10:06,800 --> 00:10:12,840 Speaker 2: is watching this is because offices are a big office 169 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:16,319 Speaker 2: buildings are a big part of CMBs. I think they're 170 00:10:16,720 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 2: if I remember, there's something they can be between twenty 171 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 2: five of the typical CMBs. And nobody knows what the 172 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 2: future of offices is yet, even you know what was 173 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 2: it now? Three two years after the start of pandemic 174 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 2: and the work from home revolution that that began, nobody 175 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 2: really knows. Nobody's selling offices. They're afraid to sell because 176 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 2: nobody knows what the price is. It's definitely lower than 177 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 2: what it used to be, but nobody knows where it 178 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:49,440 Speaker 2: is yet. And this is causing big questions for commercial 179 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 2: mortgage backed securities. So I think there's going to be 180 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:56,839 Speaker 2: something happening there soon. But we're we're all just watching 181 00:10:56,920 --> 00:10:57,440 Speaker 2: very closely. 182 00:10:58,880 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 1: Great stuff it's up into from Bloomberg News. Thank you 183 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:04,560 Speaker 1: so much for joining us. Thanks very much. Read all 184 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:07,079 Speaker 1: of Scott's scoops on the Bloomberg terminal and of course 185 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,440 Speaker 1: at Bloomberg dot com. It's a huge developing story real 186 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 1: estate debt definitely want to watch, so keep an eye 187 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: on it now. As I mentioned earlier, we have a 188 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: very special guest, a former colleague and all round great guy, CJ. 189 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 1: Maloney Mortgage strategists at Bok Financial. How are you doing, CJ. 190 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 4: I'm doing well, James, Thank you. 191 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 1: We are really delighted to have you on the show. 192 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 1: And right now there's a big move going on in 193 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 1: the mortgage market, so that's why we wanted to get 194 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 1: your insight what is going on and why now? 195 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:42,480 Speaker 4: Ah, well, right now, what's pushing down mortgage bonds themselves? 196 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:44,560 Speaker 4: I think is a confluence of a couple of things. 197 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:48,960 Speaker 4: You have rising volatility, which is never favorable to mortgages, 198 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 4: and we're in the middle of a bare steepening now 199 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 4: those two right now, they're really a function of the 200 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 4: Fed's hard stance on getting back to the two percent 201 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 4: inflation target. Took Powell and pals a while, but people 202 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:06,440 Speaker 4: have finally come around to believe them that when they 203 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:09,080 Speaker 4: say they're going to maintain tight policy and they're going 204 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:12,680 Speaker 4: to get back to the two percent inflation target, they 205 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 4: mean what they say. So if you look at FED 206 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 4: funds futures markets, for example, not too long ago, we 207 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 4: were pricing in four and a half five rate cuts 208 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:24,320 Speaker 4: last year. Now we're pricing in I believe two to 209 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 4: three at the most. And the Fed officials have an adamant. 210 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:32,560 Speaker 4: We are not cutting rates anytime soon. We're going to 211 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 4: be higher for longer. I believe them for quite some time. 212 00:12:36,320 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 4: And now the investors broadly speaking have come to terms 213 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 4: with that, and that's why we're repricing now. 214 00:12:43,800 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 1: Just a quick jugger alertly, you said bearsteepness. Some people 215 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 1: might not know what that's is. 216 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:49,600 Speaker 5: Can you tell us three? 217 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 4: When the yields are rising across the spectrum of the 218 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 4: treasury curve, but long end yields are rising faster than 219 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:02,240 Speaker 4: short end yields. Now, the curve is still inverted if 220 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 4: you look at the two to ten part of the curve, 221 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 4: but it's been steepening. It's gone from about it was 222 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 4: around eighty to ninety basis points two to three months 223 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 4: ago and it's currently around thirty. That's the bear steepener 224 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:18,560 Speaker 4: that hurts longer duration assets more than it does shorter 225 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 4: duration assets. 226 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:23,280 Speaker 1: Basically duration. That's just the sensitivity of the price to 227 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:25,040 Speaker 1: the interest rate change, right. 228 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 4: That is absolutely correct. The longer your duration of your portfolio, 229 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 4: the more sensitive it is to rising rates. Now, I 230 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:35,840 Speaker 4: expect this to keep going on. I foresee a treasury 231 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 4: ten year yield in the five to five and a 232 00:13:38,720 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 4: quarter percent range by the end of the first quarter, 233 00:13:41,679 --> 00:13:43,840 Speaker 4: and I expect thirty year lending rates to be in 234 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 4: the eight to eight and a half percent range also 235 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:49,719 Speaker 4: by the end of the first quarter. That's assuming of 236 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 4: us with the Fed holed steady and resists all the 237 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 4: political pressure, it undoubtedly will come upon him to begin 238 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 4: to ease again. But if you look for the last 239 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 4: inflationary episode from nineteen seventy seven to nineteen eighty three, 240 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 4: both the two year and the ten year treasuries average 241 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 4: yield was about two hundred and twenty five basis points 242 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:16,120 Speaker 4: above your year over year CPI run rate. I expect 243 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:19,960 Speaker 4: CPI to fought around three point two to three percent 244 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 4: by the end of the year, and so the two 245 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 4: and ten years should be in the five to five 246 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 4: in a quarter excuse me, the ten year should be 247 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:29,320 Speaker 4: in the five top five and a quarter percent range 248 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 4: by then. 249 00:14:30,480 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 1: So, as I mentioned earlier, you know, we spent a 250 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 1: lot of the summer hearing about soft landing, inflation coming down, 251 00:14:35,840 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: and maybe even rate cuts starting soon. That all seems 252 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 1: to be thrown out the window very very quickly, just 253 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 1: over the last few days and weeks. 254 00:14:42,360 --> 00:14:47,520 Speaker 4: And what changed, Well, again, Marlea. You look at prices 255 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:50,840 Speaker 4: across anything, no matter what market you're looking at, and 256 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 4: in this case we're talking about securities markets. You ask yourself, 257 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:57,040 Speaker 4: what is a price? A price is a reflection of 258 00:14:57,160 --> 00:15:01,760 Speaker 4: people's opinions. Opinions can change very quickly, and that's what 259 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 4: happened with people finally coming to terms with the fact 260 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 4: that the Fed means what it says. Now they've increased 261 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:12,160 Speaker 4: the FED funds target five hundred and twenty five basis 262 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 4: points in about a year and a half at this point, 263 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 4: which is a historically aggressive tightening stance. But remember that 264 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:26,440 Speaker 4: followed a historically aggressive easing stance, So you know people 265 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:29,960 Speaker 4: have finally come to terms with that. But overall, if 266 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 4: I look at mortgages right now, mortgages look very cheap 267 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:37,240 Speaker 4: on a relative basis, and all investing is a relative 268 00:15:37,360 --> 00:15:41,680 Speaker 4: value play. They look cheap to investment grade corporates on 269 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 4: both a Z spread and an oas basis. And the 270 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 4: good thing about mortgages they have absolutely no credit risk 271 00:15:48,600 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 4: to them. So if you're on team recession, you think 272 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:54,400 Speaker 4: we're going to see a recession in the next year. 273 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 4: If you look back to two thousand and seven, two 274 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 4: thousand and eight. During those are the Great Financial Crisis, 275 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 4: mortgages handily beat investment grade credits and term of excess return. 276 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:09,720 Speaker 4: People looking at the soft landing, they were celebrating it, 277 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:12,480 Speaker 4: and I was saying, it was way too early. When 278 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:16,520 Speaker 4: you tighten monetary policy, it tends to take between twelve 279 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 4: to eighteen months before the tightening really begins to bite. 280 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 4: So I didn't understand why people were celebrating the soft 281 00:16:24,200 --> 00:16:27,680 Speaker 4: landing so quickly. We're still in the very early innings 282 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 4: of that game, so to speak. We're arriving at eighteen 283 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:34,200 Speaker 4: months since the FED started tightening in March of twenty 284 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 4: twenty two. So going forward, starting now, I think we're 285 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:42,520 Speaker 4: going to start to see the tightening and policy take effect. 286 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 4: If you look at the money supply and all inflation 287 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 4: as a monetary phenomenon, m two has dropped year over 288 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 4: year for nine reports in a row. It's down about 289 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:58,360 Speaker 4: six percent overall the US money supply since it reached 290 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 4: a record peak in March a twothy twenty two. That 291 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:06,080 Speaker 4: will also put downward pressure on prices. And by prices, 292 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 4: I don't mean just consumer prices, I mean price is 293 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 4: broadly speaking, in securities markets, too. Now. I think the 294 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:17,919 Speaker 4: largest risk right now to both mortgages and markets in 295 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:23,160 Speaker 4: general is the chance of a renewed easy monetary policy 296 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:27,359 Speaker 4: by the Fed, especially another quantitative easing round. You know, 297 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 4: the price distortions from all the quis we've had up 298 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 4: to now are bad enough. We don't need more. We 299 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 4: need prices to reflect reality, not the hopes and wishes 300 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 4: of policy makers. That I consider the largest risk of 301 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:44,440 Speaker 4: the market right now. I hope Powell has the political 302 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 4: courage to see this thrill like Vulca do. 303 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:48,480 Speaker 1: But just going back to the mortgage move we've seen 304 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:52,439 Speaker 1: that's got nothing to do with the underlying mortgages then, right, 305 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:54,719 Speaker 1: I mean, there isn't a big default wave, there's not 306 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:58,320 Speaker 1: a problem with quality, there's not a big meltdown in 307 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 1: terms of the underlying loans. It's just the technicals of 308 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:01,840 Speaker 1: the treasury move. 309 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 4: Well, that's correct, that techno the market. More broadly speaking, 310 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:09,920 Speaker 4: with rising yiels, if you look at the mortgage market, 311 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:14,200 Speaker 4: the big difference between the latest boom housing boom we've 312 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:16,840 Speaker 4: had over the past three years compared to the Great 313 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:19,879 Speaker 4: Financial Crisis the lead up to that is back in 314 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 4: the earlier part of this millennium leading up to the 315 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:25,960 Speaker 4: Great Financial Crisis, anybody who could fog a mirror was 316 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:31,600 Speaker 4: given a mortgage. Credit standards deteriorated this go round. Mortgage 317 00:18:31,680 --> 00:18:35,280 Speaker 4: lenders should be paddled on the back. They tightened credit. 318 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 4: They kept credit standards very, very tight, and if you 319 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 4: look now, people who were in their houses deserved to 320 00:18:42,800 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 4: be in their houses. I called this latest housing room 321 00:18:46,640 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 4: boom the rich man's housing boom. So if you look 322 00:18:50,119 --> 00:18:54,040 Speaker 4: where most of the increase in supply came from, both 323 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 4: on the refinance and the purchase side. For mortgages, it 324 00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:01,679 Speaker 4: was your better quality borrowers could put twenty percent down 325 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:05,520 Speaker 4: that high credit ratings, and that's the way the housing 326 00:19:05,600 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 4: market should work. If we learned anything from the Great 327 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:12,520 Speaker 4: Financial Crisis, it's that putting people into homes they really 328 00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 4: can't afford, that's not progressive. It's actually a form of cruelty. 329 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:20,200 Speaker 4: They say, there's nothing worse than losing your house the foreclosure. 330 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:23,240 Speaker 4: But right now I look at the mortgage market, and 331 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:27,360 Speaker 4: in terms of credit standards, I don't see delinquencies rising 332 00:19:27,680 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 4: or spiking so far, knock on wood, It's not something 333 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 4: that at the moment is a concern because we kept 334 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 4: standards tight throughout the whole boom. 335 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:39,199 Speaker 1: Generally, though, when you see a market tank like this 336 00:19:39,320 --> 00:19:42,159 Speaker 1: for technical reasons but the fundamentals are pretty solid, it 337 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: is a screaming buy. Is that what you're telling clients again? 338 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 4: In terms of your relative All investing has said before 339 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:52,480 Speaker 4: is relative value. You know, you can never predict the 340 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:55,960 Speaker 4: future with absolute certainty. But if I had to make 341 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:59,879 Speaker 4: my choice between various sectors right now, I do like 342 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:03,280 Speaker 4: the mortgage market due to its about both the supplied 343 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 4: demand fundamentals, the lack of credit risk, and the fact 344 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 4: that on a relative value basis, it looks so cheap 345 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:17,840 Speaker 4: to its main competitors, which are IG corporates and treasury bonds. 346 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:21,480 Speaker 4: If we look within the mortgage sector itself, I've been 347 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 4: telling clients to stay short. You have thirty year mortgages 348 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:28,639 Speaker 4: or your most popular mortgages, but you also have shorter 349 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:32,160 Speaker 4: maturity mortgage. It's a ten year, fifteen year, twenty year. 350 00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 4: We've been seeing a lot of interest in that paper 351 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 4: over the last i'd say three weeks. The fifteen year 352 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:43,600 Speaker 4: mortgages are handily outperforming the thirty year mortgages because they 353 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:47,440 Speaker 4: have a shorter duration profile. I do like the shorter 354 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:50,800 Speaker 4: duration profile of those type of mortgages. I think they 355 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 4: make for a good port of storm if you think 356 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:54,640 Speaker 4: of recession is near. 357 00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 1: CJ. Maloney, veteran mortgage stretches from BOK Financial. Thank you 358 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 1: so much for joining us. 359 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:01,240 Speaker 4: Thank you for having me. 360 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 5: James. 361 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:02,359 Speaker 4: Good to hear from you. 362 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:04,160 Speaker 1: We look forward to seeing you back on the show 363 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 1: very soon. I'm delighted to welcome back on the Credit 364 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:10,480 Speaker 1: Edge Arnold Kakuda, who covers banks for Bloomberg Intelligence based 365 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: in New York. 366 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:12,240 Speaker 2: How are you, Arnold? 367 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:15,479 Speaker 5: I'm doing great. Thanks for having me so. 368 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 1: We've talked a lot about financial institutions this year. Our 369 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:24,360 Speaker 1: March edition of the Banking Crisis Podcast was very popular. 370 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:26,320 Speaker 1: Thanks very much for being there to break it all 371 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:30,200 Speaker 1: down for us. At that time, a very large global, 372 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:34,480 Speaker 1: systemically important institution, Credit Sweee, went bust and we lost 373 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 1: a handful of regional US banks. Since then, we seem 374 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 1: to have bounced back. Credit markets have been fairly buoyant. 375 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:44,480 Speaker 1: Bank debt has performed well. The eighty one market seems 376 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:48,680 Speaker 1: fully recovered. But what's the situation now, Arnold? How robust 377 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 1: is the banking sector? There are lots of storm clouds 378 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:54,400 Speaker 1: on the horizon, not least a US recession, which Bloomberg 379 00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 1: Economics expects will happen this year. Should we fear another 380 00:21:57,840 --> 00:21:58,919 Speaker 1: crisis in banking? 381 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 5: That's a great question. 382 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:04,400 Speaker 3: You know, the way these risk free rates are going 383 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:07,720 Speaker 3: right now with the treasury yields, I think I think 384 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 3: the market is definitely concerned. When you know the risk 385 00:22:11,359 --> 00:22:14,159 Speaker 3: free rate ten year thirty year treasury is going up 386 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:17,159 Speaker 3: to five percent ish, right, then what is that? The 387 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 3: implications to the rest of the risk world is not good? 388 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 3: And if you remember what happened, what worried people in 389 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:28,560 Speaker 3: the March, you know, May timeframe, was all these unrealized 390 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:31,879 Speaker 3: losses on bank balance sheets and that was from you know, 391 00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:35,000 Speaker 3: higher rates. And you know over the past few weeks 392 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:36,879 Speaker 3: months we've had higher rates. 393 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 5: So these these. 394 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 3: Unrealized losses will will increase again, and I think that's 395 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 3: why you're seeing a bit of a sell off in 396 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:45,880 Speaker 3: bank stocks and bonds. 397 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 1: So sorry, by unrealized losses, you're talking about the high 398 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 1: duration bonds that they have on the balance sheet, Is that, yeah. 399 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:54,479 Speaker 5: Or any duration? 400 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:57,720 Speaker 3: Right? Like, you know, the the sell off is more 401 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 3: pronounced on the longer end, So this would be kind 402 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:05,280 Speaker 3: of hell embedded in their health to maturity portfolio, which. 403 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:07,800 Speaker 5: It's never marked to market. 404 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:12,240 Speaker 3: But you know, the new regulation is for regional banks 405 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:15,720 Speaker 3: to start recognizing these unrealized losses and they're available for 406 00:23:15,760 --> 00:23:18,480 Speaker 3: sale portfolios, which is more on the front end, right 407 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:20,919 Speaker 3: like any anywhere from like one to five end, and 408 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,119 Speaker 3: so altho. Although there's still been a horizon rates in 409 00:23:24,160 --> 00:23:27,520 Speaker 3: that part of the portfolio, it hasn't been as pronounced 410 00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:30,560 Speaker 3: in the health and maturity right, but still the marks 411 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 3: aren't going to look that great at the end of 412 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:35,960 Speaker 3: this quarter, at the end of September, and it's it's 413 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 3: gotten even a little bit more worse in the first 414 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:39,200 Speaker 3: few days of October. 415 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:41,960 Speaker 1: Okay, but let's go back to higher rates. I mean 416 00:23:42,160 --> 00:23:44,920 Speaker 1: in terms of the impact on balance sheets. Obviously they 417 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:47,919 Speaker 1: you know, what they're holding with duration, that suffers, but 418 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:52,240 Speaker 1: banks make more money off high rate certainly in the 419 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 1: initial phases. 420 00:23:53,160 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 3: Yes, you know, it seems like the asset repricing has 421 00:23:57,280 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 3: has already happened. Or in terms of some of the 422 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:04,359 Speaker 3: commercial loans which are are are you know the levers 423 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 3: loan market, right, so they they go to a front 424 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:11,040 Speaker 3: end so for plus rate. So so that part of 425 00:24:11,080 --> 00:24:15,119 Speaker 3: the market has largely stabilized, right, given maybe we'll have 426 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:17,879 Speaker 3: one more hike or or rate hikes have largely ended. 427 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:21,240 Speaker 3: But but now now it seems like the it's the 428 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:24,120 Speaker 3: deposit costs that are really rising a lot. That that's 429 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 3: really it happens on a lag. So, you know, it 430 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 3: seems like a lot of the the assets asset yield 431 00:24:29,520 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 3: positive benefits have already passed through and then now now 432 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:37,520 Speaker 3: they're really uh coping with the liabilities the deposits. 433 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:40,360 Speaker 5: Banks need to pay up to retain these. 434 00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:44,639 Speaker 3: Deposits, and and so that interest income still good, but 435 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:47,639 Speaker 3: not as good as you know the past few quarters. 436 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 1: Okay, got it. So I've been reading your research on 437 00:24:51,640 --> 00:24:54,600 Speaker 1: the terminal. You do a lot on the impact of 438 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 1: Basil three. For those not familiar, can you just tell 439 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:00,640 Speaker 1: us in simple terms what that's is and what matter 440 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 1: is now? 441 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:07,400 Speaker 3: Okay, So BASIL and the Financial Stability Board that they're 442 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:10,600 Speaker 3: they're kind of like the global regulators, and they put 443 00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:14,480 Speaker 3: out these standards and Basil three endgame is is the 444 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 3: US implementation of these Basil equity or capital requirements. And 445 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:22,879 Speaker 3: the US has been kind of a bit delayed in 446 00:25:22,960 --> 00:25:24,240 Speaker 3: terms of laying this all out. 447 00:25:24,359 --> 00:25:25,400 Speaker 5: So it's it's a. 448 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 3: Bit ironic where we had a banking crisis this year 449 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:33,199 Speaker 3: and the biggest uh, you know, globally systemically important US banks, 450 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:37,199 Speaker 3: they did phenomenally well during this regional bank crisis, and 451 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:40,400 Speaker 3: yet this new regulation hits, which is this basal three 452 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:43,800 Speaker 3: end game and lo and behold, it's the biggest US 453 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:46,920 Speaker 3: banks that need to hold a lot more capital or equity. 454 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:49,640 Speaker 3: So a lot of people are scratching their heads. And 455 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:53,240 Speaker 3: not only that, the federal serve has gold plated, which 456 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:57,960 Speaker 3: means kind of implementing standards even above what this global 457 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:02,159 Speaker 3: regulator has implemented. So you know, a lot of people 458 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:06,879 Speaker 3: in the industry are pushing back a bit against some 459 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 3: of these regulations that will come into play, and you know, 460 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 3: they might have a decent chance of rolling back some 461 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:15,760 Speaker 3: of this stuff because even the regulators, they didn't unanimously 462 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:19,199 Speaker 3: vote this stuff through on the proposal. So you know, 463 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:23,080 Speaker 3: I think usually I'm a stickler for you know, you know, 464 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:25,119 Speaker 3: higher regulation and this and that, but I think in 465 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:28,080 Speaker 3: this case, I actually do have to side with the 466 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:31,640 Speaker 3: banking industry a bit where things seem to have gone 467 00:26:31,640 --> 00:26:33,919 Speaker 3: a little bit overboard, at least so far. 468 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:36,639 Speaker 1: In the p but in really simple terms though, on 469 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:41,239 Speaker 1: the basil three end game, I mean it sounds like 470 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:44,120 Speaker 1: a I don't know that Donald Schwartz a niggive film. 471 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 1: But what does it mean? In real terms? It means 472 00:26:48,280 --> 00:26:50,760 Speaker 1: like the banks just have to hold more cash to 473 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:54,399 Speaker 1: to to whether the storm. If there is a storm, well. 474 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:54,920 Speaker 5: It's it's more. 475 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, banks need to hold more equity, and basically that 476 00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:02,440 Speaker 3: means for water activity that they already do. Let's say 477 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:05,680 Speaker 3: take a JP Morgan based on the current requirements that 478 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:08,760 Speaker 3: it seems like they have they have thirty billion, about 479 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:13,159 Speaker 3: thirty billion of extra equity above what they need, but 480 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 3: then with the basil endgame, it would look like they 481 00:27:16,280 --> 00:27:19,840 Speaker 3: have a thirty billion deficit. So basically that means banks 482 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 3: need to hold more equity. Banks always try to target 483 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 3: a return on equity above ten percent. So if you're 484 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:34,320 Speaker 3: taxing whatever activity or you know, trading activity or loans more, 485 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 3: that means the banks either have to raise prices or 486 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 3: they get out of certain businesses right if they become 487 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:45,399 Speaker 3: just too onerous to be in if they can't earn 488 00:27:45,440 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 3: that return on equity above ten percent. 489 00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:50,800 Speaker 1: So, as you say, the big banks were very resilient. 490 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 1: They may be even benefited from the regional banking crisis, 491 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:56,120 Speaker 1: But why are they being pushed hardest in this latest 492 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:57,840 Speaker 1: regulatory round. 493 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:02,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, it seems like the I think a good quote 494 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:07,480 Speaker 3: came from Jamie Diamond, where you know, it's all the 495 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:10,399 Speaker 3: the non bank financing that that that's gonna win. It's 496 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 3: all these alternative or private credit. If the regulators are 497 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:18,119 Speaker 3: looking to push out, you know, lending activity out of 498 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:20,399 Speaker 3: the banking system, they've done a great job. So I 499 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:25,439 Speaker 3: think it's it's a bit you know, perhaps short sighted 500 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:29,000 Speaker 3: where you're you're taxing. I guess the regulators are trying 501 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:31,800 Speaker 3: to account for the riskiness of loans and kind of 502 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:35,840 Speaker 3: standardize it across the globe to have the same risk 503 00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:41,720 Speaker 3: weight standards. But if it becomes so expensive or owners 504 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:44,520 Speaker 3: for banks to make certain kinds of loans, that will 505 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 3: shift out of the banking system which is regulated, towards 506 00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:53,240 Speaker 3: the non regulated private credit sector, which is ballooning right. 507 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 3: And so I think he does have some merit when 508 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:00,640 Speaker 3: he talks about oh KKR and the Blackstone are dancing 509 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:04,160 Speaker 3: in the streets without all this regulation. So I think 510 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:06,920 Speaker 3: the intentions are good on the regulators to try to 511 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:11,480 Speaker 3: make the banking system safe. But if it becomes so unprofitable, 512 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 3: or if the banks can earn an appropriate return, then 513 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 3: they'll either get out of it that business, or do 514 00:29:18,280 --> 00:29:21,240 Speaker 3: less of it, or raise prices in that business. 515 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:21,520 Speaker 5: Right. 516 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:24,200 Speaker 3: And and really the winners I think are this these 517 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:28,200 Speaker 3: alternative credit firms, which which are saying, oh great, you know, 518 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 3: more business coming our way because it's getting more owners 519 00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 3: for the banks to do certain kinds of activity. 520 00:29:34,680 --> 00:29:36,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, we're definitely seeing a ton of interest in private 521 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:39,479 Speaker 1: debt across the board, and everyone's very excited about that, 522 00:29:39,880 --> 00:29:41,560 Speaker 1: although a ton of dry powder and you know, not 523 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:44,520 Speaker 1: a huge amount of deals yet. I just want to 524 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 1: ask you also about investment banking. You know, we've seen 525 00:29:46,880 --> 00:29:50,200 Speaker 1: debt and equity issues pretty slow this year, as you know, 526 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:53,760 Speaker 1: has been deal making. But are there any green shoots there? 527 00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 5: Absolutely? 528 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:58,960 Speaker 3: I mean, well, maybe you know before the path that 529 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:02,400 Speaker 3: the rapid rate, high rate, long end rates over the 530 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:05,000 Speaker 3: past few weeks, but we have started to see, you know, 531 00:30:05,040 --> 00:30:09,920 Speaker 3: some commentary saying, oh we are starting to see green shoots. 532 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 3: You know, we had some IPOs happen right over the 533 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:15,960 Speaker 3: past few weeks, although and then the day one pop. 534 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:18,880 Speaker 3: But but inevitably with with higher and higher rates. I 535 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:21,720 Speaker 3: think you see some of these drop below IPO prices, 536 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:24,360 Speaker 3: but you know, after after it's it's a positive sign 537 00:30:24,440 --> 00:30:26,680 Speaker 3: in terms of you know, some of these you know, 538 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:28,720 Speaker 3: equity just issuances going through. 539 00:30:28,840 --> 00:30:30,160 Speaker 5: That's great leverage. 540 00:30:30,200 --> 00:30:33,640 Speaker 3: Loan market, as you know, has been pretty good, pretty 541 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:37,760 Speaker 3: decent right after after some lull. Although you know, I 542 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,680 Speaker 3: think things start coming off the table. When when when 543 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:44,760 Speaker 3: the ten year, thirty year just starts rapidly rising with 544 00:30:44,760 --> 00:30:47,320 Speaker 3: with kind of almost no end in sight in terms 545 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 3: of you know, so I think that's the near term worry. 546 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:53,880 Speaker 3: But but twenty twenty four, I think, yeah, we are 547 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:56,600 Speaker 3: starting to see some some green shoots. Is at least 548 00:30:56,600 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 3: that's what the commentary is. But but I think it 549 00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:02,200 Speaker 3: is predicated on kind of a bit of a rate 550 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 3: stabilization kind of all across the curve, if not stabilization 551 00:31:06,880 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 3: or a bit lower, right, not not a continued hike 552 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 3: above five percent or to up to seven percent, as 553 00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 3: Jamie Diamond says. 554 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:19,000 Speaker 1: Okay, the other question on my mind, it's a lot 555 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:21,120 Speaker 1: of people saying that the US market. I mean, this 556 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:22,480 Speaker 1: is something I heard in Europe when I was there 557 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 1: recently is massively over banked, way too many financial institutions 558 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:28,920 Speaker 1: that there are literally hundreds of banks, you know, whereas 559 00:31:28,960 --> 00:31:31,240 Speaker 1: you're compared to Canada with about six or seven or 560 00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:34,480 Speaker 1: the UK with you know, very few. Should we expect 561 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:36,240 Speaker 1: more consolidation anytime soon? 562 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:40,160 Speaker 3: Well, I think it depends on the tier. But right 563 00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:45,040 Speaker 3: now in the near term, I'd say not really. Given 564 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:50,000 Speaker 3: you know, when when these regional banks failed, it took 565 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:52,200 Speaker 3: some time. You know, I think the regulators would have wanted, 566 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:55,120 Speaker 3: you know, close on Friday, open up as another bank, 567 00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:57,480 Speaker 3: you know, as bigger, as a part of a bigger, 568 00:31:57,480 --> 00:32:00,719 Speaker 3: stronger bank on Monday. But these took time because of 569 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:05,200 Speaker 3: all these embedded unrealized losses on the balance sheets, right 570 00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:09,880 Speaker 3: and in an mn A scenario, those need to be 571 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:12,960 Speaker 3: marked to market and so the acquire would have to 572 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:17,720 Speaker 3: you know, uh really take take a big loss to 573 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:21,120 Speaker 3: take on anything right now with all these unbedded, embedded 574 00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 3: unrealized losses. So uh, until the rate situation stabilizes, these 575 00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:29,200 Speaker 3: unrealized losses shrink, I think, and you know, in a 576 00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:31,240 Speaker 3: high rate world, that is a. 577 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:33,080 Speaker 5: Headwind to m n A. 578 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:35,920 Speaker 3: But as you mentioned, over the mid to longer term, 579 00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:38,840 Speaker 3: and I think you know, the regulatory environment also matters, 580 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:41,959 Speaker 3: because under certain regimes. 581 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:43,960 Speaker 5: You know, m and A is frowned upon, whereas others 582 00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:44,720 Speaker 5: it might not be. 583 00:32:44,840 --> 00:32:48,120 Speaker 3: So maybe that's the Democrat, you know, Republican difference, where 584 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:51,640 Speaker 3: you know, maybe under a republican regime that then it 585 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 3: might be more industry friendly and and hence you know 586 00:32:54,240 --> 00:32:57,520 Speaker 3: that mn A could commence. But what we had seen 587 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:01,520 Speaker 3: some MNA approvals a long time to happen. But but 588 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:04,840 Speaker 3: in terms of the broader question of will there be consolidation, 589 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:09,320 Speaker 3: I think yes, due to you know, these higher regulatory 590 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:12,840 Speaker 3: requirements that have been put in place for regional banks, 591 00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:14,680 Speaker 3: right and I think a lot of that will happen 592 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:18,520 Speaker 3: below maybe the one hundred billion mark, where the requirements 593 00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:22,200 Speaker 3: do step up a lot for these regional banks. So 594 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 3: maybe some of these guys below a hundred billion consolidating 595 00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:28,960 Speaker 3: or you know, and then once the ones that are 596 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:32,000 Speaker 3: above a hundred billion comfortably above, they might you know, 597 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:34,280 Speaker 3: acquire some of these other smaller players as well. 598 00:33:34,800 --> 00:33:37,320 Speaker 1: Okay, we'll watch out for that. So before we wrap 599 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:40,920 Speaker 1: things up, Arnold, I wanted to ask you about opportunities 600 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:43,000 Speaker 1: for fixed income investors right now, A lot of people 601 00:33:43,640 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 1: still seem to like bank debt, but how is it 602 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:48,640 Speaker 1: looking compared to other sectors and within that what looks 603 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:49,320 Speaker 1: interesting to you? 604 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 5: Yeah, it, you know, compared I think you know you. 605 00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:59,760 Speaker 3: Had mentioned over valued right in terms of various asset classes. 606 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:03,920 Speaker 3: And then but the one thing that is cheap compared 607 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:06,760 Speaker 3: to the beginning of the year is regional banks, right, 608 00:34:06,880 --> 00:34:09,560 Speaker 3: so yeah, you know, which makes sense given given all 609 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:11,960 Speaker 3: that they've been through. So you know, we have started 610 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:18,839 Speaker 3: to change our views on the regional banks. A good 611 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:23,040 Speaker 3: thing on the regulatory side is they will start needing 612 00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:28,040 Speaker 3: to incorporate unrealized losses from they're available for sale securities 613 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:30,680 Speaker 3: into their capital levels, but that that's down the line, 614 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:33,919 Speaker 3: so we know that equity levels will be rising. They're 615 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:38,080 Speaker 3: more conservative on those shareholder returns. Uh. And then also 616 00:34:38,160 --> 00:34:41,239 Speaker 3: positively on the debt side, we've been concerned about debt 617 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:45,160 Speaker 3: requirements being very onerous and requiring these regionals to really 618 00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:48,400 Speaker 3: tap the debt markets quite often. But what we actually 619 00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:52,160 Speaker 3: got was something very industry friendly where a lot of 620 00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:57,120 Speaker 3: the legacy operating company debt was grandfathered as as bill 621 00:34:57,200 --> 00:35:00,439 Speaker 3: and eligible and then and any new operating company, any 622 00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:02,279 Speaker 3: new bail and debt would have to come from the 623 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:07,239 Speaker 3: holding company, but all the existing operating company was was Grandfathers. 624 00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:10,160 Speaker 3: That means basically a lot of these large regionals like 625 00:35:10,239 --> 00:35:13,200 Speaker 3: the P and cs, the U S Bank Corps and Truists, 626 00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:17,520 Speaker 3: which we had expected maybe you know, you know, dozens 627 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:21,960 Speaker 3: of dollars of bonds coming to market. They're actually fine 628 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:24,239 Speaker 3: right now, you know, with all the huff and buff 629 00:35:24,280 --> 00:35:27,840 Speaker 3: about debt requirements and so, you know, the the technical 630 00:35:27,880 --> 00:35:30,960 Speaker 3: there isn't is really not as bad as we expected. 631 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:34,960 Speaker 3: So you know, out of that bunch, we think the 632 00:35:35,080 --> 00:35:37,920 Speaker 3: US bank Corps used to trade tightest of of everybody, 633 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:41,000 Speaker 3: even even the largest US banks. They've really lost their 634 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:44,960 Speaker 3: perch a top of kind of the banking space. That 635 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:46,279 Speaker 3: that might be a name that that might be a 636 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:51,600 Speaker 3: little bit interesting. You know, if things settle down, they 637 00:35:51,680 --> 00:35:54,120 Speaker 3: still trade water than P and C, and then trade 638 00:35:54,160 --> 00:35:55,879 Speaker 3: water than the big six US banks, but they. 639 00:35:55,840 --> 00:35:58,840 Speaker 5: Used to trade US Bank Corp. Used to trade tightest 640 00:35:58,960 --> 00:35:59,600 Speaker 5: of everybody. 641 00:36:01,400 --> 00:36:02,840 Speaker 3: If we get to a bit of a more and 642 00:36:02,840 --> 00:36:05,719 Speaker 3: more normalized or steady state environment, that that might be 643 00:36:05,719 --> 00:36:06,560 Speaker 3: an interesting. 644 00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:09,640 Speaker 1: So more demand than supply basically. 645 00:36:10,719 --> 00:36:12,920 Speaker 3: Well right, all right, I don't know if there's really 646 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:18,359 Speaker 3: demand for except for cash. But yeah, I think eventually 647 00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:22,960 Speaker 3: if the banking stuff settles down the regional banks, the 648 00:36:23,400 --> 00:36:29,000 Speaker 3: regulatory requirements there are basically hold more equity. Dead footprint 649 00:36:29,040 --> 00:36:32,560 Speaker 3: is largely good, so I think it's positive for bond holders. 650 00:36:32,760 --> 00:36:35,640 Speaker 3: So we think that could be a theme for twenty 651 00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:37,399 Speaker 3: twenty four as maybe you know. 652 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:41,000 Speaker 5: Regionals strike back or return of the Regionals. 653 00:36:42,239 --> 00:36:45,239 Speaker 1: Thanks very much, Arnold Kakudo Bloomberg Intelligence. You can read 654 00:36:45,239 --> 00:36:47,920 Speaker 1: all of his great analysis on the Bloomberg Terminal. Do 655 00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:49,239 Speaker 1: check it out, and I hope to see you back 656 00:36:49,239 --> 00:36:49,799 Speaker 1: on the show soon. 657 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:52,640 Speaker 5: Donold great, thanks a lot, Thanks for having me again. 658 00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:55,959 Speaker 1: And thanks again to Scott Carpenter from Bloomberg News. Read 659 00:36:55,960 --> 00:36:58,239 Speaker 1: all of his great scoops on the Terminal and at 660 00:36:58,280 --> 00:37:02,200 Speaker 1: Bloomberg dot com. We're also very grateful for the insight 661 00:37:02,239 --> 00:37:07,360 Speaker 1: from CJ. Maloney at bok Financial and please do subscribe 662 00:37:07,360 --> 00:37:10,840 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts. We're on Apple, Google and Spotify. 663 00:37:11,239 --> 00:37:13,759 Speaker 1: Give us a review, tell your friends, or email me 664 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:16,600 Speaker 1: directly at Jcrombieight at Bloomberg dot net. 665 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:17,320 Speaker 2: That's J. 666 00:37:17,719 --> 00:37:19,360 Speaker 1: C R O M B I E as in my 667 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:24,120 Speaker 1: surname and the number eight at Bloomberg dot Net. I'm 668 00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:26,680 Speaker 1: James Crombie. It's been a pleasure having you join us 669 00:37:26,680 --> 00:37:28,879 Speaker 1: again next week on the Credit Edge