1 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Bloomberg Surveillance Podcast. I'm Tom Keane along 2 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: with Jonathan Ferrell and Lisa Brownwitz Jailey. We bring you 3 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 1: insight from the best and economics, finance, investment, and international relations. 4 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: Find Bloomberg Surveillance on Apple Podcast, Suncloud, Bloomberg dot com, 5 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 1: and of course on the Bloomberg terminal. Right now, a 6 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: really really important conversation not long agoing far away, but 7 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:38,360 Speaker 1: a number of years ago, in my book of the Summer, 8 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,279 Speaker 1: was a sleeper. I did not expect the excellence of 9 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:46,159 Speaker 1: stewardship by John S. Taft. He is bared vice chairman. 10 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: Of course, a legacy of this American politics in this 11 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:52,240 Speaker 1: Wall Street as well, and it was a primal call 12 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 1: by John Taft about the state of Wall Street. We're 13 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: thrilled that we could revisit with John Taft on stewardship 14 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:03,279 Speaker 1: in the time of free John. A year ago or so, 15 00:01:03,800 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 1: I opened the Wall Street Journal and one page was 16 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 1: free trading, and the next page was free trading, and 17 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 1: the page after that was free trading. Everything's free now. 18 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: And look at the mess we're in with order flow. 19 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 1: How do we extract ourselves from all the disaster we've 20 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: seen from order flow back to something or forward to 21 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 1: something more normal. Well, you're talking about payment for order flow, 22 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: which is the engine that powers a lot of these 23 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: quote unquote free retail trading platforms, and tom I've always 24 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: had uh I felt the payment for order flow was 25 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,280 Speaker 1: a smelly practice. It's legal. Um, it has to be 26 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: married with all sorts of controls and assurances that you're 27 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: getting best execution. But if you're selling off customer order 28 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: flow and getting paid for that, how does that not 29 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: create a conflict with your obligation to get the best 30 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: execution for your clients. UM. I think you're seeing, on 31 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:11,400 Speaker 1: the part of our new very capable, very aggressive SEC Chairman, 32 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: Gary Gensler, a commitment to look at that along with 33 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 1: many of the other troubling UH issues surrounding retail trading. 34 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: Would you suggest that the leadership of law Strata, which 35 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 1: certainly you're a voice of and part of, support Mr Gensler, 36 00:02:28,960 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 1: and let's get to this to get some confidence back 37 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 1: in trading away from the meme stucks. Absolutely. I I 38 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:42,519 Speaker 1: think very highly of the SEC chairman. He's certainly one 39 00:02:42,560 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: of the most knowledgeable, game ready SEC chairman we have had, 40 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: and he's already laid out pretty clearly what his agenda 41 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: is all makes sense to me. Greater transparency around UH 42 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:02,079 Speaker 1: short selling, greater trans parency around the use of total 43 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 1: return swaps UH and UH payment for order flow gamification. 44 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 1: They're all on his radar, And yes, I think we 45 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:12,480 Speaker 1: should get it all of this because Tom, what we 46 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:15,560 Speaker 1: found in the past, that we've seen it over and 47 00:03:15,600 --> 00:03:18,680 Speaker 1: over and over against. Partly what stewardship is about is 48 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 1: that our industry has a habit of of taking legitimate 49 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:29,800 Speaker 1: practices that that do make a positive difference in the 50 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 1: world and and running them to excess. And every time 51 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: we do that, we get in trouble, and our clients 52 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 1: and customers get in trouble, and society gets in trouble. 53 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 1: And you can see some some indications here of commercial 54 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 1: excesses or reappearing in the financial markets, and I find 55 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: those troubling and I look for regulators to try to 56 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:53,560 Speaker 1: tamp those down before they cause a big problem. John, 57 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 1: the focus right now is shifting away from some of 58 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: the trading activity to why there hasn't been more lending 59 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:02,520 Speaker 1: in the banking sector. And as someone who is perfect 60 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: to speak to the nexus between banking and politics, given 61 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: your great grandfather being the president of the United States. 62 00:04:08,200 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: There is a question here of how banks will shape 63 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 1: themselves going forward. As the lenders as helping to generate 64 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:18,120 Speaker 1: some of the recovery through UH through some of the 65 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 1: extensions to main street, how do you expect that to 66 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 1: be transformed in terms of the lack of lending demand, 67 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: the lack of demand from borrowers to where we are now, well, 68 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: a couple of things are going on. Obviously, the post 69 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,680 Speaker 1: COVID softness in the economy led to a decline in 70 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: demand for traditional lending. But Lisa, one of the things 71 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:42,279 Speaker 1: that we've seen going on is there there's plenty money 72 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: available to be lent. It's just being lent out of 73 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: the non bank or shadow financial sector. Private equity funds, 74 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:54,920 Speaker 1: hedge funds are are lending. And part of the reason 75 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 1: for that is that during the financial crisis, the focus 76 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 1: was legitimately inappropriately on making sure that banks didn't behave 77 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:09,039 Speaker 1: in ways that that almost brought a systemic meltdown, and 78 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:13,039 Speaker 1: as a result, all sorts of capital requirements and restrictions 79 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: were put on regulated financial institution. Just like squeezing a balloon, 80 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: you squeeze it at one end. Uh, it grows at 81 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,599 Speaker 1: the other end. And so we've seen capital available for 82 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 1: lending moving out of the regulator to the unregulated banking sector. 83 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 1: What I would like to see is uh, and you're 84 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: and and there is some of this going on or 85 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: was let me put it during the Trump administration remains 86 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,840 Speaker 1: to be seen. What happens during the Biden administration is 87 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 1: for regulators to take a take a deep breath, say, Okay, 88 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 1: we actually here, UH oversaw a success story. We oversaw uh, 89 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,479 Speaker 1: the rebooting of the financial sector. We put it on 90 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: sounder footing, safer, sounder, more stable than it's been in 91 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: a long time. Can we takes the steps to make 92 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: it easier for regulated financial institutions for you to do 93 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:08,480 Speaker 1: the job that society wants them to do. Are we 94 00:06:08,520 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 1: being too restrictive? And that's sort of a counter intuitive 95 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 1: to the regulators in place now under the Biden administration, 96 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: But I think that's what's needed at this point. It's 97 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:21,839 Speaker 1: sort of a relook at DoD Frank, not a not 98 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: a reinstitution of DoD Frank. So on the flip side, 99 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 1: do you think that systemic risk has built up in 100 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 1: the shadow banking system? Yeah, certainly, a lot of people 101 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 1: are worried about that, and yes, I think that, um uh, 102 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 1: there are indications that, as there always are, risk taking 103 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 1: is UH being pushed to dangerous levels in some areas 104 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:53,880 Speaker 1: of the unregulated financial sector that you just saw one 105 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 1: UH in the explosion of our articles, and UH what 106 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 1: was the risk being aken there while it was embedded 107 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:05,839 Speaker 1: in total return swaps around which there isn't the same 108 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 1: transparency and there aren't the same disclosure obligations as there 109 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:14,760 Speaker 1: are with with normal UH stock positions, major stock positions 110 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: and publicly traded companies, and those kinds of holes in 111 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 1: the system UH sometimes can can destabilize the financial system. 112 00:07:24,400 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 1: And I wasn't big enough banks took heavy losses, but 113 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: you know they weren't. They weren't system threatening, weren't even 114 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 1: institution threatening. But yes, I worry about excess as building up. 115 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: They always do. We have a number of organizations like 116 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 1: f stock and various research capabilities that we didn't have 117 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 1: going into the financial institution supposed to be scanning for risk. 118 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: Are they, Let's hope. So you know, I was reading 119 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 1: Jonah story yesterday about Representative Tom Swaltzney from New York, 120 00:07:54,240 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 1: a case pushing for two and a half percent levy 121 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: on wealth of more than fifty million in dollars. He 122 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: says it's a one off, but we know how those 123 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: things go. Interestingly, your great grandfather was a champion of 124 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:11,559 Speaker 1: the sixteenth Amendment, brought in the federal income tax for 125 00:08:11,560 --> 00:08:16,000 Speaker 1: for really the first time, UM in nineteen thirteen. What 126 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: do you think about now transitioning to or adding on 127 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 1: a wealth tax. Boy, it never fails. You get me 128 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:30,000 Speaker 1: to talk about politics on on surveillance. You know, my 129 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 1: my peer people say, don't talk about politics, don't don't, 130 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 1: don't talk about your Republican legacy. I guess here, here's 131 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:40,040 Speaker 1: the way I feel. I'm uh, and I think a 132 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:42,360 Speaker 1: lot of a lot of Americans and people in financial 133 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:47,479 Speaker 1: services industry feel this way is we're we think taxes 134 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:52,959 Speaker 1: UH can make sense if they are used to invest 135 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:58,080 Speaker 1: in productive assets in the real economy that makes the 136 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 1: economy grow faster, Let's face it, unless you want to 137 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 1: look at something like long term inflation. UH. The only 138 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:10,200 Speaker 1: uh viable way out of the hole we've dug ourselves 139 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 1: in the course of the last three or four years 140 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:14,839 Speaker 1: is to grow our way out of it. And if 141 00:09:14,920 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 1: raising taxes and putting that money to work in a solid, 142 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 1: uh legitimate infrastructure package is something that Congress can find 143 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 1: their way to do, then that's great. If, on the 144 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: other hand, wealth taxes being used to fund more social spending, 145 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 1: then we're just digging the hole we're in deeper. And 146 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 1: so it really depends what is going to be the 147 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 1: use of a tax increase, uh, whether it's one time 148 00:09:39,120 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 1: or capital gains or ongoing income tax increase. I would 149 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 1: just point out that William Howard Taff, though his his 150 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 1: focus was on corporate income tax it's not personal income taxes. 151 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:53,440 Speaker 1: John Taff, thank you so much. With Betarter, their vice chairman, 152 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,160 Speaker 1: they're on order flow and on some of the moments 153 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 1: we've seen such as articles this morning. He is again 154 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 1: with Beard right now. This is a really important conversation, 155 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 1: Sarah Hunt, with us with el Pinewood's Capital investors, and 156 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 1: what's so great about it. This is in the trenches 157 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: of portfolio construction versus sort of the econo babble that's 158 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:23,080 Speaker 1: out there right now. Sarah Hunt, I am absolutely fascinated 159 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:26,640 Speaker 1: with how you perceived big tech. We saw the Apple 160 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 1: surge yesterday. Is this big tech unloved or are we 161 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 1: just climbing on board the mega move that we saw 162 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 1: of eighteen months ago. Well, I think you had a 163 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: long pause in some of those big tech stocks, and 164 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:40,080 Speaker 1: you look at Apple, you go back to September of 165 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:42,199 Speaker 1: last year, and you were basically at levels that were 166 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: just around where we are now. So that's had some 167 00:10:44,600 --> 00:10:46,680 Speaker 1: time to digest that fact that it was higher for 168 00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: they had a huge swing up, and then everything sort 169 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:51,400 Speaker 1: of slowed down and paused on the big tech side 170 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:53,680 Speaker 1: while people went and looked at what else is happening 171 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: in the economy, So they started looking at cyclicals, I 172 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:58,680 Speaker 1: started looking in other areas. I think what you're seeing 173 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 1: now is the realization that rates now starting to back 174 00:11:01,440 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 1: off after reaching a high I think one seventy five 175 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 1: on the tenure or the other day, or a couple 176 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: of weeks ago, that you're starting to see people go 177 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:11,040 Speaker 1: back to those tech docs because the growth is still there. 178 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 1: And in the end, I think that's what really matters, 179 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 1: because as much as we can look at the different 180 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 1: parts of the economy, there's still everything we have is 181 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:21,720 Speaker 1: more and more involved with tech. There's semiconductors in almost 182 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 1: every single thing we buy these days, so I don't 183 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: see that the tech space is not a good beneficiary 184 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 1: of whatever is happening in the economy, as long as 185 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 1: that's good news for the economy. Sarah, where is the 186 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: greatest degree of undoe complacency and markets right now? Wow, 187 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 1: that's a tough one. I think that. I think, you know, 188 00:11:40,400 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 1: go back to your FED discussion. What do we what 189 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 1: is the FED going to do? And how does that 190 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 1: play into everything else? It has benefed driven market. All 191 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:50,120 Speaker 1: this liquidity has definitely been pushing people out of fixed 192 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:53,440 Speaker 1: income and lamentations of fixed income managers and has been 193 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 1: pushing towards equities and other higher risky assets. How does 194 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: that play out? How does the FED back away from that? 195 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 1: I think that's going to be, to your point Lisa earlier, 196 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:03,839 Speaker 1: a very big question. And we don't know how that's 197 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:05,960 Speaker 1: going to play out just yet. I think the odds 198 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 1: that it actually just ends up continuing in a more 199 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 1: quiet way are pretty high to me. But in the end, 200 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:13,559 Speaker 1: at some point they're going to have to do something 201 00:12:13,559 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 1: that's a little bit different than that, and how our 202 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:17,559 Speaker 1: markets going to take that? How our markets going to 203 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:20,439 Speaker 1: take that? And I wonder though, Sarah, whether that's so 204 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 1: far afield in the future right now, any sort of 205 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 1: normalization that we can continue down this road with regards 206 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:29,360 Speaker 1: to the pricing that we're seeing inequities, the pricing that 207 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 1: we're seeing in fixed income, and the pricing that we're 208 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 1: seeing frankly in some of these alternative assets. Well, I 209 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: think if you'd asked anybody four or five years ago, 210 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 1: even before the pandemic, you would have said, no, the 211 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:40,280 Speaker 1: Fed's going to have to exit their strategy and this 212 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 1: is this can't continue forever. And here we are, you 213 00:12:42,679 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 1: know how, many years after financial crisis, still with some 214 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 1: very unusual monetary measures globally. And I think that just 215 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:52,319 Speaker 1: the rates coming down again in Europe also makes the 216 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 1: US look more attractive. I mean, the German tenure got 217 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: up to I think negative ten basis points and now 218 00:12:57,120 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: is back lower than that. So I think the US 219 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 1: does look better relatively speaking, but it's still really tough 220 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:05,000 Speaker 1: and I think it's going to be difficult to see 221 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:06,680 Speaker 1: how we get out of this. But at the same time, 222 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 1: to your point, I think we could keep going with 223 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 1: this a lot longer than people think we can. Sarah, 224 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:16,079 Speaker 1: do you have any earnings visibility fifteen days to June thirty, 225 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 1: we regroup, ALCOHOLA comes out JP more Gon will start 226 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 1: the bank earnings. Sara, do you have any visibility on 227 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:26,360 Speaker 1: what earnings look like coming up? I think this has 228 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: been such an unusual time frame for so many reasons 229 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 1: that it's very difficult to see earnings visibility. I was 230 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 1: looking back at some of the banking earnings and what 231 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 1: the estimates were and what they came out with were 232 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 1: so wildly different. You know, some things are more easier, 233 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 1: more simple to predict than banking earnings, which I think 234 00:13:41,240 --> 00:13:43,640 Speaker 1: are very tough to predict. But in the scheme of things, no, 235 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:45,800 Speaker 1: I think it's very tough to say we know what 236 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 1: earnings are going to be accepted right now. People are 237 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 1: out there spending money, so they're going to be higher. 238 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 1: The question is how much and for how long? Sarah, 239 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:54,960 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. Sarah hunt with us today with 240 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:59,720 Speaker 1: Alpine Woods Capital on a portfolio construction in the view 241 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:07,400 Speaker 1: four or he has seen this before. Michael Holland joins 242 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 1: usself from Holland and Company, looking at the idea of 243 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 1: careful securities analysis, listening to managements, and moving forward with 244 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 1: a more calm and stable approach than the trading. Michael Holland, 245 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:22,720 Speaker 1: let's start with the mean trading. Now, when does this 246 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 1: go away? Or are we gonna live with mean trading forever? 247 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 1: Likely not for every time that we're good to see 248 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 1: the three of you. Uh. The reality is that that 249 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 1: all of these things do go away, but you just 250 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:38,240 Speaker 1: don't know how long they take to go away. So 251 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 1: I wouldn't I wouldn't be real fast to get out 252 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:43,680 Speaker 1: of your cash position and start shorting things. Starts right now. 253 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 1: So Michael, you just are saying music to Tom's ears. 254 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 1: Why do you think that people ought to be holding 255 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: some cash right now given the fact that there's extreme 256 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 1: accommodation from central banks and ongoing fiscal spending at listen 257 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 1: the uh the history of the time talks about the 258 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,320 Speaker 1: decades I've been What happens is when you get to 259 00:15:04,360 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 1: this point where the complacency is is actually pretty well 260 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:10,840 Speaker 1: earned because the Federal Reserve right now is doing what 261 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 1: it's doing. And listen to Carl Weinberg in his testimony 262 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:16,320 Speaker 1: in the last couple of days, I think you have 263 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:20,360 Speaker 1: very smart people saying things can be pretty good for 264 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,040 Speaker 1: an extended period of time because of the Fed. Having 265 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: said that, Tom said earlier in the show, thirty nine 266 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 1: percent increase over the last twelve months, name trading stocks, SPACs, ETCeteras, 267 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 1: and all the stuff that the bears talk about. Both 268 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:37,280 Speaker 1: both camps have very smart people in them. Either or 269 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:39,800 Speaker 1: both could be right for some period of time. Having 270 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:42,760 Speaker 1: said that, I really like an all weather portfolio so 271 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:46,400 Speaker 1: that when things go in the direction no one expects. 272 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 1: You're saying, I'm still okay. I'd like to be a 273 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:52,160 Speaker 1: survivor in these markets. All right, Well, let's talk about 274 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:56,480 Speaker 1: that survival here. I am curious, Michael, why would anyone 275 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 1: buy into the case here that the FED can sort 276 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 1: of orchestrate. That's verbial soft landing. I don't think you 277 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 1: buy in remain a hundred percent. That's exactly the right question. 278 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 1: In fact, the soft landing may not happen, and it 279 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 1: may happen. I think it's it's probably in the school. 280 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 1: It probably could be a little messy, but but I 281 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 1: have no reason to thank my prediction would be any 282 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: good or as good as the three of yours or 283 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 1: Carl Weinberg's or anyone else's. So nobody knows the answer 284 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,880 Speaker 1: to that. Will it be a soft landing? Having said that, 285 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 1: it might be, which means that to have a percent 286 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 1: triple leverage is probably not the preferred position in the 287 00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 1: stock market. On the other hand, having some cash in 288 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 1: case it's wrong, you're you'll feel better at the end 289 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 1: of the day because you will survive. Michael Holland when 290 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 1: you look at the accounting statements of these companies, it 291 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 1: speaks of fundamental analysis. Does fund fundamental analysis have a 292 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: value here? Securities analysis have a value here when you 293 00:16:56,520 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 1: see the ratios we're living with abs salutely Tom, Because 294 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 1: when you get to a time like this, if if 295 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:05,639 Speaker 1: you are going to inch back into the equity market 296 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:07,879 Speaker 1: sometime in the next decade, what you want to have 297 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:11,520 Speaker 1: as managements who have financial statements that tell you, as 298 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:13,639 Speaker 1: in the case of JP Morgan for example, you referred 299 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:16,960 Speaker 1: to them earlier in the show. UH, they show you 300 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:21,359 Speaker 1: why they have fortress like balance sheets, what the prospects 301 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:25,399 Speaker 1: are for their trading revenues, uh having been so great 302 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 1: in the past. There's a there's a gold mine of 303 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 1: information in those financial statements, and that's part of why 304 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 1: I've been able to survive myself. By paying attention to 305 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 1: things just like that, you can those are kind of 306 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:40,080 Speaker 1: immutable things that facts are stubborn things. Ass as it's 307 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:44,480 Speaker 1: consented Michael. There's a spectrum of risk and return, and 308 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 1: the idea here of there are times to go hard 309 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 1: into risk for that return of their times to accept 310 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:53,440 Speaker 1: very little return for not being very risky. I don't 311 00:17:53,480 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 1: need to tell you this, but where are you right 312 00:17:55,280 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 1: now on that spectrum? Perfect question, LESA, because so trees ago, 313 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:04,640 Speaker 1: a very successful investor named Rochild said, bye, when there's 314 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 1: blood in the streets, we're certainly not seeing blood in 315 00:18:07,600 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 1: the streets right now. We're seeing the opposite. We're seeing 316 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:12,840 Speaker 1: a federal reserve which is given a pass to anyone 317 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 1: who wants to see uh, assets of any kind go up. 318 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:19,399 Speaker 1: So it's a time to have some cash. As you 319 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:22,399 Speaker 1: said before. So in the risk spect I'm saying, you know, 320 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:24,679 Speaker 1: you're tilding over the middle to the to the to 321 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:27,160 Speaker 1: the area where you have to show some caution lights 322 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 1: for sure. Yeah, yeah, but I mean showing caution. Let's 323 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:33,400 Speaker 1: say you don't want to necessarily go into cash, remove 324 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:36,200 Speaker 1: a large allocation into cash here, you want to stay 325 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:38,480 Speaker 1: invested in the market, and hopefully I'll take part on 326 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 1: whatever upside might actually be left here. Is there safety 327 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 1: to be found in that thinking? Yeah right. I think 328 00:18:46,359 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: Tom's question earlier about fundamental analysis is related to to 329 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 1: the answer to your question, um Oracle is going to 330 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: report after the close tonight. I saw that the stock 331 00:18:56,840 --> 00:18:59,800 Speaker 1: there a few months ago, trading it quite low multiple 332 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:03,719 Speaker 1: the prospects for the company management that has shown itself 333 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 1: over the years to get it right. And my guess 334 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: is what they're doing. They have a report, and maybe 335 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 1: there'll be a lousy report and it'll go straight down. 336 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:14,920 Speaker 1: But I think there are companies JP more going to 337 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,719 Speaker 1: be in that category. General Mortis with Mary Barrett, I 338 00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:20,159 Speaker 1: think that there are there are places in the market 339 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:22,280 Speaker 1: where you can find opportunities, but you have to work 340 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:25,440 Speaker 1: at it. Like Holland, thank you so much, greatly, greatly 341 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: appreciated this morning. With Holland and Company, the chairman and 342 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:38,320 Speaker 1: the founder there. Joseph's song joins working with Bank of 343 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 1: America's their US economists with Ethan Harrison the team. Joseph, 344 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,000 Speaker 1: thank you so much for joining us. I like the 345 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:46,919 Speaker 1: Bank of America tweaks your g d P numbers. You 346 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 1: go from a first quarter of prosperity to the boom. 347 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:52,520 Speaker 1: You know, a little bit of an adjustment here of 348 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:54,960 Speaker 1: the second quarter. What does the clarity that you and 349 00:19:55,040 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 1: Michelle Meyer have on third quarter? G d P Thank me. Um. Look, 350 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 1: we're still very bullish on the US economy right now. 351 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:07,120 Speaker 1: You know, we're still looking for seven percent growth this year. Obviously, 352 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:09,960 Speaker 1: today's retail sales report was definitely on the weaker side, 353 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:12,400 Speaker 1: but we were expecting that. We were expecting negative prints 354 00:20:12,440 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 1: for all the major aggregates, um, but we still see 355 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:18,520 Speaker 1: strength in the consumer. If you look at our car data, 356 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:21,640 Speaker 1: everything outside of retail sales, you know, group were roughly 357 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 1: around six percent on a month or a month basis. 358 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:25,840 Speaker 1: So all that service, it's all that spending. Is that 359 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 1: happening on the service side. We saw a lot of 360 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:31,959 Speaker 1: strength uh the end of the month in May around 361 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 1: Memorial Day with lodging, travel, restaurant spending really really picking 362 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:40,000 Speaker 1: up momentum. And early in June we're seeing that carry 363 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: you do, so you get through June thirty, you go 364 00:20:42,119 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: to Q three, I've got question marks on it for 365 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:48,440 Speaker 1: radio and TV. How do you guys frame up Q three? 366 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:50,880 Speaker 1: Is it a is it a better tone than where 367 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:54,640 Speaker 1: you were ninety days ago? Well, you know, we don't 368 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 1: think that the strength that we've seen in the second 369 00:20:57,040 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: core will necessarily continue, will be sustaining that at the 370 00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:03,560 Speaker 1: very extraordinary levels that we're expecting, and Q two we're 371 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:06,440 Speaker 1: looking for double digit GDP growth, it will it will 372 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:08,560 Speaker 1: soften a bit, but I will still be well well 373 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:12,240 Speaker 1: above trend suggesting the consumer is spending. And remember there's 374 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:15,720 Speaker 1: actually more fiscal aid coming online in Q three with 375 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:18,400 Speaker 1: the child tax credits, so a lot of middleton lower 376 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:21,920 Speaker 1: income households will have more dollars to spend. Joseph, let's 377 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,880 Speaker 1: talk about the pendulum of stagflation, as Tom so elegantly 378 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 1: put this question of whether people are less inclined to 379 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 1: spend as prices go up. Are we seeing signs of 380 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: that or is this to add a completely irrelevant to 381 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:37,120 Speaker 1: that based on this changing of the of the composition 382 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: of spending. Yeah, I think Mike is correct and that 383 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 1: it's it's tough to suss out what is the demand 384 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:46,239 Speaker 1: and supply effects going on right now. Um, you know, 385 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:49,240 Speaker 1: obviously there is probably some effect with higher prices in 386 00:21:49,320 --> 00:21:51,439 Speaker 1: the good sector, but you know, when we look at 387 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:54,159 Speaker 1: our car data, real spending is still up double digits 388 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:57,480 Speaker 1: relative to twenty nineteen levels. So even if there's some 389 00:21:57,560 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 1: softening in the good sector, clearly those dollars are being 390 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:04,159 Speaker 1: shifted over to areas where they're still really strong demand. 391 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:06,200 Speaker 1: All right, Yeah, I mean as we look at these 392 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:08,880 Speaker 1: uh main numbers here, Joseph, I mean we should point 393 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:12,040 Speaker 1: out these April numbers ticket revised higher here on a 394 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 1: month over month number. Of course, we were pretty much 395 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 1: flat on the previous reading that's being revised to up 396 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:20,320 Speaker 1: point nine percent. I am curious that when you look 397 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:23,320 Speaker 1: at the numbers that we've had here on the retail side, 398 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:26,680 Speaker 1: retail sales side, and the come down that we're having, now, 399 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:30,119 Speaker 1: how much are you factoring in the government support and 400 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:32,720 Speaker 1: the potential pullback of some of that support, meaning the 401 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:35,439 Speaker 1: expanded unemployment benefits And I guess you can sort of 402 00:22:35,440 --> 00:22:37,840 Speaker 1: fold in some of the fiscal stimulus that may or 403 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:41,160 Speaker 1: may not be coming down the pipe. Yeah, I mean 404 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:44,320 Speaker 1: that that is um partially in our kind of slowdown 405 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: in Q three. But remember that as these unemployment insuranceets 406 00:22:48,800 --> 00:22:52,040 Speaker 1: get uh get gets pulled back, you'll see more workers 407 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:54,240 Speaker 1: we entered the labor market, and they're actually entering a 408 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:57,000 Speaker 1: labor record that is very hot right now. And wages 409 00:22:57,040 --> 00:22:59,159 Speaker 1: are starting to climb higher, so there actually may not 410 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:02,680 Speaker 1: be such a major fiscal cliff where they're losing their 411 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 1: benefits and not seeing the same sort of comparable wage levels. 412 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:10,200 Speaker 1: There actually might be just you know, substituting benefits for 413 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:13,880 Speaker 1: you know, wage wages. So um, you know, income may 414 00:23:14,080 --> 00:23:16,760 Speaker 1: soften a bit from here on out, but we still 415 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 1: are very constructive on the consumer and the behind the 416 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:22,240 Speaker 1: household balance. Okay, Well, unfortunately then that sort of circles 417 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:24,879 Speaker 1: me back to sort of the half glass half empty 418 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 1: scenario here where if fails, uh, if those wage pressures 419 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:30,720 Speaker 1: continue higher and that does pull people back into the 420 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,120 Speaker 1: labor market, then then do we have to then start 421 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:36,359 Speaker 1: talking about those inflationary pressures and what kind of dragged 422 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:40,800 Speaker 1: that might mean for economic activity. Yeah, so, you know, 423 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:44,359 Speaker 1: and in the fall, you know, we think that those 424 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 1: kind of labor supply contraints will start to ease, So 425 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:50,800 Speaker 1: the higher wages that we're seeing today, we won't continue 426 00:23:50,840 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 1: to keep climbing higher. Right, Well, we'll reach kind of 427 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:56,880 Speaker 1: city equilibrium where there's more workers that enter a labor 428 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 1: market as unemployment insurance expires. Also, care has been a 429 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:03,119 Speaker 1: major issue during the pandemic and we've heard from a 430 00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:05,600 Speaker 1: lot of major school districts that they'll be going back 431 00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:09,119 Speaker 1: to traditional in person learning, so childcare will be baked 432 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:10,960 Speaker 1: in for a lot of parents, which will allow them 433 00:24:10,960 --> 00:24:13,440 Speaker 1: to re enter the labor markets as well. So that's 434 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:15,800 Speaker 1: gonna we think that you know that that will lead 435 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:18,280 Speaker 1: to great US apply in the labor market, and that 436 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:21,439 Speaker 1: will have at least a temporarily a cooling effect our wages, 437 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 1: which will keep inflation well well kept. Joseph Song, thank 438 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 1: you so much, greatly appreciated with Bank of America. This 439 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:31,919 Speaker 1: is the Bloomberg Surveillance Podcast. Thanks for listening. Join us 440 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:35,159 Speaker 1: live weekdays from seven to ten a m. Eastern on 441 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Radio and on Bloomberg Television each day from six 442 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:44,440 Speaker 1: to nine am for insight from the best in economics, finance, investment, 443 00:24:44,600 --> 00:24:49,679 Speaker 1: and international relations. And subscribe to the Surveillance podcast on 444 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 1: Apple podcast, SoundCloud, Bloomberg dot com, and of course on 445 00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 1: the terminal. I'm Tom keene In. This is Bloomberg