1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, radio news. 2 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,440 Speaker 2: This is the Bloomberg Surveillance Podcast. I'm Jonathan Ferrow, along 3 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 2: with Lisa Bromwitz and Amrie Hordern. Join us each day 4 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:22,280 Speaker 2: for insight from the best in markets, economics, and geopolitics 5 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 2: from our global headquarters in New York City. We are 6 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 2: live on Bloomberg Television weekday mornings from six to nine 7 00:00:27,720 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 2: am Eastern. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify or 8 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 2: anywhere else you listen, and as always on the Bloomberg 9 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:35,880 Speaker 2: Terminal and the Bloomberg Business App. 10 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 1: Unemployment ticking up slightly to four point two percent, Andrew 11 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: Hollenhorst of City saying the unemployment rate is the better 12 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: signal to watch. The report was now quite soft enough 13 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: for the Fed to cut fifty basis points that we 14 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: had projected for December, but a twenty five basis point 15 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: cut appears very likely, followed by cuts in January and 16 00:00:57,240 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 1: subsequent meetings. Andrew joins us now, and Andrew, I am 17 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 1: so glad we get a chance to speak with you, 18 00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:05,479 Speaker 1: because you have a contrarian view, and you have persisted 19 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: in this contrarian view that this labor market has a 20 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 1: great deal of weakness that people are not seeing what 21 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: gives you that conviction. Now, even though it has been 22 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:18,040 Speaker 1: a while since we've seen really some of the confirmation 23 00:01:18,480 --> 00:01:20,119 Speaker 1: in the headline numbers, it's. 24 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 3: Been really noisy data, and so I think that's part 25 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 3: of the issue with analyzing the labor market here. You 26 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 3: have to make some decisions. You have to take a 27 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 3: stand on which data are giving you the correct signal 28 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 3: about where the labor market is going. To give you 29 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 3: a sense of the contrast, if you look at the 30 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,960 Speaker 3: payroll survey, the Establishment survey of businesses, that's telling you 31 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 3: we've added two point two million jobs over the last year. 32 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 3: It sounds like a great number. On the other hand, 33 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 3: if you look at the household survey, you call people 34 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 3: at home and ask them if they're working, We're down 35 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:49,559 Speaker 3: seven hundred and twenty five thousand jobs in that survey. 36 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 3: That's typically what you would see going into a recession. 37 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 3: So which is the true signal? Of course, we don't know, 38 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 3: and you have to put some weight on each You 39 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 3: have to have humility in terms of analyzing this data. 40 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 3: But if you look at that payroll's number, we know 41 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 3: from the revisions that the business survey Establishment survey, payrolls 42 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 3: are being overstated. So every month and we get that number, 43 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,799 Speaker 3: we should be subtracting something like seventy thousand jobs per 44 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,919 Speaker 3: month from that number. So that is the overstated number. 45 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:18,920 Speaker 3: The household survey, which we think is giving us a 46 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 3: better indication where the labor market is running, is telling 47 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 3: us that we may actually be losing jobs here. So 48 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 3: we continue to have this softening trend in the labor market, 49 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 3: the unemployment rate that's rising, and I think that's the 50 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 3: trend we should be watching. 51 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: If that is the case, how much can you discount 52 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 1: the idea that the number of hours worked has actually 53 00:02:36,639 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: inflected upwards, and that when you pair that with some 54 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: of the wage gains that we've seen, that's when some 55 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: of the inflation concerns start coming back in. 56 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm not too concerned about inflation cyclically because of 57 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,360 Speaker 3: the softening that we have in the labor market. Now, 58 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:54,280 Speaker 3: what you're saying is correct that we have a strange 59 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 3: labor market where businesses are hoarding labor right now. So 60 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 3: we're seeing a hiring rate that's very low, but we 61 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 3: don't have a layoff rate that's rising. Right, We don't 62 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 3: have hours work that's plunging. It's come down, but it's 63 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 3: not falling further. Wage growth which is slowed, but it's 64 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 3: been a little bit stickier at a higher level. So 65 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:13,240 Speaker 3: this is a different labor market than what we've ever 66 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 3: seen before. I think these things can be happening together 67 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 3: where you have firms that are reluctant to higher firms 68 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:21,359 Speaker 3: that want to hold on to their current employees if 69 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 3: they can, but when they lose those employees, they're not 70 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:26,679 Speaker 3: backfilling them. And what that means is you don't necessarily 71 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 3: have a higher probability of losing your job right now, 72 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 3: but if you do lose your job, you have a 73 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 3: higher probability of not finding one again, and that's going 74 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 3: to affect consumer behavior, that's going to affect the broader economy. 75 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:40,040 Speaker 4: Does that mean that there isn't really a number? I 76 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 4: mean outside of what would be normal that we could 77 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 4: get on Wednesday, That would mean that the Fed shouldn't 78 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 4: be cutting. Should the Fed really be cutting regardless of 79 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 4: the CPI figure we get on Wednesday? 80 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think we have to go back to an 81 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 3: environment where the Fed central banks are balancing risk to 82 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 3: inflation and risks to the labor market. So it was 83 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 3: easy to say a year ago that, well, inflation's running 84 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 3: very high. That should be the complete focus. And I 85 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 3: think we're still fighting the last battle a little bit here. So, yes, 86 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 3: inflation has been sticky. Inflation hasn't come down as nicely 87 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 3: as some people thought that it would. But you also 88 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:16,479 Speaker 3: have to look to the labor market. So we have 89 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:18,840 Speaker 3: inflation that looks to be running maybe closer to three 90 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:21,719 Speaker 3: percent than two percent. I think it's going to continue 91 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:23,880 Speaker 3: to slow based on what I'm seeing in the labor market. 92 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:26,239 Speaker 3: But that's a projection, that's a forecast at this point. 93 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 3: But you have to trade that off with looking at 94 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:30,280 Speaker 3: the household service Seven hundred and twenty five thousand people 95 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 3: are not working. 96 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 4: Now do you think the Fed has that message? It's 97 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 4: this whole what they should do versus what they will do. 98 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:38,039 Speaker 4: Do you think that there is a number that for 99 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 4: them would cause them to stop the cuts in December? 100 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 3: I think December they're probably going to cut even if 101 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:45,679 Speaker 3: we get a strong CPI inflation reading. 102 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 1: I think this would. 103 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 3: Be more about what are they going to signal for January? 104 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,039 Speaker 3: Right now, I think we'll get a softer report on Wednesday. 105 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 3: First course, CPI inflation. I think that's going to make 106 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 3: the decision very easy. But if we don't, if we 107 00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 3: get a stronger reading, then what you would see them 108 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:00,800 Speaker 3: do I think is still cut in December, but say, 109 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:02,280 Speaker 3: you know, we might be at that point where we 110 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:04,279 Speaker 3: would slow the pace of cuts. They've been using this 111 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 3: really open rhetoric of saying we're going to be cautious, 112 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 3: We're going to be careful. Of course, every central bank 113 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 3: is going to be cautious and care You can cautiously 114 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:13,159 Speaker 3: cut fifty basis points, right, It doesn't really mean anything. 115 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:14,599 Speaker 3: So we'll see what they say in December. 116 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:15,119 Speaker 1: Okay. 117 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 5: Speaking of January, we're going to get a brand new 118 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 5: Trump administration coming in a sweet Republican sweep, and Trump 119 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 5: yesterday on Meet the Press was talking about immigration in 120 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:26,479 Speaker 5: the first one hundred days. You're talking about the fact 121 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:29,480 Speaker 5: that what's going on in the labor market. How tight 122 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 5: could a labor market get if we do see things 123 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 5: like mass deportations. 124 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:32,920 Speaker 1: Yeah. 125 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 3: One of the things you talked about in that interview 126 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:38,720 Speaker 3: was that this is going to start with those immigrants 127 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:41,359 Speaker 3: that have a criminal history, and that that's going to 128 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:43,800 Speaker 3: be the focus, at least initially, So Lisa was talking 129 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 3: about this idea of sequencing. What's the policy sequencing? So 130 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 3: if that really is the focus, that's not something that's 131 00:05:49,680 --> 00:05:52,720 Speaker 3: going to have a big effect on the domestic labor market. Now, 132 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:54,640 Speaker 3: we know that a large percentage of workers in this 133 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,599 Speaker 3: country are working without authorization, So if you had a 134 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 3: large deportation program, then you could have issues where worker 135 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 3: firms are trying to hold on to their native workers. 136 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 3: That could tighten the labor market. So you do have 137 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 3: that risk. I think we have to watch how that 138 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 3: policy plays out, But based on what I heard over 139 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 3: the weekend, that's not making me more concerned about an 140 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 3: inflationary impetus from that. 141 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:18,359 Speaker 5: The other risk, of course is tariffs, and potentially the 142 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 5: Fed might have to think about what that means for 143 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 5: inflation next year. How are you thinking about tariffs? Are 144 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 5: they negotiating tool? Are they blanket? 145 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:28,040 Speaker 3: I think they're on two tracks, and I think we've 146 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 3: already seen tariffs as a negotiating tool. We saw tariffs 147 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:34,479 Speaker 3: floated from Mexico for Canada. Those tariffs are probably not 148 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 3: going to come into effect. They're meant to be a 149 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 3: start to negotiating things related to immigration and ventional right 150 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 3: non economic issues across the board. Tariff is on a 151 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 3: separate track. I think I think we will see some 152 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:52,720 Speaker 3: form of that. That would if you're increasing the cost 153 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:55,800 Speaker 3: of foreign goods, then some of those costs could pass 154 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:58,599 Speaker 3: through into consumer prices. But we've heard from FED officials 155 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:02,400 Speaker 3: is that they're going to be quite slow in terms 156 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:04,720 Speaker 3: of taking their time and watching how this plays through 157 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 3: in the economy. And remember, from a central bank perspective, 158 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,920 Speaker 3: if you put that tearf in place, the first instinct 159 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 3: of central bankers is to say, that's a one time 160 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 3: rise in the price level. And we don't respond to 161 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 3: a one time rise in the price level. So I 162 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 3: don't think this is something that's going to make the 163 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 3: central bank, make the FED a lot more hawkish. 164 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 1: I guess one thing that amahs to try to get at, 165 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 1: and I think it's the right thing to get at, 166 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:28,720 Speaker 1: is what would make you rethink the thesis if we 167 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:32,880 Speaker 1: do se say, an increase in inflation from policies, or 168 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: just if CPI comes in hot earth and expected, what 169 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 1: is it that would force you to look at a 170 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: different set of considerations in your employment template. 171 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, if I see growth that's accelerating, if I see 172 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 3: job growth that's accelerating, the unemployment rate that's coming down 173 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 3: instead of coming up. We have wage growth that's picking up, 174 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 3: and we're starting to hear firms say we have a 175 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 3: lot of pricing power in this market. We can raise prices, 176 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 3: And that's all the opposite of what we're hearing right now. 177 00:07:58,000 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 3: Right we're hearing firms say, even when we cut price, 178 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 3: we're not getting the kind of sales that we were expecting. 179 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 3: So that's why I think we're in a down trend 180 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 3: in terms of inflation. If those things inflected, then you 181 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 3: would get worried about higher inflation. 182 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:12,160 Speaker 1: You still see a very big risk of recession. 183 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 3: I think recession risk is elevated. It's certainly elevated, and 184 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 3: so I would disagree with FED officials that it's not elevated. 185 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 3: When you have the unemployment rate that's up by almost 186 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 3: a percentage point and you have very low hiring rates. 187 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 3: What you worry about is is this going to move 188 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 3: over into layoffs. We haven't seen that yet, and that's 189 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 3: a very good thing, and it looks like maybe this 190 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 3: could continue sometime without getting that pickup in layoffs. But 191 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 3: is that risk elevated? I think you have to say 192 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,319 Speaker 3: it's elevated, and I would also say very high valuations 193 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 3: in equity markets. It doesn't mean that we have to 194 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 3: have a sell off, right, but does that make the 195 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 3: risk more elevated that we would get a correction in 196 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 3: risk assets and that could drive somewhat of a slowing 197 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 3: in the economy. I would worry about that also, Andrew. 198 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 1: Andrew hollin Horst, always wonderful to speak with you. Thank 199 00:08:56,120 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: you for being with us. Tim Adams at the Institute 200 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 1: of International Finance saying this, we'll likely see burgeoning Emina 201 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: activity with an improved deal making landscape, personnelist policy. Amory 202 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 1: says that all the time. So we'll see who comes 203 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 1: in at the regulatory agencies to learn more about the 204 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 1: future of regulations. Tim joins us now, Tim, thank you 205 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:27,720 Speaker 1: so much for being here here. So do you see 206 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 1: right now the banking sector is really driving a lot 207 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: of the optimism in the financial space going forward. 208 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 6: Sure, and they're hearing from their clients. Animal spirits are 209 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 6: back in the US. The outlook is for the near 210 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 6: term at least it's pretty bright. There's a sense of 211 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 6: deregulation across Europe. In the US. We'll see how much 212 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 6: of that actually happens. But you know, there's a sense 213 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:45,679 Speaker 6: of optimism that we haven't seen. 214 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 1: In a while. 215 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 4: Does that optimism is it mostly centered or should it 216 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:51,920 Speaker 4: be mostly centered on the largest American banks or the 217 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:52,560 Speaker 4: smaller ones? 218 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:54,319 Speaker 6: Well, I think it's across the board. I think Main 219 00:09:54,360 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 6: Street Wall Street are going to do well over the 220 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 6: near term, but Wall Street looks at the near term 221 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 6: with great optimism. I think deal flow is going to 222 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 6: pick up. We're going to see IPOs, We're going to 223 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 6: see M and A activity, and that's good for our institutions. 224 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 5: I know you're concerned though about the deficit, so you 225 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 5: took kindly to the fact there's some deficit hawks when 226 00:10:11,160 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 5: it comes to personnel's policy. But over the weekend, Trump 227 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 5: said that he's not going to cut Social Security entitlements, 228 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:18,839 Speaker 5: not going to raise the retirement age. How are you 229 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 5: supposed to get the deficit down? 230 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 6: Yes, it's very hard because most of what you just described, 231 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,720 Speaker 6: you look at a social insurance and defense and net interest. 232 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:27,200 Speaker 6: Some of the debt is about ninety percent of what 233 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 6: we spend. The rest is kind of a rounding error. 234 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:31,520 Speaker 6: We can grow and I think Scott Bessen to who's 235 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:33,680 Speaker 6: going to be the next Treasury Secretary is focused on growth. 236 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:35,319 Speaker 6: That's good, but we're going to have to find ways 237 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 6: to find savings. Deficit hawks are gone in Washington. They 238 00:10:38,840 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 6: don't exist anymore, and maybe you need the Marcus to 239 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 6: send as a signal it's time to become more sober 240 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 6: in our fiscal outlook. 241 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 1: Tim, you've spent a lot of time focused on the 242 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: structure of the financial system in the United States, and 243 00:10:49,800 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 1: by all accounts, it's really strong and it's diversified. There's 244 00:10:53,480 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 1: been a lot of discussion around mergers amongst smaller banks 245 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: and how much we could see if there is an 246 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:01,440 Speaker 1: administration that is amenable to that kind of tie up, 247 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:03,080 Speaker 1: how much could we see. 248 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:04,679 Speaker 6: I think you'll see a lot. I think you ended 249 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 6: up seeing a barbelling. The largest institutions get larger and 250 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 6: the mid size become larger. It's a scale business. Look 251 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 6: at JP Morgan spend seventeen billion dollars a year on technology. 252 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 6: Jamie probably would spend trillion. But think about the tech 253 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 6: spin that these institutions put in place and who they're 254 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 6: competing with, and then you'll see smaller local institutions than 255 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 6: know the local markets. 256 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:26,440 Speaker 1: So it's a bifurcation. 257 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:28,480 Speaker 6: The mid sized guys are going to get bigger. 258 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 1: Well, you raise this question, who aren't the big competitors? 259 00:11:31,640 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: Is it Apple, is it absolutely or is this an 260 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 1: issue of say, the Apollos of the world. And this 261 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 1: has been sort of the two sided barbell at a 262 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,880 Speaker 1: time where potentially fewer regulations for the largest banks could 263 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:45,240 Speaker 1: make them more competitive against both. 264 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 6: Yeah, I probably mean two hundred CEOs a year. In 265 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 6: the financial sector. We hear a lot about private credit 266 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:52,560 Speaker 6: and private equity. We hear a lot about Apple, Google 267 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:55,000 Speaker 6: and the tech platforms. And if you're Jamie, you're trying 268 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,679 Speaker 6: to compete with the tech platforms, right. And then if 269 00:11:57,760 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 6: you're then then you maybe you can acquire or part 270 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 6: and you're with private equity and private credit. 271 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 4: I'm really curious what happens to Europe and all of 272 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 4: this if you have this growing American banking system, if 273 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:10,000 Speaker 4: the biggest get bigger and they're not just eating the 274 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:12,440 Speaker 4: smaller bank's launch, they're taking it from Europe too, which 275 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 4: has been really struggling and has tried UniCredit Commerce trying 276 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:18,120 Speaker 4: to get some sort of merger through. Do something need 277 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:19,840 Speaker 4: to change? But it finally start. 278 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 1: To absolutely core. 279 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 6: Europe is on this back politically and economically. German economy 280 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 6: is really struggling. Periphery's doing much better, Spain, Greece, Poland. 281 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 6: But euro needs banking, consolidation, the need capital markets, union, banking, 282 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 6: and there's so much that this new Commission and this 283 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 6: new Parliament needs to take on. They're saying the right things, 284 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 6: but we'll see it's time for action across Europe. 285 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:40,199 Speaker 5: We saw uned Credit try to do that with Commerce 286 00:12:40,240 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 5: Bank and the Germans really did not want that to happen. 287 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,600 Speaker 5: What could give the boost to these countries to say, okay, 288 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 5: we should start consolidating. 289 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:50,719 Speaker 6: Well, you're hearing it from Christine Loard the ECB, she's 290 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:53,480 Speaker 6: signaling a unique consolidation. You need Brussels to say it's 291 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 6: time to act as time to consolidate. I think this 292 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 6: deal is going to go through over time, and I 293 00:12:57,320 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 6: think we'll see more over time as well. 294 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:01,439 Speaker 1: Hold on a second, you think that the Germans are 295 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:04,560 Speaker 1: going to be okay with an Italian bank taking over 296 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:05,880 Speaker 1: one of their national champions. 297 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 6: Let's underscore they already have The Italians have already taken over. 298 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:12,400 Speaker 6: They have no choice, right, These are great institutions I 299 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:15,280 Speaker 6: like Comerance Bank. The CEO Betina is wonderful. I think 300 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 6: they all realize that to compete domestically and the nationally 301 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:20,960 Speaker 6: compete with US firms on the continent, they've got to consolidate. 302 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 1: Tim You talk with a lot of regulators, you talk 303 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 1: with a lot of elected politicians, and I'm curious about 304 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 1: whether you've really heard a change in tone over in 305 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 1: Europe that recognizes how different this moment is that they're in. 306 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 6: I think the Trump shock has gotten their attention. I 307 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 6: think they know. 308 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:36,439 Speaker 1: They have to do more. 309 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:40,439 Speaker 6: But Brussel's a challenging place. You know, it's a bureaucratic machine. 310 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:42,960 Speaker 6: So you need political leadership right now. That's missing in 311 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 6: France and Germany. Hopefully in six months we'll have greater stability. 312 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 6: Brussels needs to act, Frankfort needs to act. We need 313 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:50,480 Speaker 6: to see political leadership. 314 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:53,079 Speaker 5: Where is the political leadership right now? And you're at 315 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 5: the G seven it felt like it was Georgia Maloney 316 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 5: that was almost this central figure of Europe because everyone 317 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 5: that showed up was either a lame duck or on 318 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:02,240 Speaker 5: their way out. 319 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:05,680 Speaker 6: Well, the polls have the rotating presidency the EU, they're 320 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 6: very pro growth, and I like what they've done with 321 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 6: their economy. I like where they want to go. Spain 322 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:12,000 Speaker 6: is saying, look at us, we're growing fast. In Greece, 323 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:15,000 Speaker 6: which was always sort of the stepchild of the EU 324 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:17,720 Speaker 6: for so many years, is now really putting in great performance. 325 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 6: I think what you'll see over time core you're figuring 326 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 6: out they need to lead and do more in Germany 327 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 6: is the secret and the key to the future of 328 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 6: European growth. 329 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: So you've done on this whirlwind tour of the whole world. 330 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 1: You're coming to an end. I'm sure you're very happy 331 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 1: to be going home. What's your big tic takeaway, Tim, 332 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 1: after meeting with international leaders of finance around the world. 333 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 6: Yeah, there's an enormous optimism about the US, but there's concerns. 334 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 6: There's just so much we don't know about what this 335 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 6: new administration is going to do. The economic leaders that 336 00:14:44,200 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 6: have been put in place, that personnel's policy have really 337 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 6: boyd that outlook. But ultimately, how will these different policies 338 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 6: be put in place? 339 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 1: Will we see tariffs? 340 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 6: Is it selective, incremental or is it much broader? We 341 00:14:57,040 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 6: just don't know. 342 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 1: Tim Adams of the IIF thank you so much with 343 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:12,120 Speaker 1: us a key question of how tied the hands are 344 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:15,400 Speaker 1: of the FED to the fact that inflation might be 345 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 1: the surprise card here heading into the end of twenty 346 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:18,560 Speaker 1: twenty four. 347 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 7: Right, So, when you look at last week's jobs report, 348 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:24,280 Speaker 7: you get a bit of a riddle for twenty twenty five. 349 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 7: You get very strong job growth, a uptick in the 350 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:33,880 Speaker 7: unemployment rate, and importantly for the FED, really robust wage growth. 351 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 7: Where does that lead to sticky inflation? So the riddle 352 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 7: is an H for hiring or an H for hiking. 353 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 7: We don't know in twenty twenty five, but the wage 354 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 7: growth is putting pressure on inflation, and that's something the 355 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:48,800 Speaker 7: FED has to keep in, you know, in the rear 356 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 7: rear mirror as they're trying to support the labor market pause. 357 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: You've said recently that it seems like this job's market 358 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 1: is on a knife edge. It could go one way 359 00:15:57,760 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 1: or another. Are you saying that we're at that tip 360 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 1: point where we could see whether the solidity of the 361 00:16:02,600 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: labor market is actually contributing to an increasing likelihood of 362 00:16:05,920 --> 00:16:07,160 Speaker 1: stickiness and even a rate hike. 363 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 7: Yeah, we're in the stasis period, this really quiet period 364 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:13,960 Speaker 7: in the labor market where there's very low layoffs and 365 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:17,520 Speaker 7: now pretty you know, average hiring. If you take the 366 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:20,920 Speaker 7: last three months of the BLS data, you get something 367 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 7: a little bit less than one hundred and forty thousand 368 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 7: jobs created every month on average. So that's solid. But 369 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 7: I don't think we stay in this equilibrium. I think 370 00:16:30,320 --> 00:16:32,720 Speaker 7: there is a tipping point that is coming, and I'm 371 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:35,480 Speaker 7: not quite sure whether it's a tipping point lower or 372 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 7: tipping point higher. So I'm watching wages and what wage 373 00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 7: growth suggests. Both in the BLS data and in the 374 00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 7: ADP payroll data. It suggests that wages are still robust, 375 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:48,760 Speaker 7: they're still growing. That suggests there's still a bit of 376 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 7: tightness in the labor market, and I think that's tied 377 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 7: to longer term trends, not something that the FED can 378 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 7: fix right away. 379 00:16:54,440 --> 00:16:57,280 Speaker 4: Is there a possibility that when that equilibrium shifts, if 380 00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:00,119 Speaker 4: it does shift towards sticky inflation, that it's not just sticky, 381 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:03,560 Speaker 4: but wage growth also translates into reacceleration of inflation. 382 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:07,080 Speaker 7: And that's the problem for the FED. It depends on 383 00:17:07,119 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 7: what they do right now. It seems like they're on 384 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 7: track for a cut in December that could be followed 385 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 7: by a pause early next year. We're all hoping that 386 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 7: it's not a hike, because that would imply an acceleration 387 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:24,879 Speaker 7: of inflation much higher than the Fed's projections right now. 388 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 7: But given how robust wage growth is, remember before the 389 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:32,159 Speaker 7: pandemic that ten years of expansion, waste growth was between 390 00:17:32,160 --> 00:17:35,200 Speaker 7: two and three percent. We're now at four percent, So 391 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:38,760 Speaker 7: there's no consistency of a four percent average hourly wage 392 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 7: growth with two percent target inflation. 393 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:42,960 Speaker 4: Is there a risk though, that if the FED is 394 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 4: cutting in December and they continued with some cuts at 395 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:48,119 Speaker 4: least in the first half of twenty twenty five, that 396 00:17:48,160 --> 00:17:51,159 Speaker 4: they allow that reacceleration to happen, that they create the 397 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,119 Speaker 4: environment where the animal spirits can continue, hiring can continue 398 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:57,200 Speaker 4: with a hopium of what a president Donald Trump presidency means, 399 00:17:57,400 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 4: and that's what creates it. 400 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 7: Well, decades of FED policy teach us one thing that 401 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,800 Speaker 7: monetary policy is risky business. I mean, usually that's how 402 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 7: the economy falls into a recession. The FED rates hikes 403 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 7: rates to contain inflation, and that tips the economy into recession. 404 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 7: That did not happen this time. Interest rates went higher 405 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 7: and the FED and the economy kept growing, So we 406 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 7: really don't know in the context of the current economic 407 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 7: environment exactly what's going to happen to the economy. When 408 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:29,639 Speaker 7: you look at the consumer, when you look at the 409 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:33,160 Speaker 7: labor market, it's still very solid and resilient. So there's 410 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 7: some that's I guess the hope for the Fed. They 411 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:36,639 Speaker 7: still have some wig overroom. 412 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:40,560 Speaker 5: Following the jobs number, we saw these bets for December 413 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:42,680 Speaker 5: cup go up. Was that too premature or given the 414 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 5: fact that we don't have CPI. 415 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:47,160 Speaker 7: Yet, Yeah, I think the seed is waiting for CPI. 416 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:51,880 Speaker 7: We're seeing a three point three percent core CPI right now. 417 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 7: We're seeing a month over month that we're not going 418 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:58,719 Speaker 7: down to a point two or a point one percent 419 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 7: monthly range. That is a nervous period for the FED 420 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:06,480 Speaker 7: because if we keep going up a month after month 421 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:09,359 Speaker 7: ato point three percent, that is not going to drag 422 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 7: us back down to that two percent. So it's not 423 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:15,400 Speaker 7: just wages here now, it's shelter costs in housing that's 424 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 7: driving up inflation. 425 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:19,399 Speaker 5: Well, we heard from Mickey Bowman on Friday following that report, 426 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 5: and she says, we have so much growth right now, 427 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:22,680 Speaker 5: it's hard to think that the level of the interest 428 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:24,359 Speaker 5: rates is restrictive at this point. 429 00:19:24,800 --> 00:19:25,680 Speaker 1: Are we restrictive? 430 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:29,640 Speaker 7: That's a question for the FOMC, and we're starting to 431 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:32,960 Speaker 7: see that there's a lot more disagreement on that FOMC 432 00:19:33,280 --> 00:19:37,199 Speaker 7: than there was previously. Look, you know, when inflation was 433 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:40,680 Speaker 7: unspeakably high, it was easy to get everyone on agreement, 434 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 7: and it was easy to see the path. As we 435 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:45,359 Speaker 7: get closer and closer to that two percent target, I 436 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:48,359 Speaker 7: think you're going to see the FOMC opinions start to 437 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:51,800 Speaker 7: diverge on where is that neutruarate and how to get there, 438 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:53,479 Speaker 7: And that's what you're going to see in these public 439 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:54,200 Speaker 7: comments now. 440 00:19:54,359 --> 00:19:56,400 Speaker 1: Neila Richardson of ADP, thank you so much. 441 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:00,840 Speaker 2: This is the Bloomberg's Events podcast, bringing you the best 442 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:04,200 Speaker 2: in markets, economics, angio politics. You can watch the show 443 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:07,199 Speaker 2: live on Bloomberg TV weekday mornings from six am to 444 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 2: nine am Eastern. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple, Spotify 445 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:13,440 Speaker 2: or anywhere else you listen, and as always, on the 446 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:15,920 Speaker 2: Bloomberg Terminal and the Bloomberg Business app.