1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,040 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Bloomberg Markets Podcast. I'm Paul Sweeney, alongside 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: my co host Matt Miller. Every business day we bring 3 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: you interviews from CEOs, market pros, and Bloomberg experts, along 4 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: with essential market moving news. Find the Bloomberg Markets podcast 5 00:00:15,560 --> 00:00:18,439 Speaker 1: called Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to podcasts, and 6 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: at Bloomberg dot com slash podcast. Folks, this is going 7 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 1: to be an interesting week for You're supposed to say 8 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: good stuff when John Tucker has done. You're supposed to 9 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:30,480 Speaker 1: always say good stuff, Good stuff, John Tucker, good stuff, 10 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: Justina does it? Oh my gosh, okay um. Moving on 11 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:38,800 Speaker 1: from John Tucker, also good stuff. On the Techer Innings front, 12 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:40,760 Speaker 1: We're gonna get Netflix later this week. We're gonna get 13 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:43,520 Speaker 1: a lot of MidCap names as well. And who better 14 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: to dive into what to expect and all the jazz 15 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: around these tech companies right now than our very own 16 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:52,839 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Technology senior analysts on Grana and man Deep sing 17 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: A lot to digest here ONAG. I want to start 18 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,000 Speaker 1: with you on the big tech names here, because to 19 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,920 Speaker 1: have a ainable equity market rally, you have to have 20 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,959 Speaker 1: your Apples, your Microsoft's, on your side. Why aren't they 21 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: right now? So the big question is what's going to 22 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: be guidance for the rest of the year. Um, we 23 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:14,960 Speaker 1: all know that things are slowing down in enterprise to expending. 24 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,039 Speaker 1: Cloud is going to slow down. PC sales are bad. 25 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: We even expect enterprise you know course software to start decelerating. 26 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 1: But the question is, you know how much of that 27 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: is already baked into the stock price. So I think 28 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 1: guidance is going to be extremely critical when we go 29 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: onto the next owning season from all these vendors, hang 30 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: on when are they coming out with earnings? Microsoft's next week, 31 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:38,560 Speaker 1: Apples the week after that, and Apple is going to 32 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: be very different as well because of supply chain you 33 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:43,959 Speaker 1: know issues we have seen that they may miss on 34 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: the iPhone side. So the question really is how's the 35 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 1: buy side going to treat that, because you know, in 36 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 1: our view, whatever we lose in this quarter, we're gonna 37 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: gain back in the next quarter. Mandeep, what are you 38 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 1: looking for in the companies you I can never sort 39 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:01,040 Speaker 1: out which companies You guys cover what you do social 40 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 1: media and like the internet stuff? More consumer tech, say 41 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 1: more enterprise tech. So consumer tech is very different enterprise tech. 42 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: Is a code word for what's enterprise tech actually means 43 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: just business to business stuff. Got it. Okay, so you 44 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:21,919 Speaker 1: have Alphabet, you have Meta, Uh, Uber, Airbnb? Are they 45 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: all coming out next week or in the next two weeks? 46 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 1: And uh, Look, I think when I say it, and 47 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:31,920 Speaker 1: I mentioned this before on your show, that there was 48 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: a massive pull forward when it comes to a lot 49 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 1: of consumer tech companies during COVID times. We had a 50 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 1: period where they are resetting the comps. Next year, the 51 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: comps are going to be easier. The problem for a 52 00:02:46,040 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 1: company like Alphabet is they're operating profit grew hud so 53 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 1: they went from forty billion inter operating profit to eight billion. 54 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: Now that is the sort of comp I mean, it 55 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 1: will take them probably two years to reset that. So 56 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:05,200 Speaker 1: they pull forward two years of operating profit growth in 57 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: one year during that COVID time, and I think that 58 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,360 Speaker 1: is a challenge for someone like Alphabet to an extent 59 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:13,920 Speaker 1: Meta as well. But when you say pull forward, that 60 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: means they took it from two and three and put 61 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: it in one. Is it really the case? I mean, 62 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 1: are the the revenue they get from ads? Right? For 63 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 1: the most part ad spending. It's not like companies that 64 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: we're spending a lot in are gonna not spend in three. 65 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 1: So you have a confluence of negative factors right now. 66 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 1: Notably the Apple I d f A changes. That was 67 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: a ten billion dollar drag on Meta's revenue for two 68 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: same thing. It's not going to dissipate anytime soon. Then 69 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 1: AD pricing in general is coming down because we are 70 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: headed for slower growth or probably a recession. So during 71 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: times like this, ad pricing compresses. It will bounce back, 72 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 1: but it's very cyclical. And then businesses in general, small businesses, 73 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 1: which is the bulk of Meta's ads spent, they are 74 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: pulling back again a slow growth times. And that's what 75 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: I mean by pull forward because during the COVID phase, 76 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 1: Meadows revenue grew almost average. The reason why that happened 77 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,480 Speaker 1: is small businesses did very well. It was all online. 78 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 1: They were spending a lot of money on ads to 79 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 1: acquire customers. Well, you're running into tough comps. Plus, businesses 80 00:04:31,680 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: are pulling back because ad spending is the easiest thing 81 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 1: to pull back on when times are tough. So UM 82 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: HONORAG we were talking earlier. There's a story in the 83 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:45,160 Speaker 1: Bloomberg about UM executives at Davos. Their expectations are for 84 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 1: horrendous and awful recession. But that's because the survey was 85 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: done in October and November. Right in December and January, 86 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:55,159 Speaker 1: we've turned a lot more positive. Um is that the 87 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:58,600 Speaker 1: case for these companies as well. So typically what happens is, 88 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 1: you know, take spending is sometimes driven by the sentiment 89 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:04,480 Speaker 1: that we see in the NASTAC how the NASTAC performs. 90 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: Now I did this correlation many many years ago, but 91 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,119 Speaker 1: if you look at it just on the spending side 92 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 1: of it, last five years have been phenomenal for software spending. 93 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 1: You know, the top twenty software companies grew at an 94 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 1: average in that time frame. So it's going to be 95 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 1: very difficult to come up with that level of performance 96 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:26,159 Speaker 1: again this year. Now, our big thesis is that whatever 97 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 1: we lose this year, you know, we will recover it 98 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: the next year or the year after, depending on how 99 00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: long this slowdown is. And and partially the reason why 100 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 1: we think is, you know, we think there are still 101 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:39,680 Speaker 1: a lot of very old systems out there that need 102 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: to be upgraded. I mean point in time, you know, Southwest, 103 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 1: the f a A, all those things, I mean legacy, 104 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 1: it T spending dominates total I T spending. So all 105 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 1: those companies slowly and slowly need to upgrade their systems, 106 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 1: which is a bull case for software, but perhaps not 107 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,039 Speaker 1: in three Well, that's exactly where I want to go. 108 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 1: I think we had me and Deep on Bloomberous Valance 109 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: radio months ago. I remember you coming up with a 110 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 1: stat uh and it was something like in the next 111 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,600 Speaker 1: ten years. I think it's like, I can't remember, was 112 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:09,720 Speaker 1: billions or trillions? It was like four or five billion 113 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:11,680 Speaker 1: or trillion, I can't remember. I know those are different 114 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 1: numbers UM spending on cloud infrastructure. So I'm wondering. And 115 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:18,159 Speaker 1: that's something you're hearing from these bank earnings as well. 116 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 1: That sure, some of these compensation expenses are coming down, 117 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:24,719 Speaker 1: but the tech expenses are coming up. How long does 118 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:27,279 Speaker 1: that bowl case or that tail when A was just 119 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 1: talking about take to actually play out. Well, I would 120 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,279 Speaker 1: say there are certain things that are secular in nature 121 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: in this market. Cloud spending is one of them, and 122 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:40,480 Speaker 1: that when when these secular trends play out, they play 123 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:43,800 Speaker 1: out ten twenty years, It's gonna take years before we 124 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 1: are fully migrated to cloud. And plus there is a 125 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 1: lot of new innovation going on a lot of AI. 126 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 1: You know, machine learning is being done on cloud. These 127 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: are I mean very expensive workloades to run Chat GPT's 128 00:06:57,520 --> 00:06:59,600 Speaker 1: waiting to see would bring that up a one month 129 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 1: bill of jack chief. It would be way above then 130 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: how much a traditional it costs to run. So that's 131 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 1: where I think cloud infrastructure is a real secular tail wind. 132 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: And look, there are certain structural headwinds for a lot 133 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: of these companies. And that's where you're gonna pick winners 134 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 1: and losers is which ones are exposed to the circular 135 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 1: trends and which ones aren't. So let's go near term 136 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: the man deep in the next few weeks when we 137 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 1: get some of these earnings roll out, who's gonna get 138 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: it right, who's gonna get it wrong? I think you've 139 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 1: seen a lot of negative revisions already. So a name 140 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 1: like Snapchat has seen top line come down, estimates come 141 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: down by about consensus numbers are down a lot, same 142 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,240 Speaker 1: thing for a lot of other small caps like Roudblocks 143 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:44,360 Speaker 1: now with large caps, Google estimates are down ten percent. 144 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: That doesn't mean they're gonna crush it or the you know, 145 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: the sentiment will be positive after the report, So that's 146 00:07:49,960 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: where you have to really match how far the expectations 147 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: have come down. They haven't come down, and uh like 148 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 1: for a name like Airbnb. Now, I do think there 149 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:04,200 Speaker 1: was a pope forward even with airbnbs growth because of reopening, 150 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 1: it lasted two years. Guess what there will be a 151 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:10,640 Speaker 1: slowdown period after that, and I think that's where they're exposed. 152 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:14,200 Speaker 1: We've been waiting to hear about this a lot in 153 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: the last six months as while we started this an 154 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 1: Apple and Microsoft as well at this slowdown is already here. 155 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: To what extent are we going to see more pain 156 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 1: in the first quarter or is this is so the 157 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 1: way we look at it right now, the estimates look fair. 158 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: We don't see a bigger downdraft on that, which is 159 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 1: why I said guidance going into the next quarter or 160 00:08:34,280 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 1: next this earning is going to be very critical. If 161 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 1: the count these companies are income, they come report and 162 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 1: able to match the expectations of the buy side on 163 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: the south side, and then you could see them rivers 164 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: you know, the trend of the stock prices going downwards. However, 165 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: if they come back and say, you know, things are 166 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 1: really getting even worse, then you have another leg down. 167 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: But one of the big things that I've said is, 168 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 1: you know, for us, the big you know, I'm not 169 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:01,280 Speaker 1: truly concerned about the length of the cloud cycle or 170 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:04,679 Speaker 1: the funding behind it that I'm very happy or very 171 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 1: comfortable about it. But but I do not know that 172 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:08,599 Speaker 1: where the ten year is going to be by the 173 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 1: end of the year. If the ten year is around 174 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 1: where it is, then tech stocks should be fine. But 175 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: if it starts to go up inflation creeps back again, 176 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:18,440 Speaker 1: then tech is going to have a horrendous second half. 177 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: So it's there is a lot that's tied up with 178 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:24,760 Speaker 1: the interest rates rather than just the earning side operating business. 179 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: What are the typical valuations that you see on the 180 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: enterprise side, So it depends on who you're looking at, 181 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: and you know, you look at somebody like a Microsoft 182 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 1: eighteen nineteen times. You know, a couple of years ago 183 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: it was thirty times earnings. But that all the all 184 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 1: the you could say, the squeeze and the valuation has 185 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:43,800 Speaker 1: to do with the with the ten year climbing up 186 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:45,839 Speaker 1: quite a bit. You could say the same thing about 187 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: Apple apples. Now in eighteen nineteen times it used to 188 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:51,439 Speaker 1: be over thirty times for for a while. So if 189 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 1: ten year keeps on going up, that number keeps on 190 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: coming down. I mean that's really where we are at 191 00:09:56,280 --> 00:10:00,559 Speaker 1: this point. Sorry, men Deep, you what kind of valuations 192 00:10:00,559 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 1: do you see or does it matter? And the companies 193 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 1: you cover because they don't necessarily make profits, well yes 194 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:08,640 Speaker 1: that is a factor. But for a name like Alphabet, 195 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 1: you know you have to ask yourself when will they 196 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,000 Speaker 1: grow operating profit? Because that is going to determine the 197 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 1: floor in terms of valuation. Right now, the market isn't clear. 198 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 1: They aren't believing the consensus numbers that they can grow 199 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:23,200 Speaker 1: operating profit even low singles did. If they prove that, 200 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 1: I think that may be very well. All right, Man 201 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:28,720 Speaker 1: Deep Sing Senior Analysts Technology at Bloomberg Intelligence. Honoragu Raga, 202 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 1: also at Tech Analysts, Bloomberg Intelligence, Thanks very much, always 203 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 1: great your round table. Speaking of four twenty, we are 204 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:42,080 Speaker 1: going to talk about weed right now. Chris Violas, the 205 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:47,319 Speaker 1: CEO of Blaze, joins us to talk about technology platform 206 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: that they that they operate um or or at least 207 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 1: get to businesses to operate in order to sell uh 208 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:02,240 Speaker 1: marijuana products. And I think it's such a fascinating story. 209 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: We cover this a lot in this program because it's 210 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 1: like we're watching the beginning of an industry, you know, 211 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 1: the end of prohibition, and we can see the kind 212 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:15,679 Speaker 1: of revenue that this generates, not just for the businesses, 213 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 1: but also for states. We recently covered this right the 214 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 1: very well, the first the first one in New York. 215 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 1: UM and I believe they use Blaze technology. Chris, let's 216 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:28,079 Speaker 1: get over Chris right now, Chris Viola's CEO Blaze. Tell 217 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 1: us about your product, what what what do you offer 218 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:36,559 Speaker 1: that's helping this budding industry. Man. Well, thank you, Creety, 219 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 1: thanks for having me on. I'm really excited to be here. 220 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,840 Speaker 1: But to get to the point, Blaze is a retail 221 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: point of soap platform really empowering about sixteen percent of 222 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 1: North America dispensaries today. So anything from inventory control to 223 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:55,120 Speaker 1: checking out and actually facilitating that transaction to the compliance 224 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: that goes on behind it, that's all Blaze powering these 225 00:11:58,360 --> 00:12:02,320 Speaker 1: beautiful retailers that are doing such work, including Housing Works. Yeah. 226 00:12:02,360 --> 00:12:05,079 Speaker 1: Housing Works is of course the charity that opened the 227 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 1: first marijuana dispensary, recreational dispensary in New York, and there 228 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:15,680 Speaker 1: are I think twenty three other states where marijuana is legal, um, 229 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 1: but it's not federally and that presents a problem for 230 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: these retailers in terms of taking credit cards, in terms 231 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 1: of you know, the payment point systems, how does how 232 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 1: does that work? How do you kind of get around 233 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 1: the federal law. Yeah, it's obviously there's a conflict there. 234 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 1: So when it comes to these payment types, really there's 235 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:38,080 Speaker 1: only a few options we have. UM. As with anything 236 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: we do, we want to be as open and transparent 237 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:43,400 Speaker 1: and complying as possible. So credit cards are off the table. 238 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 1: We don't touch that except for in Canada where it 239 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 1: is federally legal. But when we're talking about the US, 240 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 1: we really only have two options at this point. Obviously 241 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 1: we can take cash. I guess three options. That's one. 242 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:57,600 Speaker 1: The second would be a c H So you know, 243 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:00,040 Speaker 1: this is really likened too when you go on to 244 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 1: then though, when you connect your bank account um and 245 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:06,800 Speaker 1: start to send money either directly to a person or 246 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 1: directly to another business. We can certainly facilitate that today. 247 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:13,959 Speaker 1: That's a direct to direct type of transaction. And then 248 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:16,320 Speaker 1: the second is our Blaze pay program, which is the 249 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:20,320 Speaker 1: pin debit based solution where the user, the consumer go 250 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 1: ahead and insert their card with a chip, entering their 251 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 1: pin number, and then from there we can directly transact 252 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 1: against that specific bank account. So how does that work? 253 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 1: More specifically, I noticed that at Empire, at the Empire 254 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 1: Cannabis Club, if you ring up a hundred thirty five dollars, right, 255 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: they'll debit you for one forty and then actually give 256 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 1: you the five dollars and change. I don't know what's 257 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 1: going on there, So that's a that's a different solution 258 00:13:47,080 --> 00:13:49,680 Speaker 1: than what we like to to use here at Blaze. 259 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 1: That is called cashless a t M. And essentially what 260 00:13:52,640 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: they're doing with that specific solution is are actually turning 261 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:58,880 Speaker 1: that debit terminal into what we call an a a 262 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 1: t M. And there's your round up, right, each time 263 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: you withdraw from an ATM machine, it's got to be 264 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:10,440 Speaker 1: specific denominations. In this case, you know by by five, 265 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 1: so by one forty you'll get five dollars back on 266 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:17,840 Speaker 1: that transaction. That being said, um, why that solution is functional, 267 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,120 Speaker 1: it's not our what we consider to be the most 268 00:14:20,120 --> 00:14:23,800 Speaker 1: optimal solution requires that to spend. Sure, you carry more 269 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:27,240 Speaker 1: cash on hand to facilitate the cash back. UM, but 270 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: it is relatively straightforward the same concept of a direct 271 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: withdrawal from that bank, So it is an option there. 272 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 1: So then when you're looking at the long term for 273 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: you for your own company, what kind of timeline are 274 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:42,560 Speaker 1: you looking at where you don't have to have these 275 00:14:42,560 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 1: workarounds when it comes to payments. A pretty great question. 276 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 1: I wish I had that magic ball, m But at 277 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: the end of the day, we feel that with such 278 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: explosive growth in this industry, we're all trying to be compliant, 279 00:14:54,880 --> 00:14:57,720 Speaker 1: both the operators and the service providers that that obviously 280 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: service them. So my hope is in the next you know, 281 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 1: three or four years, UM, we we see some movement. 282 00:15:04,080 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 1: Obviously there's a talks from the Safe Banking Act obviously 283 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 1: not going through this last quarter, but in general we 284 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 1: are hopeful. Um. We really feel like Canada's also, you know, 285 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 1: set the stage in terms of normalizing that the payment systems. 286 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 1: So we're hopeful. Um. That being said, we still have 287 00:15:19,920 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: a long way to go, and I wouldn't say we 288 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 1: have a direct line of site just yet. But does 289 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:26,280 Speaker 1: it annoy you that we haven't gotten safe banking or 290 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:30,120 Speaker 1: is it actually better for your business? Because hear me 291 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:33,440 Speaker 1: out well, or maybe you know this is clear to you. 292 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: The longer it doesn't pass, the more these dispensaries need 293 00:15:38,120 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: you and you get to kind of dig your heels 294 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:43,360 Speaker 1: in in terms of market share. Yeah, look, it's a 295 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 1: great question. Obviously we're balancing both the business ablaze as 296 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: well supporting our retailers. At the end of the day, 297 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 1: though this business was started by myself and then a 298 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:56,400 Speaker 1: few other founders were formal operators, so you know, our 299 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: ethos series really to enable those retailers and make sure 300 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 1: that as successful as possible. So I do hope you 301 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 1: can reduce the cash I do hope we can uh 302 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:07,800 Speaker 1: reduce some of the work around. So yes, while that 303 00:16:07,920 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 1: may not might not help our margins directly, I think 304 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: it's the right thing for the industry and the right 305 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:15,640 Speaker 1: thing to really move this forward. Um you see anywhere 306 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 1: outside of cannabis, folks being able to use Apple Pay 307 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:21,880 Speaker 1: and some of these really cool techniques to transact and 308 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 1: obviously reduce that friction at checkout. That is really our 309 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 1: main goal here is to help enable retailers to sell 310 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:30,880 Speaker 1: more and part of that's reducing the friction wherever the 311 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 1: consumer wants to check out and whatever they want to 312 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 1: check out with. So what kind of opposition are are 313 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 1: you facing right now? I mean on your day to 314 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 1: day how much pushback are you really getting UM with 315 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 1: regards to the payment solutions or just competit the payments socritions. Yeah, 316 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 1: not not much. I mean, look, these operators understand that 317 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: they're in a difficult situation. It's really about finding that 318 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:56,000 Speaker 1: local banking provider that first off, go ahead and have 319 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:58,280 Speaker 1: a depository account with you and be able to to 320 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 1: just facilitating well day to day banking needs, but at 321 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 1: the same time UM being able to supply not just 322 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 1: the payment side, but we also Ablaze Capital, which is 323 00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:10,159 Speaker 1: an aventory finance and solutions. So we understand there's a 324 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: lot of barriers for these for these retailers. So wherever 325 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:15,639 Speaker 1: we can use our economies of scale and you know, 326 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 1: our FI plus dispensaries to help benefit and bring a 327 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:21,320 Speaker 1: solution forward, we obviously want to do that. So I 328 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:23,879 Speaker 1: would say between us and the and the retailers is 329 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:26,399 Speaker 1: not much friction. UM. They're looking for help and so 330 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 1: whatever we can do to provide them with some assistance, 331 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 1: I mean, they're usually pretty open to it. Any plans 332 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:35,640 Speaker 1: for an IPO what's the capital structure look like. Yeah, 333 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:37,760 Speaker 1: I know we're private today. UM have raised this in 334 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:43,440 Speaker 1: or nineteen million across the board, all through um VC 335 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:47,400 Speaker 1: type of funding. UM. But you know, as with everybody 336 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 1: in this economy, we're really focused on profitability, and so 337 00:17:50,119 --> 00:17:52,919 Speaker 1: we do a blinding site this year to profitability and 338 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 1: we want to control our future. And so when the 339 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: markets do turn, UM, do you turn around and look 340 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:01,240 Speaker 1: upward for and I on the positive, you know, it's 341 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:03,480 Speaker 1: definitely something that we're not going to rule out. But 342 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 1: at this point, you know, I'd say it's been a 343 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:08,040 Speaker 1: benefit for us to stay private. Thank you to you 344 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:10,440 Speaker 1: next to you on our plan? All right, Chris, thanks 345 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 1: so much for joining us. Fascinating stuff. Chris violis there, 346 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:18,960 Speaker 1: CEO of Blaze. They help cannabis dispensaries sell more WED 347 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 1: Let's bring in our guests right now to talk about 348 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:26,159 Speaker 1: what's going on in these markets, a lot of it 349 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 1: dictated by bank earnings. We've just seen the final of 350 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:32,440 Speaker 1: the Big six UM report. Brent Shooty joins US chief 351 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:37,400 Speaker 1: investment strategists from Northwestern Mutual UH chief investment officer, sorry 352 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 1: from Northwestern Mutual, as well as Alice and Williams, Senior 353 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: Global Banks and Asset Managers analysts from Bloomberg Intelligence. Brent, 354 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 1: let me first ask you your take on the bank 355 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:53,880 Speaker 1: earnings UM Goldman Sachs falling by the most since well 356 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:58,359 Speaker 1: in a year, I guess today after missing UM revenue estimates. 357 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:02,879 Speaker 1: How do you see this batch of bank earnings changing 358 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:06,439 Speaker 1: your strategy or informing your strategy. Yeah, I don't think 359 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:08,399 Speaker 1: it's changing it too much. I mean, to me, the 360 00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:10,920 Speaker 1: macro so what's happening in the global economy matters much 361 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: much more than earnings, not to say that they're not important. 362 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:15,359 Speaker 1: They do kind of represent who's gonna win and who's 363 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:18,359 Speaker 1: going to lose from a relative perspective, But overall, the 364 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:20,840 Speaker 1: most important thing right now is where is the economy headed? 365 00:19:20,840 --> 00:19:23,400 Speaker 1: In three where's inflation headed? And what is the FED 366 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 1: going to do? And I think that the better tone 367 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:28,040 Speaker 1: that you've had to the start of the year is 368 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 1: because you are seeing inflation come down and certainly expectations 369 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:34,440 Speaker 1: of FED future tightening is coming down against the backdrop 370 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 1: of an economy that hasn't yet fallen into recession. I 371 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 1: think that's where you're seeing optimism. Alison hop On in 372 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 1: here because as Matt pointed out, the what feels like 373 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:44,239 Speaker 1: the driving story at least for the TAO is going 374 00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:47,320 Speaker 1: to be those bank earnings. How much of what we've 375 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:51,800 Speaker 1: gotten from them is a sector specific story as opposed 376 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: to a macroeconomic store and both. I mean they're going 377 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:58,960 Speaker 1: in completely different directions, right, Morgan Stanley is up seven. Yeah, 378 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:01,120 Speaker 1: I think the news today is a little bit more 379 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: company specific UM. And to your point, Matt, it is 380 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:09,120 Speaker 1: interesting the economy and performance, and that is because Goldman 381 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,959 Speaker 1: Sachs reporting a comprey show which is UH the highest 382 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:17,119 Speaker 1: in several years. UH. Solomon had warned that the coast 383 00:20:17,200 --> 00:20:20,800 Speaker 1: to compete was not coming in UM as much as 384 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:24,240 Speaker 1: would be expected UM, but perhaps the results were even 385 00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 1: more dramatic than we expected in terms of the increase 386 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: in comp comp was down for the year, but only 387 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:35,440 Speaker 1: something like while revenue is down, and so I think 388 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:38,119 Speaker 1: comp and head count that's that's really the story of Goldman. 389 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:41,680 Speaker 1: Provision for credit costs, which is a broad MACO macro 390 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:43,919 Speaker 1: economic indicator, was a bit worse. I'll come back to 391 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 1: that in one second. For Morgan Stanley, it was really 392 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:49,920 Speaker 1: the wealth business, which is the crown jewel for that 393 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 1: company out performing if you will, um and and sort 394 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:57,640 Speaker 1: of negative expectations coming into the quarter. Net interest income 395 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:01,320 Speaker 1: for which we heard about last week. I don't know 396 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:03,399 Speaker 1: if I would call that macro. I mean, it is 397 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:07,399 Speaker 1: tied to monetary policy, but not interesting come coming in 398 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 1: softer for most of the biggest lenders, and that's really 399 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:13,480 Speaker 1: just due to the costs of their deposits rising. Think 400 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 1: of that, as their costs of good sold rates are 401 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 1: going up. They've gotten the benefit. Now they have to 402 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:20,879 Speaker 1: start passing some of that onto customers. Morgan Stanley's not 403 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:23,240 Speaker 1: interest income did hold up a little bit better. That 404 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:27,360 Speaker 1: feels pretty macro. I mean the broader theme we've been 405 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 1: talking about with banks CEOs for years. I was stationed 406 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: in Germany for the past six years, and they really 407 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 1: complained about the lack of net interest income and low rates. 408 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:41,800 Speaker 1: I mean, zerp or Nerve was really problematic for these banks. Sprent. 409 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:44,959 Speaker 1: You know, it's a point that I think is really interesting. 410 00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,000 Speaker 1: We can get kind of back to business as usual 411 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:50,400 Speaker 1: now that we get away from extraordinary monetary policy. Does 412 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:54,160 Speaker 1: that mean something to you? Absolutely? I mean, I mean 413 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:56,000 Speaker 1: to me, I still think we're going to have a recession. 414 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:59,159 Speaker 1: This year, and so you know, I do think that 415 00:21:59,280 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 1: the fet is you know, intently focused on the labor 416 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 1: market and not going to stop until they actually see 417 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 1: the labor market crack, which I guess, I don't know 418 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:08,719 Speaker 1: if it's good or bad. I think it's probably closer 419 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:13,200 Speaker 1: than further away. But certainly, the the large rate hikes 420 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:14,720 Speaker 1: are a thing of the past, and I think they're 421 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 1: gonna start coming down. Uh. And if you think about 422 00:22:17,080 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: the last couple of years, I mean, we had maximum 423 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:21,640 Speaker 1: policy to the upside, and then I think last year 424 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 1: was maximum policy to the downside. I think this is 425 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:25,760 Speaker 1: a bit of a transition year where we slow the 426 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:28,399 Speaker 1: hikes and hopefully stop the hikes when that labor market 427 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 1: does crack. Um. But certainly I think I think from 428 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:34,240 Speaker 1: a volatility standpoint, that will bring down volatility, especially towards 429 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:36,960 Speaker 1: the end of the year, when we finally see that, yes, 430 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:39,360 Speaker 1: we are likely to have a recession, but it will 431 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:42,160 Speaker 1: be short, mild, and uneven. So you mentioned macro back 432 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:45,840 Speaker 1: and forth. Some sectors will win, some sectors will lose. Uh. 433 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: And I think the other side of this is better 434 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 1: days ahead. But certainly, until we get to that point, 435 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:53,200 Speaker 1: I think you're gonna see a back and forth volatility perspective, 436 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: but not as much as it was last year when 437 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:58,199 Speaker 1: the FED was at certainly on the elevator up on 438 00:22:58,359 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: the rate hike cycle. Provisions. Alison, you said, you get 439 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:03,880 Speaker 1: back to I think this is well for me. I'm 440 00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 1: watching very closely to see how barish these banks are 441 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:11,640 Speaker 1: in terms of their recession forecast. Can you read that? 442 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:15,160 Speaker 1: Can you read that into big low and lost provisions? Generally, 443 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: the provisions that we've seen a lot of the grow, 444 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 1: A lot of the provisions has been due to loan 445 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:24,960 Speaker 1: growth because card is the seasonally strongest in the fourth quarter, 446 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:27,920 Speaker 1: we saw balances. It's also the highest charge of rates, 447 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 1: so that generally portends to have somewhat higher provisions we 448 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:35,240 Speaker 1: have seen. I would say that the banks in general 449 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:40,200 Speaker 1: have signaled some weakening of an economic outlook, but nothing dramatic. 450 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 1: City Group saying on Friday that they were reserving to 451 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:48,360 Speaker 1: sort of a five to five point one percent unemployment rate, 452 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:52,280 Speaker 1: so um some positioning there in terms of UH and 453 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:56,439 Speaker 1: giving you some detail around around their outlook. Imagine a 454 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 1: five and a half percent unemployment rate, well five to 455 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:04,640 Speaker 1: five point one percent, five but still um and Uh, 456 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:08,160 Speaker 1: so I think that, and and JP Morgan has said, 457 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:10,919 Speaker 1: you know that five to six percent unemployment would be 458 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:13,960 Speaker 1: five to six billion of reserve building for them. They 459 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: did reserve build reserves by about one point four billion 460 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,159 Speaker 1: this quarter. About one billion was that was consumer. That 461 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:22,760 Speaker 1: relates to some of the growth that I mentioned. Um, 462 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:24,919 Speaker 1: but they said that part of the other part of 463 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:29,359 Speaker 1: that is marking to market towards those you know, other expectations, 464 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 1: just as we're seeing some weakening. So not calling for 465 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:34,920 Speaker 1: that yet, but just reserving towards that. So let's let's 466 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:37,160 Speaker 1: fold in what what Brent was just talking about when 467 00:24:37,160 --> 00:24:38,960 Speaker 1: it comes to what the sector as a whole is 468 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 1: trading off of. Is it really taking its que I 469 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:43,359 Speaker 1: mean naturally from the brown market, but is it taking 470 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:46,879 Speaker 1: its que from something like uh the two stents bread 471 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:49,600 Speaker 1: for example, and then compressed margins in that direction, or 472 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:53,000 Speaker 1: is it taking its cue from say cap yields as 473 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:55,720 Speaker 1: a result of FED cuts priced into the market. What 474 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 1: what does the stock trade off of the stocks tend 475 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 1: to trade off of tues tends that's not really the 476 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:04,359 Speaker 1: yield curve that impacts that's that most meaningful to their earnings, 477 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:08,119 Speaker 1: but that tends to be the biggest UM indicator for 478 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 1: the stocks. I think in general, when they've been reacting 479 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:15,440 Speaker 1: to earnings, it has been the initial reaction has been 480 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:17,320 Speaker 1: to the net interest income. We talked a little bit 481 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:20,920 Speaker 1: about some of the reactions UM today. I do think 482 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:24,120 Speaker 1: that in the months ahead, really the focus is on 483 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:29,919 Speaker 1: unemployment and credit costs. Even though these banks will argue 484 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 1: and part of the reason why they talk about how 485 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 1: their reserves is just show look we have, like are 486 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:38,920 Speaker 1: the pre tax pre provision profits so profit before these 487 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:43,720 Speaker 1: losses is so strong, it's well covered. UM capital is 488 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,920 Speaker 1: very strong. They've built that up. UM, it's still uncertain, 489 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:50,800 Speaker 1: and it's hard for bank stocks to outperform as you're 490 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:53,280 Speaker 1: sort of going into things. They need to sort of 491 00:25:53,280 --> 00:25:56,200 Speaker 1: see the other side or see things getting better. Brent, 492 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 1: how does the China reopening or the better than expect 493 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:04,360 Speaker 1: to numbers out of Europe influence your your position? I mean, 494 00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:07,280 Speaker 1: have you gotten less bearish in the last few months 495 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:12,159 Speaker 1: because it seems like others have have shifted. Yeah. I 496 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 1: mean I've been optimistic because inflation is coming down a 497 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 1: certainly trying to reopening to put up our pressure on commodities. 498 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:19,840 Speaker 1: But I think in general the US, you are seeing 499 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:22,159 Speaker 1: inflation pull back, and I don't know if people have 500 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:23,880 Speaker 1: made enough of this, but if you look at all 501 00:26:23,880 --> 00:26:27,720 Speaker 1: in CP I uh less shelter, So the part that's 502 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:30,920 Speaker 1: lagging the it's actually negative over the last six months, 503 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:33,880 Speaker 1: and so you're starting to see that inflation come down, 504 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:35,960 Speaker 1: which to me is still the most important variable that's 505 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:38,840 Speaker 1: out there. I think it accelerates, but as I mentioned before, 506 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 1: I do think you're going to kind of shift to 507 00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: recession worries because I do think you're going to start 508 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:45,919 Speaker 1: seeing the labor market crack just a bit. But tying 509 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:48,160 Speaker 1: it into what was just said, I think the other 510 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 1: side of this is nearer rather than further away, because 511 00:26:50,520 --> 00:26:52,880 Speaker 1: I think inflation will fall quite a bit, which will 512 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 1: allow the Federal Reserve to potentially pivot if they need to, 513 00:26:55,960 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 1: to keep any such recession short and mild, which I 514 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 1: think is the most important variable for anybody's outlook. How 515 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:04,240 Speaker 1: How deep do you think the recession is, how long 516 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:06,320 Speaker 1: do you think it lasts? And I don't stilln't think 517 00:27:06,320 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 1: it's either deep or long, which informs kind of a 518 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:11,920 Speaker 1: positive outlook towards the back half of the year, which 519 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:15,120 Speaker 1: unfortunately I think is consensus, but certainly I think still 520 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 1: likely given that I think inflation is starting to create her. 521 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 1: But to be cleared, you don't expect the FED to 522 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:24,880 Speaker 1: cut rates this year, do you. This is where I'm 523 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:26,360 Speaker 1: not I'm not for sure. I mean this is where 524 00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 1: I think it's more important that I think they'll be 525 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:30,560 Speaker 1: able to pause and then if they need to to 526 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:33,640 Speaker 1: keep any recessions from being deeper, they will be able 527 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:36,720 Speaker 1: to cut rates because inflation expectations are actually right where 528 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:39,720 Speaker 1: they want them. I find it ironic that we came 529 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 1: into this time pere. I think people forget that the 530 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:44,920 Speaker 1: FED was trying to get inflation expectations up and the 531 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 1: five to ten year universe missions at three percent, that 532 00:27:47,119 --> 00:27:49,480 Speaker 1: is exactly where it was when times are more normal, 533 00:27:49,560 --> 00:27:52,080 Speaker 1: not the past five or six years. We're worried about deflation. 534 00:27:52,359 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 1: So this is where I think that that needs to 535 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:57,119 Speaker 1: cut our stop. All right, Brent Shooty from Northwestern Mutual. 536 00:27:57,160 --> 00:27:59,439 Speaker 1: Alice Williams from Blue Word Intelligence, thanks very much for 537 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:06,199 Speaker 1: joining us. This is Bloomberg. Let's bring in Ira Jersey 538 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:11,600 Speaker 1: right now, Bloomberg Chief rates correspondent for Bloomberg Intelligence. Ira, Uh, 539 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:16,080 Speaker 1: what do you make of the change in. UM, I 540 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:20,199 Speaker 1: guess perception we've gone from we just heard Dennis Gartman 541 00:28:20,280 --> 00:28:24,960 Speaker 1: say bearish to at least mildly bullish, and we've changed 542 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 1: our expectations a bit for the FED as well. We've 543 00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:28,879 Speaker 1: even had FED speakers come out and say, you know what, 544 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:33,400 Speaker 1: twenty is cool in February. Yeah, we've I was expecting 545 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:36,679 Speaker 1: a downshift in after the December meeting. Actually, you know, 546 00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:40,640 Speaker 1: the FED and FED speakers have been talking about the 547 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:44,560 Speaker 1: fact that they need to kind of calibrate where ultimately 548 00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 1: the FED FUNDRAI is going to end up. And I 549 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 1: think we are nearing that point. You know, then markets 550 00:28:49,440 --> 00:28:52,720 Speaker 1: certainly pricing for you know, two maybe three more um, 551 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:56,040 Speaker 1: three more hikes of twenty five bases points. So so 552 00:28:56,040 --> 00:28:57,640 Speaker 1: so it's not a big surprise. I think that they're 553 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:01,680 Speaker 1: going to go twenty five in at the February meeting. UM. 554 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:04,800 Speaker 1: You know, today's price action is interesting in and of 555 00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:10,040 Speaker 1: itself because initially we were, um, we were initially bear stepening, 556 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:12,480 Speaker 1: and now we're bull stepening. So so two year yields, 557 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:16,080 Speaker 1: you know, have rallied quite a lot in in over 558 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:19,280 Speaker 1: the last couple of hours, and UH, in particular after 559 00:29:19,320 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 1: that Empire survey. It's like the lack of news is 560 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:26,040 Speaker 1: just pushing the market around quite a lot. That's exactly 561 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:28,000 Speaker 1: what I want to ask you about that Empire survey. 562 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 1: It was like the worst since May, the worst data 563 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:34,640 Speaker 1: going back to I think the global financial crisis as well, 564 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:37,360 Speaker 1: that coming from a camera Cris on our Markets Live 565 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:40,200 Speaker 1: blog as well. But do we really need to take 566 00:29:40,280 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 1: stock in that data set? Yeah, I'm I'm not sure. 567 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:46,920 Speaker 1: I think that a lot of the volatility we're seeing 568 00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 1: as position based, and you just have people who don't 569 00:29:49,960 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 1: want to take big positions one way or the other, 570 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 1: so you wind up seeing outside moves even when you 571 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 1: get you know, data that is kind of second tier. 572 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:01,240 Speaker 1: I mean, i'd say that the Empire Survey typically doesn't 573 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 1: move the treasury market more than a basis point or 574 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:07,520 Speaker 1: two um after its release. But but I do think, yes, 575 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 1: it was very weak. You saw the inflation components, so 576 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:13,240 Speaker 1: the price is paid and the prices receives component um 577 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 1: falls significantly. But but as someone noted to me earlier today, um, 578 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:21,000 Speaker 1: we had this this head fake in uh the Empire 579 00:30:21,040 --> 00:30:23,880 Speaker 1: Survey last September as well, and and things just bounced 580 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:25,800 Speaker 1: right back. So so I don't know if we can 581 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:27,840 Speaker 1: take a lot out of this one number, but that 582 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:29,920 Speaker 1: seems to be one of the big drivers of the 583 00:30:29,960 --> 00:30:34,000 Speaker 1: market at least today, so Irah. Matt Miller, in addition 584 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:36,200 Speaker 1: to buying one ticket for himself and one ticket for 585 00:30:36,280 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 1: his motorcycle in Europe, also says, you know, look, the 586 00:30:39,760 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 1: Federal Reserve is going to be the bigger meeting um 587 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:46,160 Speaker 1: next to the e c B in about two weeks time. 588 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:48,479 Speaker 1: But Ira, can I take the flip side on that? 589 00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:51,800 Speaker 1: Is it fair to say that maybe the e c 590 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:56,120 Speaker 1: B is kind of the bigger spotlight right now? Well, 591 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:58,600 Speaker 1: I think I think they're almost equally as important, and 592 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:01,360 Speaker 1: certainly from a market follow hilogy standpoint, I think that 593 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:06,720 Speaker 1: the pick you can't pick your favorite child. Come on, well, 594 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:09,360 Speaker 1: I mean, the Fed's my favorite child. I mean us 595 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:12,440 Speaker 1: right strategists. But um, but but I think the ECB 596 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 1: is is a little bit more doubtful. I think at 597 00:31:15,480 --> 00:31:19,200 Speaker 1: this point, Um, it's mostly baked in the cards that 598 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:21,800 Speaker 1: that the Fed's gonna go five. And you look at 599 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:24,080 Speaker 1: the market pricing right now and it's it's more or 600 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 1: less twenty five with a small chance of fifty um. 601 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:30,479 Speaker 1: Whereas the e c b people just aren't sure not 602 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:32,720 Speaker 1: only you know, how quickly they're going to go, but 603 00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 1: how high they're actually going to ultimately hike. And and 604 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:39,600 Speaker 1: I think the um there's a lot of uncertainty around 605 00:31:40,400 --> 00:31:42,800 Speaker 1: around Europe because their economy is much weaker than the 606 00:31:42,880 --> 00:31:46,760 Speaker 1: US economy, but their inflation continues to run much higher 607 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:49,320 Speaker 1: than the U S and than U S inflation. So 608 00:31:49,320 --> 00:31:51,720 Speaker 1: so I think there's just a lot more doubt around 609 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:54,440 Speaker 1: what's going on in Europe, and that's going to generate 610 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:57,880 Speaker 1: more volatility, um you know, not only in things like 611 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:02,000 Speaker 1: German bombs and the periphery, but also in also in 612 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:05,800 Speaker 1: global developed market rates. So here and even Japan and 613 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:11,040 Speaker 1: Japan is an interesting interesting well, I mean they got 614 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 1: to be the most interesting, um you know, if not 615 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 1: the most biggest mover. Yeah, so huge, huge mover relative right, Matt. 616 00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:25,040 Speaker 1: Because one of the things that remember that the job 617 00:32:25,160 --> 00:32:27,480 Speaker 1: the Bank of Japan had been doing is buying ten 618 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:32,000 Speaker 1: year Japanese government bonds at ten basis points, right, So, 619 00:32:32,000 --> 00:32:34,320 Speaker 1: so they didn't let it float, and then they let 620 00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 1: it float a little bit more up to basis points. 621 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:39,440 Speaker 1: Now it's fifty basis points and right now, as of 622 00:32:39,600 --> 00:32:43,800 Speaker 1: overnight um ten year Japanese government bonds actually are trading 623 00:32:43,840 --> 00:32:48,000 Speaker 1: above half percent, above fifty basis points, and that means 624 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:49,320 Speaker 1: that that the Bank of Japan is going to have 625 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:51,640 Speaker 1: to intervene and come in and buy more bonds. But 626 00:32:51,720 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 1: there's a lot of talk they're going to get rid 627 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:55,880 Speaker 1: of that buying program altogether, and that could even generate 628 00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:59,239 Speaker 1: even more about what happens then, I because you know, 629 00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:01,920 Speaker 1: the rate spen above fifty basis points for three of 630 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 1: the last four trading sessions, not including today, and so 631 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:08,360 Speaker 1: I guess four out of five now, and they've bought 632 00:33:08,400 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 1: more than a hundred billion dollars worth of jgbs in 633 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:15,600 Speaker 1: the last four sessions. So what happens if they just 634 00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:19,280 Speaker 1: let go? Yeah? So I think that you wind up seeing, 635 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:22,440 Speaker 1: you know, maybe something not that similar to what happened 636 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:26,080 Speaker 1: in UH in the guilt market UH last year, where 637 00:33:26,080 --> 00:33:28,200 Speaker 1: you wind up seeing maybe a fourty or fifty basis 638 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:31,320 Speaker 1: points sell off in a hurry in ten year tenure 639 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 1: Japanese notes. But but interestingly, I think, and and look, 640 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:36,840 Speaker 1: I'm not an expert on the Japanese government bond market, 641 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:39,920 Speaker 1: but what I what I do know and what I 642 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:43,760 Speaker 1: have seen, is that thirty year Japanese government bond yields 643 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:46,960 Speaker 1: have gone up significantly because that's not what the Bank 644 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:49,320 Speaker 1: of Japan was targeting, and they haven't been buying that sector. 645 00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:51,840 Speaker 1: So anyone who needed to hedge long term interest rate 646 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:54,360 Speaker 1: risk was selling thirty years. So I think you could 647 00:33:54,360 --> 00:33:58,040 Speaker 1: have this weird dynamic where thirty year Japanese yields might 648 00:33:58,080 --> 00:34:00,680 Speaker 1: actually rally a little bit as people start selling more 649 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:03,160 Speaker 1: ten years, and you can actually see the ten year 650 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:07,200 Speaker 1: thirty year curve actually actually flattened quite a lot, with 651 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:11,279 Speaker 1: the ten year sector really underperforming on that curve, and 652 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 1: and that will generate volatility globally. Now I think ultimately 653 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:16,880 Speaker 1: in the US it might be worth ten or fifteen 654 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:19,880 Speaker 1: basis points in the tenure. But we'll but but but 655 00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:22,759 Speaker 1: that will stabilize and we'll focus on domestic issues here. 656 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:26,360 Speaker 1: Ira Jersey, our chief US rate Strategies for Bluebery Intelligence. 657 00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:30,440 Speaker 1: Thanks very much for joining us. Thanks for listening to 658 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:34,000 Speaker 1: the Bloomberg Markets podcast. You can subscribe and listen to 659 00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:38,200 Speaker 1: interviews with Apple Podcasts or whatever podcast platform you prefer. 660 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:43,120 Speaker 1: I'm Matt Miller. I'm on Twitter at Matt Miller. Yet 661 00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:45,800 Speaker 1: on Fall Sweeney, I'm on Twitter at pt Sweeney. Before 662 00:34:45,800 --> 00:34:48,640 Speaker 1: the podcast, you can always catch us worldwide at Bloomberg 663 00:34:48,680 --> 00:34:48,960 Speaker 1: Radio