1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, Welcome to the Bloomberg Surveillance Podcast. I'm Tom Keene 2 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: Jay Leie. We bring you insight from the best in economics, finance, investment, 3 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: and international relations. Find Bloomberg Surveillance on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, 4 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: Bloomberg dot Com, and of course, on the Bloomberg. So 5 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: the top story the President raising the pressure on Beijing 6 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:37,240 Speaker 1: once again to strike a trade deal, announcing he would 7 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,879 Speaker 1: increase tariffs on two hundred billion dollars of Chinese imports 8 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: Friday from ten percent, also floating the possibility of extending 9 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 1: a new duty on another three hundred and twenty five 10 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:53,040 Speaker 1: billion dollars of imports not already covered. So the judgment 11 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: call you've got to make this morning is this material 12 00:00:55,800 --> 00:01:00,160 Speaker 1: escalation or the beginning of intensified negotiations? Here in the 13 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,279 Speaker 1: studio to help us answer that question in New York 14 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: is tiny too kind of call. Generacy, Chief market strategist, 15 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 1: Good morning to Tony. Good morning. So help me answer 16 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 1: that question. Which one is it? It's impossible to say. 17 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 1: I would guess more and it's a guess is that 18 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: it's more intensified negotiations. You know, I just remember two 19 00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 1: weeks ago or over the last couple of weeks, we've 20 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 1: been looking for a little bit of a pause in 21 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 1: the upside. You know, wrote a report called cause for Pause, 22 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:25,320 Speaker 1: and part of it is volatility was so low in 23 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 1: expectations had become so good that when it gets like that, 24 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: if it wasn't the trade negotiations, it would be something else. 25 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:34,679 Speaker 1: It would be a fed comment, it would be an 26 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:37,680 Speaker 1: earnings comment, it would be a political comment. There would 27 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:40,120 Speaker 1: be a reason for a pullback. And I think the 28 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:44,400 Speaker 1: tariffs and the tweets kind of certainly have have that excuse. Well, 29 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 1: the comment is broken. The VIX up five points this 30 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 1: morning to eighteen point two one on the VIX. The 31 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:54,279 Speaker 1: judgment call also involves what you anticipate the Chinese do next? 32 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,120 Speaker 1: How the Chinese response. From what we understand here in Bloomberg, 33 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: there has been what could be considered a media blackout 34 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: on the president's tweets. Within China, we understand from the 35 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: Foreign Ministry and Shanna the officials are still planning to 36 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: travel to the Nut of States for the next round 37 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 1: of talks. We don't know when there is a subtle 38 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:12,919 Speaker 1: sign there that they are considering delaying the trip. How 39 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,639 Speaker 1: do you anticipate that town is a mockup participant this morning. 40 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: That's the big on note. How China responds, how do 41 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: you think about it? I think it's impossible to make 42 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:25,920 Speaker 1: an investment decision off of a tweet. And if there's 43 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: one thing that I can convey to the listeners, please 44 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: don't listen to people like me when they actually make 45 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:33,920 Speaker 1: an investment recommendation off of a guest like that. I 46 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 1: think what I would ask the listeners as they're driving 47 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:39,239 Speaker 1: in their car, if interests the tenure not yields it 48 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:42,200 Speaker 1: at two forty eight, the five years down five basis point, 49 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 1: you've had an extraordinary drop in interest rates. At the 50 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: same time money available. Money is still available via bank lending. 51 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 1: So I asked the question, does the presidential tweet prevent 52 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 1: you from refinancing your debt or taking out new debt 53 00:02:57,400 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 1: at the lower debt level. Every house and in nor 54 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: than Bergen County where I live that was for sale 55 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 1: is now under contract because mortgage rates have dropped a 56 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: hundred basis points. Those people don't really care about the tweet. 57 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,800 Speaker 1: So has anything changed this morning for Tony Twat and 58 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 1: kind of cool Genuitcy in the team over that? No, 59 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: because we've you know, people like me are famous for 60 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:19,799 Speaker 1: saying this, we've actually been looking for a pause. The 61 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: question isn't whether the market can correct. The question is 62 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: whether you use it to take advantage of better opportunities 63 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 1: and equities. Well, we try to do here, folks, is 64 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 1: frame moves. Obviously there were two presidential tweets among a 65 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: zillion of them. This weekend obviously had an effect on 66 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: Mark because but John and I kill ourselves every day 67 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: to framewords like cratered crushed numbers with them. Okay, folks, 68 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 1: let's frame it right now. From the peak Dow was 69 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: down three point six. It's it's not even a mini 70 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 1: correction or whatever. And very importantly, John, to the more 71 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 1: short term space people that are looking at the markets, 72 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: since you're the real yield. On Friday, we're down just 73 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: a little over two standard deviations on Dow, which statistically 74 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: is totally normal, totally normal. And I'm seeing the headlines 75 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: plant the Dow plunging right now. Well, you know, I 76 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:25,920 Speaker 1: think let's do the best service we can for the listeners. Okay, 77 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 1: so let's say it's down three percent. How do you 78 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: know if it's gonna be down five percent? Versus down 79 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: fift and the answer this cycle, the three major drops 80 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:37,480 Speaker 1: two thousand, two thousand and fifteen, sixteen, and two thousand 81 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 1: and eighteen were all driven by expectations for significantly higher 82 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:45,120 Speaker 1: rates from the Federal Reserve. QUWI two was being withdrawn 83 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:47,719 Speaker 1: in two thousand and eleven. That was driving rates higher. 84 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: Two thousand fifteen sixteen, the Fed had started raising rates. 85 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: Two thousand eighteen, they really raised rates. That's not the 86 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 1: scenario here. If anything, the trade tension is gonna lower 87 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 1: expectations of rates. I want to go Tony just away 88 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: from China and US and all that. How do you 89 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: veil you now differently double digit revenue growth without naming 90 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:13,000 Speaker 1: any companies. If it's a low yield environment, that revenue 91 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,160 Speaker 1: growth is ever more vailue, isn't it? It is? It 92 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:18,520 Speaker 1: allows it allows you to do so many things. Time, 93 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 1: you could buy backstock, you can increase. What ratios do 94 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 1: you use to show those differentials of of better than 95 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 1: good revenue growth? Well, it's it's it's more of don't 96 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: tell me the pe ratio. It's more. Well, there's two 97 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 1: things that go into the valuation. There's price, and there's 98 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:36,600 Speaker 1: earnings and and what you're willing to pay for those 99 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:40,719 Speaker 1: earnings goes up significant. Revenue goes up significantly when interest 100 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 1: rates are down because you don't have as many alternatives 101 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:45,920 Speaker 1: to that money. Taylor from San Francisco email and John 102 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: and said, what about price to sales? Do you use price? 103 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 1: Are you on the edge of Tom Galvin, the giant 104 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: at Donaldson, Loveking, Generate and Credit Suite years ago? Price 105 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: to sales matter? This is for over time. It matters 106 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 1: in price to else ratio has been very, very high 107 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 1: for a very long time, and it hasn't mattered. What 108 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: I try to do is focus on whether something's right 109 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: or wrong. I don't really care. I what I care 110 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 1: about is what other investors used to value what they're doing. 111 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:17,920 Speaker 1: And price to earnings is what the institutions use to 112 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 1: price their equities and price the overall market. So I 113 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,479 Speaker 1: focus on that rather than other ratios that might make 114 00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: more sense. So, Tony, I think this morning is a 115 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: great morning to to recycle something we often do with you, 116 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: and that's discipline. Maintaining discipline when there's so much drama 117 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:35,840 Speaker 1: going on around you, like me in the studio right now, 118 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:39,320 Speaker 1: trying to anchor with Tom Keane if you remember December. 119 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 1: December is the world seemingly is falling apart, and Tony 120 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: comes on with us and talks about maintaining discipline and 121 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:49,119 Speaker 1: ignoring the drama around you. At the time, it's easy 122 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:51,359 Speaker 1: just to say Tony is a perma boil he's always saying. 123 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 1: By then, when we reflect on it, it's easy just 124 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: to say, you know what, with hindsight was so obvious, 125 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: Why wouldn't you buy that weakness the FETE was going 126 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 1: to back away? Help us on a morning this morning, 127 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: maintain discipline as you see all these dramatic headlines about 128 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: an escalation in the trite war and how it could 129 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 1: get a whole lot worse from here. Discipline is not 130 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 1: making a decision based on a guess. Two days ago, 131 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 1: we're close to a deal, everybody's on TV, everything's looking good, 132 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 1: and then over the weekend, no deal, everything looks horrifically bad. Ultimately, 133 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 1: what should drive, in my opinion, what should drive an 134 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: investment decision again falls back to do the people listening 135 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: to this show have access to money, to companies that 136 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: are on this show and pay for the advertising have 137 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 1: access to money, And as long as that answer is yes, 138 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 1: I am obviously not very good and calling for drops 139 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 1: because I didn't expect what we got in December. But 140 00:07:50,880 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: I I will say the reason that it was to 141 00:07:53,080 --> 00:07:55,400 Speaker 1: be bought was because the answer that those two questions 142 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: are yes, we have access to money. And he says 143 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 1: kind dis regards to Anthony Dwyer as well. Mr cast 144 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: will join us later today. I believe ye, Dougie's the 145 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 1: best some of our selected when he's coming on later, 146 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 1: he's during your always well here's you've got so many 147 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 1: other properties. I mean topic for a second. Here's a 148 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: great example. Doug and I over the last two weeks 149 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: have been on the same side of the trade. I've 150 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:23,240 Speaker 1: been looking for a pull back and he's, I think 151 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 1: looking for a bigger pullback than me. But the whole 152 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: status of what listen to what people like us say, 153 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: don't don't buy what you know, you think you believe 154 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 1: in the Yankees, of course I do. Come on Yankees giants, Tony, 155 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: thank you so much, Tony Dwyer, Knichordan Juyker. Book is 156 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:58,560 Speaker 1: why presidents fail and how they can see succeed again. 157 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 1: Ellen e. Lane comarc Rather Elane Comarca Brookins. She's been 158 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 1: on many times of Foreign Elane instead of all the 159 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 1: Mueller stuff in that, I just want to talk to 160 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: you with your scholarship about our tweets policy. As Mr 161 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:19,439 Speaker 1: Faroll just mentioned, are these tweets policy? Well, I haven't 162 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 1: actually sat down and counted them. Although it's a good 163 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:24,719 Speaker 1: it's probably a good thing for a scholar to do. 164 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 1: The fact is that sometimes the tweets are literally the 165 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 1: president's random thoughts, and at other times they change policy. Now, 166 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:38,079 Speaker 1: I've been scouring the newspapers this morning trying to see 167 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:42,560 Speaker 1: if this looked like it was a concentrated effort to 168 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 1: move the China talks in some direction, or whether the 169 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 1: president's negotiators were as surprised about this tweet as everybody 170 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 1: else wants. These China talks are nearing their end um 171 00:09:56,440 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: and suddenly the President throws this into the middle of them. 172 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 1: It could be a considered negotiating tactic, or as we 173 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 1: know with Donald Trump, they could be just something he 174 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 1: woke up and decided, what's your experience of what staff? Does? 175 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 1: I mean? There's you know, let's say as a round number, 176 00:10:14,559 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 1: like the Lincoln White House, there's twenty people in the 177 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 1: White House trying to get through the day. How do 178 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: they respond at seven fifty Wall Street time to these 179 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 1: tweets of the weekend? Well, I think they go screring 180 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 1: to the press into the Oval Office as soon as 181 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 1: they can, and they say, look, here's where we are 182 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 1: with the negotiations. Um, the Chinese are supposed to be 183 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 1: here soon. Um, what does this mean? Is this something 184 00:10:42,800 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 1: you're doing for tactical purposes? Or do we have to 185 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:50,960 Speaker 1: now negotiate with this in mind? Is something full? And 186 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 1: you know, these these negotiations were going on quite well, right, 187 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 1: There's still a lot of things. However, the Americans want 188 00:10:58,559 --> 00:11:02,040 Speaker 1: out of them, as they're always are. And Um, it's 189 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:08,040 Speaker 1: possible that this is a sound negotiating stance that has 190 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 1: happened before. But it's also possible that this is the 191 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 1: President being disconnected and randomly throwing something out there. And 192 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 1: there was a belief just to jump in quickly. Now, 193 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 1: there was a belief that the president wanted a quick deal. 194 00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:23,160 Speaker 1: Going into the weekend last week, many people were saying 195 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:25,079 Speaker 1: that the president wants a quick deal, He's giving up 196 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 1: on certain issues, he just wants to get this over 197 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 1: the line. With these two tweets, can we put that 198 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:35,679 Speaker 1: to bed? You know, it depends because we have seen 199 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:39,560 Speaker 1: other presidential tweets. We've seen the tweet come out, and 200 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 1: then we've seen his advisors walk it back and really 201 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 1: change it around. So we don't really know right now 202 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 1: whether this will they'll walk it back and say, oh, no, no, 203 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 1: he really actually didn't mean this, and we'll we'll get 204 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 1: a deal, or whether if this is going to disrupt 205 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:02,200 Speaker 1: the negotiations and keep him from getting that quick deal 206 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:06,080 Speaker 1: that he said he wanted. This is policymakings from the U. S. Side. 207 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:07,920 Speaker 1: Let's try and get in the heads of the Chinese 208 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 1: just for a moment as well, elone, if we may, 209 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 1: How do the Chinese respond to this? This clearly comes 210 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 1: as a surprise. The President puts out two tweets over 211 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:18,079 Speaker 1: the weekend, the gearing up more than a hundred of 212 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:20,200 Speaker 1: them to come to Washington, d c. And what many 213 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 1: people thought would be the final round of trade talks 214 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 1: between the big bilateral. How do they think about this? Well, 215 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 1: look the world, you know, in the first year of 216 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:35,080 Speaker 1: the Trump presidency, whether the issue was NATO, the NATO Alliance, 217 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 1: or trade or other things. Um, the world was very 218 00:12:39,280 --> 00:12:44,000 Speaker 1: very confused about Donald Trump because he behaved and continues 219 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:49,080 Speaker 1: to behave without the stability of a normal president and 220 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 1: a normal policy making process. This is and we are 221 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:57,000 Speaker 1: now three years into this, and I suspect that people 222 00:12:57,120 --> 00:12:59,400 Speaker 1: around the world there's a lot of evidence that oh, 223 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: they're getting used to this guy, and that they have 224 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:06,239 Speaker 1: to wait at least twenty four hours after their presidential 225 00:13:06,280 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: tweet to see if that is American policy or not. 226 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: That's my guests, and um, I think we'll know in 227 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 1: a couple will probably know by the end of the 228 00:13:15,240 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 1: business day today whether this is going to disrupt the 229 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:21,960 Speaker 1: talks or whether or not people will simply ignore it. 230 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 1: Elane Kimark whether Brooks Elane one more question. You know, 231 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:28,719 Speaker 1: I went into Kissingers Diplomacy, which is a classic textbook 232 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:32,000 Speaker 1: that you read folks on like the Walls from Westphalian 233 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 1: Europe forward, and I just randomly picked out August of 234 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 1: ninety nine, an actual handshake treaty, and this of course 235 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: a Stalin and the Nazis Molotov ribbitrof pack, which folks 236 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:46,560 Speaker 1: was you know, basically Joe Stalin lining up what he 237 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 1: wanted to do with Germany before the US got into 238 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:52,600 Speaker 1: the war. We we have the thing in our mind 239 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: of like photo ops and shaking hands and pen's being 240 00:13:56,320 --> 00:13:59,320 Speaker 1: signed and papers being signed and all that. Are we 241 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:03,920 Speaker 1: completely removed from that on this U S. China discussion. No, 242 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 1: I don't. I don't think so. I mean, I think 243 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:10,680 Speaker 1: we will still have um papers being signed. I think 244 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: eventually we'll have we'll have some agreement on this. The 245 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:17,559 Speaker 1: difficulty here, I mean look to to on the U 246 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: S side is that China does it doesn't have a 247 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: legal structure that guarantees that what we sign will actually 248 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: happen in its government. Now, before they entered into these talks, 249 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: they did make some changes in their laws trying to 250 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: sort of pre empt the U S objections to the 251 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:39,880 Speaker 1: way they do business. But China, when it comes to 252 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:42,360 Speaker 1: the rule of law, is not really where we are, 253 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 1: and I think that that makes the negotiating more difficult. 254 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:48,720 Speaker 1: I'll get to leave there, Lane, Thank you so much. 255 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: Well time Mark with us with a wonderful book sort 256 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 1: of on presidents and how they behave in the White House. 257 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 1: Let's bring in Markett's house, shall we? Was? Fargosset Management 258 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 1: Senior portfolio manager, See joins us on the phone. Great 259 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 1: to catch up with your Margie what are your tanning 260 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 1: clients this morning, What are you doing with your portfolio? 261 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:20,720 Speaker 1: If anything, it's all well. I think the old book 262 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:24,680 Speaker 1: fundamentally is still pretty positive for the equity market and 263 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 1: for interest rate stability. So I think this is just 264 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: another blip we've seen relating to tariffs. Isn't gonna have 265 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: a material effect on our economic growth, And if the 266 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 1: market stays down materially, I'd say it's a great opportunity 267 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:39,200 Speaker 1: to add a little bit pretty cheap prices. So Margie 268 00:15:39,200 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 1: talked to me about troceriies and the way they've been 269 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 1: responding to the data quite recently. Even though the output 270 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:46,920 Speaker 1: numbers on payrolls were pretty good, beneath the surface down submerged. 271 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 1: The I s M s fueled further doubts both on 272 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: manufacturing and non manufacturing too. Have we hit the limits 273 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: of where trotory yards can break out too? I think 274 00:15:56,560 --> 00:15:58,960 Speaker 1: we're still trapped in the trading range. I haven't seen 275 00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 1: any material change age. Inflation still looks like it's going 276 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:05,080 Speaker 1: to stay under two percent. The economy looks as if 277 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 1: it's growing, maybe a little slower than last year, but 278 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 1: enough to sustain continued growth. And the short part of 279 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 1: the curve continues to be distorted by the FED actions 280 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 1: and holding such a large proportion those shorter security So 281 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 1: I think things look pretty good and we're still in 282 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 1: that two to two and a half percent range market. 283 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 1: The number one thing I get from people on a 284 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 1: high yield. If I quote an average yield of six 285 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:33,000 Speaker 1: point for eight percent, as you do in your note, 286 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 1: when I get to a bundled portfolio, the yield always 287 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:41,760 Speaker 1: comes in lower. Where can I actually get a six 288 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 1: and a half percent yield? And how do I do that? Well? 289 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 1: These days, that would mean you would be buying a 290 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:50,080 Speaker 1: single B or a single B minus, in other words, 291 00:16:50,080 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: a very lower limit of respectable quality below investment grade 292 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:57,520 Speaker 1: high yield bonds. Uh, there's not a lot of spread 293 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:00,080 Speaker 1: between the better quality and lower quality high You'll on 294 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:03,720 Speaker 1: double bees and you would have to buy a longer 295 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:08,399 Speaker 1: maturity newly issued tenure bond. Can I diversify my This 296 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 1: is critical? Folks with MS Hotel just said, can I 297 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:15,719 Speaker 1: take risk out by buying many of those longer dated 298 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 1: garbag bonds? Well, I wouldn't say to garbage. I would 299 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:24,879 Speaker 1: I would stick away from the triple seas, But really 300 00:17:24,960 --> 00:17:28,680 Speaker 1: duration isn't the risk in high yield bonds, it's really default. 301 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,480 Speaker 1: So I think it's better to take longer duration get 302 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 1: that extra yield because it's certainly it's worked for the 303 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 1: last top of half a dozen years. I see no 304 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:39,199 Speaker 1: sign in all yield spreads blowing. Did you guys just 305 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 1: make up a word? So Alf from New Jersey just 306 00:17:41,320 --> 00:17:45,399 Speaker 1: emailed in and he says more garbage bargie? Is that 307 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:47,920 Speaker 1: a new bond market? So I've been doing this for 308 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: year l five, Margie. Let's talk about how high yield 309 00:17:51,680 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: is priced at the moment. As Tom points out, the 310 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:56,440 Speaker 1: absolute yield is just not the six percent on that basis, 311 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:59,160 Speaker 1: I think with the lowest in about twelve months, looking 312 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 1: at the spread of a treasury is what are we 313 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: out now? Three fifty ish? That's not even the tightest 314 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:08,119 Speaker 1: since October. So how do you sort of look at 315 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:10,479 Speaker 1: things at the moment? Are we richly valued? What do 316 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:13,920 Speaker 1: you think? I think our yield is quite fairly valued. 317 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 1: And when you look at the default rates and expected 318 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:20,679 Speaker 1: default rates right now defaults unbelievably or less than one percent, 319 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:24,080 Speaker 1: it seems to me that you're actually getting extra yield 320 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:26,800 Speaker 1: compared to the true risk that you're really taking. So 321 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:29,400 Speaker 1: I would see spread staying where they are or even 322 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:32,440 Speaker 1: going nearer. Markeys. Interesting to have you on the program 323 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:35,080 Speaker 1: to get those calls market battel there whilst Sarko Masset Management, 324 00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:52,399 Speaker 1: Senior portfolio manager. What we thought we'd do was go 325 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:57,000 Speaker 1: to somebody with perspective long agoing far away. For example, 326 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:02,399 Speaker 1: when I received in the gold colored reporter or the 327 00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 1: dark green colored thin report in very typewritten, fought Doug 328 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:10,600 Speaker 1: Cass and I would look at the same line. There's 329 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 1: no reason to do hand springs over games. This was 330 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 1: a year in which any fool could make a bundle 331 00:19:17,320 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 1: in the stock market, and we did. To paraphrase President Kennedy, 332 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: a rising tide lifts all yachts. His yacht is so 333 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: large it can barely turn around at the Gulf of Mexico. 334 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:33,199 Speaker 1: We welcome Douglas Cass of Sea Breeze Partners. Doug, this 335 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:36,200 Speaker 1: is not the Berkshire of twenty years ago, is it? 336 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:42,080 Speaker 1: As you know, back in two thousand, um Warren invited 337 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 1: me to sit on the days with him and Charlie 338 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:48,840 Speaker 1: mu the Credential Bear, and I wrote up an article 339 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:52,960 Speaker 1: on Real Money this morning about it UM. I spent 340 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:55,800 Speaker 1: a long period of time two months and had two 341 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: of my analyst, Nick and Kelly, embarking on a research 342 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 1: project aimed at asking them questions that were respectful, hard 343 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:08,280 Speaker 1: hitting and that never been asked before. And considering how 344 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:11,760 Speaker 1: what research Buffett and the company was. It wasn't easy. 345 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:15,560 Speaker 1: And I went back this weekend because Yahoo Finance actually 346 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 1: just published the videos for the old But the first 347 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 1: time I saw myself and I looked very young then um. 348 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 1: But I made a bunch of points in the questions, 349 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:30,040 Speaker 1: the most important of which and my first question was 350 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:35,920 Speaker 1: that size matters. And I made the case um with 351 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:39,280 Speaker 1: Charlie or and Warren. Although Warren said, you have not 352 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 1: convinced me to sell or short my own stock. Um. Well, 353 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: that the company, that the company was becoming almost like 354 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 1: in an SMP fund of passive fund on the spiders, Well, 355 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 1: I mean, I mean Golden Sacks last ten years trailing 356 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:59,960 Speaker 1: six percent a year. Berkshire has done way better per 357 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:03,360 Speaker 1: ear But how do we compare that? I mean, does 358 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 1: Doug Cass think that Berkshire for the last decades been 359 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:08,800 Speaker 1: a successful investment? I have to say it has been 360 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 1: as a bundled conglomerate. It has been successful, but increasingly, 361 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:19,679 Speaker 1: tom UM the relative performance visa VI, let's say, the 362 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:25,119 Speaker 1: senior index, the SNP has been deflating, and he disgusted. 363 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:28,600 Speaker 1: Charlie disgusted, and weren't disgusted. On Saturday, I watched the 364 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:33,080 Speaker 1: full annual meeting on Yahoo Finance, and he basically said, 365 00:21:33,080 --> 00:21:35,080 Speaker 1: it's something we can deal with. We made so much 366 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 1: money uh in the past, and this is what one 367 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:41,120 Speaker 1: would expect. Size does matter. I think he did make 368 00:21:41,160 --> 00:21:44,479 Speaker 1: a couple UH. I think the one important thing that 369 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:50,760 Speaker 1: came out of the meeting on Saturday UM was that 370 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:55,679 Speaker 1: he highlighted that UM the unusual circumstances that exist today, 371 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:59,879 Speaker 1: that unemployment remains low, yet interest rates and inflation are 372 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:02,680 Speaker 1: not rising, and at the same time, the U. S. 373 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: Government continues to spend more money than it takes in, 374 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:09,199 Speaker 1: and as Buffett says, these conditions are not sustainable for 375 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:12,679 Speaker 1: the long term. And he said, quote no economics textbook 376 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:14,959 Speaker 1: I know that was written in the first couple of 377 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: thousand years that discussed even the possibility that you could 378 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 1: have this sort of situation continue and have all variables 379 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 1: stay more or less the same didn't exist. I agree So, Doug, 380 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 1: I know you. I've been following this for such a 381 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:31,879 Speaker 1: long time. You've been out in Omaha so many times. 382 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:35,199 Speaker 1: In your perspective is certainly appreciated here, which brings me 383 00:22:35,240 --> 00:22:39,119 Speaker 1: to my question, which is succession. How comfortable are you 384 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 1: with what Mr Buffett has done in terms of planning 385 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:45,240 Speaker 1: for the future of the company. Did you get access 386 00:22:45,280 --> 00:22:50,160 Speaker 1: to uh, did you feel enough access to the heirs apparent? Well, 387 00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:52,959 Speaker 1: one of my questions back in two thousand thirteen, which 388 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: I tried to make respectful, and it was a tough 389 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: question to ask, and I think it made him uncomfortable 390 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:02,480 Speaker 1: that year. In two thousand thirteen, leading into the annual meeting, 391 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:07,199 Speaker 1: Warren says his son Howard would become non executive chairman 392 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 1: on his death. And my question was given the fact 393 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 1: that he basically has never made large capital allocation decisions, 394 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:17,879 Speaker 1: never traded stocks, and was basically a farmer his whole life. 395 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 1: Was that appropriate and um, he sort of shifted in 396 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:23,639 Speaker 1: his seat. Um, And I didn't think he gave me 397 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:28,399 Speaker 1: a very good answer now in terms of operating people 398 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:31,360 Speaker 1: to replace him. After all, he's eighty nine years old, 399 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:37,200 Speaker 1: Charlie's almost Um, he's got ag and George Abel, and 400 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:39,960 Speaker 1: I think both of them would be a great addition. 401 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 1: But you know, this company has grown larger and again 402 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:46,120 Speaker 1: it's becoming sort of a g d P type of company. 403 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:48,040 Speaker 1: Duck Cass the series will be with us or the 404 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:51,000 Speaker 1: far which is a joy. Duck Cass on Amazon right now, 405 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 1: you've been flogging it at CBS Partners with all your 406 00:23:54,800 --> 00:24:00,920 Speaker 1: different communications. How behind is Mr Buffett to the Bezos party? Well, 407 00:24:01,320 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 1: I would say that the you know Amazon, as you know, 408 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:09,320 Speaker 1: I boughted around eighty um in late December last year 409 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:13,480 Speaker 1: and it became my largest long position. The negative for 410 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:16,840 Speaker 1: Amazon is that there are forty five By recommendations and 411 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 1: no Cell recommendations, and that, as you know as a 412 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:23,360 Speaker 1: baseball fan, is not a great score. The second thing 413 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: is the greatest non tech investor of all time, Warren 414 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:30,240 Speaker 1: Buffett has decided to buy the stock, albeit uh you know, 415 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:36,120 Speaker 1: one of his boys either decision. Look, um, I think 416 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:40,520 Speaker 1: it's pretty irrelevant. In my views on Amazon are quite clear. 417 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:46,680 Speaker 1: It's the super disruptor and it has established an insurmountable 418 00:24:46,880 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 1: first mover advantage. Let's do this, Let's come back Duck 419 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:51,840 Speaker 1: cast with us again. Lots of talk about and getting 420 00:24:51,840 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 1: tons of emails to get a Cassie and update on Twitter. 421 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: And you know Paul Sweeney can talk media with duck 422 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:00,040 Speaker 1: Cast as well. He's a Senis partners. Always come a 423 00:25:00,160 --> 00:25:08,760 Speaker 1: virtual thanks for listening to the Bloomberg Surveillance podcast. Subscribe 424 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:13,679 Speaker 1: and listen to interviews on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, or whichever 425 00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 1: podcast platform you prefer. I'm on Twitter at Tom Keane 426 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 1: before the podcast. You can always catch us worldwide. I'm 427 00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:22,960 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Radio