1 00:00:04,760 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Bloomberg pm L podcast. I'm pim Fox. 2 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:11,200 Speaker 1: Along with my co host Lisa Abramowitz. Each day we 3 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: bring you the most important, noteworthy, and useful interviews for 4 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: you and your money, whether at the grocery store or 5 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: the trading floor. Find the Bloomberg pm L podcast on iTunes, 6 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:29,479 Speaker 1: SoundCloud and at Bloomberg dot com. There's been a lot 7 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: of discussion about the big move that we've seen in 8 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:37,640 Speaker 1: stocks and hitting new highs today, but there's another move 9 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:41,160 Speaker 1: that I would argue has potentially even a bigger chance 10 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: to affect markets on a broad level, Fed funds futures. 11 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,240 Speaker 1: This is a way that derivatives traders bet on when 12 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:52,559 Speaker 1: the Fed will next hike rates. The priced in probability 13 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: of a March rate hike has gone from thirty six 14 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: percent from the end of last week to more than 15 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: eighty percent today. This is getting a lot of people's attention, 16 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 1: including Vincent Reinhardt. He's chief economist at Standish Melon Asset Management, 17 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 1: and we are lucky to have Vincent in the studio 18 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:12,080 Speaker 1: with us in Bloomberg eleven three oh. Vincent, why has 19 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 1: there been such a huge move and expectations for a 20 00:01:15,200 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: March rate hike because Federal Reserve officials wanted it to happen, 21 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: i e. At the FED, you never surprise markets. You 22 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 1: can't act if it isn't priced in. They are sometimes 23 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:30,399 Speaker 1: willing to disappoint markets, i e. Not act even though 24 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: it's priced in. At of a probability of policy action, 25 00:01:36,319 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: the March meeting was off the table. That was too 26 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: much of a surprise. If you want the meeting to 27 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 1: be live, you've got to get that probability a little higher. 28 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: But I just I'm struggling with that interpretation because we 29 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: did not hear definitive language out of the Federal Reserve 30 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: officials who have spoken at least certainly not Friday until yesterday. 31 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: Right that. We did see some yesterday, but before that 32 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: the prob ability was rising. So what was it the 33 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: triggered this? Yesterday? President's Dudley and Williams confirmed the rise specifically, 34 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 1: did they say that confirmed it? They said that the 35 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: meeting is live, that March is definitely on the table. 36 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: John President Dudley said that the cases uh stronger I believe, 37 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: and President Williams said the argument for acting in March 38 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,360 Speaker 1: is it makes the possibility of three more than free 39 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 1: tightenings in two thousands seventeen possible, So they ratified the 40 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,800 Speaker 1: pick up in the Fed funds futures and added a 41 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: bit to it. I think the move you had from 42 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 1: the end of last week into the beginning of this 43 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 1: week was importantly shaped by the Wall Street Journal's coverage 44 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:46,799 Speaker 1: of the minutes from the January meeting. UH there was 45 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:50,920 Speaker 1: a front page headline saying that the Federals RVs minutes 46 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: showed that it was eyeing aggressive rate increases. Nobody else 47 00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 1: covering the minutes characterized it that way, not your porters 48 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: on bloom at Bloomberg. It was a pretty anodyne set 49 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: of descriptions of the economy and even handed. Uh. I 50 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: used to sign the minutes for six or seven years. 51 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: I know when you're not sending you a message, and 52 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,160 Speaker 1: there was no message there, But for a Wall Street 53 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: Journal reporter to lean that far ahead would suggest to 54 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: me they had a little help that perhaps some Federal 55 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 1: Reserve officials suggested that markets had misinterpreted the minutes. They 56 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: had to be so anodyne, and in fact, there was 57 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: a message there. Well. As a professional Fed watcher, and 58 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: just as you recalled a former employee of the Federal 59 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: Reserve Bank of New York. You also economists for the 60 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 1: Federal Open Market Committee. What do you make of that? 61 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 1: How is broaden that out to just give us more 62 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 1: detail based on your experience. So, the Federal Reserve works 63 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 1: with markets, and it is important that uh, there are people, right, 64 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 1: I mean, it's not an amorphous. It's a big marble, yeah, 65 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 1: I know, and there are a lot of people in it, 66 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 1: I would imagine. Yeah, So staff at the Federal Reserve 67 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: are desirous not to be out of sync with markets. 68 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 1: That if they are trying to convey a particular message 69 00:04:18,240 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 1: and they don't here received correctly, they may help to 70 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: nudge the ship back into the appropriate course. The fact 71 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:31,279 Speaker 1: that one Wall Street Journal reporter was different than everybody 72 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:37,320 Speaker 1: else and subsequent Federal Reserve officials told the story confirming 73 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 1: that view makes me think that he got a little nudged. 74 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:45,080 Speaker 1: How how often did members of the Federal Reserve do 75 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 1: this type of thing where they would go to one 76 00:04:48,760 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 1: reporter often Hills and Wrath was formerly the reporter. How 77 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: often do they sort of lean on one person to 78 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:01,279 Speaker 1: kind of get the message right. Um, so there's two 79 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 1: different parts of the story. The one is in normally 80 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: just talking with market participants UM Federal Reserve staff, both 81 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:15,040 Speaker 1: the Board and the Reserve Bank presidents would be trying 82 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 1: to tell a consistent story, and if it was currently 83 00:05:17,880 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: different than what was in markets, then they were revealing 84 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 1: some news. Uh the outright shaping a story by going 85 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 1: to a reporter and trying to to nudge things along. 86 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: That's usually done at a higher level. All right, So 87 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:36,240 Speaker 1: now we've we've taken that into consideration. Give us your view. 88 00:05:36,279 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: What will happen March? What is it? So now we 89 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 1: got eight and ten chance of policy action priced in UM. 90 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 1: The case isn't closed yet, even though it's a little 91 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:52,919 Speaker 1: stronger in in terms of President Dudley's view. Because Cherry 92 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: Yellen speaks at the end of the week. She can 93 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 1: take that punch bowl away if she wants. Well, what 94 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:00,320 Speaker 1: do you make of the fact that the increase shorter 95 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 1: term rates has led to a flattening of the yield curve? 96 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:04,839 Speaker 1: In other words, the bond market seems to be suggesting 97 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 1: that a sooner rate hike will dampen growth and remove 98 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:10,359 Speaker 1: some of the momentum that we've seen. So they're pricing 99 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:13,360 Speaker 1: in a FED mistake it's a little bit like December 100 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: of last year when the FED tightening a quarter point, 101 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 1: just a quarter points snuck in at the end of 102 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 1: two thousand sixteen, UH seemed to vow to convey the 103 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 1: view the FED was serious and tightening four times in 104 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: two thousand sixteen. UH market participants viewed that as as 105 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 1: inappropriate and there was a big sell off. And over 106 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 1: the course of last year, FED guidance has been coming 107 00:06:39,640 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 1: down closer to where markets are. Two get the idea 108 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 1: that there may be three or four tightenings this year 109 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:51,360 Speaker 1: is pulling guidance away from where markets are and so 110 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 1: that they're thinking they're a mistake involved. I want to 111 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 1: thank you very much. Vincent Reinhardt joining US at chief 112 00:06:56,640 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 1: economist Standish Melon Asset Management m FOX. I hear there 113 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 1: was a speech last night. Did you hear anything about that? Yes, 114 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: not only did I hear that there was a speech, 115 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: but I watch I did watch it. Yeah. I think 116 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 1: it was our president, President Trump speaking to Joint UH 117 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: Congress yesterday. And for some impressions. Neil Dwayne is here 118 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 1: with US global strategist for Alian's Global Investors, which has 119 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 1: four eighty one billion dollars under management. So, Neil, what 120 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: was your number one takeaway from President Trump speech? While 121 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 1: have now watched to his inauguration speech and the one 122 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: last night. My my takeaway was actually that I was 123 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 1: quite impressed with him, maybe for the first time as 124 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 1: an orator. I felt he pitched the gravity of the 125 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: situation very well and came over as very presidential. I 126 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:02,160 Speaker 1: think as an investor that we didn't learn anymore. And 127 00:08:02,200 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 1: I think when one saw the body language and the 128 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: reactions to many of his comments in the in his speech, 129 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 1: you could see how divided Congress is. So I think 130 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 1: when we come to now the execution of the Trump agenda, 131 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 1: we're going to see what gridlock looks like in in 132 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: in Congress. So do you think that the rally that 133 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: we're seeing today, particularly in financials, is a head fake? Well, 134 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: I'm I'm very concerned that we've already had quite a 135 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: strong rally. I think financials are now up since he 136 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:32,960 Speaker 1: was elected. I think we can get too carried away 137 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 1: with the opportunities to maybe soften regulation or change the 138 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:40,520 Speaker 1: you know, the d O L rules and and and 139 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: some of the things that Trump has been talking about. 140 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:45,360 Speaker 1: I don't necessarily sarily see that they are central to 141 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,079 Speaker 1: what he wants to achieve in terms of making America 142 00:08:48,160 --> 00:08:51,800 Speaker 1: grace again. The the US financials are wealth wealth financed, 143 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:54,800 Speaker 1: their wealth structured. They work in a very competitive industries. 144 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 1: We know with the price competition now between Fidelity and 145 00:08:57,240 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 1: Schwab in the in the brokerage business, and I would 146 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 1: are there's overcapacity in the banking industry, so margins are 147 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 1: going to remain under pressure. But if people are want 148 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 1: to borrow, at least the US banks have the capacity 149 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:10,920 Speaker 1: to lend. A lot of banks in Europe are still 150 00:09:11,240 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: very financially weak and cannot create the credit that the 151 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: that the economy isn't it requires. Neil, I'm wondering if 152 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:18,840 Speaker 1: you could just give people a little bit of your background, 153 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:21,439 Speaker 1: because I know that you previously were at Kleinwood Benson 154 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: and that may be an old name for people to remember, 155 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 1: and then maybe transition into telling us about China. The 156 00:09:28,040 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 1: world isn't just all about one person. It's important. But 157 00:09:31,920 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: I just want to get your thoughts because I know 158 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 1: you've written a piece about taking advantage perhaps of what 159 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 1: we when most people don't know about what's going on 160 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 1: in China. Yes, I mean, I I think I've spent 161 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 1: fourteen years working in Frankfurt, so I do feel as 162 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: an Englishman I have a view on Europe which is 163 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 1: not necessarily what you get from every Londoner who come 164 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:50,559 Speaker 1: comes across. We're going to get that view and a 165 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,320 Speaker 1: set okay, But I think I think actually the moment 166 00:09:53,320 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 1: that China is very interesting because we're about to get 167 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 1: the new government formed for the next five to ten years, 168 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:01,640 Speaker 1: and so I think for US two thousand and seventeen 169 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 1: is going to be a year of stability, all other 170 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 1: things being equal, and I think where President Gjing Ping 171 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: goes is going to be very important to the rebalancing 172 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 1: of China and therefore the growth prospects for for all 173 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 1: of US global citizens. But what I would then finish 174 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: by saying is, of course the unknown at this moment 175 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 1: in time. And he was, to your opening question, very 176 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:24,080 Speaker 1: elliptical about it last night, was what is his position 177 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:28,319 Speaker 1: on China and training? Yes, President Trump, because I think 178 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: there is a there is a concern that he said 179 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:32,199 Speaker 1: on day one in the White House, I'm going to 180 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 1: accuse them of currency manipulation, and we're nowhere near that. 181 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 1: But clearly for global investors and for the global economy. 182 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 1: Any sign of tariffs or trade friction is going to 183 00:10:43,559 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 1: be bad news for US. I want to do get 184 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: to Europe. There was a story on the Bloomberg today 185 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:54,200 Speaker 1: about n HSBC study showing that a good amount of 186 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:58,360 Speaker 1: money is flowing out of US equities and into European stocks. 187 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: Are you seeing this? Was seeing it at the at 188 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: the margin. But I think when I travel around the world, 189 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,200 Speaker 1: I think many investors have known they've got it right 190 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: by being along the US, including many US investors. But 191 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 1: when one looks at just the headline valuations of the 192 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: US against ay Asian or or European markets, I think 193 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:18,720 Speaker 1: there's a sense that the opportunities now lie outside the 194 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:21,439 Speaker 1: US equity market in general. But I think what we're 195 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:23,560 Speaker 1: also seeing and I think that is also driving You 196 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:25,439 Speaker 1: know that the rally at the moment in the US 197 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: is people are now losing money in their bomb bomb portfolios. 198 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 1: You know, yields are rising, they've been they've been supported 199 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:36,080 Speaker 1: by enormous contents of KIWI and monetary policy which is 200 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:40,280 Speaker 1: now waxing. And therefore we're now going to get ourselves 201 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 1: into a situation where bond portfolios are generating no return 202 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: or negative return, and the only prospect for most clients 203 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: is to invest in the equity market, where we're going 204 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:52,760 Speaker 1: to see some reflation and stimulus rather the more austerity, 205 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:54,280 Speaker 1: which of course is what we've seen in the last 206 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: five years. As an expert in putting together portfolios with 207 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:03,760 Speaker 1: different assets all over the world, what is it that 208 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:08,839 Speaker 1: you would recommend right now to investors? What should they sell? 209 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 1: We've got an SMP five hundred at nine and I'm 210 00:12:14,280 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 1: wondering what would they What do you recommend selling in 211 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:18,960 Speaker 1: order to rebalance? Well? I think I tend to feel 212 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:21,199 Speaker 1: like I have two conversations in my role as a 213 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: strategist with our clients. Some clients are looking to make 214 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 1: money on their capital, and therefore I think you inevitably 215 00:12:27,880 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 1: have to own the equity markets because the bond markets 216 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 1: have become so so miss priced through the quant state 217 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 1: of vising. But a lot of clients look at the headlines, 218 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 1: look at the news you're carrying almost every day about 219 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:40,600 Speaker 1: politics somewhere, and go, oh, the world feels a risky place. 220 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:43,080 Speaker 1: Maybe I'll just hunt for income. And therefore I think 221 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:45,920 Speaker 1: what would I be buying is things like US high yield, 222 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:48,199 Speaker 1: where you can get five or six percent returns quite 223 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:52,480 Speaker 1: safely in dollars or Asia or emerging market bonds. Thanks 224 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:54,800 Speaker 1: very much for joining us. Neil Dwayne is the global 225 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 1: strategist for Alliance A Global Investors, giving us a real 226 00:13:00,160 --> 00:13:03,880 Speaker 1: diverse response to a last night's speech by President of 227 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:17,679 Speaker 1: Donald Trump. You know, Lisa Abrama had, some of the 228 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 1: wonderful things in the stock market are just expressions of 229 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 1: human demand or human want. Because you know that snap 230 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:29,480 Speaker 1: the parent company of Snapchat, is hoping to raise three 231 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: billion dollars with an initial public offering, And I thought, 232 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 1: what better way to sort of phrase the conversation about 233 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:38,960 Speaker 1: this with Paul Sweeney, our head of director of North 234 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 1: American Research media analysts for Bloomberg Intelligence, And he'll tell 235 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 1: us whether he uses Snapchat. But is this a silly 236 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: fun app for people with more time than sense or 237 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:55,120 Speaker 1: Paul Sweeney, is it a trailblazing technology company with vending machines. Well, 238 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 1: it depends who you ask. I think if you talk 239 00:13:57,080 --> 00:14:00,480 Speaker 1: to their demographic, which is the younger demographic eighteen to 240 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 1: twenty four, eighteen to thirty four, maybe even a little 241 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: bit younger than that, it is absolutely absolutely a utility 242 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: for them and and in fact that the engagement, which 243 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:12,079 Speaker 1: is something the company talks about a lot, is very 244 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:16,320 Speaker 1: high on Snapchat. So it's not a loyal demographic UM 245 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 1: historically no UM. So we'll have to see how it 246 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 1: ages on this platform. And you know, one of the 247 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 1: concerns is um that this younger demographic can you know, 248 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 1: not that loyal and that the new next cool thing 249 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 1: that comes along, they could just leave Snapchat or Facebook 250 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:34,040 Speaker 1: or wherever they are to go to the new cool thing. 251 00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 1: So that's certainly a risk. But you know, right now 252 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 1: snapchats talking about uh we may not be the biggest 253 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 1: that would be Facebook with close to two billion monthly users, 254 00:14:43,920 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 1: but our users are younger, which advertisers love, and they're 255 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 1: very engaged, which is another thing advertisers like. Uh So 256 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 1: that is clearly the pitch that Snapchat makes to Madison 257 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 1: Avenue and to advertisers and also to investors. So does 258 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 1: just to give a sense of how signtive again this 259 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:03,840 Speaker 1: I p O is, are there other technology companies sort 260 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 1: of waiting in the wings to see how this snap 261 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 1: IPO goes to figure out whether they should also go 262 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: the same route this year? I think so, I think 263 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 1: if you think about some of the unicorns out there. 264 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 1: Most notable would probably be uber Um, Airbnb, for example. 265 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 1: So there's a lot of companies out there that have 266 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:23,080 Speaker 1: been very successful raising capital in the private market, to 267 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 1: have been a very liquid and very efficient market for 268 00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:27,840 Speaker 1: them over the last several years. But at some point 269 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 1: they and their initial investors need liquidity, and that typically 270 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 1: is achieved through an I P O. So I think 271 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: this SNAP I PO is going to be not only 272 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: important for UH SNAP itself and their investors, but really 273 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 1: the technology technology sector overall, maybe even the whole new 274 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 1: deal calendar overall, but certainly for some of these tech 275 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 1: investors to see how far public investors will go in 276 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 1: terms of valuation, in terms of going out on the 277 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:55,200 Speaker 1: risk curve for some of these newer companies. UM. So, 278 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 1: I think that's gonna be that makes this deal important 279 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 1: on many levels. You get a chance to anyone about 280 00:16:00,760 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: the road show. Yeah, the the road show, about the 281 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: thirty five minute video, the thirty five minute video which 282 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 1: kind of let Evan Spiegel in his twelve million dollar 283 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 1: house in Los Angeles, right, and and he didn't show up. 284 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 1: I understand that the Boston UH lunch, but so, but 285 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 1: it's this is a company that because of this video 286 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 1: they can go right to Q and A. And I've 287 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 1: heard that. Uh, you know, it's been standing room only 288 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 1: at most of these lunch meetings. It's some of the 289 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:27,280 Speaker 1: big cities. They've been in London, New York, Boston, San Francisco. 290 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,480 Speaker 1: So the demand is clearly there. But the the the 291 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 1: challenging questions are also there. And some of the common 292 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:38,120 Speaker 1: ones obviously are uh the relatively small size of the 293 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 1: uh snapchat platform versus say, on Facebook, but also the 294 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: slowing user growth. It's still growing very quickly, but the 295 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 1: growth rate is slowing, and is that a concern? It 296 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 1: was almost flat for all of last year. No, No, 297 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 1: I mean there's they're still adding a lot of subscribers, 298 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 1: but the growth rate is is clearly slowing. And you know, 299 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: the question for you know, UM investors is ge we've 300 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,520 Speaker 1: kind of been, uh become accustomed to seeing these billion dollar, 301 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 1: billion user platforms like Facebook. Uh and if you don't 302 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 1: get there, what does that mean? Fifty million users last 303 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 1: year were added and then they said five million in 304 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 1: the last quarter of right that that that that's right? Yeah, 305 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:19,440 Speaker 1: So again that is clearly a concern and so again, 306 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:22,440 Speaker 1: what the snap is lost half a billion last year. 307 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 1: They lost half a billion on about four a million 308 00:17:24,240 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: of revenue. But exactly, you know, the revenue growth is 309 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:31,800 Speaker 1: certainly there again, Yeah, exactly, they had form a million 310 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 1: revenue last year. You know street consensus and that estimates 311 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:36,560 Speaker 1: are kind of out there for a billion this year, 312 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 1: maybe two billion next year and maybe three billion year 313 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:42,200 Speaker 1: after that. UM. So clearly the revenue growth story is there. 314 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:45,440 Speaker 1: But there's definitely some issues that investors are concerned about, 315 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,680 Speaker 1: including you know the fact that no shareholders will get 316 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 1: any votes whatsoever. It's not that you get a smaller 317 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:53,960 Speaker 1: vote than the founders, you get zero votes, and that 318 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 1: is very unusual. UM. And that is obviously a concern 319 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:01,480 Speaker 1: for some investors. So from from media to old we 320 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 1: also are getting news about Time Inc. And how they're 321 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: looking for potential suitors to to submit formal bids uh 322 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:13,920 Speaker 1: for acquiring the company by next week. This is according 323 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:16,199 Speaker 1: to a New York Times story that came out on 324 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:18,879 Speaker 1: the news. Time shares are up almost seven percent. What 325 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:20,639 Speaker 1: do you make of this? Yeah, this is a company 326 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 1: that's been arguably up for sale for a long time. 327 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:26,199 Speaker 1: Alex Sherman of OM any reporter. Bloomberg News has been 328 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:28,399 Speaker 1: all over the story for for many months, and uh, 329 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 1: you know, I think the issue here is there's um 330 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:33,640 Speaker 1: even though that the magazine business, like all publishing businesses, 331 00:18:33,640 --> 00:18:38,400 Speaker 1: are greatly challenged in terms of advertising growth and subscription growth. Um, 332 00:18:38,480 --> 00:18:41,160 Speaker 1: it is a you know, the vervirtually very little growth 333 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:44,160 Speaker 1: if any in the magazine business. However, some of these 334 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:47,080 Speaker 1: brands are still very relevant in the market place, and 335 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:51,160 Speaker 1: Time Ink clearly has with with People Magazine and Sports 336 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:52,879 Speaker 1: illustrat at some of the you know, the best brands 337 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:55,920 Speaker 1: in the magazine business. So clearly there's interest from from 338 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 1: certain players, whether it's private equity UM or even some 339 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:01,919 Speaker 1: strategic are such as A Meredith for example, who's been 340 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:05,040 Speaker 1: in talk. So there's clearly some interesting that Edgar Bronfman 341 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:07,159 Speaker 1: absolutely who's got a lot of experience in media, and 342 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 1: I just want to correct myself, Alex Sherman actually did 343 00:19:09,359 --> 00:19:13,359 Speaker 1: break this. Yeah, So it's uh, you know, so surprisingly 344 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:15,720 Speaker 1: that there's a lot of interest in these marquee properties 345 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: because um, you know a lot of people feel like 346 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 1: magazines can in fact live in a digital world. Um 347 00:19:21,840 --> 00:19:25,520 Speaker 1: that advertise them. But we're talking about maybe we need 348 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:27,920 Speaker 1: to think of new terms for it, because magazine obviously 349 00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:30,199 Speaker 1: refers to some paper product that you hold, which they 350 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:32,280 Speaker 1: may or may not continue to print. But when you 351 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 1: take a look at everything that they publish, whether it 352 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:40,640 Speaker 1: is Health Magazine, Travel and Leisure, Entertainment, Weekly, Coastal, I mean, departure, 353 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 1: it just goes on and on. There's that's content and 354 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: last time I check, you gotta have something to put 355 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:48,080 Speaker 1: on the Internet. That's right, and that's right. And so 356 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 1: it all comes down to brands. The value of brands, 357 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 1: whether it's in an analog world inc on paper or 358 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:54,879 Speaker 1: in a digital world. You'll you'll hear even all the 359 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 1: big media companies, whether it's the commer Time owner not 360 00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:00,399 Speaker 1: talk about their cable networks. They talk about their brands. 361 00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:03,560 Speaker 1: ESPN is a brand, UM CNN is a brand and 362 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 1: things like that. Fox News is a brand. And so 363 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:07,960 Speaker 1: the question is can you monetize those brands in a 364 00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 1: digital world. And that's very true for the magazine company 365 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:12,840 Speaker 1: UM as well, and they've really spent a lot of 366 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:15,720 Speaker 1: money kind of pruning their brands and their their portfolio 367 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:17,680 Speaker 1: and trying to, you know, make sure that they can 368 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:19,639 Speaker 1: live in a digital world and get paid whether it's 369 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: through advertising or subscriptions. Paul Sweeney, thank you so much 370 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 1: for joining us. A lot to talk about and a 371 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:27,040 Speaker 1: lot to keep track of going forward, Director of North 372 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 1: American Research and media analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence. I want 373 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:48,000 Speaker 1: to bring in Bloomberg's own Eric Schatzker now to give 374 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:51,600 Speaker 1: us more detail about Ray Dahlio stepping down as the 375 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:56,359 Speaker 1: co chief executive of Chief Executive Office. Getting that I 376 00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:58,960 Speaker 1: can't keep the titles in check a much easier way 377 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 1: to think about this. Another management shake up at Bridgewater. Yes, 378 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 1: how one constant at Bridgewater is Ray Dalio. He runs 379 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 1: the world's largest hedge fund manager. Bridgewater has an excess 380 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:16,320 Speaker 1: of a hundred and fifty billion dollars under management. It's 381 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:20,200 Speaker 1: pure alpha fund has historically been one of the most successful. 382 00:21:20,480 --> 00:21:23,919 Speaker 1: Bridgewater also was at the forefront the vanguard of the 383 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:27,399 Speaker 1: creation of risk parity funds. The All Weather Fund is 384 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:30,760 Speaker 1: the risk parody fund Bridgewater runs and advanced eleven point 385 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:35,200 Speaker 1: six last year parody funds. You know what I'm going 386 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:37,920 Speaker 1: to say, that's a bit of a diversion and suggest 387 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:42,679 Speaker 1: that we get back to what happened. John Rubinstein, the 388 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:47,040 Speaker 1: former Apple executive sixteen years at Apple job. Ray Dalio, 389 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 1: brought in last year to be co CEO, is leaving 390 00:21:50,520 --> 00:21:55,600 Speaker 1: after only ten months. Why Ray Dalio himself says in 391 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:59,679 Speaker 1: his statement, we mutually agree that he, meaning Rubinstein, is 392 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:03,880 Speaker 1: not a cultural fit for Bridgewater. Bridgewater is an unusual place. 393 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:06,400 Speaker 1: Some people would go so far as to say it's 394 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:10,400 Speaker 1: an odd place. John Rubinstein was an odd hire. He 395 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:14,679 Speaker 1: was brought in as a leader and also as a 396 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:19,359 Speaker 1: technology pioneer. Ray says he was successful in creating a 397 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:24,120 Speaker 1: new technology architecture for Bridgewater, but clearly as a co CEO, 398 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: it really didn't work out. The big issue here is 399 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:31,680 Speaker 1: that it hasn't worked out for Bridgewater on a management 400 00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:35,560 Speaker 1: level in a long time. Eileen Murray, who remains a 401 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:38,680 Speaker 1: co CEO, was brought in back in two thousand nine. 402 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 1: She's still there. But Bridgewater has experimented now with Rubinstein, 403 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:48,119 Speaker 1: with Greg Jensen, who was once a co CEO and 404 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 1: remains a co c i O, with Dalio himself as 405 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 1: a co CEO, nothing seems to work okay. So so yes, 406 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:57,840 Speaker 1: we have known that it is an odd place and 407 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 1: has an idiosyncratic way uh of managing its culture. Beyond 408 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:06,840 Speaker 1: the gossip factor. What's the practical implication of the turnover here? 409 00:23:06,880 --> 00:23:09,359 Speaker 1: I mean, Bridgewater is, as you pointed out, Eric, the 410 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:11,959 Speaker 1: biggest hedge fund firm in the world, at least believed 411 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 1: to be. And uh, yet they've continued to see inflows 412 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:18,119 Speaker 1: despite the fact that their hedge funds have seen outflows, 413 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 1: They've continued to do deliver performance. So what's the implication, Well, 414 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 1: the big practical question is how is it going to 415 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:27,960 Speaker 1: affect investment performance? If you believe Ray Dalio, this is 416 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:32,639 Speaker 1: going to help the co chief investment officers remain focused 417 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 1: on managing the one and fifty billion dollar pile. That's 418 00:23:36,880 --> 00:23:40,320 Speaker 1: what the limited partners, the LPs, the investors in Bridgewaters 419 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 1: funds should care about. The problem is that this creates 420 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:49,679 Speaker 1: a diversion. These constant this constant management turnover has been 421 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 1: a distraction and a diversion for Ray, the founder, the chairman, 422 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:59,240 Speaker 1: and until now the interim chief executive co chief executive officer. 423 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:04,280 Speaker 1: So if this works, if Eileen and David McCormick, who's 424 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 1: been at Bridgewater for eight years as a former Treasury 425 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:10,800 Speaker 1: under secretary, can together run this firm in a way 426 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:15,399 Speaker 1: that Ray approves of, that will allow him and Bob 427 00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 1: Prince and Greg Jensen, together the three co chief investment officers, 428 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:24,280 Speaker 1: to worry about generating returns. There were macro fund Pure Alpha. 429 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: Pure Alpha two is a macro fund. We know how 430 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:31,159 Speaker 1: challenge the macro strategy has been. Pure Alpha two generated 431 00:24:31,760 --> 00:24:34,480 Speaker 1: a two point six percent excuse me, two point four 432 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: percent return last year. Not great, but better than a 433 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 1: lot of other macro funds. The investors want more. Bloombergs 434 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 1: Eric Shatska, thank you so much for joining us. We'll 435 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:46,960 Speaker 1: be following this as we learn more. And this is 436 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:50,719 Speaker 1: a story that does have implications about for the broader market, 437 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:53,919 Speaker 1: given just the size of it and it's importance to 438 00:24:54,240 --> 00:25:01,720 Speaker 1: the hedge fund world. Thanks for listening to the Bloomberg 439 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:05,119 Speaker 1: pien L podcast. You can subscribe and listen to interviews 440 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:10,359 Speaker 1: at iTunes, SoundCloud, or whatever podcast platform you prefer. I'm 441 00:25:10,359 --> 00:25:13,399 Speaker 1: Pim Fox. I'm out there on Twitter at pim Fox. 442 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:16,400 Speaker 1: I'm out there on Twitter at Lisa Abramo. It's one 443 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:19,439 Speaker 1: before the podcast. You can always catch us worldwide on 444 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:20,240 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Radio.