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The Taper Trance and Contraction Coma

Earlier this month the Fed began to cap the quantity of maturing proceeds they regularly reinvest back into the Treasury and agency MBS markets. This marked a crucial turning point for the Fed balance sheet, as it kicked off the first meaningful contraction of the...

Market message to Trump: Please, no JT!!!

The Powell trial ballon went out last week and risk markets applauded. This week Taylor got a nudge into the center ring, and traders are all choking on their breakfast sandwiches. Most market folks, myself included, have leaned toward the idea that the Trump Fed...

Positive supply shocks are not “mysterious”

I will keep this note very brief post the CPI. This year has been characterized by consistently strong employment data and weak inflation data. And today's soft inflation number combined with last week's strong employment print adds further credence to the idea that...

The final shows on Lil’ Janet’s magical mystery tour

Since the election Janet has tightened monetary policy at the December, March, June, and September FOMC meetings. In her latest move this past Wednesday, she kicked off balance sheet normalization and signaled strongly that next December would be a "live” meeting. Now...

Expensive + Expensive = Cheap

Every August I try to check out from both client activity and market commentary. Of course, if trading conditions warrant (as they did in 2011 and 2015), then I write. But if nothing of substance occurs, I prefer to use this time to rest up for what is always a very...

The fourth turning of disinflation

The US CPI has missed market expectations on the downside for the last four months, crashing to a growth rate of 1.6% YoY most recently, from 2.7% YoY back in February. At the same time, core CPI growth has dropped back to 1.7% YoY, and core PCE price index growth has...