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Mapping Out the Strike Parameters for the Powell Put

Last Friday’s price action was both aggressive and unusual. Spoos rinsed 65 points while cash 10s and blues sold off 6bps in the wake of strong employment and wage data. Generally, large-scale risk asset sell-offs have been accompanied by sharp DROPS in rates during...

Dovishness Without Deviousness

The picture surrounding Federal Reserve Board nominations took a somewhat unexpected turn over the last couple weeks as John Williams was floated as a potential candidate for vice chair. Now, to be sure, John has had a very distinguished career inside the Federal...

Is it Real or is it Inflation?

It has been a robust start to the year for those with bullish tendencies: spoos +5%, CT10 +20 bps, and blues +30 bps. The market has clearly been rerating the potential strength of the US economy higher post-tax reform. And I would also argue that the deregulation...

A Promise, a Recommendation, and a Warning

This past weekend we had our annual Jefferies senior leadership offsite. And as always, it was great to catch up with so many of our business leaders from around the globe. For me the most exciting part of this event is taking the temperature of the attendees. And to...

2018 Financial Market Outlook

This time of year you are no doubt receiving volumes of research from banks and brokers on the financial market outlook for 2018. And most likely these publications (if printed) would resemble oversized coffee table books. Now I’m sure there exists something of value...

Dammit, Janet….again

We had three major central bank meetings during a 24-hour period this past week, and in the aftermath the global financial markets collectively yawned. I suppose after a year characterized by never-ending “Yksnim” moments, it was a fitting conclusion to 2017. However,...

The current set of bears have forgotten that QE worked

Last week provided yet another example of why spoos and blues is such a powerful trading strategy. This past Thursday, between 11am and 11:30am, spoos air-pocketed 1.6% on what was later confirmed to be an incorrect ABC news story. Now that might not sound like a...

Economic Machines That Go “Beep”

Over the last week or so a number clients requested both clarification and elaboration on my most recent note, “Fiscal Stimulus: Another Force for Disinflation.”. Generally speaking, folks wanted more precision on the impact of corporate tax reform on wage rates,...

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...
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