Stocks fell 1% last week as the rally that had started two months ago showed signs of exhaustion.
www.ft.com/content/280399a1-aec3-44a5-a246-f3a028aa5deb
The market is currently facing a number of headwinds:
1. Extended technicals. The market is the most overbought since just after Covid, according to some measures.
twitter.com/McClellanOsc/status/1559338186005889024
2. Improved sentiment. When investors are optimistic, it tends to be bad for stocks.
www.yardeni.com/pub/peacockbullbear.pdf
3. Higher interest rates. Mary Daly, a Fed member, “doesn’t see the Fed easing interest rate hikes anytime soon”.
edition.cnn.com/2022/08/18/economy/mary-daly-fed/index.html
4. A slowing economy. The Conference Board’s Leading Economic Index has fallen over the past 6 months, which has frequently preceded recessions in the past.
www.advisorperspectives.com/dshort/updates/2022/08/18/cb-lei-fifth-consecutive-decline-in-july
In these circumstances, cash may be a decent investment, argues Morgan Stanley.
www.zerohedge.com/markets/morgan-stanley-cash-looks-relatively-attractive-right-now
While “USD cash underperformed both the S&P 500 and the US 10-year every year from 2010 to 2020 except two,” notes MS, it offers a high current yield, liquidity and “a better 12-month total return than our strategy forecasts imply for US equities ($SPX500), US Treasuries ($TLT) and either US IG or HY credit ($LQD $HYG),” with considerably less volatility.
We tend to agree. US short-term interest rates are at their highest level since 2007, and in our view, for the first time in 15 years, cash is a reasonable investment. Thus, we hold a large position in $JPST .
In the longer run, cash will be beaten by other, riskier investments.
www.pinebridge.com/en-uk/institution/insights/capital-market-line-a-cycle-moving-at-warp-speed
However, in our view, the time to move up the risk scale will come in 2023 when the economy bottoms.
𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗬𝗧𝗗
@triangulacapital -5.6%
$SWDA.L -12.7%
𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀
The position in $JPST was increased.