This "Markets Weekly" update, recorded on July 4th, covers recent market developments, focusing on the UK's fiscal challenges, the US economic landscape, and the escalating trade war. The speaker begins by mentioning the S&P 500 reaching all-time highs, attributing a portion of this surge to corporate buybacks driven by economic uncertainty.
The first topic addressed is the UK's economic situation. Drawing a parallel to the market turmoil triggered by former Prime Minister Liz Truss's spending plans, the speaker highlights recent market reactions to concerns about UK fiscal policy. Specifically, speculation around potential benefit cuts proposed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves and the possibility of her removal caused UK yields to surge, the pound to depreciate, and equities to sell off. While the situation has calmed down, the speaker questions why the UK is being singled out given that many countries face similar fiscal challenges.
He then analyzes the UK's economic metrics, noting a debt-to-GDP ratio of around 100%, a relatively high fiscal deficit, and efforts to control the deficit through increased taxes. However, he cautions that higher taxes can hinder growth, pointing to a significant exodus of wealthy individuals from the UK. While overall GDP growth has occurred, per capita GDP has stagnated for a decade, largely due to immigration. The speaker concludes that the UK faces a challenging situation with limited growth, rising taxes, and a precarious fiscal position, but notes that this is not unique among Western nations. He speculates that markets might eventually become more sensitive to similar situations in countries like France and potentially the United States, which has so far primarily manifested in dollar depreciation.
Turning to the US, the speaker discusses two key developments: the passage of the President's "big, beautiful bill" (BBB) and the non-farm payrolls report. He expresses disappointment that the BBB, despite initial expectations of fiscal responsibility, is projected to result in a fiscal deficit of around 6-7% for the foreseeable future. While acknowledging that the BBB largely renews previous tax cuts and that increased Terrafra revenue provides some offset, the speaker argues that the main impact is the failure to achieve expected fiscal restraint. He criticizes the use of sunset clauses in fiscal bills to underestimate their long-term cost. The ultimate driver of fiscal policy, he contends, is the political willingness of Congress to address spending. The speaker suggests that until there is a significant market reaction, such as a currency crisis or stock market decline, there will be little incentive for politicians to change course.
Regarding the non-farm payrolls report, the speaker notes that many, including himself, expected a weak print due to rising continuing jobless claims and a negative ADP report. However, the official report showed a surprisingly large increase in job creation and a drop in the unemployment rate. This positive surprise led to the market pricing out rate cuts and boosted equity markets. Despite the positive headline, the speaker emphasizes some underlying ambiguities. The unemployment rate decrease was partially driven by a decline in the labor participation rate, wage growth has moderated, and the majority of new jobs were in the public sector, while private sector job creation continues to decline. He concludes that the labor market trend still suggests moderation or weakening.
Finally, the speaker addresses the trade war. He notes a recent "Liberation Day" with the imposition of minimum tariffs, followed by President Trump suggesting this wasn't a "hard day" and implying potential for negotiation. However, he notes with the big bill behind him and markets at record highs, Trump might have more room to be disruptive. He refers to Trump's announcement of sending tariff letters to various countries, starting July 4th, with potential tariffs ranging from 10% to 70%. He notes there was a trade deal with Vietnam, however the tariffs were still 20%, higher than the minimum, but lower than before. He highlights the administration's efforts to crack down on trans-shipping from China. He concludes by noting stalled trade deals with close allies like Japan, Korea, and the EU, suggesting a potential impasse in negotiations. The speaker questions whether Trump has political capital to play with regarding the trade war and suggests that a resurgence in trade concerns is possible.