This week's "Markets Weekly" focused on dissecting the recent deluge of economic data from the US, specifically jobs, inflation (CPI), and retail sales, and examining the implications of the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) continued interest rate hikes.
The speaker began by acknowledging the "choppy" market conditions and the lack of a strong Santa Claus rally that many expected. Instead of focusing on the outlook, which will be covered next week, the discussion delved into the significant economic data released after a period of "flying blind" due to government shutdowns impacting data collection.
The jobs data for October and November presented a mixed picture. October saw a substantial job loss, while November witnessed a decent rebound. Averaging the two months yielded a less impressive result. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.6%, slightly above the Fed's median forecast. This increase appeared partly attributable to a rising labor force participation rate. Although the speaker noted that wage deceleration, the "price" of labor, is very evident. Further analysis revealed that the headline job losses were skewed by a decline in government jobs, stemming from a DOJ buyout program encouraging government employees to resign. Focusing on private sector job growth, the speaker suggested a potential turning point, with private sector job growth trending higher.
The CPI data "shocked everyone" by coming in lower than expected, driven lower because the BLS had issues collecting data because of the government shutdowns. BLS staff had to assume prices in November, which might have been lower due to seasonal holiday discounts. The reliability of this CPI data was questioned, given the data collection challenges and the potential for distorted assumptions, particularly regarding rents. It was also noted that President Trump previously had an official address to the public on this matter. The speaker speculated whether the CPI data could have been influenced to paint a more favorable picture, especially considering the recent political attention to affordability and inflation. The next CPI print, not affected by the government shutdown, will be critical to validate these concerns.
Retail sales, excluding auto sales (control group), showed surprisingly strong growth, indicating a healthy level of consumer spending. While seemingly suggesting a path for easier monetary policy, the market didn't react significantly. In fact, Fed official John Williams dismissed the data prints, citing the data distortions caused by the government shutdown. The speaker noted how Williams suggested that the "real" unemployment was more likely to be 4.5% (closer to the median estimate from the Fed) and the CPI may be 0.1% lower than the print.
The speaker then briefly touched on the political drama surrounding the potential new Fed Chair. Kevin Hasset, once the frontrunner, has seen his odds decline, with other candidates like Kevin Walsh and Governor Waller gaining traction. Opposition from within the administration, particularly from Secretary Mnuchin, appears to be contributing to this shift.
The second major topic addressed was the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) continued interest rate hikes. The 10-year Japanese Government Bond (JGB) yield has been steadily rising, reflecting the BOJ's tightening monetary policy. While still low at 0.75%, the policy rate is still very far away from inflation. Inflation in Japan is actually higher than the United States.
The speaker highlighted the BOJ's transparent communication, emphasizing the rationale for hiking rates: reduced geopolitical uncertainty, improved trade relations with the US, rising wages, and high inflation. They also note that Real Interest Rates remain low. While hiking, their policy is still very easy. Despite these hikes, the yen has weakened against the dollar. Japanese investors are currently benefiting greatly from interest rate hikes.
The discussion explored the potential global market impact of the BOJ's actions. One potential scenario is that rising Japanese yields could drag up global yields, negatively impacting US equities. Another concern is a potential blow-up of the yen carry trade, similar to the volatility seen last year. The speaker concludes that Japan has not harvested the multi-decade high rates.
The speaker concluded by stating that there may be a political shift on monetary policy and that we will see if that plays out.