Financial Repression Survival Tactics
Darius recently sat down with Exploring Prosperity’s Robert Dewey, where they discussed the new wave of populism, the impacts of the U.S. regional banking crisis, the U.S. dollar, and more.
If you missed the interview, here are the three most important takeaways from the conversation that have significant implications for your portfolio:
1. Is There A Material Difference Between Either Presidential Candidate From A Fiscal Policy Perspective?
Regardless of which candidate wins the upcoming election, we believe we are likely to see even more populism, or the promotion of policies that reflect the concerns of the people, regardless of the economic or institutional impact those policies have.
No matter what form this new wave of populism takes, it is likely to drive US public sector debt growth that forces the Fed to remain asymmetrically dovish.
Our view is that we are all frogs being slowly boiled alive in a pot of monetary debasement and financial repression, driven by Fourth Turning-style fiscal dominance. We have called for continued financial repression, which we have already experienced—and in our view, it is likely to accelerate throughout this Fourth Turning.
2. How Has The Focus of Policymakers Shifted Since The U.S. Regional Banking Crisis?
During the U.S. regional banking crisis in March 2023, the forward rate curve inverted and has remained persistently negative ever since.
This deepening inversion signaled to investors that financial stability concerns had taken precedence—reflecting Fourth Turning-style financial repression, in which stabilizing sovereign debt markets is the central focus for policymakers.
The persistent inversion has profoundly impacted the Fed’s balance sheet and overall U.S. liquidity. As the Fed responded with dovish measures during the crisis, trillions of dollars flowed out of the reverse repo (RRP) facility and into financial markets. In our view, this liquidity flow remains ongoing and is likely to extend into Q1 2025.
3. How Will Global Reliance on The US Dollar Change Over The Next Decade?
Our research indicates the U.S. dollar currently plays a dominant role in the global financial system:
- 50% of currencies with pegs are anchored to the dollar (by GDP).
- 60% of global FX reserves are held in dollars.
- 60% of cross-border bank lending is conducted in dollars.
- 70% of international debt securities are dollar-denominated.
- 79% of global trade is invoiced in dollars.
- 88% of foreign exchange transactions involve the dollar.
- 99% of stablecoin reserves are backed by the dollar.
In our view, these numbers will decline over the long term as countries reduce their reliance on the dollar. We believe the continuation of aggressive populist fiscal policies in the U.S. poses significant risks for investors, with the most important risk being how the Federal Reserve responds to the global shift away from the dollar, as this transition will have profound implications for financial markets. We think the Fed will print money to monetize US deficits, filling the increasing void left behind by international investors and central banks.
By now, you’ve likely realized that piecing together an investment strategy from finance podcasts, YouTube videos, and macro “gurus” on 𝕏 is not delivering the results you know you deserve.
This kind of approach only leads to confusion from conflicting advice, frustration from mediocre returns, and exhaustion from the emotional rollercoaster of your portfolio swings.
If you don’t change your process, how can you expect to get better results?
Over 2,000 investors around the world confidently make smarter investment decisions using our clear, actionable, and accurate signals—and as a result, they make more money.
If you are ready to learn more about how our clients incorporate macro into their investment process and how you can do the same, we invite you to watch our complimentary 3-part macro masterclass.
No catch, just macro insights to help you grow your portfolio—our way of saying thanks for being part of the 42 Macro universe.
Navigating Inflation, Budget Deficits, and Global Monetary Shifts
Darius recently hosted our friend Nadine Terman on 42 Macro’s Pro to Pro, where they discussed inflation, the federal budget deficit, China, and more.
If you missed the interview, here are the three most important takeaways from the conversation that have significant implications for your portfolio:
1. Are Both Political Parties Likely to Increase The Federal Budget Deficit?
Even if Republicans win and Elon Musk advocates for severe spending cuts, we believe those cuts are unlikely to materialize. While there may be headlines about cutting spending, slashing large portions of the budget carries significant career risk.
Our research shows that the type of wasteful spending Musk might target accounts for less than 1% of federal expenditures. Meaningful cuts would require reductions in defense, Medicare, or Medicaid—areas deeply important to American voters.
Some minor budget trims may occur, but both parties appear committed to profligate spending, with no clear plan to meaningfully reduce the national debt.
2. How Has The Recent Shift In U.S. Monetary Policy Affected Chinese Policymakers?
At 42 Macro, we monitor the growth of the PBOC’s balance sheet relative to the share allocated to FX reserves. When the yuan appreciated sharply in early 2015, its real effective exchange rate (REER) rose significantly, disrupting China’s export model.
As the Yuan became expensive on a REER basis, export growth secularly slowed and foreign direct investment into China slowed, reducing the expansion of its manufacturing base. As a result, the share of FX reserves declined from approximately 83% to just 50% since March 2014.
However, the recent shift to a more neutral U.S. monetary policy, evidenced by the Fed’s decision to implement a 50-basis-point rate cut, suggests less risk of severe yuan devaluation. This change has signaled to Chinese policymakers that they can now begin accelerating monetary expansion.
By now, you’ve likely realized that piecing together an investment strategy from finance podcasts, YouTube videos, and macro “gurus” on 𝕏 is not delivering the results you know you deserve.
This kind of approach only leads to confusion from conflicting advice, frustration from mediocre returns, and exhaustion from the emotional rollercoaster of your portfolio swings.
If you don’t change your process, how can you expect to get better results?
Over 2,000 investors around the world confidently make smarter investment decisions using our clear, actionable, and accurate signals—and as a result, they make more money.
If you are ready to learn more about how our clients incorporate macro into their investment process and how you can do the same, we invite you to watch our complimentary 3-part macro masterclass.
No catch, just macro insights to help you grow your portfolio—our way of saying thanks for being part of the 42 Macro universe.
Why Listening to The Market Beats Macro Predictions Every Time
Darius recently sat down with our friend Jason Shapiro from Crowded Market Report, where they discussed how to effectively use macro, the 42 Macro investment process, the outlook for China, and more.
If you missed the interview, here are the three most important takeaways from the conversation that have significant implications for your portfolio:
1. What Is The Optimal Way to Incorporate Macro Into An Investment Strategy?
We would argue that many investors incorrectly incorporate macro into their investment strategy because they are not paying enough attention to what the market is signaling.
One of the most advanced tools we have developed for our clients is our Global Macro Matrix, which allows us to nowcast the current Market Regime and analyze what the market is signaling at any given moment. The tool also allows us to spot durable inflections in asset market momentum in real-time, thus providing 42 Macro clients the best chance to remain on the right side of market risk.
This insight is crucial because the Market Regime dictates dispersion within and across asset classes, ultimately shaping the returns we all experience as investors. By following what the market tells us, we can help our clients align their portfolios with what the market is actually trying to price in, not with what they hope it prices in. Note the difference.
2. What Proven Quantitative Techniques Influence The 42 Macro Process?
At 42 Macro, we stand on the shoulders of giants who came before us. Our research incorporates strategies that have stood the test of time on global Wall Street:
- Regime Segmentation – Introduced by Ray Dalio in the 1970s
- Bayesian Inference – Applied to Wall Street by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky in the early 2000s
- Volatility as a Leading Indicator for Price – Pioneered by Benoit Mandelbrot in the late 70s and early 80s
Our investment approach leverages these proven quantitative techniques, allowing us to deliver superior outcomes that meet our clients’ needs more effectively than alternative strategies.
3. What Is The Outlook For China?
We believe China is either in or sliding into a balance sheet recession, forcing Beijing to ease monetary and fiscal policy aggressively. Here are the three core factors behind this view:
- Excessive Debt: Private non-financial sector debt in China stands at 205% of GDP—similar to Japan’s overly indebted level prior to its balance sheet recession, which remains the clearest example outside of the post-GFC U.S. economy.
- Poor Capital Allocation: China’s investment-to-GDP ratio is 42%, far surpassing Japan’s peak before its real estate bubble burst. A similar bubble has plagued China for the past ~15 years.
- Shrinking Labor Force: China’s old-age dependency ratio is rising faster than in most countries, leading to two critical challenges—a shrinking labor force and an aging population.
While we remain cautious about China’s long-term outlook due to these structural issues, we do expect positive returns from Chinese assets in response to ongoing policy support. However, we do not recommend staying indefinitely long.
Instead, we advise aligning your China exposure with our Discretionary Risk Management Overlay, aka “Dr. Mo,” which pivoted clients into a max position in China on September 17th. Since then, the FXI ETF—a proxy for Chinese stocks—has rallied about 24%, even factoring in the recent pullback. At some point, Dr. Mo will instruct 42 Macro clients to book gains in China. To date, it has not yet done so.
By now, you’ve likely realized that piecing together an investment strategy from finance podcasts, YouTube videos, and macro “gurus” on 𝕏 is not delivering the results you know you deserve.
This kind of approach only leads to confusion from conflicting advice, frustration from mediocre returns, and exhaustion from the emotional rollercoaster of your portfolio swings.
If you don’t change your process, how can you expect to get better results?
Over 2,000 investors around the world confidently make smarter investment decisions using our clear, actionable, and accurate signals—and as a result, they make more money.
If you are ready to learn more about how our clients incorporate macro into their investment process and how you can do the same, we invite you to watch our complimentary 3-part macro masterclass.
No catch, just macro insights to help you grow your portfolio—our way of saying thanks for being part of the 42 Macro universe.
What Happens to Markets In A Fourth Turning?
Darius recently sat down with our friend David Lin, where they discussed the drivers behind current market positioning, the Fourth Turning, its impact on asset markets, and more.
If you missed the interview, here are the three most important takeaways from the conversation that have significant implications for your portfolio:
1. What Has Caused The Current Market Positioning?
In our view, current market positioning has been driven by three main themes:
- Resilient U.S. Economy: Since authoring the theme in September 2022, we have seen ongoing upside surprises in U.S. growth. We believe this resilience has contributed to the current crowded long positioning in risk assets.
- Here Comes The Liquidity: We anticipate a significant acceleration in both U.S. and global liquidity over the medium term.
- Jay Wants A Soft Landing: We have maintained this theme since last November, which revolves around the Federal Reserve’s asymmetrically dovish reaction function. When the Fed leans dovish and the economy is not in or heading into recession, it is often a bullish signal for investors.
2. How Will The Fourth Turning Affect Income Inequality?
At 42 Macro, we conducted an in-depth statistical study on Fourth Turnings, focusing on the economic implications and policy shifts, as well as their impact on asset markets.
In our empirical study, we found that income inequality, measured by the top 10% share of national income, declined sharply throughout previous Fourth Turnings.
We are currently at a very high level of income inequality, and we expect a significant decline throughout this Fourth Turning – but not without great cost. We anticipate policy trends to become increasingly populist, essentially redistributing wealth from the rich to the poor. This shift may not occur immediately, especially given the current divided government, but it may be a response to a larger crisis that both households and investors will need to navigate.
3. How Will Asset Markets Perform During The Fourth Turning?
Anticipating how asset markets will perform during the Fourth Turning involves understanding how policymakers typically respond to these geopolitical, economic, and social developments. Historically, they have used two main strategies:
- Fiscal Support: There is usually significant fiscal policy support for the economy, which boosts nominal GDP and tends to be favorable for risk assets, such as stocks, credit, crypto, and commodities.
- Monetary Debasement and Financial Repression: The Federal Reserve has historically engaged in monetary debasement and financial repression during Fourth Turnings, effectively lowering the value of money to support fiscal measures.
Combining these factors—excessive fiscal policy, monetary debasement, and currency devaluation—leads us at 42 Macro to maintain a structurally bullish stance on risk assets throughout the Fourth Turning, including stocks, credit, crypto, and commodities, while remaining structurally bearish on defensive assets like Treasury bonds and the U.S. dollar.
That does not mean that risk assets will appreciate in a straight line. There will be significant drawdowns to risk manage along the way – perhaps as painful as the Dot Com Bust, GFC, or COVID crash. Fortuitously, 42 Macro clients have access to our KISS Portfolio Construction Process and Discretionary Risk Management Overlay, aka “Dr. Mo”, to help them successfully navigate their portfolios throughout these increasingly trying geopolitical times.
By now, you’ve likely realized that piecing together an investment strategy from finance podcasts, YouTube videos, and macro “gurus” on 𝕏 is not delivering the results you know you deserve.
This kind of approach only leads to confusion from conflicting advice, frustration from mediocre returns, and exhaustion from the emotional rollercoaster of your portfolio swings.
If you don’t change your process, how can you expect to get better results?
Over 2,000 investors around the world confidently make smarter investment decisions using our clear, actionable, and accurate signals—and as a result, they make more money.
If you are ready to join them, we are here to support you.
When you sign up, you’ll get immediate access to our premium research and signals—and if we’re not the right fit, you can cancel anytime without penalty.
Here Comes The Liquidity
Darius sat down with our friend Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business last week to discuss the probability of a soft landing, the outlook for global liquidity, China, and more.
If you missed the interview, here is the most important takeaway from the conversation that has significant implications for your portfolio:
We Believe A Soft Landing Is The Highest Probability Outcome Over The Next 12 Months
- While the stock market fundamentals might disappoint over the medium term, we believe the key driver of asset markets will be rapid liquidity growth.
- China is injecting an estimated $400 to $500 billion of liquidity over the next 6 to 12 months. Additionally, we expect around $700 billion in TGA spend-down during the first three to four months when the debt ceiling moratorium ends early next year. This anticipated surge in liquidity is not a force you want to bet against as an investor. If you are bearish, we suggest holding off on that view and revisiting it in Q2 of next year.
- Credit debt is currently an issue, especially for small businesses and low-income consumers. However, the U.S. economy is a very K-shaped, top-heavy economy. If financial conditions remain easy, we believe wealthy consumers will continue spending.
By now, you’ve likely realized that piecing together an investment strategy from finance podcasts, YouTube videos, and macro “gurus” on 𝕏 is not delivering the results you know you deserve.
This kind of approach only leads to confusion from conflicting advice, frustration from mediocre returns, and exhaustion from the emotional rollercoaster of your portfolio swings.
If you don’t change your process, how can you expect to get better results?
Over 2,000 investors around the world confidently make smarter investment decisions using our clear, actionable, and accurate signals—and as a result, they make more money.
If you are ready to join them, we are here to support you.
When you sign up, you’ll get immediate access to our premium research and signals—and if we’re not the right fit, you can cancel anytime without penalty.
Threading The Macro Needle
Darius recently joined our friends Nadine Terman and Ben Brey, where they discussed the Market Regime outlook, our “Resilient US Economy” theme, #inflation, and more.
If you missed the interview, here are the three most important takeaways from the conversation that have significant implications for your portfolio:
1. Is A Transition to A Risk-Off Market Regime Likely Over The Medium Term?
A transition to a risk-off Market Regime is typically caused by one or more of three factors:
- A sharp, unexpected, and prolonged deceleration in growth
- A sharp, unexpected, and prolonged acceleration in inflation
- A sharp and unexpected tightening of monetary and/or fiscal policy – usually both
In terms of our fundamental outlook, we do not believe any of these scenarios is highly probable in the medium term.
As a result, we believe the path of least resistance in risk assets is likely to remain higher until one or more of these factors comes to fruition.
2. What Is Upholding Our “Resilient US Economy” Theme?
We expect growth to remain resilient and surprise consensus expectations to the upside.
There are five pillars upholding that view:
- A historically strong household sector balance sheet
- The “West Village Montauk Effect”
- A historically strong corporate sector balance sheet
- Limited exposure to the policy rate
- Limited exposure to the manufacturing sector
Additionally, there is little evidence of capital misallocation or adverse selection in the current business cycle. Specifically, the U.S. private non-financial sector’s debt-to-GDP ratio has been declining during this business cycle, indicating that economic growth is outpacing credit expansion.
3. What Is The Outlook For Inflation Over The Medium Term?
Our models indicate inflation is likely to bottom in 2H24.
However, as we head into Q1 of 2025 and beyond, our models diverge from consensus estimates and suggest inflation is likely to reaccelerate from the cyclical low observed in 2H24.
We believe there are three major factors that are likely to cause inflation to reaccelerate:
- Easing base effects;
- Inflation is the most lagging indicator of the business cycle and we do not anticipate a recession over a medium-term time horizon; and
- Incrementally populist fiscal policy.
By now, you’ve likely realized that piecing together an investment strategy from finance podcasts, YouTube videos, and macro “gurus” on 𝕏 is not delivering the results you know you deserve.
This kind of approach only leads to confusion from conflicting advice, frustration from mediocre returns, and exhaustion from the emotional rollercoaster of your portfolio swings.
If you don’t change your process, how can you expect to get better results?
Over 2,000 investors around the world confidently make smarter investment decisions using our clear, actionable, and accurate signals—and as a result, they make more money.
If you are ready to join them, we are here to support you.
When you sign up, you’ll get immediate access to our premium research and signals—and if we’re not the right fit, you can cancel anytime without penalty.
Inflation & Recession: Darius Dale’s Macro Deep Dive
Darius recently joined our friend Andreas Steno-Larsen on Real Vision, where they discussed the economy, inflation, the labor market, and more.
If you missed the interview, here are the three most important takeaways from the conversation that have significant implications for your portfolio:
1. What Is The Overall Outlook On The Economy?
From a fundamental standpoint, we are at a crossroads in the economy, coming off a period of strong, uninterrupted, accelerating growth that began in the second half of 2022.
Although growth is slowing, we expect it to surprise consensus to the upside over the medium term.
On the inflation side, we have accurately called for the current deceleration, and we anticipate inflation will continue to meander lower over the next few months before bottoming out.
However, by the first half of next year, we project inflation is likely to accelerate again. There is no historical precedent for inflation sustainably breaking durably below trend without a recession, so our view diverges from consensus, which currently expects a durable return to 2%.
2. How Will Inflation Behave In The Fourth Turning Regime?
We believe the Fed is yielding to fiscal dominance in this Fourth Turning regime, which is consistent with what the Fed has historically done in such periods. One key dynamic investors should anticipate during a Fourth Turning is the explosive growth of public debts and deficits and how those contribute to above-trend inflation.
As a result, the Fed will likely use its balance sheet and monetary policy toolkit to create excess demand for Treasuries relative to actual market demand for those securities.
Because of this Fourth Turning-style monetary policy, we believe inflation is likely to bottom at a level higher than 2%. As investors, we will likely realize this as we move throughout 2025. However, we do not see any immediate market risks associated with this today.
3. Should Investors Be Worried About The Rising Unemployment Rate?
Our research shows the unemployment rate is rising primarily due to the growth of the labor force, not because more people are losing their jobs.
While we acknowledge that the labor market is softening, we do not see an elevated risk of a recession in the medium term, based on current leading indicators of the business cycle and how they are trending.
That’s a wrap!
By now, you’ve likely realized that piecing together an investment strategy from finance podcasts, YouTube videos, and macro “gurus” on 𝕏 is not delivering the results you know you deserve.
This kind of approach only leads to confusion from conflicting advice, frustration from mediocre returns, and exhaustion from the emotional rollercoaster of your portfolio swings.
If you don’t change your process, how can you expect to get better results?
Over 2,000 investors around the world confidently make smarter investment decisions using our clear, actionable, and accurate signals—and as a result, they make more money.
If you are ready to join them, we are here to support you.
When you sign up, you’ll get immediate access to our premium research and signals—and if we’re not the right fit, you can cancel anytime without penalty.
How Did Japan Break Bitcoin and Stocks?
Darius joined our friend Anthony Pompliano this week to discuss the JPY carry trade, the 42 Macro Weather Model, the 42 Macro GRID Model, and more.
If you missed the interview, here are the three most important takeaways from the conversation that have significant implications for your portfolio:
1. What Caused The JPY Carry Trade?
The unwind of the JPY carry trade is gaining attention because many global financial institutions have used the low-yield Japanese yen to fund their leveraged positions.
Japanese yields have been significantly lower than those of other major central banks, making it cost-effective to borrow in yen and convert to USD, Euros, or other currencies for investments.
We are starting to see the beginning of that unwind now.
2. What Does Our Macro Weather Model Indicate About The Outlook For Asset Markets?
The 42 Macro Weather Model, which provides a short to medium-term outlook across the five major asset classes, is currently signaling a neutral outlook for the stock market and Bitcoin, suggesting baseline returns and volatility over the next three months.
Various fundamental factors, including an uptrend in global liquidity, projected rate cuts, and a projected decline in the unemployment rate, support this outlook.
However, we remain optimistic about the overall performance of these asset classes, as we don’t anticipate significant economic risks in the US that would force the Fed to cut rates more aggressively, which could otherwise hasten the unwinding of the yen carry trade.
3. What Does The 42 Macro GRID Model Indicate About The Outlook For Global Economies?
Our 42 Macro GRID Model indicates that the US economy is likely to enter a DEFLATION Bottom-Up Macro Regime in the third quarter, with both growth and inflation slowing. Despite this, we are not worried about asset markets. Our GDP growth estimates are significantly higher than consensus, and our deep dive into business cycle analysis suggests there is a limited risk of a recession in the US economy over the medium term.
Moreover, we believe inflation will likely bottom out in Q4 before rising in 2025. That could pose a future market risk, but isn’t an immediate concern at this time.
Global economies are largely diverging from the US, with most of the world likely to remain in a GOLDILOCKS Bottom-Up Macro Regime throughout 2H24, and the growth accelerating + inflation deceleration dynamic is a typically supportive backdrop for asset markets.
That’s a wrap!
If you found this blog post helpful, explore our research for exclusive, hedge-fund-caliber investment insights you can act on today.
Risk Management Strategies: How To Avoid Losing It All
Darius joined our friend Andreas Steno Larsen on Real Vision last week to discuss inflation, what 42 Macro’s quantitative asset allocation process is signaling, where we are in the positioning and liquidity cycles, and more.
If you missed the interview, here are the three most important takeaways from the conversation that have significant implications for your portfolio:
1. We Believe Inflation Is Likely To Slow, But Bottom Above 2%
We have maintained for nearly two years that the Fed would need to revise its inflation target to be higher, as their policies since early 2022 suggest they will allow the economy to run hotter for longer.
Moreover, we believe inflation is likely to slow over the medium term. However, given the current era of fiscal dominance and other structural factors, we do not foresee a durable return to the Fed’s mandate of 2%.
We believe the Fed’s decision to perpetuate a higher nominal GDP growth economy is structurally bullish for risk assets like stocks, credit, commodities, and crypto, and bearish for defensive assets such as Treasury bonds and the US dollar. Investors will still have to manage cyclical risks along the way, however.
2. Our Discretionary Risk Management Overlay aka “Dr. Mo” Is Responsible For Keeping 42 Macro Clients On The Right Side Of Market Risk
We utilize our Discretionary Risk Management Overlay as the primary tool to advise our clients on the appropriate trades and position sizes across every major asset class, sector, and factor.
At the time of the recording, we were in a risk-on REFLATION Market Regime, and our Discretionary Risk Management Overlay aka “Dr. Mo” recommended maximum long positions in many risk assets across equity, credit, and macro markets — recommendations it has maintained since November.
The recommendation logic is based on the interplay between an asset’s Volatility-Adjusted Momentum Signal (VAMS) and its historical performance within the current Market Regime. These trade recommendations are updated six times a week for our clients at 42 Macro and only change if the Market Regime or VAMS for a particular asset changes.
3. Our Analysis On Liquidity Cycle Upturns Suggests Risk Assets May Have A Larger Drawdown Ahead
Investors should focus on both the liquidity and positioning cycles to better understand how exogenous shocks, like geopolitical events or crises, can influence asset market behavior.
We have analyzed the various liquidity cycles since Mar-09 to aid our clients in predicting expected asset market performance and potential drawdowns during these cycles. Currently, we are in a liquidity cycle upturn that began in October 2022, lasting for 19 months—shorter than the median duration of nearly two years typically seen in past cycles. Despite this shorter duration, the performance has been greater than the median 37% return of other cycles, with the S&P 500 up 40% since the current liquidity cycle upturn began.
However, a concern for us is that we have not reached the median maximum drawdowns observed in past liquidity cycle upturns. In this cycle, the maximum drawdowns have been -10% for the S&P, -11% for the NASDAQ, -27% for Bitcoin, and -34% for Ethereum. These figures are significantly milder compared to the median drawdowns of -14%, -16%, -61%, and -51% for these assets, respectively. This analysis leads us to caution that, despite the strong performance and the persistence of the liquidity cycle upturn, there remains a potential for significant corrections in asset markets.
That’s a wrap! If you found this blog post helpful, go to www.42macro.com/research to gain access to 42 Macro’s proprietary trading signals, asset allocation recommendations, and portfolio construction pivots.
How To Navigate The Fourth Turning
Darius hosted our friend Kris Sidial on this month’s Pro to Pro Live to discuss the 42 Macro Positioning Model, inflation, the Fourth Turning, and more.
If you missed the interview, here are the three most important takeaways from the conversation that have significant implications for your portfolio:
1. Our Positioning Model Suggests Vulnerability In Equities
Our 42 Macro Positioning Model monitors 14 indices relative to their historical time series. By identifying the thresholds of each indicator that correspond to major bull market peaks and troughs, we can determine whether we are approaching cyclical tops or bottoms in asset markets.
Currently, six of the seven indicators related to equities are flashing red. Specifically, the AAII stock allocation, AAII bond allocation, AAII cash allocation survey, S&P 500 realized volatility, S&P 500 implied volatility correlations, and the S&P 500’s valuation have all breached historical thresholds observed at bull market peaks.
The positioning cycle is not ever the cause of breakdowns and breakouts in stock market momentum, but it does act as an accelerant once a catalyst(s) has triggered. That means investors should be on higher alert than normal for signs of rapidly deteriorating fundamentals. A better process would be to trust proven risk management signals that will help you book gains closer to the top than waiting for or even attempting to [oft-erroneously] predict those catalysts.
2. Is 3% Inflation The New 2%?
At 42 Macro, we have conducted an in-depth analysis of the economic dynamics surrounding the Fourth Turning.
Our findings suggest that over the next decade, investors should anticipate significant upside surprises in the growth of public debt relative to current projections and a marked increase in inflation compared to the pre-Fourth Turning baseline.
This conclusion aligns with a report we published in January 2022 featuring our secular inflation model. Our analysis revealed that the Core PCE trend from 2010-2019 was 1.6%. However, our models project that the trend for 2020-2029 is likely to be between 2.6% and 3.0%.
3. A Higher Inflation Trend Will Have Important Implications For Investors’ Portfolios
The inflation outlook during the Fourth Turning has significant implications for the stock-bond correlation and investors’ portfolios.
In periods of 1-2% Headline CPI, as experienced over the past decade, the stock-bond correlation tends to be negative. Conversely, in periods of 2-3% Headline CPI, the correlation becomes positive, and increasingly positive beyond those levels.
If our Fourth Turning thesis holds true, a traditional 60/40 portfolio is likely to underperform more thoughtful asset allocation strategies over the next decade. Investors will need to consider alternative instruments, such as volatility products, to hedge their portfolios effectively. Investors should consider the 42 Macro KISS Portfolio Construction Process, which is already being relied upon to deliver superior investment performance for thousands of investors around the world.
That’s a wrap!
If you found this blog post helpful, explore our research for exclusive, hedge-fund-caliber investment insights you can act on today.