US Dollar

Is the US in a wage-price inflation spiral that could lead to more aggressive Fed rate hikes? Is it time to buy UK Gilts after a wild month of volatility? We answer "no" to both questions, as we discuss in this week’s report.

The kinked Phillips curve not only explains why inflation surged last year but makes a number of surprising predictions, chief of which is that inflation could fall significantly over the coming months without a major increase in the unemployment rate. In the near term, that is bullish for stocks.

Is the BoE’s emergency intervention in its bond market a British idiosyncrasy that global investors can ignore? No, the UK’s near death experience sends three salutary warnings, with implications for all investors.

Investors should go long US treasuries and stay overweight defensive versus cyclical sectors, large caps versus small caps, and aerospace/defense stocks. Regionally we favor the US, India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, while disfavoring China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, eastern Europe, and the Middle East.

This week’s <i>Global Investment Strategy</i> report titled Fourth Quarter 2022 Strategy Outlook: A Three-Act Play discusses the outlook for the global economy and financial markets for the rest of 2022 and beyond.

Executive Summary The USD has appreciated by over 25% since the beginning of 2021. This is a negative for US corporate sales and profits and is a drag on US equity performance. According to BCA FX strategists, the USD is likely to roll over as it appears overbought and overvalued. However, even if the USD has peaked, the effects of its appreciation will be imprinted in the earnings of US corporates for months. Our earnings model signals an earnings recession, with earnings expected to contract to the tune of 20% into the year-end. Technology and Materials are most exposed to the dollar, while Utilities, Financials, and Real Estate are the most domestic sectors. Growth is a more international style than Value, while midcaps offer the best protection from a stronger greenback. USES Model Breakdown Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Bottom Line: While a strong dollar is certainly a headwind for US earnings growth and for the performance of US equities, its adverse effects are minor compared to the effects of tighter monetary policy, slowing growth at home and abroad, rising costs, falling productivity, and fading pricing power. An earnings recession is inevitable. Dollar depreciation will be a welcome development, yet the dollar should be the least of investors’ worries. Feature The USD has appreciated by over 25% since the beginning of 2021 (Chart 1), a concerning development for US equity investors. The S&P 500 companies derive roughly 40% of sales from abroad and the strong dollar is a headwind: Not only does an appreciating domestic currency diminish foreign earnings through a currency translation effect, but it also makes US goods and services more expensive and less competitive in a global marketplace. Related Report  US Equity StrategyUS Dollar Bear Market: What To Buy & What To Sell Over the past few months, a number of US multinationals have complained about the adverse effect of the strong greenback on their sales and earnings. The list is both long and diverse and includes technology giants like Microsoft, Dell, and Netflix as well as the likes of Philip Morris, Johnson and Johnson, TJX, and Costco. Investors paid attention: Since the beginning of 2021, US companies with a high share of international sales underperformed their more domestically oriented counterparts by about 20% (Chart 2). However, partially this divergence in performance may be explained by the international index heavily overrepresenting Tech, which has headwinds of its own. Chart 1The USD Has Appreciated By Over 25% The USD Has Appreciated By Over 25% The USD Has Appreciated By Over 25% ​​​​​​ Chart 2US Multinationals Have Underperformed US Multinationals Have Underperformed US Multinationals Have Underperformed ​​​​​​ In this week’s report, we will analyze the effects of the stronger dollar on US corporate earnings, zooming in on its implications for the S&P 500 sectors and styles. Sneak Preview: A strong dollar is a definite negative for US corporate sales and profits and is a drag on US equity performance. However, when compared in magnitude to the effects of tighter monetary policy, slowing growth, and rising costs – the dollar should take a backseat to the other investor worries. USD: The Best House On The Worst Street The reasons for the rapid rise of the USD are manifold. The following are just a few: The Dollar smile: The USD outperforms when global growth is strong and investors are optimistic, as well as when growth slows and investors are fearful, benefiting from its status as a reserve currency. Over the past two years, both scenarios have played out. In 2021, investor flows pushed the dollar higher as the US was ahead of the rest of the world in terms of post-pandemic recovery. This year, the USD became a safe haven for jittery investors and became one of the rare assets delivering positive returns in the “sea of misery.” Chart 3Rate Differentials Favored The US Rate Differentials Favored The US Rate Differentials Favored The US The US looks good compared to other regions: Despite its own economic maladies, such as high inflation and slowing growth, the US has been in an advantageous position compared to the rest of the world. The US appears well insulated from global shudders compared to Europe, which is in the midst of a recession and an energy crisis, China roiling from the zero-COVID policy and property market fallout, and EM countries on the verge of food and energy shortages. Interest rate differentials: The Fed is being viewed as the most credible central bank to curb inflation. As a result, US rates have risen more than in other markets (Chart 3). The USD has been strengthening as the US has been enjoying relative stability and better growth compared to the other regions. The Fed is also ahead of the curve. Will The USD Appreciation Continue? BCA FX Strategist Chester Ntonifor does not expect the dollar to continue to appreciate for the following reasons: While the Fed is ahead of the curve, other central banks are also becoming more hawkish. As such, interest rate differentials will not materially move further in favor of the dollar. Inflation is a global problem as opposed to US-centric. Thanks to the Fed’s aggressive policy stance compared to the other central banks, the inflation impulse is slowing in the US, relative to a basket of G10 countries (Chart 4). In addition, the dollar is expensive, overbought, and is a crowded consensus trade (Chart 5). Chart 4The US Inflation Impulse Has Turned The US Inflation Impulse Has Turned The US Inflation Impulse Has Turned ​​​​​ Chart 5The Dollar Is Overvalued On A PPP Basis The Dollar Is Overvalued On A PPP Basis The Dollar Is Overvalued On A PPP Basis ​​​​​​ We concur. While we will not outright bet against the dollar, to our mind, risks are skewed to the downside. The dollar must be close to its peak, and we are neutral on a tactical basis. Effects Of USD Moves On S&P 500 Sales And Earnings Growth It Takes Time While US dollar appreciation may have come to an end, its toll will be imprinted on US earnings growth for a while. There is a lag between currency appreciation and its effects on company sales and earnings: It takes companies three to six months to change contracts, adjust prices and record revenue (Table 1). Stronger Dollar: Lower Sales And Lower Costs It is foreign sales that are most affected by the variation in the purchasing power of foreign currencies relative to the dollar (Chart 6). And while US multinationals hate the strengthening dollar, they also get a hand from it on the cost side of the equation, especially if they outsource a sizeable part of production abroad. Thus, the net effect on profits depends on the cost structure and the type of business. That explains why changes in the dollar are never one-to-one to changes in earnings growth. Table 1Sensitivity Of EPS YoY% To USD YoY% Over Time Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Modeling Effects Of A Stronger Dollar In the “Is An Earnings Recession In The Cards?” report published this past June, we introduced our EPS Growth Forecast Model (Table 2). The model has five intuitive factors: Chart 6The USD Primarily Affects Sales The USD Primarily Affects Sales The USD Primarily Affects Sales ​​​​​​ Table 2EPS Growth Forecast Model Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? ISM PMI is a gauge of US economic growth and a proxy for top-line growth. PPI stands for the change in costs. Pricing Power is a BCA proprietary indicator and captures companies’ ability to pass costs onto their customers. HY Spreads indicate costs of borrowing and also the state of the economy (spreads tend to shoot up in a slowing economy). USD represents the ability of US multinationals to sell goods abroad. These five factors explain 65% of the variation in earnings growth,1 and all factors are statistically significant. Earnings Recession Is Still In The Cards Back in June, we predicted an earnings recession later this year. After all, economic growth is slowing at home and abroad, and demand is rolling over while costs are rising, especially wages. Making things worse, productivity is falling, and Unit Labor Costs (ULC) hit nearly 10% in August. At the same time, consumers are reeling from rising prices, while companies are coming to realize that their ability to pass on costs to customers is pushing the limit. We have updated the model with three more months of data and expect earnings to start contracting in the third quarter, falling as much as 20% in the fourth quarter (Chart 7). None of this is surprising. S&P 500 margins have fallen by 2% in the second quarter, and earnings growth ex Energy came in at -2% on a nominal basis. Analysts expect six out of 11 S&P 500 sectors to deliver negative EPS Growth in Q3-2022. And while a 20% earnings drawdown sounds terrible, it is fairly mild compared to recent recessions – at the worst point in 2008, nominal earnings went to 0, printing a -100% contraction (Table 3). Chart 7The BCA Earnings Model Predicts A Earnings Recession Later This Year The BCA Earnings Model Predicts A Earnings Recession Later This Year The BCA Earnings Model Predicts A Earnings Recession Later This Year ​​​​​​ Table 3The S&P 500 Earnings Drawdowns Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Here, we would like to emphasize that financial econometrics is not an exact science, and earnings growth point estimates are rarely precise. However, it is abundantly clear that earnings growth will trend well past the zero mark. Costs And Pricing Power Are Key Drivers Of S&P 500 Earnings In 2022 Breaking down the negative earnings growth forecast into contributions from different factors (Chart 8), we observe that the outcome is mostly driven by the interplay between PPI and Pricing Power – costs are rising and companies’ ability to pass them on further defines their profitability. And while commodity prices have fallen, these changes will take a while to flow into earnings. In addition, tighter monetary policy and slowing growth are the new speed bumps (HY Spreads and ISM PMI). Chart 8Interplay Of PPI And Pricing Power Drives The Direction Of Earnings Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Chart 9The USD Contribution Is Negative… The USD Contribution Is Negative… The USD Contribution Is Negative… USD Is Less Important So what about the dollar? According to our model, 1% of dollar appreciation is shaving off roughly 50bps from earnings growth. However, we need to keep this number in context. While the dollar has appreciated more than 25% since the beginning of 2021, only the last three to six months matter on a rolling basis. And over the past three months, USD has appreciated by about 8%, which will detract 4% from earnings in Q4-2022 (Chart 9). The importance of the USD for earnings growth is fairly minor compared to the other factors, such as pricing power, PPI, HY spreads, and ISM PMI (Chart 10). Chart 10... But Is Minor Compared To The Other Factors Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Bottom Line: A strong dollar is a headwind for earnings growth. However, its effects are dwarfed by other factors. Sectors Most Affected By The Strong Currency And Weakening Global Growth Table 4The S&P 500: % Of Foreign Sales By Sector Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? While the overall negative effect of a strong dollar on the S&P 500 earnings is relatively minor, some sectors in the index are more exposed than others (Table 4). While the S&P 500 derives about 40% of sales from abroad, the Technology and Materials sectors have about 60% of foreign sales, and for the companies in these sectors, a strong currency is a serious concern. Utilities, Financials, and Real Estate are the most domestic in the index. It is important to note, that, at present, US multinationals are dealing not only with the effects of a stronger currency but also with global growth slowdown. Effects Of Strong Dollar On US Equity Performance While over the long term, a link between earnings growth and equities performance is irrefutable, in the short run, there may be significant variations. In this section, we will look at the relationship between equity returns and the USD. We will also isolate sectors and styles that are best positioned to withstand the current environment. And when the dollar swoons, we will also know which parts of the equity market are most likely to bounce back. USD Dollar Regimes To better understand the relationship between equity returns and the USD, we demarcate two distinct USD regimes, defined rather simplistically as “USD Rising” and “USD Falling” (Chart 11). Then we compile median monthly returns in each regime and keep track of how many months the S&P 500 was positive in each. Chart 11The USD Regimes Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Chart 12The USD Is A Headwind For The Performance Of Equities Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? We found that when the USD is appreciating, median monthly returns are only 0.5% and are positive only 37% of the time. However, when the dollar is depreciating, median monthly returns are 1.4% and are positive 63% of the time (Chart 12). This relationship is significant at a 10% confidence level. Sector Performance Under Different USD Regimes When the USD rises, more defensive sectors, such as Utilities, Healthcare, and Consumer Staples tend to outperform. Energy has made the list thanks to the recent rally – normally Energy does not benefit from dollar strength (Chart 13). Chart 13Materials And Comm Services Will Outperform If The USD Turns Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? The weakening dollar supports Materials as it stimulates demand, as well as the Communications sector, as it is home to multinational media and entertainment companies like Netflix, Facebook, and Google. Style Performance Under Different USD Regimes Growth Vs Value: Growth is more exposed to the USD than Value thanks to the index composition (Chart 14). Growth is home to Tech as well as Media & Entertainment, and “growthy” Consumer Discretionary, all of which have a higher share of earnings from abroad than the index. Value is dominated by Financials, Industrials, and Utilities, which are fairly domestic. Thus, while over time, exposure to the dollar fluctuates, over the long term, Growth is clearly more sensitive than Value (Chart 15). Chart 14Growth Is Dominated By Multinationals Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? Should US Equity Investors Worry About The Dollar? ​​​​​​ Chart 15Growth Is More Exposed To The USD Than Value Growth Is More Exposed To The USD Than Value Growth Is More Exposed To The USD Than Value ​​​​​​ Chart 16Mid Is A More Domestic Asset Class Than Small Mid Is A More Domestic Asset Class Than Small Mid Is A More Domestic Asset Class Than Small Small Vs Mid: According to a popular belief, small caps are insulated from currency moves as they don’t have reach and scale and earn very little outside of the US. However, small caps are often part of the ecosystem and supply chain of multinationals, and when the profitability of those is under pressure, they also start to feel the heat. Small caps have little leverage with their large clients and their profitability changes with the ebbs and flows of their larger brethren. Hence, they are quite sensitive to currency moves. Arguably, it is midcaps that are the most domestic asset class, as their exposure to the USD is less and more stable compared to the S&P 500 and small caps (Chart 16). Midcaps are usually not big enough to have much international reach but are big enough to have bargaining power with their multinational customers to guard their profitability. Investment Implications The S&P 500 derives roughly 40% of sales from abroad, which makes its earnings quite sensitive to dollar moves and global growth. The recent dollar bull market and slowing growth abroad have challenged US corporates and have detracted from their profit growth. However, slower growth, rising costs, and diminished pricing power by far dwarf the effects of the dollar. Overall, challenges at home and abroad are likely to trigger an earnings recession, which in all likelihood, has already started this summer, and is about to get worse. The dollar may be close to its peak, and our colleagues from the FX team expect dollar devaluation over the long term. A turn in the dollar will offer some respite for the performance of US equities despite the domestic backdrop of slowing growth and rising rates. It will also trigger a change in leadership, with sectors such as Materials and Communications rebounding from their lows. In terms of styles, a strong dollar lends support to Value, thanks to its sector composition. Once the dollar starts to depreciate, Growth will get another tailwind towards recovery. And lastly, midcap is one area in the US equity market somewhat more insulated from currency moves. Bottom Line While a strong dollar is certainly a headwind for US earnings growth and for the performance of US equities, its adverse effects are minor compared to the effects of tighter monetary policy, slowing growth at home and abroad, rising costs, falling productivity, and companies, diminished ability to pass on costs to customers—who are already strapped by rising prices. In short, dollar depreciation will be a welcome development, yet the dollar is the least of investors’ worries.   Irene Tunkel Chief Strategist, US Equity Strategy irene.tunkel@bcaresearch.com Footnotes 1      The model’s adjusted R-squared is 0.65. Recommended Allocation

Dear client, Next week’s report will be on European assets, authored by my colleague Mathieu Savary. We will send that to you Monday, September 26. In that report, Mathieu looks at the European energy market in depth, and concludes the eurozone will survive the winter, but with critical tests in the coming weeks. Mathieu suggests the euro could touch 0.965 in this process. I trust you will find the report insightful. Our regular publication will resume on October 7. Kind regards, Chester Ntonifor, Foreign Exchange Strategist Executive Summary Real Yields Still Favor The Dollar Real Yields Still Favor The Dollar Real Yields Still Favor The Dollar Every central bank is stepping up its hawkish rhetoric, but the Fed is still being perceived as having the moat to deliver the most aggressive rate hikes. As long as the market believes the US economy will maintain its superstar status, the dollar has upside. That said, financial conditions are tightening meaningfully in the US. Meanwhile, US inflation has peaked relative to other G10 countries, suggesting the market could price a less aggressive path for Fed interest rates, relative to other central banks. Narrowing interest rate differentials will diffuse US dollar momentum.  The big risk of leaning against dollar strength is a recession that spreads from Europe, the UK, and China and becomes global. The dollar tends to do well during recessions, even after a prolonged bout of strength.  Our core trades remain at the crosses: short EUR/JPY and long EUR/GBP. We are looking to buy NOK/SEK on further weakness and our limit buy on AUD was triggered. Bottom Line: Stay neutral the dollar for now but conditions for a short position continue to accrue. Feature We last published our Month-In-Review report on August 12th, suggesting inflation was still strong globally, and central banks will zone in on their mandate of cooling prices. Since then, bankers have been very busy. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) hiked rates by 50bps on August 17. At 3%, New Zealand now has one of the highest policy rates in the G10. The Norges Bank has hiked rates twice since, by 50bps. The policy rate now stands at 2.25%. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) hiked policy rates by 50bps on September 6. The Bank of England (BoE) hiked by 50 bps on September 16th, albeit, below market expectations. The Riksbank hiked rates by 100 bps on September 20. In a rare occurrence, Sweden now has higher rates than the eurozone. The European Central Bank (ECB), the Fed, and the Swiss National Bank (SNB) recently hiked rates by 75 bps. Finally, as a lone wolf, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) stayed pat, but has massively intervened to stabilize the drawdown in the yen. The message is clear, global central banks are on a path to cool inflation and regain credibility. In recent weeks, the Fed has been one of the most aggressive in hiking policy rates (Chart 1). As a result, the 10-year US Treasury yield has risen from 3% to 3.7% in the last month, among the most aggressive in the G10 (Chart 2). Other central banks are also catching up as inflation accelerates outside the US. Specifically, US price gains have peaked relative to their G10 counterparts (Chart 3). Faster rising yields and slowing inflation means that relative real yields continue to bid the dollar higher (Chart 4). Chart 1The Fed Is Very Hawkish Month In Review: Will Relative Rates Continue To Boost The Dollar? Month In Review: Will Relative Rates Continue To Boost The Dollar? Chart 2Interest Rates Rising Meaningfully In The US Month In Review: Will Relative Rates Continue To Boost The Dollar? Month In Review: Will Relative Rates Continue To Boost The Dollar? Chart 3Other Central Banks Need To Play Catch Up Other Central Banks Need To Play Catch Up Other Central Banks Need To Play Catch Up Chart 4Real Yields Still Favor The Dollar Real Yields Still Favor The Dollar Real Yields Still Favor The Dollar This backdrop is highly deflationary. Tightening policy while economic growth is slowing is a toxic cocktail. It explains why the dollar continues to command a bid, as markets believe most central banks cannot engineer a soft landing. The dollar does well in hard landings. In the next few sections, we cover the important data releases over the last month in our universe of G10 countries, and the implications for currency strategy. What is clear is that most foreign central banks are committed to their tightening campaign, which argues for a neutral stance towards the DXY for now, with a view to sell after/if global central banks engineer a recession. US Dollar: Stealth Strength Chart 5US Dollar: Stealth Strength US Dollar: Stealth Strength US Dollar: Stealth Strength The dollar DXY index is up 17.4% year to date. Over the last month, the DXY index is up 3.6% (panel 1). The market focus for the dollar will remain the jobs and employment report. Job gains remain robust. In August, the US added 315K jobs. While the unemployment rate rose to 3.7%, the participation rate also rose from 61.2% to 62.4% (panel 2). Wages continue to rise. Average hourly earnings came in at 5.2% year-on-year in August. The Atlanta Fed wage growth tracker continues to edge higher across all income cohorts (panel 3). Headline inflation decelerated to 8.3% in August, but the core measure did accelerate from 5.9% to 6.3% (panel 4). On September 21, the Fed increased interest rates by 75bps, as expected. Inflows into US assets remain strong. According to TIC data, the US saw $154 bn of inflows in July. Higher interest rates are taking a toll on the housing market. Building permits fell sharply in August, which makes the rebound in housing starts look fleeting. Financial conditions are tightening in the US. From a currency perspective, the dollar is overbought, and sentiment is very bullish (panel 5). That said, as a momentum currency, the dollar will continue to perform well if risk assets fall to the wayside. We remain neutral in the short term, though valuation keeps us bearish over a long-term horizon.  The Euro: Undershooting Parity Chart 6The Euro: Undershooting Parity The Euro: Undershooting Parity The Euro: Undershooting Parity The euro is down 14.2% year to date. Over the last month, the euro is down 2.5%. As we go to press, the euro has broken below 0.97. The main risk for the eurozone remains stagflation: The ZEW Expectations Survey was at -60.7 in September, a bearish development for the euro (panel 1). Consumer confidence deteriorated further in September, to -28.8 for the eurozone (the European Commission measure). The deterioration has been consistent among member countries (panel 2). Inflation remains sticky in the eurozone. Headline CPI accelerated to 9.1% in August. PPI in the euro area was at 37.9% in July, an acceleration from the June reading (panel 3). The trade balance continues to deteriorate, hitting - €40.3bn in July. The preliminary PMI read for September was at 48.5 from 49.6, suggesting the eurozone is already in recession (panel 4). The Sentix confidence index deteriorated in September to -31.8. This remains above the 2020 low but is rapidly catching up to the downside. Despite the above data prints, the ECB lifted interest rates by 75 bps on September 8th. The ECB continues to fight soaring inflation and will need to engineer a recession in the eurozone to achieve its mandate. This is a key risk for the euro. We continue to sell the EUR/JPY cross, while we remain constructive on EUR/GBP (panel 5). Our initial line in the sand was 0.98 for the euro, but as my colleague will argue next week, it could substantially undershoot this level. Stand aside for now.  The Japanese Yen: Currency Intervention Chart 7The Japanese Yen: Currency Intervention The Japanese Yen: Currency Intervention The Japanese Yen: Currency Intervention The Japanese yen is down 19.71% year-to-date. The yen hit an intra-day low of 145.8, forcing intervention by Japanese authorities. That has assuaged selling pressure. Meanwhile, economic data out of Japan has been on the mend. The Eco Watcher’s survey showed that sentiment improved in August. Current conditions rose from 43.8 to 45.5. The outlook component also rose from 42.8 to 49.4. The trade balance in Japan continues to deteriorate, due to soaring energy costs. That said, exports are holding up, rising 22% year-on-year in August (panel 2). Machine tool orders also ticked up. Labor market conditions remain robust. The job-to-applicant ratio rose to 1.29% in July. Inflation is picking up in Japan (panel 3). The nationwide CPI report for august showed an increase in the core-core measure from 1.2% to 1.6%. Headline CPI rose from 2.6% to 3%. The Bank of Japan continues to keep monetary policy on hold. However, the depreciating yen triggered intervention from Japanese authorities. We are short EUR/JPY, a trade that continues to pan out and a call option on a BoJ shift. While inflation expectations remain sticky in Japan, they could overshoot (panel 4). Our thesis is that short-term investors should stand aside on the yen, but longer-term buyers are in for a bargain. The yen is cheap, a favorite short, and the Japanese economy could surprise to the upside (panel 5).  British Pound: Towards Parity? Chart 8British Pound: Towards Parity? British Pound: Towards Parity? British Pound: Towards Parity? The pound is down 19.59% year to date. The depreciation in the pound has picked up pace, with cable now trading near 1.1 (panel 1). The next level of support is the 1985 low of 1.08. Economic data in the UK continues to disappoint. CPI came in at 9.9% in August. The RPI came in at 12.3%. PPI was at 24%. According to BoE forecasts, we will hit double digits in CPI prints soon (panel 2). Nationwide house price inflation remained strong in August, rising 10% year-on-year (panel 3). Retail sales excluding auto and fuel fell 5.4% year-on-year in August (panel 4). Trade data remains weak. The current account is close to a record low (panel 5). The external balance remains negative for the pound. With the new fiscal package of tax cuts, gilt yields are hitting new highs and the cable is selling off. This is because more demand will depress real rates in the UK, if not accompanied by productivity gains. We are maintaining our long EUR/GBP trade. On cable, downside remains but we will be buyers at 1.05.      Australian Dollar: A Contrarian Trade Chart 9Australian Dollar: A Contrarian Trade Australian Dollar: A Contrarian Trade Australian Dollar: A Contrarian Trade The AUD is down 10.14% year-to-date (panel 1). Over the last month, the AUD is down 5.68%. The RBA hiked interest rates by 50bps in August, lifting the official cash rate to 2.35%. We believe further rate increases remain likely. Inflation is accelerating in Australia, as the labor market tightens (panel 2). 59K jobs were added in August. The participation rate also ticked up from 66.4% to 66.6%. While the unemployment rate rose (panel 3), labor market conditions remain the strongest in decades (panel 4). Monetary policy continues to have the desired effect, as home loan issuance declined 7% in July. The manufacturing sector remains strong, with the August manufacturing PMI coming in at 53.8. The external environment continues to weigh on the AUD. In July, the trade balance came in lower than expected at -A$8.7bn vs a forecast of A$14.5bn (panel 5). This was largely driven by commodity prices rolling over and slowing Chinese demand. The headwinds are likely to persist in the near term. That said, our limit buy on AUD/USD was triggered at 0.665. In our view, the AUD already embeds a lot of bad news.          New Zealand Dollar: Stay Short At The Crosses Chart 10New Zealand Dollar: Stay Short At The Crosses New Zealand Dollar: Stay Short At The Crosses New Zealand Dollar: Stay Short At The Crosses The NZD is down 15% year-to-date (panel 1). Over the last month, the NZD is down 6.8%. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand raised its official cash rate (OCR) in August by 50 bps to 3.0%. The RBNZ cited high core inflation (panel 2) and scarce labor resources as the primary reasons and guided towards tighter monetary policy.  Monetary policy continues to be having the desired effect across interest rate sensitive areas of the economy. Home sales continued to slow in August, with REINZ home sales down 18.3% year-over-year. Home price growth is also cratering nationwide (panel 3). There is some evidence of a soft landing in New Zealand. ANZ consumer confidence rose to -85.4 from -81.9. Business confidence also bounced to -47.8 (panel 4).  The Business NZ PMI expanded to 54.9 in August. The external sector however continues to suffer from headwinds. Dairy prices, circa 20% of exports, remained flat in August after falling sharply at the start of the month. New Zealand’s 12-month trailing trade balance remains in deficit. As the NZD is heavily dependent on international trade, headwinds from a slowing Chinese economy will continue to weigh on the currency. We are bearish NZD at the crosses, though it will hold up if the dollar rolls over.    Canadian Dollar: A Hawkish BoC Chart 11Canadian Dollar: A Hawkish BoC Canadian Dollar: A Hawkish BoC Canadian Dollar: A Hawkish BoC The CAD is down 7.5% year to date. Over the last month, it is down 4%. The tightening campaign by the BoC is having the desired effect on economic data. Beginning with the labor market, the unemployment rate ticked up in August to 5.4% (panel 2), the highest level since February of this year. August also marks the third consecutive month of job losses, albeit with a higher labor force participation rate at 64.8%. While inflation in Canada appears to have peaked, it remains sticky. Headline CPI fell to 7% from 7.6%. Core inflation has also declined to 5.8% (panel 3). The housing market continues to slow. Building permits and housing starts are rolling over (panel 4). Notably, building permits declined 6.6% month-over-month against a forecast decline of 0.5%. Housing starts in August fell to 267.4K from 275.2K in July. The incoming prints are a “carte blanch” for the BoC to continue its tightening campaign. In August, it increased its policy rate to 3.25% (panel 5). More hikes are likely forthcoming. The OIS curve shows a peak in the overnight rate at 4% in February next year (panel 5). Ultimately, the CAD benefits from the terms of trade boom (panel 1) and an eventual decline in the US dollar. But as long as the USD remains strong, CAD faces downside.   Swiss Franc: A Haven Chart 12Swiss Franc: A Haven Swiss Franc: A Haven Swiss Franc: A Haven The Swiss Franc is down 7% year-to-date. EUR/CHF broke below 0.95, and the risk is that this level is tested again in the coming days (panel 1). We penned a report earlier this year arguing that Switzerland was an oasis of optimism: Inflation is accelerating, but still sits at 3.5% for August (panel 2). The decline in import prices is encouraging following franc strength (panel 3). Sight deposits are rolling over suggesting the SNB is not intervening to weaken the franc (panel 4). We are buyers of CHF at the crosses.                        Norwegian Krone: Buy On Weakness Chart 13Norwegian Krone: Buy On Weakness Norwegian Krone: Buy On Weakness Norwegian Krone: Buy On Weakness The NOK is down 19.7% year-to-date and 8% over the last month (panel 1). Inflation remains high in Norway. In August, CPI grew 6.5% year-on-year (panel 2). PPI including oil rose 77.3%. The housing market will bear the brunt of rate hikes. Household indebtedness (panel 3), makes the task of policy calibration challenging. Consumer confidence fell to a new low in the third quarter. The good news is that economic activity is robust on the back of Norway’s energy advantage. The current account remains in surplus (panel 5). If global risk sentiment picks up, the krone will be a jewel in the G10. If the risk appetite remains muted, NOK will face strong headwinds.                    Swedish Krona: A Beta Play On The Euro Chart 14Swedish Krona: A Beta Play On The Euro Swedish Krona: A Beta Play On The Euro Swedish Krona: A Beta Play On The Euro SEK is down 23.9% year-to-date. Over the last month, the krona is down 5.6% (panel 1). The Riksbank surprised markets by raising rates by 1% on September 20th (panel 5). Critically, rising inflation was the catalyst. Headline inflation accelerated from 8.5% to 9.8% in August. This is well above target (panel 3). The economic tendency survey rolled over from 101.3 to 97.5. A strong PMI has been a beacon of hope in Sweden but the headline figure dipped from 53.1 to 50.6 in August. The housing market continues to soften (panel 2). The Riksbank’s latest estimate sees a 16% decline in prices this year.  Much like the NOK, the Swedish krona will gyrate along the path of the broad trade-weighted USD. Fundamentally, the krona remains more vulnerable to external shocks due to higher energy dependency and a strong dollar. But it is also incredibly cheap. We are looking for opportunities to be long SEK at the crosses.      Chester Ntonifor Foreign Exchange Strategist chestern@bcaresearch.com Trades & Forecasts Strategic View Cyclical Holdings (6-18 months) Tactical Holdings (0-6 months) Limit Orders Forecast Summary

Listen to a short summary of this report     Executive Summary GIS Projection For The EUR/USD It’s Time To Buy The Euro It’s Time To Buy The Euro We went long the euro early last week, as EUR/USD hit our buy limit price of $0.99. Despite a near cut-off of Russian gas imports, European gas inventories have reached 84% of capacity – above the 80% target that the EU set for November 1st. The latest meteorological forecasts suggest that Europe will experience a warmer-than-normal winter. This will cut heating usage, likely making gas rationing unnecessary. Currencies fare best in loose fiscal/tight monetary environments. This is what Europe faces over the coming months, as governments boost income support for households and businesses, while ramping up spending on energy infrastructure and defense. For its part, the ECB has started hiking rates. Since mid-August, interest rate differentials have moved in favor of the euro at both the short and long end. Rising inflation expectations make it less likely that the ECB will be able to back off from its tightening campaign as it did in past cycles. A hawkish Fed is the biggest risk to our bullish EUR/USD view. We expect US inflation to trend lower over the coming months, before reaccelerating in the second half of 2023. However, as the August CPI report highlights, the danger is that any dip in inflation proves to be shallower and shorter-lived than previously anticipated. Bottom Line: Although significant uncertainty remains, the risk-reward trade-off favors being long EUR/USD. Our end-2022 target is $1.06.   Dear Client, I will be meeting clients in Asia next week while also working on our Fourth Quarter Strategy Outlook, which will be published at the end of the month. In lieu of our regular report next Friday, you will receive a Special Report from my colleague, Ritika Mankar, discussing the sources of US equity outperformance over the past 14 years and the likely path ahead. Best Regards, Peter Berezin, Chief Global Strategist It’s Just a Clown Chart 1Investors Are Bullish The Dollar, Not The Euro Investors Are Bullish The Dollar, Not The Euro Investors Are Bullish The Dollar, Not The Euro The scariest part of a horror movie is usually the one before the monster is revealed. No matter how good the special effects, the human brain can always conjure up something more frightening than anything Hollywood can dream up. Investors have been conjuring up all sorts of cataclysmic scenarios for the upcoming European winter. In financial markets, the impact has been most visible in the value of the euro, which has tumbled to parity against the US dollar. Only 23% of investors are bullish the euro at present, down from a peak of 78% in January 2021 (Chart 1). Conversely, 75% of investors are bullish the US dollar. More than half of fund managers cited “long US dollar” as the most crowded trade in the latest BofA Global Fund Manager Survey (“long commodities” was a distant second at 10%). As we discuss below, the outlook for the euro may be a lot better than most investors realize. While my colleagues, Chester Ntonifor, BCA’s chief FX strategist, and Mathieu Savary, BCA’s chief European strategist, are not quite ready to buy the euro just yet, we all agree that EUR/USD will rise over the long haul. Cutting Putin Loose Natural gas accounts for about a quarter of Europe’s energy supply. Prior to the Ukraine war, about 40% of that gas came from Russia (Chart 2). With the closure of the NordStream 1 pipeline, that number has fallen to 9% (some Russian gas continues to enter Europe via Ukraine and the TurkStream supply route). Yet, despite the deep drop in Russian natural gas imports, European natural gas inventories are up to 84% of capacity – roughly in line with past years and above the EU’s November 1st target of 80% (Chart 3). Chart 2Despite A Sharp Drop In Imports Of Russian Natural Gas… It’s Time To Buy The Euro It’s Time To Buy The Euro Chart 3...Europeans Managed To Stock Up On Natural Gas For The Winter Season ...Europeans Managed To Stock Up On Natural Gas For The Winter Season ...Europeans Managed To Stock Up On Natural Gas For The Winter Season   Europe has been able to achieve this feat by aggressively buying natural gas on the open market. While this has caused gas prices to soar, it sets the stage for a retreat in prices in the months ahead. European spot natural gas prices have already fallen from over €300/Mwh in late August to €214/Mwh, and the futures market is discounting a further decline in prices over the next two years (Chart 4). Chart 4The Futures Market Is Discounting A Further Decline In Natural Gas Prices It’s Time To Buy The Euro It’s Time To Buy The Euro Chart 5Futures Prices Of Energy Commodities Provide Some Limited Information On Where Spot Prices Are Heading It’s Time To Buy The Euro It’s Time To Buy The Euro Follow the Futures? Futures prices are not a foolproof guide to where spot prices are heading. As Chart 5 illustrates, the correlation between the slope of the futures curve and subsequent changes in spot prices in energy markets is quite low. Nevertheless, future spot returns do tend to be negative when the curve is backwardated, as it is now, especially when assessed over horizons of around 12-to-18 months (Table 1).   Table 1Energy Commodity Spot Price Returns Tend To Be Negative When The Futures Curve Is Backwardated It’s Time To Buy The Euro It’s Time To Buy The Euro Our guess is that European natural gas prices will indeed fall further from current levels. The latest meteorological forecasts suggest that Europe will experience a milder-than-normal winter (Chart 6). This is critical considering that natural gas accounts for over 40% of EU residential heating use once electricity and heat generated in gas-fired plants are included (Chart 7). Chart 6Meteorological Models Suggest Above-Normal Temperatures In Europe This Winter It’s Time To Buy The Euro It’s Time To Buy The Euro   Chart 7Natural Gas Is An Important Source Of Energy For Heating Homes In The EU It’s Time To Buy The Euro It’s Time To Buy The Euro A warm winter would bolster the euro area’s trade balance, which has fallen into deficit this year as the energy import bill has soared (Chart 8). An improving balance of payments would help the euro. Europe is moving quickly to secure new sources of energy supply. In less than one year, Europe has become America’s biggest overseas market for LNG (Chart 9). A new gas pipeline linking Spain with the rest of Europe should be operational by next spring. Chart 8Soaring Energy Costs Have Pushed The Euro Area Trade Balance Into Deficit Soaring Energy Costs Have Pushed The Euro Area Trade Balance Into Deficit Soaring Energy Costs Have Pushed The Euro Area Trade Balance Into Deficit Chart 9Europe Is America's Largest LNG Customer It’s Time To Buy The Euro It’s Time To Buy The Euro In the meantime, Germany is building two “floating” LNG terminals. It has also postponed plans to mothball its nuclear power plants and has restarted its coal-fired power plants, a decision that even the German Green Party has supported. France is aiming to boost nuclear capacity, which had fallen below 50% earlier this summer. Électricité de France has pledged to nearly double daily production by December. For its part, the Dutch government has indicated it will raise output from the massive Groningen natural gas field if the energy crisis intensifies. Fiscal Policy to the Rescue On the policy front, European governments are taking steps to buttress household balance sheets during the energy crisis, with nearly €400 billion in support measures announced so far (and surely more to come). Although these support measures will be offset with roughly €140 billion of windfall profit taxes on the energy sector, the net effect will be to raise budget deficits across the region. However, following the old adage that one should “finance temporary shocks but adjust to permanent ones,” a temporary spike in fiscal support may be just what the doctor ordered. The last thing Europe needs is a situation where energy prices fall next year, but the region remains mired in recession as households seek to rebuild their savings. Such an outcome would depress tax revenues, likely leading to higher government debt-to-GDP ratios. Get Ready For a V-Shaped Recovery Stronger growth in the rest of the world should give the euro area a helping hand. That would be good news for the euro, given its cyclical characteristics (Chart 10). The European economy is especially leveraged to Chinese growth. It is likely that the authorities will loosen the zero-Covid policy once the Twentieth Party Congress concludes next month, and new anti-viral drugs and possibly an Omicron-specific booster shot become widely available later this year. That should help jumpstart China’s economy. More stimulus will also help. Chart 11 shows that EUR/USD is highly correlated with the Chinese credit/fiscal impulse. Chart 10The Euro Is A Cyclical Currency The Euro Is A Cyclical Currency The Euro Is A Cyclical Currency Chart 11EUR/USD Is Highly Correlated With The Chinese Credit & Fiscal Impulse EUR/USD Is Highly Correlated With The Chinese Credit & Fiscal Impulse EUR/USD Is Highly Correlated With The Chinese Credit & Fiscal Impulse   All this suggests that the prevailing view on European growth is too pessimistic. Even if Europe does succumb to a technical recession in the months ahead, it is likely to experience a V-shaped recovery. That will provide a nice tailwind for the euro. Loose Fiscal/Tight Monetary Policies: The Winning Combo for Currencies Chart 12Fiscal Policy Has Eased Structurally In The Euro Area More Than In Other Advanced Economies It’s Time To Buy The Euro It’s Time To Buy The Euro A tight monetary and loose fiscal policy has historically been the most bullish combination for currencies. Recall that the US dollar soared in the early 1980s on the back of Paul Volcker’s restrictive monetary policy and Ronald Reagan’s expansionary fiscal policy, the latter consisting of huge tax cuts and increased military spending. While not nearly on the same scale, the euro area’s current configuration of loose fiscal/tight monetary policies bears some resemblance to the US in the early 1980s. Even before the war in Ukraine began, the IMF was forecasting a much bigger swing towards expansionary fiscal policy in the euro area than in the rest of the world (Chart 12). The war has only intensified this trend, triggering a flurry of spending on energy and defense – spending that is likely to persist for most of this decade.   The ECB’s Reaction Function After biding its time, the ECB has joined the growing list of central banks that are hiking rates. On September 8th, the ECB jacked up the deposit rate by 75 bps. Investors expect a further 185 bps in hikes through to September 2023. While US rate expectations have widened relative to euro area expectations since the August US CPI report (more on that later), the gap is still narrower than it was on August 15th. Back then, investors expected euro area 3-month rates to be 233 bps below comparable US rates in June 2023. Today, they expect the gap to be only 177 bps (Chart 13). Real long-term bond spreads, which conceptually at least should be the more important driver of currency movements, have also moved in the euro’s favor. In the past, ECB rate hikes were swiftly followed by cuts as the region was unable to tolerate even moderately higher rates. While this very well could happen again, the odds are lower than they once were, at least over the next 12 months. Chart 13Interest Rate Differentials Have Moved In Favor Of The Euro Since Mid-August Interest Rate Differentials Have Moved In Favor Of The Euro Since Mid-August Interest Rate Differentials Have Moved In Favor Of The Euro Since Mid-August Chart 14Euro Area: Inflation Expectations Have Risen Briskly Euro Area: Inflation Expectations Have Risen Briskly Euro Area: Inflation Expectations Have Risen Briskly For one thing, median inflation expectations three years ahead in the ECB’s monthly survey have risen briskly (Chart 14). The Bundesbank’s own survey paints an even more alarming picture, with median expected inflation over the next five years having risen to 5% from 3% in mid-2021 (Chart 15). Expected German inflation over the next ten years stands at a still-elevated 4%. Whether this reflects Germans’ heightened historical sensitivity to inflation risks is unclear, but it is something the ECB cannot ignore. Structurally looser fiscal policy has raised the neutral rate of interest in the euro area, giving the ECB more leeway to lift rates. A narrowing in competitiveness gaps across the currency bloc has also mitigated the need for the ECB to set rates based on the needs of the weakest economies in the region. Chart 16 shows that collectively, unit labor costs among the countries most afflicted by the sovereign debt crisis a decade ago have completely converged with Germany. Chart 15German Inflation Expectations Are Elevated German Inflation Expectations Are Elevated German Inflation Expectations Are Elevated Chart 16Europe's Periphery Has Closed The Competitiveness Gap With Germany Europe's Periphery Has Closed The Competitiveness Gap With Germany Europe's Periphery Has Closed The Competitiveness Gap With Germany While Italy is still a laggard in the competitiveness rankings, the ECB’s new Transmission Protection Instrument (TPI) – which allows the central bank to buy sovereign debt with less stringent conditionality than under the Outright Monetary Transactions (OMT) program – should keep a lid on sovereign spreads. This, in turn, will allow the ECB to raise rates more than it otherwise could. Hawkish Fed is the Biggest Risk to Our Bullish EUR/USD View Chart 17Supplier Delivery Times Have Fallen Sharply Supplier Delivery Times Have Fallen Sharply Supplier Delivery Times Have Fallen Sharply Tuesday’s hotter-than-expected August US CPI report pulled the rug from under the euro’s incipient rally, pushing EUR/USD back to parity. We have been flagging the risks of high inflation for several years (see, for example, our February 19, 2021 report, 1970s-Style Inflation: Yes, It Could Happen Again). Our thesis is that inflation will follow a “two steps up, one step down” pattern. We are probably near the top of those two steps now, with the next leg for inflation likely to be to the downside, driven by ebbing pandemic-related supply side-dislocations. Perhaps most notably, supplier delivery times have fallen sharply in recent months (Chart 17). These pandemic-related dislocations extend to the housing rental market. Rent inflation dropped after rent moratoriums were put in place, only to rebound forcefully once the moratoriums were lifted and the labor market tightened. Although official measures of rent inflation will remain elevated for some time, owing to lags in how they are constructed, timelier data on new rental units coming to market already point to a sharp decline in rent inflation (Chart 18). This is something that the Fed is sure to notice. Ironically, falling inflation could sow the seeds of its own demise. Nominal wage growth is currently very elevated, yet because of high inflation, real wages are still shrinking. As inflation comes down, real wage growth will turn positive. This will lift consumer sentiment, helping to buoy consumption (Chart 19). A pickup in consumer spending will cause the economy to overheat again, leading to a second wave of inflation in the back half of 2023. Chart 18Timelier Measures Of Rent Inflation Have Rolled Over Timelier Measures Of Rent Inflation Have Rolled Over Timelier Measures Of Rent Inflation Have Rolled Over Chart 19Falling Inflation Will Boost Real Wages And Consumer Confidence Falling Inflation Will Boost Real Wages And Consumer Confidence Falling Inflation Will Boost Real Wages And Consumer Confidence As we discussed in our August 18th Special Report Dispatches From The Future: From Goldilocks To President DeSantis, the Fed will respond to this second inflationary wave by hiking the Fed funds rate to 5%. This will temporarily push up the value of the dollar, a process that will only stop once the US falls into recession in 2024 and the Fed is forced to cut rates again. Our projected rollercoaster ride for EUR/USD is depicted in Chart 20. We see the euro rising to $1.06 by year-end, peaking at $1.11 in the spring of 2023, falling back to $1.05 by late 2023, and then beginning a prolonged rally in 2024. Chart 20GIS Projection For The EUR/USD It’s Time To Buy The Euro It’s Time To Buy The Euro Chart 21The Dollar Is Very Overvalued Against The Euro Based On PPP The Dollar Is Very Overvalued Against The Euro Based On PPP The Dollar Is Very Overvalued Against The Euro Based On PPP Chart 21 shows that the dollar is 30% overvalued against the euro based on its Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) exchange rate. Thus, there is significant long-term upside to EUR/USD.   Implications for Other Currencies and Regional Equity Allocation Chart 22Stock Markets Outside The US Tend To Fare Best When The Dollar Is Weakening Stock Markets Outside The US Tend To Fare Best When The Dollar Is Weakening Stock Markets Outside The US Tend To Fare Best When The Dollar Is Weakening The strengthening in the euro that we envision over the next six months or so will be part of a broad-based dollar decline. While BCA’s Foreign Exchange Strategy service sees more upside for the euro than the pound, GBP/USD will likely follow the same trajectory as EUR/USD. The yen is one of the cheapest currencies in the world and should finally gain some traction. If China abandons its zero-Covid policy and increases fiscal support for its economy, the RMB and other EM currencies should strengthen. Stock markets outside the US tend to fare best when the dollar is weakening. This includes Europe. As Chart 22 illustrates, there is a close correlation between EUR/USD and the relative performance of European versus US stocks. Thus, an above-benchmark exposure to international markets is appropriate during the coming months. Peter Berezin Chief Global Strategist peterb@bcaresearch.com Follow me on           LinkedIn & Twitter Global Investment Strategy View Matrix It’s Time To Buy The Euro It’s Time To Buy The Euro Special Trade Recommendations Current MacroQuant Model Scores It’s Time To Buy The Euro It’s Time To Buy The Euro      

In lieu of next week’s report, I will host the monthly Counterpoint Webcast on Thursday, September 22 (9:00 AM EDT, 2:00 PM BST). In this Webcast, I will discuss the near-term and longer-term prospects for all the major asset classes: stocks, bonds, sectors, commodities, currencies, and real estate. Please mark the date in your calendar, and I do hope you can join. Executive Summary Analysing the economy as the ‘non-linear system’ that it is leads to profound conclusions about how the economy and inflation are likely to unfold, and reveals that some outcomes are impossible to achieve. It is impossible to lift the unemployment rate by ‘just’ 1-2 percent. Therefore, it is impossible to depress wage inflation by ‘just’ 1 percent. The non-linear choice is to not depress wage inflation at all, or to make wage inflation slump. Presented with this non-linear choice, central banks will likely choose to make wage inflation slump, which will take core inflation well south of the 2 percent target within the next couple of years. The structural low in bond yields, the structural low in commodity prices, the structural high in stock market valuations, and the structural high in the US dollar are yet to come. It Is Impossible To Lift The Unemployment Rate By ‘Just’ 1-2 Percent It Is Impossible To Lift The Unemployment Rate By 'Just' 1-2 Percent It Is Impossible To Lift The Unemployment Rate By 'Just' 1-2 Percent Bottom Line: Inflation will slump to well below 2 percent within the next couple of years. Feature Our non-linear world often surprises our linear minds. If we discover that a small cause produces a small effect, we think that double the cause produces double the effect, and that triple the cause produces triple the effect. But in our non-linear world, double the cause could produce no effect, or half the effect, or ten times the effect. Just as important, in a non-linear world, some outcomes turn out to be impossible. In a non-linear system, some outcomes are impossible to achieve. As I will now discuss, analysing the economy as the non-linear system that it is leads to profound conclusions about how the economy and inflation are likely to unfold, and reveals that some outcomes are impossible to achieve. In A Non-Linear System, Some Outcomes Are Impossible A good physical example of a non-linear system that we can apply to inflation is to attach an elastic band to the front of a brick. And then to try pulling the brick across a table at a constant speed, say 2 mph. It’s impossible! First, nothing happens. The brick is held in place by friction. Then, at a tipping point of pulling, it starts to accelerate. Simultaneously, the friction decreases, self-reinforcing the acceleration to well above 2 mph. Meanwhile, your response – to stop pulling – happens with a lag. The result is that, the brick refuses to budge, and then it hits you in the face. Try as you might, it is impossible to pull the brick at a constant 2 mph (Figure 1 and Figure 2). Figure 1The Forces On A Brick Pulled By An Elastic Band Inflation’s ‘Non-Linearity’ Makes It Uncontrollable Inflation’s ‘Non-Linearity’ Makes It Uncontrollable Figure 2The Net Forces On A Brick Pulled By An Elastic Band Inflation’s ‘Non-Linearity’ Makes It Uncontrollable Inflation’s ‘Non-Linearity’ Makes It Uncontrollable In mathematical terms, the reduction in friction as the brick starts to move is known as ‘self-reinforcing feedback’. The lag in applying the brakes is called ‘delayed corrective feedback’. Their combined effect is to make it impossible to pull the brick at a constant 2 mph.  Now, to model inflation, attach an elastic band to both the front and the back of the brick, and find a friend. Your task, ‘policy loosening’, is to accelerate the stationary brick to a steady 2 mph. The analogy being to run inflation at 2 percent. On the opposite side, your friend’s task, call it ‘policy tightening’, is what central banks are desperate to do now – to rein back an out-of-control brick heading towards your face at 10 mph. But without slowing it to a standstill, or worse, reversing direction. The analogy being to avoid outright deflation. You will discover that you can move the brick sharply forwards (and sharply backwards), but you cannot move it forwards at a steady 2 mph!  The brick-on-an-elastic-band analogy explains why it is impossible for policymakers to run inflation at a constant 2 percent. Inflation either careers out of control, as now, or stays stuck below 2 percent, as it did through the 2010s. Inflation cannot run ‘close to 2 percent’. It Is Impossible To Lift The Unemployment Rate By ‘Just’ 1-2 Percent Central to the non-linearity of inflation is the non-linearity of the jobs market, in which some outcomes are impossible. Specifically, it has proved impossible to lift the unemployment rate by ‘just’ 1-2 percent. It has proved impossible to lift the unemployment rate by ‘just’ 1-2 percent. Through the past 75 years, whenever the US unemployment rate has increased by 0.6 percent, it has then gone on to increase by at least 2.1 percent from the trough. In no case has the unemployment rate risen by ‘just’ 0.6-2.1 percent. In other words, the unemployment rate nudges up by 0.5 percent or less, or it surges by 2.1 percent or more. There is no middle ground. Indeed, through more recent history the surge has been 2.5 percent or more (Chart I-1 and Chart I-2). Chart I-1It Is Impossible To Lift The Unemployment Rate By 'Just' 1-2 Percent It Is Impossible To Lift The Unemployment Rate By 'Just' 1-2 Percent It Is Impossible To Lift The Unemployment Rate By 'Just' 1-2 Percent Chart I-2It Is Impossible To Lift The Unemployment Rate By 'Just' 1-2 Percent It Is Impossible To Lift The Unemployment Rate By 'Just' 1-2 Percent It Is Impossible To Lift The Unemployment Rate By 'Just' 1-2 Percent As with the brick-on-an-elastic-band, we can explain this non-linearity through the concepts of self-reinforcing feedback combined with delayed negative feedback. At a tipping point of rising unemployment, consumers pull in their horns and slow their spending, while banks slow their lending. This constitutes the self-reinforcing feedback which accelerates the downturn. Meanwhile, as it takes time for this downturn to appear in the data, policymakers respond with a lag, and when their response eventually comes, it also acts with a lag. This constitutes the delayed negative feedback, by which time the unemployment rate has surged, with every 1 percent rise in the unemployment rate depressing wage inflation by 0.5 percent (Chart I-3 and Chart I-4). Chart I-32001-02: Every 1 Percent Rise In The Unemployment Rate Depressed Wage Inflation By 0.5 Percent 2001-02: Every 1 Percent Rise In The Unemployment Rate Depressed Wage Inflation By 0.5 Percent 2001-02: Every 1 Percent Rise In The Unemployment Rate Depressed Wage Inflation By 0.5 Percent Chart I-42008-09: Every 1 Percent Rise In The Unemployment Rate Depressed Wage Inflation By 0.5 Percent 2008-09: Every 1 Percent Rise In The Unemployment Rate Depressed Wage Inflation By 0.5 Percent 2008-09: Every 1 Percent Rise In The Unemployment Rate Depressed Wage Inflation By 0.5 Percent All of which brings me to a crucial point: The non-linearity in the jobs market implies a non-linearity in inflation control. Given that it is impossible to lift the unemployment rate by ‘just’ 2 percent, it is also impossible to depress wage inflation by ‘just’ 1 percent. The choice is to not depress wage inflation at all, or to make wage inflation slump. This presents a major dilemma for policymakers in their current battle against inflation. If they choose to not depress wage inflation at all, core inflation will remain north of 3 percent and destroy central banks’ already tattered credibility to achieve and maintain price stability (Chart I-5). In the medium term, this would un-anchor long-term inflation expectations, push up bond yields, and further destabilise the financial and housing markets. Chart I-5Wage Inflation Is Running Too Hot For The 2 Percent Inflation Target Wage Inflation Is Running Too Hot For The 2 Percent Inflation Target Wage Inflation Is Running Too Hot For The 2 Percent Inflation Target On the other hand, if central banks do choose to depress wage inflation, the non-linearity of the jobs market implies that wage inflation will slump, taking core inflation south of the 2 percent target. Central banks could pray that a surge in productivity growth might save their skins. If productivity growth surged, elevated wage inflation might still be consistent with 2 percent inflation, as it was in the early 2000s. But we wouldn’t bet on this outcome (Chart I-6). Chart I-6Don't Bet On A Repeat Of The Early 2000s Productivity Miracle Don't Bet On A Repeat Of The Early 2000s Productivity Miracle Don't Bet On A Repeat Of The Early 2000s Productivity Miracle Inflation Will Not Run ‘Close To 2 Percent’ To summarise then, the economy is a non-linear system, and should be analysed as such. In uniquely doing so in this report, we reach a profound conclusion. The non-linearity of the jobs market and inflation control means that it is impossible for core inflation to run ‘close to 2 percent’. Depending on which of the non-linear options that policymakers choose – to not depress wage inflation at all, or to make wage inflation slump – inflation will either remain well above 2 percent, or slump to well below 2 percent within the next couple of years. Which option will the central banks choose? My answer is that they will make wage inflation slump. This is not just to save their own skins, but a genuine belief that the worse long-term outcome for the economy would be if central banks’ credibility to maintain price stability was destroyed. To prevent this outcome, a recession is a price that they are willing to pay. Central banks will choose to make wage inflation slump. Not just to save their own skins, but because the worse long-term outcome for the economy would be if price stability was destroyed. But what if I am wrong, and they choose not to depress wage inflation? In this case, long-term inflation expectations would become un-anchored, pushing up bond yields, and crashing the financial and housing markets. In turn, this would unleash a massive deflationary impulse which would end up creating an even deeper recession. So, we would end up at the same place, albeit later and via a more circuitous route. All of which confirms some long-held views. The structural low in bond yields, the structural low in commodity prices, the structural high in stock market valuations, and the structural high in the US dollar are yet to come. Chart 1Hungarian Bonds Are Oversold Hungarian Bonds Are Oversold Hungarian Bonds Are Oversold Chart 2Copper Is Experiencing A Tactical Rebound Copper Is Experiencing A Tactical Rebound Copper Is Experiencing A Tactical Rebound Chart 3US REITS Are Oversold Versus Utilities US REITS Are Oversold Versus Utilities US REITS Are Oversold Versus Utilities Chart 4FTSE100 Outperformance Vs. Euro Stoxx 50 Is Vulnerable To Reversal FTSE100 Outperformance Vs. Euro Stoxx 50 Is Vulnerable To Reversal FTSE100 Outperformance Vs. Euro Stoxx 50 Is Vulnerable To Reversal Chart 5Netherlands' Underperformance Vs. Switzerland Has Ended Netherlands' Underperformance Vs. Switzerland Has Ended Netherlands' Underperformance Vs. Switzerland Has Ended Chart 6The Sell-Off In The 30-Year T-Bond At Fractal Fragility The Sell-Off In The 30-Year T-Bond At Fractal Fragility The Sell-Off In The 30-Year T-Bond At Fractal Fragility Chart 7Food And Beverage Outperformance Is Exhausted Food And Beverage Outperformance Is Exhausted Food And Beverage Outperformance Is Exhausted Chart 8German Telecom Outperformance Has Started To Reverse German Telecom Outperformance Has Started To Reverse German Telecom Outperformance Has Started To Reverse Chart 9Japanese Telecom Outperformance Vulnerable To Reversal Japanese Telecom Outperformance Vulnerable To Reversal Japanese Telecom Outperformance Vulnerable To Reversal Chart 10The Strong Trend In The 18-Month-Out US Interest Rate Future Has Ended The Strong Trend In The 18-Month-Out US Interest Rate Future Has Ended The Strong Trend In The 18-Month-Out US Interest Rate Future Has Ended Chart 11The Strong Downtrend In The 3 Year T-Bond Has Ended The Strong Downtrend In The 3 Year T-Bond Has Ended The Strong Downtrend In The 3 Year T-Bond Has Ended Chart 12The Outperformance Of Tobacco Vs. Cannabis Is Ending The Outperformance Of Tobacco Vs. Cannabis Is Ending The Outperformance Of Tobacco Vs. Cannabis Is Ending Chart 13Biotech Is A Major Buy Biotech Is A Major Buy Biotech Is A Major Buy Chart 14Norway's Outperformance Has Ended Norway's Outperformance Has Ended Norway's Outperformance Has Ended Chart 15Cotton Versus Platinum Has Reversed Cotton Versus Platinum Has Reversed Cotton Versus Platinum Has Reversed Chart 16Switzerland's Outperformance Vs. Germany Is Exhausted Switzerland's Outperformance Vs. Germany Is Exhausted Switzerland's Outperformance Vs. Germany Is Exhausted Chart 17USD/EUR Is Vulnerable To Reversal USD/EUR Is Vulnerable To Reversal USD/EUR Is Vulnerable To Reversal Chart 18The Outperformance Of MSCI Hong Kong Versus China Has Ended The Outperformance Of MSCI Hong Kong Versus China Has Ended The Outperformance Of MSCI Hong Kong Versus China Has Ended Chart 19US Utilities Outperformance Vulnerable To Reversal US Utilities Outperformance Vulnerable To Reversal US Utilities Outperformance Vulnerable To Reversal Chart 20The Outperformance Of Oil Versus Banks Is Exhausted The Outperformance Of Oil Versus Banks Is Exhausted The Outperformance Of Oil Versus Banks Is Exhausted Dhaval Joshi Chief Strategist dhaval@bcaresearch.com Fractal Trading System Fractal Trades Inflation’s ‘Non-Linearity’ Makes It Uncontrollable Inflation’s ‘Non-Linearity’ Makes It Uncontrollable Inflation’s ‘Non-Linearity’ Makes It Uncontrollable Inflation’s ‘Non-Linearity’ Makes It Uncontrollable 6-Month Recommendations Structural Recommendations Closed Fractal Trades Indicators To Watch - Bond Yields Chart II-1Indicators To Watch - Bond Yields - Euro Area Indicators To Watch - Bond Yields - Euro Area Indicators To Watch - Bond Yields - Euro Area Chart II-2Indicators To Watch - Bond Yields - Europe Ex Euro Area Indicators To Watch - Bond Yields - Europe Ex Euro Area Indicators To Watch - Bond Yields - Europe Ex Euro Area Chart II-3Indicators To Watch - Bond Yields - Asia Indicators To Watch - Bond Yields - Asia Indicators To Watch - Bond Yields - Asia Chart II-4Indicators To Watch - Bond Yields - Other Developed Indicators To Watch - Bond Yields - Other Developed Indicators To Watch - Bond Yields - Other Developed   Indicators To Watch - Interest Rate Expectations Chart II-5Indicators To Watch - Interest Rate Expectations Indicators To Watch - Interest Rate Expectations Indicators To Watch - Interest Rate Expectations Chart II-6Indicators To Watch - Interest Rate Expectations Indicators To Watch - Interest Rate Expectations Indicators To Watch - Interest Rate Expectations Chart II-7Indicators To Watch - Interest Rate Expectations Indicators To Watch - Interest Rate Expectations Indicators To Watch - Interest Rate Expectations Chart II-8Indicators To Watch - Interest Rate Expectations Indicators To Watch - Interest Rate Expectations Indicators To Watch - Interest Rate Expectations  

Executive Summary Low-Yielding Countries Facing High USD Hedging Costs Low-Yielding Countries Facing High USD Hedging Costs Low-Yielding Countries Facing High USD Hedging Costs The US dollar will remain strong alongside continued Fed rate hikes. Interest rate differentials will remain positive for the greenback, alongside other USD-positive factors like slowing global growth and rising investor risk aversion. Relatively high US interest rates have made hedging away US currency risk very expensive for some of the largest holders of US Treasuries like Japan. US Treasury yields, on an FX-hedged basis, look unattractive relative to local currency denominated bonds across the developed world. Increased foreign demand for US Treasuries evident in the US TIC data appears to reflect a re-establishment of positions unwound by global hedge funds and mutual funds dating back to the 2020 “dash for cash” in global financial markets. UST yields must rise even further versus non-US yields to attract more fundamental buyers like Japanese and European institutional investors, given elevated volatility in both US Treasury prices and the dollar. Bottom Line: Global investors should continue to underweight US Treasuries in global bond portfolios, on both a currency-unhedged and USD-hedged basis. Feature Dear Client, The schedule for the next two Global Fixed Income Strategy reports will be impacted by the upcoming Labor Day holiday and next week’s BCA’s annual conference in New York (I hope to see you there!). This Friday, September 2, we will be publishing a joint report with our colleagues at Foreign Exchange Strategy discussing Japan. On Monday, September 12, we will be publishing another joint report with our colleagues at European Investment Strategy, covering estimates of global neutral interest rates. -Rob Robis The title of our report from four weeks ago was “Dovish Central Bank Pivots Will Come Later Than You Think.” This could have also been the title for Fed Chair Jerome Powell's Jackson Hole speech. He reiterated the Fed’s commitment to tighten policy further and “keep at it” until the US economy slows enough to bring down inflation. Other central bankers who spoke at the conference had a similar tone to Powell, talking up an ongoing inflation fight that will require much slower growth and higher unemployment. Related Report  Global Fixed Income StrategyRecent USD Strength Is Not Bond Bullish By quickly and bluntly dispensing any notion that the Fed could soon pause its rate hiking cycle, Powell poured ice cold water on the risk asset rally that boosted the S&P 500 by nearly 17% between mid-June and mid-August. The S&P 500 plunged 3.4% after Powell’s speech, a tightening of US financial conditions that was likely welcomed by the Fed, as it helps their goal of slowing the US economy. Minneapolis Fed President Neil Kashkari even said he was “happy” to see the negative market reaction to Powell’s speech. Powell, Kashkari and the rest of the FOMC are probably happy over the strength of the US dollar, which is also helping tighten US financial conditions – while also having a major impact on global bond returns and currency hedging decisions for investors. A Collision Of A USD Bull Market & Global Bond Bear Market Chart 1A Big Move In The USD A Big Move In The USD A Big Move In The USD The current strength of the US dollar is becoming increasingly broad-based. The EUR/USD exchange rate has fallen below parity, while USD/JPY continues to flirt with the 140 level (Chart 1). The British pound is trading at a 2-year low versus the US dollar, many important emerging market (EM) currencies are struggling, and the Chinese renminbi is set to retest the 7.0 level. The strength of the US dollar is no recent phenomenon. The current uptrend dates back to the start of 2021, with the DXY dollar index up 21% since then. The dollar bull market has been supported by several factors, most critically rising US interest rates. The 2-year US Treasury yield started 2021 just above 0% and now sits at 3.4%. Higher US interest rates have raised the benefit of hedging currency risk into US dollars for global bond investors. The Bloomberg Global Aggregate Bond Index in USD-hedged terms has outperformed the unhedged version of the index by 6.3% over the past year, one of the largest such increases dating back to 2000 (Chart 2). This means that global bond investors have been paid handsomely to simply swap non-US bond exposures into US dollars – in some cases, making low-yielding assets like Japanese government bonds (JGBs), hedged from yen into dollars, comparable to US Treasury yields. Chart 2Big Gains From Hedging Global Bond Exposure Into USD Big Gains From Hedging Global Bond Exposure Into USD Big Gains From Hedging Global Bond Exposure Into USD This wedge between USD-hedged and unhedged bond returns is unlikely to reverse soon, as the fundamental drivers of the dollar remain biased to more dollar strength. The US dollar is not only supported by more favorable interest rate differentials versus other currencies (both in nominal and inflation-adjusted terms), but is also benefitting from its safe haven status at a time of considerable uncertainty on the future of the global economy (Chart 3). Global growth expectations are depressed and showing no signs of turning around anytime soon, particularly in Europe and the UK where electricity and gas prices are climbing at a record pace. The dollar not only typically appreciates during periods of slowing growth, but also during episodes of investor risk aversion. Investors remain cautious, according to indicators like the US equity put/call ratio which shows greater demand for downside protection via puts – an outcome that also typically coincides with a stronger US dollar. In this current environment of broad-based US dollar strength, the gap between hedged and unhedged bond returns has varied widely depending on the base currency of the investor. For a euro-based investor, the performance gap between the unhedged Global Aggregate index and the EUR-hedged index has been 6% over the past year (Chart 4). Chart 3USD Strength Supported By Key Fundamental Drivers USD Strength Supported By Key Fundamental Drivers USD Strength Supported By Key Fundamental Drivers ​​​​​​ Chart 4FX Hedging Decisions Mean Everything In A Global Bond Bear Market FX Hedging Decisions Mean Everything In A Global Bond Bear Market FX Hedging Decisions Mean Everything In A Global Bond Bear Market ​​​​​ Chart 5Low-Yielding Countries Facing High USD Hedging Costs Low-Yielding Countries Facing High USD Hedging Costs Low-Yielding Countries Facing High USD Hedging Costs The gap has been even larger for yen-based investors, with the unhedged index beating the JPY-hedged index by a whopping 13% over the past twelve months. Although Japanese fixed income investors are not typically known for taking unhedged currency risk on foreign bond holdings, doing so would have turned an awful year of global bond returns into a great year, simply due to yen weakness. When looking at current levels of interest rate differentials versus the US, which are the main determinant of currency hedging costs, the low yielding currencies like the euro, yen and Swiss franc see the greatest gain on returns versus the high-yielding US dollar (Chart 5). Hedging euros into dollars results in an annualized pickup of 252bps, while hedging yen into dollars produces an even bigger gain of 327bps. At the same time, the USD-hedging gains for relatively higher yielders are much lower. Hedging Australian dollars into US dollars only produces an annualized gain of 48bps, while hedging Canadian dollars into US dollars produces an annualized loss of -18bps. These varying hedging costs matter for global bond investors, as they impact the attractiveness of an individual country’s bond yields, depending on the investor’s base currency. We show the unhedged yield levels, and currency-hedged yield levels for six main developed market base currencies (USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, CAD, AUD) in the tables on the next two pages. Table 1 shows 2-year government bond yields, Table 2 shows 5-year government bond yields, Table 3 shows 10-year government bond yields and Table 4 shows 30-year government bond yields. Unsurprisingly, hedging into euros and yen, where short-term interest rates are the lowest, produces the smallest yields. Meanwhile, hedging into higher-rate currencies like US dollars and Canadian dollars generates the highest yields. Table 1Currency-Hedged 2-Year Government Bond Yields Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Table 2Currency-Hedged 5-Year Government Bond Yields Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Table 3Currency-Hedged 10-Year Government Bond Yields Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Table 4Currency-Hedged 30-Year Government Bond Yields Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors We take the analysis a step further in the next set of tables on pages 9-11. Here, we take the hedged yields for each currency and compare them to the yields of the base currency. For example, in Table 5, it can be seen that a 2-year US Treasury yield of 3.4%, hedged into euros, produces a yield of 0.82% that is -17bps below the 2-year German yield (which is obviously denominated in euros). In other words, from the point of view of a euro-based investor who wants to hedge away the currency risk in a global bond portfolio, he gets paid a bit more to own a German bond over a US Treasury. Table 5Currency-Hedged 2-Year Govt. Bond Yield Spreads Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Similar results are shown in the subsequent tables for 5-year yields (Table 6), 10-year yields (Table 7) and 30-year yields (Table 8). From these tables, we can make the following broad conclusions: Table 6Currency-Hedged 5-Year Govt. Bond Yield Spreads Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Table 7Currency-Hedged 10-Year Govt. Bond Yield Spreads Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Table 8Currency-Hedged 30-Year Govt. Bond Yield Spreads Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors For USD-based bond investors, all non-US markets except Canada have a yield pickup over US Treasuries on an FX-hedged basis For EUR-based investors, all non-euro area markets except Australia produce yields lower than those of Germany on an FX-hedged basis For GBP-based investors, all non-UK bond markets except the US and Canada have yields greater than those of Gilts for maturities from 5-30 years (the results are more mixed across countries for 2-year yields) For JPY-based investors, euro area and Australian bonds are clearly more attractive than JGBs on an FX-hedged basis, while US Treasuries, UK Gilts and Canadian government bonds offer FX-hedged yields below puny JGB yields. This is true up to the 10-year maturity point, as 30-year JGB yields – which are not targeted by the Bank of Japan in its yield curve control program – are much higher than those on the rest of the JGB curve For CAD-based investors, hedging virtually all non-Canadian bonds into CAD results in yields that are higher than Canadian government bond yields, with the largest hedged yield advantage for euro area and Australian bonds For AUD-based investors, only euro area bonds offer a consistent yield pickup over Australian government bonds on an FX-hedged basis. Broadly speaking, government bonds in the euro area and Australia offer consistently attractive FX-hedged yield pickups over the unhedged bonds for all currencies shown in the tables. On the other hand, Canadian government bonds have consistently less attractive FX-hedged yields across all currencies shown. Perhaps most importantly, US Treasuries look unattractive on an FX-hedged basis to all but CAD-based investors – a result that has meaningful implications for the potential of foreign buying to help stem the rise of US bond yields. Bottom Line: The US dollar bull market is having a huge influence on global bond returns. US Treasury yields, on an FX-hedged basis, look unattractive relative to most local currency denominated bonds across the developed world. Who Are The Foreign Buyers Of US Treasuries? When simply looking at currency-unhedged yield spreads, US Treasury yields offer particularly inviting yields over low-yielding (and low “beta” to US yields) markets like Germany and Japan. The unhedged 10-year US-Germany spread is now 160bps, while the unhedged US-Japan spread is up to 286bps (Chart 6). Meanwhile, among high-beta markets, the US-Canada 10-year spread is flat on an FX-unhedged basis, while an unhedged Australian 10-year bond yields 56bps more than a 10-year US Treasury. Chart 6UST Yields Only Look Attractive In FX-Unhedged Terms UST Yields Only Look Attractive In FX-Unhedged Terms UST Yields Only Look Attractive In FX-Unhedged Terms Yet after factoring in the currency hedging costs shown earlier, US Treasuries look consistently unattractive versus the other major developed economy bond markets. Chart 7UST Yields Look Unattractive After Hedging Out USD Exposure UST Yields Look Unattractive After Hedging Out USD Exposure UST Yields Look Unattractive After Hedging Out USD Exposure ​​​​​ A 10-year US Treasury hedged into euros now yields -77bps less than a 10-year German bund, at the low end of the historical range for this spread dating back to 2000 (Chart 7). A 10-year Treasury hedged into GBP and JPY also offers lower yields versus 10-year UK Gilts (-11bps) and 10-year JGBs (-50bps), respectively. The 10-year hedged US-Australia spread (with the US yield hedged into AUD) is also at a stretched negative extreme at -114bps (Chart 8). Despite these broadly unattractive hedged US yield spreads, the US Treasury market has seen significant foreign inflows this year, according to the US Treasury Department’s capital flow (TIC) data. Total net purchases of US Treasuries by foreign buyers accelerated to $470bn (on a 12-month rolling total basis) as of the latest data for June (Chart 9). When broken down by type of buyer, private buyers bought a net $619bn, while official buyers were net sellers to the tune of -$149bn. Chart 8No Compelling Yield Advantage To Owning FX-Hedged USTs No Compelling Yield Advantage To Owning FX-Hedged USTs No Compelling Yield Advantage To Owning FX-Hedged USTs When looking at the TIC data by country, China was an important net seller of -$18bn of Treasuries. This is consistent with the reduced demand for US dollar assets from China, where policymakers are actively targeting a weaker renminbi. Chart 9TIC Data Shows USTs Seeing Foreign Buying (Ex-China) TIC Data Shows USTs Seeing Foreign Buying (Ex-China) TIC Data Shows USTs Seeing Foreign Buying (Ex-China) ​​​​​ There was also net selling from many EM countries that have seen reduced trade surpluses and, hence, fewer US dollars to recycle into Treasuries. Chart 10Even Higher UST Yields Needed To Entice Japanese & European Buyers Even Higher UST Yields Needed To Entice Japanese & European Buyers Even Higher UST Yields Needed To Entice Japanese & European Buyers The largest net buying (Chart 10) was seen from the UK (+$306bn) and Cayman Islands (+$154bn) – the latter being a large source of Treasury buying through hedge funds and offshore investment funds located there. Those two countries accounted for almost all of the net foreign inflows into Treasuries, despite the fact they only hold a combined 12% of all foreign US Treasury holdings. There was modest net buying from the euro area (+$37bn) and small net selling by the country with the largest stock of US Treasury holdings, Japan. The relatively subdued inflows from Europe, and lack of inflows from Japan, are consistent with the unattractive hedged US-Europe and US-Japan yield spreads shown earlier, particularly at a time of elevated US bond yield volatility. The huge inflows from the UK and Cayman Islands are harder to explain on a fundamental basis, but are likely due to a continued normalization of Treasury market liquidity after the spring 2020 “dash for cash”. In a report published back in January, Fed researchers analyzed foreign demand for US Treasuries around the worst of the COVID pandemic shock in 2020. The report concluded that the huge collapse in private inflows into Treasuries – from a peak of +$238bn at the start of 2020 to a trough of -$373bn at the end of 2020 – was the result of aggressive net selling by hedge funds and global mutual funds. These are exactly the types of investors that would be domiciled in the Cayman Islands and UK (London). Specifically, the Fed report noted that: “In short, two prominent reasons for the large sales are the unwind of the Treasury basis trade by hedge funds (including foreign-domiciled funds) and the sudden, massive investor outflows from mutual funds that caused these funds to sell their most liquid assets, U.S. Treasury securities, to meet these redemptions.” The “basis trade” mentioned likely involved buying cash Treasuries versus selling Treasury futures, attempting to exploit unsustainable price differences between the two. As market liquidity conditions dried up in the spring of 2020 during the first wave of global lockdowns, leveraged bond investors needed to frantically unwind positions. For Treasury basis trades, that would have involved selling cash Treasuries, which was likely what is being picked up in the TIC data from the Cayman Islands which showed a huge plunge in net buying in 2020. The mutual fund outflows were likely a global phenomenon, but given the large fund management presence in London, the huge net selling of Treasuries from the UK in 2020 were almost certainly related to global fund managers, not purely UK investors. As Treasury market liquidity conditions normalized in 2021 and 2022, those large sellers in the UK and Cayman Islands (and other offshore investment locations) have likely turned into big net buyers, as evidenced from the TIC data. However, the modest inflows from Europe, and outflows from Japan, tell a more important story about the fundamental demand for US Treasuries. Treasury yields must rise further, widening both currency-hedged and unhedged spreads versus non-US government bonds to more historically attractive levels, to entice more foreign buying. Bottom Line: UST yields must rise even further versus non-US yields to attract more fundamental buyers like Japanese and European institutional investors, given elevated volatility in both US Treasury prices and the dollar. Global investors should underweight US Treasuries in global bond portfolios, on both a currency-unhedged and USD-hedged basis.   Robert Robis, CFA Chief Fixed Income Strategist rrobis@bcaresearch.com   GFIS Model Bond Portfolio Recommended Positioning     Active Duration Contribution: GFIS Recommended Portfolio Vs. Custom Performance Benchmark Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors The GFIS Recommended Portfolio Vs. The Custom Benchmark Index Global Fixed Income - Strategic Recommendations* Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Currency Hedging Matters More Than Ever For Bond Investors Tactical Overlay Trades