Tapering in June

If someone asked me to put together a fake jobs report that would be the most soothing to a frazzled market, it would have read pretty much as just released. The tick up in the u-rate, on a slightly higher participation rate, was a work of art. It moves us further...

The Wrong Question

Many folks are asking, "Why did 10-year yields rise over 50 bps in just a few weeks?" The typical list of answers runs something like this: hawkish Fed tapering comments, stronger economic data, JGB and Nikkei volatility, MBS weakness/hedging, and the always helpful...

Will Higher Rates Choke Risk Assets?

Global coordinated central bank balance sheet expansion, better known as QE, has been rushing through our veins. And the heart of the global economy, developed market equity capital, has been on an adrenaline moon shot. It feels GREAT!!!! The spoo is up about 16...

Ame Futte Chi Katamaru…Oshimegai!!!

Literally translated, "Ame futte chi katamaru" means "After the rain, the earth hardens". It is a Japanese saying that implies - "adversity builds character". And no matter how you look at this past week, there was an epic thunderstorm and plenty of adversity in the...

The Incentives to Innovate and the Supercilious

Ben's speech at Bard college over this past weekend was touted as a non-event for monetary policy. I beg to differ. I thought this speech told you more than nearly any other about how he views the monetary policy transmission process into the real economy. The speech...

More Great News – JGBs & Gold are Getting Crushed

Many in the doom and gloom crowd have warned of impending disaster as JGB prices plummet. The typical story centers upon unsustainable debt levels and higher debt service costs associated with higher rates. The story line generally involves a vicious payment spiral...