Macro and Flows Update: January 2022 - e01
Summary
TLDRThe video script discusses the current macroeconomic environment, highlighting the challenges faced by the Federal Reserve in managing inflation through monetary policy. It emphasizes the deflationary impact of increased supply due to technology and globalization, and suggests that tightening monetary policy could lead to stagflation. The script also notes the market's vulnerability to structural changes and the potential for increased volatility, advising investors to prepare for a difficult period ahead while remaining vigilant for opportunities in market rallies and a widening distribution of outcomes.
Takeaways
- 📉 The Federal Reserve is under political pressure to respond to inflation, which is increasingly difficult due to the inapplicability of old monetary policy models.
- 🔄 Monetary policy has shifted from being deflationary to potentially inflationary due to changes in supply mechanisms over the past 43 years.
- 💹 Tightening monetary policy is expected to decrease supply, potentially leading to a stagflationary environment.
- ⏳ The Fed faces a challenging task of managing inflation within a reasonable timeframe, as the current situation is different from previous cycles.
- 📊 Market breadth has been poor, signaling a warning sign for the economy and investment markets.
- 📈 Despite weak market flows, markets have been supported by high levels of liquidity, particularly during positive flow periods.
- 📉 The S&P has experienced a significant drop, indicating a market pullback and increased stress.
- 🔮 Market indicators suggest a potential near-term turning point, with signs of market capitulation and increased implied volatility.
- 📊 The speaker draws parallels between the current market situation and past economic cycles, noting the difficulty of predicting market movements.
- 🚀 Opportunities exist in the market for active management and leveraging specific dealer positioning and relative value strategies to generate returns.
Q & A
What is the main theme of the macro markets and flows update presented in the transcript?
-The main theme is the current challenges faced by the Federal Reserve in managing inflation and the potential for a stagflationary environment due to tightening monetary policy in a context of decreasing supply.
How has monetary policy historically affected inflation according to the transcript?
-Historically, monetary policy has not been inflationary but deflationary, as it has increased supply through better technology and globalization.
What does the speaker believe will be the outcome of the Federal Reserve's tightening monetary policy in the current economic climate?
-The speaker believes that tightening monetary policy will not be deflationary as it has been in the past, but will instead decrease supply at a time of lower supply, potentially leading to a stagflationary environment.
What factors have contributed to the decrease in market breadth and the warning signs mentioned in the transcript?
-Factors contributing to the decrease in market breadth include the response to sticky inflation, growth names and duration rolling over, and poor market flows despite positive reinvestments and shortened calendars.
How did the market perform after the rally in October mentioned in the transcript?
-After the rally in October, the market was able to maintain a sideways pattern to slight new highs primarily due to V supply. However, the momentum was lost and the market has since experienced a significant pullback.
What is the significance of the January 19th expiration mentioned in the transcript?
-January 19th expiration is significant because it was expected to be an important turning point for the market, and the market's weakness since then has been a major warning sign.
What are the 'fat tail' events that the speaker refers to in the context of the market?
-The 'fat tail' events refer to the possibility of extreme market outcomes or major macro issues in the economy that could result in a significant shift in market dynamics and investment opportunities.
What historical period does the speaker compare the current market situation to?
-The speaker compares the current market situation to the period of Long-Term Capital Management and the tech bubble, which occurred from 1998 to 2000.
What is the speaker's outlook on the opportunities in the market despite the challenges?
-The speaker sees opportunities in taking advantage of strong rallies to monetize, as well as benefiting from the increasing volatility and potential for a widening distribution in the market.
What advice does the speaker give to investors regarding navigating the turbulent market conditions?
-The speaker advises investors to rely on active management and specific strategies such as dealer positioning and relative value yield creation to generate returns and real Alpha for portfolios.
What disclaimer is provided at the end of the transcript regarding the content and advice presented?
-The disclaimer states that the content does not constitute an offer to sell or buy any security or service, and is not intended to provide tax, legal, or investment advice. It also clarifies that the securities or services discussed may not be suitable for all investors, and individuals should consult their advisors before making any investment decisions.
Outlines
📉 Economic Crossroads and Fed's Response
The first paragraph discusses the current economic situation, focusing on the Federal Reserve's challenge in managing inflation. It highlights that traditional models of inflation management by the Fed are outdated, as monetary policy has become deflationary due to increased supply from technological advancements and globalization. The speaker predicts that tightening monetary policy will lead to a stagflationary environment, making it difficult to handle inflation within a reasonable timeframe. The Fed's dual mandate of maximum employment and inflation control is expected to be more challenging than previous cycles, with the speaker noting that the current situation is not like the easy management of cycles in the past.
📈 Market Volatility and Supply Dynamics
The second paragraph delves into the market's supply and demand dynamics, particularly the role of V (volatility) supply in supporting markets during positive flows at year-end. It notes that the market has been able to maintain a sideways pattern to slight new highs due to this V supply. However, as the supply slows down, the market is expected to face headwinds. The speaker mentions that January 19th options expiration was anticipated to be a turning point, and the subsequent market weakness is not surprising. The current market stress is seen as a continuation of structural effects that are expected to persist in the coming months, with the speaker warning of potential major market stress due to a combination of factors including the Fed's tapering, leverage in the system, and market dynamics.
🚀 Market Cycles and Strategic Opportunities
The third paragraph provides insights into the long-term market cycles and strategic opportunities for investors. It emphasizes that the current market decline is part of the last kicks of a 13-year bull market driven by monetary policy. The speaker suggests that implied volatility is likely to rise, presenting opportunities to bet on a widening distribution. Drawing parallels with the NASDAQ's final rally in 1999-2000, the speaker highlights the potential for profit in long implied volatility positions. The paragraph concludes with a reminder that the market is entering a more challenging phase, and active management and specific investment strategies will be crucial for generating returns. The speaker encourages viewers to reach out for further discussion and reiterates that the content is not investment advice.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Macro markets
💡Volatility
💡Federal Reserve
💡Inflation
💡Monetary policy
💡Stagflation
💡Capital markets
💡Wealth effect
💡Market flows
💡Supply and demand
💡Leverage
💡Fat tail
Highlights
The update discusses the changing role of the Federal Reserve in managing inflation, which is no longer as effective as in the past due to the deflationary effects of technological advancements and globalization.
Monetary policy is now seen as deflationary when it should be tightening supply, which could lead to a stagflationary environment.
The Fed's challenge is to handle inflation, which is primarily a fiscal policy issue, through capital markets and demand reduction.
The current economic situation is expected to be more difficult for the Fed compared to previous cycles due to dual mandates of maximum employment and inflation control.
The market's momentum has been weakening since February 2022, with growth names and duration rolling over.
The rally in October was in preparation for major structural flows, but the market's inability to maintain momentum was a warning sign.
The market has experienced a significant pullback, the biggest in almost two years, indicating real stress.
The current market situation is compared to the period of Long-Term Capital and the tech bubble, suggesting a potential market top and change in cycle.
Implied volatility is expected to rise as the market cycle reaches its end, presenting opportunities for trading strategies.
The distribution of the market is expected to widen, with fatter tails, similar to the period from October 1999 to March 2000.
Active management and specific strategies are emphasized as ways to generate returns in the challenging market environment.
The transcript warns of the potential for difficult times in the market, with a shift towards lower returns for investors.
The historical comparison to 1968-1982 suggests a potential market stagnation in real terms due to increasing interest rates.
The update concludes by encouraging investors to reach out for feedback and reiterates that the content is not investment advice.
Transcripts
good afternoon and Welcome to our first
macro markets and flows updates here at
Kai volatility for investors uh we look
forward to doing these once a month
going forward in the year to come uh I'm
going to start out this update uh as as
we said a very important Crossroads uh
talking about macro where do we see
things the FED uh is being forced to uh
politically to respond to inflation as
most of us know uh unfortunately the old
models of how inflation can be managed
by the Federal Reserve um are broadly no
longer pertinent um as we've seen for
the last 43 years now monetary policy uh
when used is not inflationary it is
deflationary it has been increasing
Supply through better technology
globalization among other things right
so that that Supply uh increase like I
said has been deflationary it therefore
follows that uh in in tightening uh and
and giving less Capital ultimately um to
corporations via monetary policy that
the response will not be deflationary if
anything it will be decreasing Supply at
a time of lower Supply We Believe here
at K volatility that that will create a
stagflationary environment there is a
decreasing uh likelihood of of being
able to handle this inflation with any
manageable time frame the only way that
the FED can ultimately respond to this
inflation that's been really truly
created by fiscal policy not the
monetary policy at hand ultimately this
is going to slow uh inflation only by
slowing via the capital markets route uh
demand um this will happen via
reductions in the wealth effect uh to
individuals as well as less um dollars
uh ultimately to corporations to invest
the real question going forward will be
uh is this what uh the populace wants uh
there is a lot of clamoring for handling
inflation first and foremost but as a as
markets decline as a recession is likely
to build um you know what how will the
FED respond to their dual Mandate of
Maximum employment and inflation it will
be much tougher than previous Cycles uh
before it was there was no problem uh
with managing price stability uh and and
it made it very easy for the FED
reaction functioning to to Simply um
involve more monetary policy uh that is
why the cyle has lasted 42 years um this
will be a much more difficult uh Road
this is not
2018 uh here in
2022 the the FED will struggle against
both growth and inflation this has been
a growing uh problem and we've seen uh
therefore big macro effects
um honestly this started back in
February when uh it became clear that
the Federal Reserve would have to
respond to uh sticky
inflation uh we started to see a lot of
growth names and duration uh begin
rolling over even before that but uh
it's been pretty clear under the surface
that breadth has been very poor uh that
breadth and a lot of other uh factors
that we look at here at Kai volatility
have been a major warning
sign uh after the rally we got in
October uh in preparation for major
structural flows that come at that time
of the year as we've talked about in our
investor letter uh throughout November
December and January particularly in a
big up year um we get lots of positive
flows that of reinvestment going into
the end of the year we also have a
shortened calendar uh and time very much
matters to these strong Vana and charm
flows we had big on that 5.2 2% pullback
in September we had a significant
increase in volatility the vanana and
charm flows paired with the structural
flows with a shortened calendar
throughout the holiday period should
have led to increased momentum if this
Market was going to continue its strong
March higher from the year before
however the rally ultimately petered out
um that was a that loss of momentum as
long as well as breath during this
period has been a major warning sign
that we've talked about um through
various mediums during this time the
markets were still able to maintain kind
of a sideways pattern to slight new
highs primarily due to V Supply there's
been a tremendous supply of V uh in
these markets as time and volumes uh Eed
during a time of great positive Flows at
the end of the year this implied V
Supply ultimately um has has helped
support the markets in the context of
otherwise incredibly weak um Market uh
flows that ball Supply as expected um
has come to a a slowing there is less
ball Supply um and this was expected
after the the first week or so of of
January um and not a surprise here that
that we've seen a topping out since that
period we expected and highlighted for
some time now that January 19th of
expiration uh would be an important
Turning Point Market somewhat front ran
that a little bit but you've seen
considerable uh weakness uh since then
we are now amidst the biggest pullback
we've seen in in almost two years since
the March Feb March covid crash um at
almost 9% now and and drop in the S&P
and much bigger throughout rest of the
market obviously the markets are
beginning to experience real stress
again this is not a surprise this these
flows have been uh under underneath the
surface bringing down major um kind of
overextended momentum names for some
time now we believe these structural
effects will continue um not in the
short term as much as secularly in the
next month or two um this period is a
seasonally weak period because there is
a lack of flows um there are no major
holidays or shortened time frames a lot
of the positive flows that came in
January have been uh are now having to
be given
back add to that the accelerating uh
taper that's happening with the FED um
the uh considerable uh leverage in the
system and lepto kurtic nature of
markets and it is a recipe for um major
potential stress in the markets that
said these macro Cycles are big long
Cycles they don't go in a straight line
um this 9% decline that we've had
already is definitely reaching oversold
territory today Friday the day of op
options expiration uh we saw um kind of
historically steep put call Equity
ratios a significant demand for puts
increase in implied volatility that was
significant given the size of the move
and increases in skew across the market
these are signs that tend to mean that
we are reaching near a capitulation
Point we've also seen significant volume
um on call speculation from entities
that tend to have a good track record
positioning has reached a point um in
its extreme where it is uh likely that
we start to see um some type of of major
turning point in the short
term this uh coming turn when it happens
may come from a little bit lower in the
market but should be
significant with the FED ahead here on
this coming Wednesday um we expect that
in the next week we will see some
significant B moves as well as moves in
the market um a reversal which uh could
have again come from lower but is likely
to come in the short
term um we'll have to maintain some very
strong momentum um in the couple of
weeks to come in order to be
sustained after all like we mentioned
the macro flows are in trouble there are
bigger issues ahead so we stand prepared
here to not only benefit from a a coming
bounce in the market but also uh as we
model the distributions are very much
aware of a fat tail that sits out in
this market uh in terms of major macro
um issues in the economy uh we also
looking to to take advantage of of
strong rallies here to monetize given
these ebbing momentum and flows um here
in the long term as a student who
started a you know a student of these
Market who started in 1998 and really uh
began his career uh during long-term
capital and the tech bubble this period
reminds me a lot of of what we went
through then there's likely to be uh not
an easy time to to to short this Market
or or to play directly from the short
side um but what one thing is clear
towards the end of these Cycles even
though they tend to last longer than you
expect um implied volatility should
continue to rise there are opportunities
to bet on a widening distribution um
this lepto kurtic Market as I've
mentioned is likely to grow uh with
wider and fatter tails in October of 99
through March of 2000 the NASDAQ rallied
110% in its final um kicks and and uh
fits as it attempted to find the top
during that period implied volatility R
Rose dramatically although you would
have really gotten hurt trying to short
the market into that period before
making a lot of money taking the road of
more long implied volatility
particularly to the upside into those
final moments was one of the most
profitable ways to take advantage of the
widening distribution this is a a big
part of what we're seeing in our
distributions and how we we hope to take
advantage um in the months to come both
taking advantage of of an increasing um
volatility that that's going to exist in
this market as well as an eventual
decline this is the end of a 13-year
bull market it can last for a year maybe
even longer but the reality is these are
the last kicks and pads of a market
driven by monetary policy lower interest
rates Ates more liquidity um ultimately
that has been threatened by increasing
inflation and a need uh for for higher
interest rates uh there is too much
demand uh and not enough Supply at the
end of the day the FED must lower uh the
monetary policy uh response uh relative
to its historic average uh given where
multiples sit given where uh at this
point of the cyle margin set given the
amount of Leverage in the system this
will ultimately lead to difficult
outcomes in the market as I mentioned
before 1968 to 1982 was the last period
that we saw interest rates increase over
that 14-year period in nominal terms
markets went nowhere in inflation
adjusted terms markets lost about 70% of
their
value this may sound really bearish may
sound scary but the reality is everybody
is use to over uh expecting the returns
in these markets and there's payback
there's a time where it will be much
more difficult to make the returns that
people are used to is during those times
that we hope to lean on active
management uh and our specific edge of
dealer positioning as well as relative
value yield creation to generate returns
and real Alpha for portfolios hopefully
you found this update helpful as you
navigate the turbulent water Waters
ahead please don't hesitate to reach out
we look forward to hearing your feedback
take care be
[Music]
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