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Jeffrey Gundlach On The End Of Secular Norms

TLDR Upcoming webcast focuses on markets, debt cycle, deficit, inflation, and recession probabilities. Key indicators suggest potential recession in 2024. Housing prices have unexpectedly risen despite mortgage rate increases. Inflation measures indicate potential decrease. Housing market affordability is a concern. Credit performance in the market varies across sectors. Delinquencies in non-owner occupied commercial properties are increasing. The Bills face challenges but express optimism about their future.

Key Insights

Understanding Economic Indicators

The webcast outlines various economic indicators, such as the debt cycle, deficit, inflation, and probabilities of recession. It highlights the trend of increasing deficits despite low unemployment rates and projects a sharp increase in federal interest expense on the debt over the next 10 years. Historical recession data and indicators like the TW 10's yield curve point towards a potential recession, potentially in the second quarter of the next year.

Impact of Financial Market Trends

The presentation discusses the recent shift in money market fund assets, which is seen as bullish for treasury and high-quality bonds, leading to a rise in bond yields but with potential changes in 2024. It also addresses the unexpected rise in housing prices despite mortgage rate increases, the decreased prepayment risk of mortgage-backed securities, and the divergence in the copper-gold ratio potentially affecting bond yields. Concerns about long-term interest rate increase persist due to the debt problem and inflation measures, which are currently at 4% for CPI and 3.2% for core CPI.

Assessing Inflation Measures and Housing Market Trends

The webcast discusses various inflation measures and highlights that inflation is not a major concern, especially with negative import and export prices. It points out the lack of affordability in the housing market, with significant increases in monthly mortgage payments and a shift towards renting being more affordable than buying. Additionally, it addresses the weakened state of the housing market, including the US pending home sales index hitting 22-year lows and challenges faced by RMBS due to reduced buyer participation.

Insights into Mortgage Securities and Real Estate Market

The webcast provides insights into mortgage securities, noting the effective interest rate and change in the convexity of CMOS. It mentions concerns about increasing delinquencies in non-owner occupied commercial properties and expresses optimism about the future despite recent struggles, using the example of the Bills' challenges in crucial games.

Questions & Answers

What are the main topics of the current webcast?

The main topics of the current webcast are the debt cycle, deficit, inflation, probabilities of recession, and mortgage-related markets.

What are the economic indicators pointing to a potential recession?

The economic indicators include the TW 10's yield curve, the Philadelphia Fed coincident index, monthly change in pH Philly Fed coincident index, unemployment rate, and 36-month moving average of unemployment rate.

What is the recent shift in money market fund assets seen as bullish for?

The recent shift in money market fund assets is seen as bullish for treasury bonds and high-quality bonds.

What are some predictions and observations about housing prices and mortgage rates?

Housing prices have unexpectedly risen despite mortgage rate increases, but a reversal is predicted if mortgage rates drop. Mortgage-backed securities now show decreased prepayment risk and may generate positive returns. Interest rates have reached levels similar to those of 20 years ago, indicating a break from the long-term falling rate trend.

What are the current inflation measures and what do they indicate?

The current inflation measures include CPI at 4% and core CPI at 3.2%, remaining in the 3% range in the near future with a projected decrease in mid-2024. Potential decreases in the shelter component may alleviate inflation concerns.

What are the concerns about the housing market?

The concerns about the housing market include the lack of affordability, significant increase in monthly mortgage payments, weakened state of the housing market evidenced by the US pending home sales index hitting 22-year lows and the MBA US home purchase index being at its lowest since 1995.

Summary of Timestamps

Music announced the last webcast for 2023 and mentioned an upcoming webcast focused on markets.
The federal budget deficit is highlighted, showing a trend of increasing deficits despite low unemployment rates.
The speaker discusses various economic indicators pointing to a potential recession, including the monthly change in pH Philly Fed coincident index, unemployment rate, and 36-month moving average of unemployment rate.
The recent shift in money market fund assets is seen as bullish for treasury bonds and high-quality bonds, leading to a rise in bond yields but with potential changes going into 2024.
Inflation measures, including CPI and core CPI, are currently at 4% and 3.2% respectively, remaining in the 3% range in the near future with a projected decrease in mid-2024.
The speaker pointed out the US pending home sales index hitting 22-year lows and the MBA US home purchase index being at its lowest since 1995, highlighting the weakened state of the housing market.

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