I provide a summary of our market outlook to mid-2017. Post-election surge in consumer sentiment brightens 2017 economic outlook. I give updated recommendations for our tactical fixed-income portfolio. In my first 2017 post, I wanted to provide a summary of our market outlook to June of 2017. Mid-year is chosen
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Jan 04, 2017 | Post by: Roman Chuyan, CFA Comments Off on 2017: Optimistic For Stocks, But Not Bonds
2017: Optimistic For Stocks, But Not Bonds

Economic Effect Of Higher Rates
Auto and home sales have not been affected by higher interest rates. The president-elect’s policies boosted rates, but also brought about remarkable surge in optimism. If perception becomes reality, higher growth may offset the impact of higher interest rates. I reiterate my short-duration recommendations to active bond investors, and share
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TIPS Are Not On The Menu – Just Yet
Inflation may continue to rise in the coming months. TIPS protect against inflation, but come with their unique risks, including rising interest rates. The time to invest in TIPS is not yet, but we are close. In this post, I’ll describe Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities, or TIPS. These inflation-indexed bonds offer
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How Much Do We Owe?
The U.S. aggregate debt is currently $63 trillion, or 337% of GDP. The good news is that debt service dropped in previous years with interest rates. Higher rates began to pressure mortgage applications, but the full effect on the economy remains to be seen. I reiterate my recommendation to maintain
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The Real World – Rates Are Rising, Bonds Dropping
Investors are being thrust back into the real world where rates are not zero. The trifecta of market forces – inflation, FX, and China’s yuan – continue to drive rates up. The effect of higher borrowing costs on the economy is likely to be significant. After years of central banks’
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The Trump Sell-Off In Bonds
U.S. interest rates jumped sharply on November 9th when Donald Trump was called the winner of the U.S. presidential election, which sent bonds plummeting. Today, I will describe market expectations that I think triggered the latest selloff. When it stopped buying bonds in 2014, the Fed’s began the long, drawn-out
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Bonds Continue To Fall – What’s Next?
As global interest rates began to rebound since reaching all-time lows in July, many investors are asking: is the 35-year bond rally over? In more-recent context, is the central bank experiment that conjured never-before seen negative rates, over? Most observers attribute the rise in rates to the Fed’s expected interest rate
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Why Bonds Are Falling
Bond prices began to fall after peaking in mid-July. Yields, which are inverse to prices, have rebounded: for example, the 10-year Treasury yield rose from a bottom of 1.37% to 1.78% currently, an 18 basis-point rise so far in October – a substantial move in the current environment of ultra-low rates. While
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U.S. Recession Might Begin Within 2 Quarters
U.S. economic fundamentals have deteriorated markedly since last year, now to an extent that a recession may be on the horizon. Recession dates are declared with a lag of six months or longer – we know that the economy is in a recession at least six months after it has begun. Recognizing
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What’s Next For Bonds?
In their speeches during and after the annual retreat in Jackson Hole on Aug 25-27, Federal Reserve officials sounded more hawkish than most observers expected. Fed Chair Janet Yellen said that the case to raise interest rates is getting stronger as the U.S. economy approaches the Fed’s goals: In light
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