Market Briefing For Monday, July 17

An 'epic crisis' may be brewing as so many have debated given extended and in some cases unprecedented, valuation and credit market conditions. Well aware of these concerns, including the long-term macro implications, we've taken a different approach from the 'run-for-the-hills' ultra-bearish crowds. 

It's been one of recognition of the various swans circling (black or 'beige' for that matter, which is how I term most Fed reports and taper tantrum worries) , while listening to rotational market overwhelming technical messages suggesting every effort was being made to repel a bear outcome; or at least stave it off as long as feasible. 

In fact that's allowed our bullish overall stance from Election Day forward (to new members, know that we stated before the vote that 'if' Trump won, few would believe how bullish we'd get or how high the market would go). From March onward we've believed there was rotational distribution 'under cover' of strong Dow and S&P, which masked the effort to reduce risk exposure. 

By virtue of these moves, managers generally tried to shift into lower beta, less volatile holdings (trimming proportions in way-up-there FANG stocks as a for instance), while staying invested and not rocking the boat to the point where it tipped over. They succeeded in general; and we've made it to new historic heights for the senior averages, as we ideally hoped to see moving into mid-July; with increasing risk of erosion (or something nastier) ensuing. 

So we're there. Does that mean the market has to rollover immediately? Sure, that could happen any day should a 'black swan' swoop down stunningly. If not, the odds favor they're trying (at least) to get us into or through a factor few are considering; and that's the large open interest of puts out there that expire later in the week just ahead. Plus you've got the political variable of a Healthcare vote, that 'if' it were to pass (few really like it) you'd have greater hopes for forward progress on tax reform and capital repatriation. 

Those, of course, really would enhance the perception of better times ahead, whereas much of the ballyhooed earnings increases relate to better energy price levels, which when factored out, suggest business is really sluggish as it has been for a year (many sectors actually sliding during this time-frame). So that's the disconnect between markets and economic reality.

Bottom lineall the swans are out there; but mere circling doesn't mean the moment of truth where one or more swoop down is upon us. That's why we took the approach of lightening up (or restraining fresh capital) from going into the stock market, realizing the odds favored taking out the highs before new (later summer) erosion or greater risk began to assert itself. 

Shrinking the balance sheet of the Fed 'itself' has become a 'black swan' as you know. We've shown charts of the size of issues approaching maturity at a time of historic levels that would be unimaginable just years ago. These may be arcane aspects for most investors; but they are immensely pertinent from a macro perspective.  
 



In sum, financial assets are expensive and have gotten more expensive. By most normal measures they are extended and should now be at dangerous levels, although technically indicators are not so jammed that they suggest an inability to stretch it a bit more. We think that's less relevant now that the achievement of new highs has been made and shorts eviscerated. 

Our overall stance of higher highs preceding a forthcoming shakeout remains in force, with allowance for this to 'try' to squeeze the shorts a bit more while they unwind 'open interest' and other factors in the week coming up. Risk is here on any pop-and-flop now; but increases if they get through expiration, in a more or less unscathed way.  


Weekend (final) MarketCast           

 

Midsession (intraday) MarketCast 

 

Disclosure: None.

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