Archive for February, 2016

SocGen Stock Crumbling

Thursday, February 11th, 2016

Via the FT: SocGen shares tumble 13% as sector sell-off resumes Bank sees risks from unstable markets and low rates Read latest: by: Michael Stothard in Paris Société Générale signalled on Thursday it may struggle to meet its profitability targets this year because of “headwinds” that include record-low interest rates and volatile financial markets. The French ...

“Bad News is Actually Bad News”

Thursday, February 11th, 2016

Markets are crumbling overnight and 10 year US trades at 1.618. One simple indicator I watch is 10 year Spain versus 10 year US. At this time yesterday morning 10 year US was 1.77 and 10 year Spain was 1.69. As we speak this morning 10 year US is 1.62 ...

Sub Prime Auto as Next Big Short

Wednesday, February 10th, 2016

Via Bloomberg: Many banks refuse to short auto ABS; some fear reputation risk Investors keen to short bonds as delinquencies tick higher A group of hedge funds, convinced they have found the next Big Short, are looking to bet against bonds backed by subprime auto loans. Good luck finding a bank willing to ...

Curvology

Wednesday, February 10th, 2016

I just read an FT story (which I will append to this) which notes that 2s 10s is at its tightest levels in eight years. I was just marking closing levels and some other spreads are worthy of notice. I do not have Bloomberg analytics so I can not say when ...

Yellen Synopsis

Wednesday, February 10th, 2016

Via Stephen Stanley at Amherst Pierpont Securities: Chair Yellen’s monetary policy testimony is pretty standard fare.  By and large, the structure and tone of her remarks tracks the language of the January FOMC statement, which in most circumstances is exactly to be expected.  In the current situation, however, that is noteworthy ...

Ten Year Auction Outlook

Wednesday, February 10th, 2016

Via Ian Lyngen at CRT Capital: We are optimistic about this afternoon's 10-year auction and expect non-dealer interest to be a significant test of overseas demand for the sector at current yield levels. We see the risks skewed toward a stop-through.  This morning's selloff is pricing-in a meaningful concession off the ...

A Mini Lehman

Wednesday, February 10th, 2016

Martin Enlund is a friend of this blog and Chief Analyst at Nordea Markets. He has written an interesting piece on the European banking turmoil. Via Martin Enlund at Nordea Markets: Good morning! To begin with, let me say that I am not a credit strategist… and it may well be that this ...

What to Watch Today

Wednesday, February 10th, 2016

Via Bloomberg: WHAT TO WATCH: * (All times New York) * Economic Data * 7:00am: MBA Mortgage Applications, Feb. 5 (prior -2.6%) * 2:00pm: Monthly Budget Statement, Jan., est. $47.5b (prior -$17.5b) * Central Banks * 8:30am: Yellen’s prepared remarks to House committee released * 10:00am: Fed’s Yellen testifies to House committee * 1:30pm: Fed’s Williams speaks in Los Angeles * Supply * ...

Low Rates Losing Their Punch

Wednesday, February 10th, 2016

Via the WSJ: By Dan Strumpf and Joe Light At the start of 2016, Americans were bracing for interest rates to rise significantly for the first time since the financial crisis. Instead, rates have slumped anew, rattling financial markets and undoing the plans of investors, consumers and businesses alike. A little more than a month ...

Goldman’s Mea Maxima Culpa

Wednesday, February 10th, 2016

Goldman Sachs six weeks into 2012 has abandoned five of it top recommended trdes for 2016. Via Bloomberg and link to story with graphs which do not reproduce well here: New York bank closes bet on dollar strength versus euro, yen Divergent-rates policy still favors greenback, Himmelberg says Goldman Sachs to clients: whoops. Just six ...