CLIENT TALKING POINTS
NIKKEI
The Japanese Nikkei-225 is at roughly 15 year highs, up about 2.3% for the week. Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda came out and reiterated his call on the 2% inflation target, the reality is that it will be very difficult for the Japanese to hit this inflation target. They will need to implement more dovish policy. Kuroda however, believes he has lots of options. We will have to wait and see what kind of impact his actions have on the real economy.
GREECE
It is a relatively slow day in Global Macro but Greece is causing a lot of controversy. Eurozone Finance Ministers are meeting today in Brussels to discuss the Greek bailout; Greece has requested to have its loan agreements extended another 6 months. Some newspapers are reporting that Greece may exit the Eurozone, but the reality is that nobody seems to have a clear indication of what will really happen.
EURO
The Euro seems to be driven by the chaos surrounding Greece. It is down about 50 basis points today, down 650 basis year-to-date vs. the USD and down 1,752 basis point in the last year. That is a staggering move for a currency (despite PMIs coming in better than expected).
TOP LONG IDEAS
EDV
You want to own the Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury (EDV) in this current yield-chasing, growth slowing environment. The trend in domestic growth continues to signal growth slowing, and the counter-TREND moves we’ve seen over the last few weeks (@Hedgeye TREND is our view on a 3-Month or more duration) remain something to fade until we can see more follow-through that growth is trending more positively (second-derivative positive).
TLT
Low-volatility Long Bonds (TLT) have plenty of room to run. Late-Cycle Economic Indicators are still deteriorating on a TRENDING Basis (Manufacturing, CapEX, inflation) while consumption driven numbers have improved. Inflation readings for January are #SLOWING. We saw deceleration in CPI year-over-year at +0.8% vs. +1.3% prior and month-over-month at -0.4% vs. -0.3% prior. Growth is still #SLOWING with Real GDP growth decelerating at -20 basis points to +2.5% year-over-year for Q4 2014.The GDP deflator decelerated -40 basis points to +1.2% year-over-year.
Asset Allocation
| CASH | 40% | US EQUITIES | 9% | |
| INTL EQUITIES | 8% | COMMODITIES | 0% | |
| FIXED INCOME | 31% | INTL CURRENCIES | 12% |
THREE FOR THE ROAD
TWEET OF THE DAY
Real Conversations: How @Firefly_Space Founder Tom Markusic Is Changing the New Space Paradigm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QmYH0IQdy8&feature=youtu.be&t=1s… w/ @KeithMcCullough
@Hedgeye
QUOTE OF THE DAY
The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.
-Mark Twain
STAT OF THE DAY
3.3 million people in 2013 earned at or below the federal minimum wage, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
