CLIENT TALKING POINTS
VOLUME
The relationship between volume and volatility (relative to price) remains core to how we model trending risks. As they chased the charts to another lower-high (price) yesterday (SPX), total U.S. Equity Volume (including dark pool) was -13% vs. its 1 month average as front month equity VIX held the 12-14 level it held during JUL and OCT.
HOUSING
Another bad U.S. #HousingSlowing data point yesterday (Existing Home Sales -7.1% month-over-month and -1.4% year-over-year) keeps what we liked most at this time last year (Housing, Healthcare, Consumer – all #LateCycle consumption + employment peaks) on the short side this year. Housing stocks (ITB) are +20% “off the lows” from FEB with the data only getting worse.
EUROPE
Disgusting act of terror aside, it’s important to contextualize where European Equities were ahead of this news – DAX, MIB Index, and IBEX all just failed @Hedgeye TREND resistance (again) yesterday. Italy was -2% last week to -13% year-to-date, tried the bounce yesterday and is down -1.6% this morning as the Draghi #BeliefSystem breaks down.
*Tune into The Macro Show with Housing and U.S. Macro analyst Christian Drake at 9:00AM ET - CLICK HERE.
TOP LONG IDEAS
XLU
Utilities (XLU) hasn’t bounced as much as leveraged , high-beta resource names, but the outperformance is greatly divergent vs. both the market, and our preferred sector short in financials (XLU +12.3% YTD, S&P -0.3% YTD, XLF -4.6% YTD).
GIS
General Mills (GIS) remains one of analyst Howard Penney's top Long ideas in the Consumer Staples space. As we have continued to say, it boasts style factors ideal during turbulent times; high market cap, low beta and liquidity. Case in point, GIS is up 7% year-to-date, versus essentially flat for the S&P 500 in 2016. We'll have an update next week after GIS reports earnings.
TLT
Long-Term Treasuries (TLT) finished +1.9% on the week. Aside from Mr. Market, the Fed downwardly revised expectations (the common lag) on Wednesday:
- The median 2016 GDP forecast revised to +2.2% vs. +2.4% in December
- The median 2016 PCE Inflation forecast revised to +1.2% vs. +1.6% in December
- Median Federal Funds end-2016 rate forecast revised to 0.9% vs. +1.4% in December
From a GROWTH, INFLATION, POLICY perspective, it’s lower for longer on growth and inflation and a more dovish Fed.
Asset Allocation
| CASH | 61% | US EQUITIES | 0% | |
| INTL EQUITIES | 0% | COMMODITIES | 6% | |
| FIXED INCOME | 27% | INTL CURRENCIES | 6% |
THREE FOR THE ROAD
TWEET OF THE DAY
VIDEO (2mins) Joke of the Year? Fed Data Dependence https://app.hedgeye.com/insights/49848-mccullough-joke-of-the-year-fed-data-dependence…
@KeithMcCullough
QUOTE OF THE DAY
The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man's determination.
Tommy Lasorda
STAT OF THE DAY
Yesterday, Apple announced that 93% of its facilities run on renewable energy, including 100% of its facilities in the U.S., China, and 21 other countries.
