Your choice regarding cookies: We use cookies when you use this Website. These may be 'session' cookies, meaning they delete themselves when you leave the Website, or 'persistent' cookies which do not delete themselves and help us recognize you when you return so we can provide a tailored service. However, you can block our usage by adjusting your browser settings to refuse cookies.
2019 is ending in a few weeks and the economic and stock market expansion that started in the previous decade is poised to continue into 2020. Our tactical rules support this view and are keeping us invested in equities. Until recently, all three rules of Don’t Fight the Fed, Don’t Fight the Trend, and Beware of the Crowd at Extremes were favorable for having positive equity returns over the next three to six months as the Fed was on hold, the trend was rising, and crowd sentiment was neutral. However, the enthusiasm around a potential Phase -1 trade deal between the US and China led crowd sentiment into extreme optimism territory. By no means does elevated sentiment indicate investors should take their chips off the table, it simply suggests a degree of prudence is in order, in our opinion. At River Front, we have elected to implement trailing stops to defend against pullbacks especially in our shorter-horizon portfolios, while staying invested in the event domestic equity markets continue to reach new highs. Overall, our tactical rules are still sending a bullish signal to stay invested
Don’t Fight The Fed:
Investors Should Not Go Against The Policy Guidance Of Central Bankers In The Us Or Abroad.
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates three times in 2019; reducing the fed funds target range to 1.50 – 1.75%. These interest rate cuts were viewed as insurance cuts, to support the economic expansion which began June 2009. Currently, the Fed is viewed as being on hold as it pertains to future rate cuts, but the low rate environment is still making a positive impact on the economy. Financial conditions continue to be close to the most accommodative for investors in history, indicating a willingness of financial institutions to lend to borrowers. Additionally, as can be seen in the chart, the Fed has begun expanding its balance sheet (red circle) for the first time since 2014 through purchases of T-Bills, repos, and reverse repos. We believe, the Fed’s balance sheet operations are supportive for investors and risk assets; providing liquidity to financial markets.
Internationally, the European Central Bank (ECB) continues to print €20 billion per month to stimulate their slowing economy and the Bank of Japan (BOJ) continues to expand its balance sheet. Overall, we believe that global central banks are supportive and on the investor’s side.
Don’t Fight The Trend:
Investors Should Determine The Direction And Strength Of The Trend And Adjust Their Investment Decisions Accordingly.
Currently the US primary trend, which we define as the S&P 500’s 200-day moving average, is rising at an annualized 19.2% rate (red-line, right chart). This is significantly faster than the 11.3% annualized rate that we observed during our September 23rd Weekly View update. However, we do not see the current trend growth as sustainable given that it is driven almost solely by the anticipation of a US/China trade agreement. If current levels on the S&P 500 hold steady, the trend will fall to a more sustainable 10% annualized rate over the next month. If trade negotiations deteriorate the trend will likely weaken, but the strength of the trend makes it likely that the S&P 500 would stay above the current 200-day moving average of 2935 given the supportive US economic backdrop; in our view.
The international primary trend, which we define as MSCI All Country World ex-US index’s (ACWX) 200-day moving average, is also strengthening. The international trend is rising at a lower 8.5% annualized rate (red-line, left chart) but has less support than the S&P 500 given that international markets have yet to reach their 2018 highs. We continue to believe that the international trend is more vulnerable to trade disappointments, in our view, as President Trump vacillates between getting a deal done now or renegotiating a deal after the 2020 election.
Beware Of The Crowd At Extremes:
Analyze Sentiment By Determining If It Is Sustainable At Current Levels. If Sentiment Is Identified To Be Unsustainable, Then As Investors We Must Be Willing To Lean In The Other Direction And Be Prepared To Act Aggressively Once The Condition Changes.
Ned Davis Research’s (NDR) Weekly Crowd Sentiment Poll (see chart below) has recently moved into the extreme optimism zone and financial markets have pulled back as uncertainty of the phase-1 trade deal has risen recently. Sentiment had been supported by a continued strong labor market as unemployment sits at a low 3.5%, a better than expected 3rd quarter earnings season, and improving trade negotiations. However, the recent tone change on trade could dampen expectations and bring sentiment back to neutral levels that are more supportive for equities. At current levels, sentiment suggests equity markets may need a minor pullback to reset expectations before markets can attempt to make new highs.
The Final Verdict:
We believe the Fed and central banks around the world are signaling that they will do whatever is needed to continue the economic expansion. Central bankers’ willingness to aid the expansion creates a supportive backdrop for equity performance around the world. However, with sentiment at extremely optimistic levels we anticipate investors will be more twitchy in reaction to headlines. Therefore, while the Fed and the trend are on investor’s side, sentiment may dampen the supportive backdrop over the next three months. Given that two out of three of our tactical rules remain positive for investors and risk assets, we continue to have more equity exposure relative to fixed income in the portfolios but have stop losses in place in our shorter-horizon portfolios to counteract the reaction of the crowd that has now become too optimistic.