Author: Colin Twiggs

Colin Twiggs is a former investment banker with almost 40 years of experience in financial markets. He co-founded Incredible Charts and writes the popular Trading Diary and Patient Investor newsletters. Using a top-down approach, Colin identifies key macro trends in the global economy before evaluating selected opportunities using a combination of fundamental and technical analysis. Focusing on interest rates and financial market liquidity as primary drivers of the economic cycle, he warned of the 2008/2009 and 2020 bear markets well ahead of actual events. He founded PVT Capital (AFSL No. 546090) in May 2023, which offers investment strategy and advice to wholesale clients.
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Goldman Sachs acquires Perth Mint’s physical gold ETF (AAAU)

Published in ETF Strategy on December 14, 2020:

Goldman Sachs has completed its acquisition of the Perth Mint’s physical gold ETF.

Renamed the Goldman Sachs Physical Gold ETF (AAAU), the ETF’s fee is unchanged, at 0.18%, as is its listing on NYSE Arca.

The ETF also continues to provide the same fundamental function – namely physical exposure to gold bars meeting the specifications for “good delivery”, as defined by the London Bullion Market Association.

New custodian

But while the fee, listing venue, and investment objective are all unchanged, the original custodian, the Perth Mint, has been removed and, along with it, the ETF’s unique guarantee from the government of the State of Western Australia.

Also out with the Perth Mint is the ETF’s novel convertibility feature that allowed shareholders of the ETF to exchange their shares for delivery of physical gold in the form of bullion bars and coins issued by the mint.

In its place as custodian is the London branch of JP Morgan Chase – one half of a duopoly of banks (the other half being HSBC) that is home to an increasingly large and arguably alarming concentration (approx. 2,500 tonnes) of ETF-owned gold……

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Stock prices: Jay Powell is talking through his hat

Daily COVID-19 cases in the US continue to climb, reaching 236,211 on Thursday 17th.

USA: COVID19 Daily Cases

Unemployment claims jumped by 1.6 million in the week ending November 28, exceeding more than 1 in 8 of the total workforce (Feb 2020).

DOL: Total Unemployment Claims, 28Nov2020

Initial claims under state programs climbed to 935,138 (unadjusted) by week ending December 12, compared to 718,522 for w/e November 28, while initial claims under pandemic assistance programs run by the federal government jumped to 455,037 compared to 288,234 for w/e November 28.

Further escalation of both daily COVID-19 cases and unemployment claims is likely before vaccine distribution achieves a wide enough reach to make a difference. A major obstacle will be public reluctance to get the vaccine shot:

As states frantically prepare to begin months of vaccinations that could end the pandemic, a new poll finds only about half of Americans are ready to roll up their sleeves when their turn comes.

The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows about a quarter of U.S. adults aren’t sure if they want to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. Roughly another quarter say they won’t. (Associated Press, December 10, 2020)

Federal assistance

Further federal assistance may soften the impact of rising unemployment on the economy but Senate leaders are yet to conclude a deal. Both sides claim to want a deal but it seems unlikely that agreement will be reached before the Georgia run-off elections on January 5th. If the Democrats win both seats, and a Senate majority, they will not need to compromise. Unfortunately, large numbers of the least fortunate will suffer before then. Real leadership from the White House, needed to break the logjam, is sadly absent.

Jay Powell and stock prices

Jay Powell says he is relaxed about stock prices:

Stocks at record highs and bond yields not far from their historic lows are telling two different stories, but Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said he isn’t worried about the disparity.

In fact, the central bank chief said during a news conference Wednesday, the low rates are helping justify an equity surge that has gone on largely unabated since the March pandemic crisis lows.

“The broad financial stability picture is kind of mixed I would say,” Powell said in response to a CNBC question at the post-meeting media Q&A. “Asset prices are a little high in that metric in my view, but overall you have a mixed picture. You don’t have a lot of red flags on that.” (CNBC, December 16, 2020)

There is just one problem: bond yields are distorted by the Fed and do not reflect market forces.

S&P 500 PEmax

If we take the S&P 500 Price-Earnings ratio based on the highest trailing earnings (PEmax), this eliminates distortions from sharp falls in earnings during a recession. The current multiple of 26.69 is the second highest peak in the past 120 years, exceeded only by the Dotcom bubble. By comparison, peaks for the 1929 stock market crash (Black Friday) and 1987 (Black Monday) both had earnings multiples below 20.

S&P 500 PE of Maximum Trailing Earnings (PEmax)

Payback model

If we use our payback model, we arrive at a fair value estimate of 2169.50 for the S&P 500 based on:

  • projected earnings for the next four quarters as provided by S&P;
  • a long-term growth rate of 5%, equal to nominal GDP growth in recent years; and
  • a payback period of 12 years, normally used for the most stable companies (with a strong defensive market position).

The LT growth rate required to match the current index value (3709.41) is 14.0%. The only time such a growth rate was achieved, post WWII, is in the 1980s, when inflation was spiraling out of control.

Nominal GDP & Inflation (CPI)

Conclusion

Stock prices are in a bubble of epic proportions. Risk is elevated and we are likely to witness a major collapse in prices in 2021 unless inflation spikes upwards as in the 1970s to early 1980s.

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To infinity and beyond Part II

Watch from 5:00

Luke Gromen: “Their game plan is to keep treasury yields below the GDP growth rate. The last time they did this was 1945 to 1980.”

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A stock market bubble of epic proportions

A great deal has been written in recent years about real estate bubbles, stock market bubbles and even bond market bubbles. But there is really only one kind of bubble — that is a debt bubble. Without low interest rates fueling rapid debt growth, any form of bubble would wither on the vine.

The Wilshire 5000 broad market index, compared to profits before tax, recently peaked above 15.0 for only the second time in history before retreating to 13.97 in Q3. The fall in Q3 is attributable to recovering profits rather than falling stock prices, so a return to above 15.0 seems likely if the index rises in response.

Wilshire 5000 Index/Profits

The reason for the surge in stock prices is clear on the chart below: interest rates at close to zero for an extended period act like rocket fuel.

Wilshire 5000 Index/Profits & 3-Month T-Bill Yield

Anna Schwartz, co-author of A Monetary History of the United States (with Milton Friedman, 1963) once said:

If you investigate individually the manias that the market has so dubbed over the years, in every case, it was expansive monetary policy that generated the boom in an asset. The particular asset varied from one boom to another. But the basic underlying propagator was too-easy monetary policy and too-low interest rates.

That is particularly true of the current bubble.

When will it end?

The Fed seems unlikely to change course and is expected to keep interest rates near zero for an extended period, so when is the bubble likely to end?

If bank credit growth stalls, falling to zero (the red line) as it did before the last three recessions, stock prices are likely to tumble.

Wilshire 5000 Index/Profits & Bank Credit

There may be three possible causes of slowing credit growth:

  1. Inflation surges, forcing the Fed to raise interest rates;
  2. Low interest rates cause investment misallocation, as in the Dotcom and subprime bubbles, leading to rising defaults and tighter bank credit; or
  3. An external shock causes falling aggregate demand and high unemployment, with banks tightening credit policies in anticipation of rising defaults.

Chairman Jay Powell has assured us that the Fed will tolerate higher inflation, with its new policy of inflation averaging, so higher interest rates do not seem to be a major risk. While there has been some investment misallocation, falling aggregate demand and high unemployment seem to be the greatest threat.

Initial claims for unemployment insurance jumped to 853,000 for the week ended December 5th, while initial claims for pandemic unemployment assistance surged to 427,600.

Initial Claims

Latest Department of Labor figures (November 21) show total unemployment claims remain high at 19 million — or 1 in 8 people who had a job in February 2020.

Bank credit standards have tightened significantly.

Bank Credit Standards

Conclusion

Keep a close watch on bank credit growth. If this falls to zero, then stock prices are likely to tumble.

Bank Loans & Leases

Commercial paper often acts as the canary in the coal mine, giving advance warning of a credit contraction.

Commercial Paper Outstanding

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US healthcare killing the host

This chart sums up the size of the challenge facing President-elect Joe Biden.

Health Care Costs

Mancur Olson (The Rise and Decline of Nations) identified special interest groups as one of the primary obstacles to efficient functioning of the economy, whether they be oil producers, banks, trade unions, or the medical profession. And the more powerful they grow, the greater the obstacle they become.

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S&P 500: Leaders no longer leading

Daily new cases of COVID-19 continue to spike upwards, warning of further shutdowns as medical facilities are overrun.

USA: Daily COVID-19 cases

Payrolls

The latest labor report disappointed, especially as the November survey came before the latest round of layoffs after states imposed tighter restrictions.

Payroll growth flattened, leaving total payroll down 5.99% compared to November last year.

Payrolls Annual Change

Hours worked are slightly more encouraging, down 4.68% on an annual basis, compared to -2.9% change in real GDP.

Real GDP & Hours Worked

Vaccines

Encouraging news on the vaccine front but “when you hear the cavalry is coming to your rescue, you don’t stop shooting. You redouble your efforts.” (Dr Anthony Fauci)

Now This News

Stocks

Progress in manufacturing vaccines that will soon be widely available has buoyed stocks despite the dismal economic outlook. The S&P 500 made new highs, assisted by hopes of further stimulus and ultra-low interest rates. The large megaphone pattern is a poor indicator of future direction but does flag unusual volatility.

S&P 500 SPDR (SPY)

Growth in the big five technology stocks has slowed in recent months, with only Alphabet (GOOGL) breaking above its September high. Too early to tell, but failure of market leaders to make new highs is typical of the late stages of a bull market.

AAPL, AMZN, GOOGL, MSFT, FB

Conclusion

Vaccines should succeed in flattening the third wave and suppressing future outbreaks but are unlikely to succeed in restoring the economy to normalcy.

Federal debt is at a record 123% of GDP and growing. Further stimulus is required to support the still-fragile recovery.

The Fed will continue to expand its balance sheet to support Treasury issuance.

Ultra-low interest rates are likely to stay for a number of years.

If massive federal debt, QE and ultra-low interest rates does not cause a spike in inflation, that will encourage authorities to push the envelope even further (we fear this would have disastrous consequences).

Unemployment is expected to remain high and GDP growth likely to remain low.

Zombie corporations and commercial real estate with unsustainable debt levels will continue to be a drag on economic growth.

Growth stocks are expected to remain overpriced relative to current and future earnings.

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Warren Buffett: Speculation v. Investment

Only buy something that you’d be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years.

~ Warren Buffett

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Epic v. Apple (AAPL)

Apple logo

If Fortnite-maker Epic Games’ Australian legal challenge against Apple is successful, the tech giant may be forced to loosen its grip on its valuable mobile app ecosystem, with Epic arguing that competition law obliges Apple to allow rival stores and payment processing mechanisms on its devices.

Currently, the Apple-controlled App Store is the only way to get apps to consumers on iPhones, which make up more than half of all in-use smartphones in Australia. And all payments for digital goods, in-app purchases and subscriptions must use Apple’s payment mechanism, from which, in most cases, Apple takes a 30 per cent commission.

ACCC: Rod Sims
ACCC chair Rod Sims

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chair Rod Sims said the Epic case was a well-timed test of the current competition laws, which were recently revised to better prevent misuses of market power

“Apple, as one of the two main app stores, is in a very strong position. It would seem like they have quite a lot of market power and can set the terms and conditions under which various apps operate,” Sims said. (from Tim Biggs at The Age)

Epic Games lawsuit

Epic Games filed suit against Apple in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, on August 2020, challenging Apple’s restrictions on apps from having other in-app purchasing methods outside of the App Store. Founder Tim Sweeney had previously challenged the 30% revenue cut that Apple takes on each purchase made in the App Store. Epic made changes in Fortnite intentionally to bypass the App Store payment system, prompting Apple to block the game from the App Store and leading to the Epic lawsuit.

Epic also filed another lawsuit against Google (GOOGL) the same day, which challenges Google’s similar practices on the Google Play app store for Android, after Google pulled Fortnite following the same update. (Wikipedia)

Apple Segments

Apple Inc. AAPL Segments

Services only account for 20% of revenue (FY20) but gross margins (66.0%) are more than double that of products (31.5%). The contribution towards overall operating profit of $66.3 billion is likely to be disproportionately high.

Conclusion

Apple would take a significant profit hit if its monopoly hold over app registration (via its App store) and processing of digital payments was removed. The company is already backing off from its former uncompromising stance, offering to halve commissions on sales via the App store (including In-App purchases), but only for developers with sales of less than $1 million. Allowing free competition from competing app stores and digital payment processors would compress margins even further.

Disclosure

Staff of The Patient Investor do not directly or indirectly own shares in the above company.

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George Orwell and the appeal of Fascism

George Orwell reviewed Hitler’s Mein Kampf in March 1940. His last paragraph is particularly revealing:

“Also he [Hitler] has grasped the falsity of the hedonistic attitude to life. Nearly all western thought since the last war, certainly all ‘progressive’ thought, has assumed tacitly that human beings desire nothing beyond ease, security and avoidance of pain. In such a view of life there is no room, for instance, for patriotism and the military virtues. The Socialist who finds his children playing with soldiers is usually upset, but he is never able to think of a substitute for the tin soldiers; tin pacifists somehow won’t do. Hitler, because in his own joyless mind he feels it with exceptional strength, knows that human beings don’t only want comfort, safety, short working-hours, hygiene, birth-control and, in general, common sense; they also, at least intermittently, want struggle and self-sacrifice, not to mention drums, flags and loyalty-parades. However they may be as economic theories, Fascism and Nazism are psychologically far sounder than any hedonistic conception of life. The same is probably true of Stalin’s militarised version of Socialism. All three of the great dictators have enhanced their power by imposing intolerable burdens on their peoples. Whereas Socialism, and even capitalism in a more grudging way, have said to people ‘I offer you a good time,’ Hitler has said to them ‘I offer you struggle, danger and death,’ and as a result a whole nation flings itself at his feet…..”

David Wood suggests that society may have eliminated many of the challenges that they faced 80 years ago but this makes us even more vulnerable today. If people don’t have real struggles to overcome, or enemies to fight, they will invent them…..

George Orwell on Hitler's Mein Kampf

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Time to get on with the serious business of beating COVID-19

Conservative news channel Fox News have called the election in favor of Joe Biden.

FoxNews: 2020 election

Trump and a few die-hard supporters insist that they will mount a legal challenge to overturn the election result. Here is a quick assessment of his chances by Neal Katyal, professor of National Security Law at Georgetown University and former US Acting Solicitor General (2010-2011):

Neal Katyal

There were 128,412 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, November 7, bringing the total number of Americans infected to just under 10 million.

Daily New COVID-19 Cases reach 128,412

This has the potential to overload the health care system and shut down the economy. We need to ignore the sideshow and focus on what can be done to stop this. Before it’s too late.

Quote for the Week

Crisis does not change who you are.
Crisis reveals who you are.
~ Jakub Janda

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