US & Canada Archives - Page 14 of 169

August 11, 2021August 11, 2021

The error of a Dollar reserve currency

The era¹ of US Dollar reserve currency status started in 1971, when Richard Nixon ended convertibility to gold. The present issues have taken a long time to evolve but are a consequence of that decision.

Yesterday we showed how GDP had declined against the M2 money supply² since the global financial crisis in 2008-09. Liquidity soared but GDP growth failed to respond to quantitative easing and ultra-low interest rates.

GDP/M2

Even when we adjust M2 money supply for recent actions that remove liquidity — commercial bank investment in Treasury & Agency securities and overnight reverse repo from the Fed — there is a sharp fall in money velocity.

GDP/M2 Adjusted for Commercial Bank Treasury Investments & Fed Reverse Repo

With the 2020 pandemic, the Fed doubled down, boosting liquidity and cutting interest rates even further. Bank credit has slowly started to recover.

Commercial Bank: Loans & Leases

But results are miniscule compared to the Fed’s $3.9 trillion liquidity injection.

M2 Money Stock

Declining bank credit relative to M2 over the past two decades tells a similar story.

Commercial Bank: Loans & Leases/M2 Adjusted for Commercial Bank Treasury Investments & Fed Reverse Repo

With GDP also declining relative to bank credit.

GDP/Commercial Bank: Loans & Leases

And unlikely to recover in the foreseeable future.

Conclusion

Fed monetary policy — with quantitative easing and record low interest rates — has not achieved a recovery in GDP growth over the past two decades. It was never designed to do that. Its primary purpose is to fund the federal deficit.

Federal Deficit

The only way to achieve a true economic recovery, with robust GDP growth, is to end the Dollar’s reserve status. The US has been forced to run massive current account deficits to support the Dollar’s reserve status, eroding the competitiveness of domestic industry in export markets and against imports in domestic markets.

Current Account

Eliminate the current account deficits and you will eliminate the primary need to run federal deficits — and for the Fed to expand its balance sheet to support them. You will also enhance the competitiveness of US industry.

The longer the Dollar continues as global reserve currency, the higher federal debt will rise, while GDP growth falls.

Notes

Intentional (era >> error).
In economics jargon the ratio GDP/M2 is referred to as the velocity of money.

August 4, 2021August 4, 2021

Nasdaq & NYSE breakouts

Our breakout of the week, Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS), is testing resistance at 150. Repeated Money Flow troughs above zero signal exceptional buying pressure. Breakout above 150 would signal an advance with a target of 180¹.

Cadence Design Systems Inc. (CDNS)

Cadence Design Systems, Inc. provides software, hardware, services, and reusable integrated circuit design blocks worldwide. The company offers functional verification services, including emulation and prototyping hardware. Its functional verification offering consists of JasperGold, a formal verification platform; Xcelium, a parallel logic simulation platform; Palladium, an enterprise emulation platform; and Protium, a prototyping platform for chip verification.

Another, CDW Corporation (CDW), is testing resistance at 185. Rising Money Flow troughs again signal growing buying pressure. Breakout above 185 would signal an advance with a target of 205².

CDW Corporation (CDW)

CDW Corporation provides integrated information technology (IT) solutions to business, government, education, and healthcare customers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. It operates through three segments: Corporate, Small Business, and Public. The company offers discrete hardware and software products, as well as integrated IT solutions, including on-premise, hybrid and cloud capabilities across data center and networking, digital workspace, security, and virtualization.

Used car retailer CarMax, Inc. (KMX), broke through resistance at 135. Rising Money Flow troughs indicate growing buyer interest. Breakout would signal an advance with a target of 155³.

CarMax Inc. (KMX)

CarMax, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a retailer of used vehicles in the United States. The company operates in two segments, CarMax Sales Operations and CarMax Auto Finance. It offers customers a range of makes and models of used vehicles, including domestic, imported, and luxury vehicles; and extended protection plans to customers at the time of sale, as well as sells vehicles that are approximately 10 years old and has more than 100,000 miles through whole auctions.

A smaller breakout pattern is Medtronic plc (MDT) which is testing resistance at 132. Money Flow troughs respecting zero signal strong buying pressure. Breakout above 132 would offer a target of 144⁴.

Medtronic plc (MDT)

Medtronic plc develops, manufactures, distributes, and sells device-based medical therapies to hospitals, physicians, clinicians, and patients worldwide. It operates through four segments: Cardiovascular Portfolio, Neuroscience Portfolio, Medical Surgical Portfolio, and Diabetes Operating Unit. The Cardiovascular Portfolio segment offers implantable cardiac pacemakers, cardioverter defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization therapy devices; AF ablation products; insertable cardiac monitor systems; mechanical circulatory support; TYRX products; and remote monitoring and patient-centered software.

Wingstop Inc. (WING) broke long-term resistance at 170, signaling an advance with a target of 225⁵. Rising Money Flow troughs signal growing buyer interest.

Wingstop Inc. (WING)

Wingstop Inc., together with its subsidiaries, franchises and operates restaurants under the Wingstop brand name. Its restaurants offer classic wings, boneless wings, and tenders that are cooked-to-order, and hand-sauced-and-tossed in various flavors. As of December 26, 2020, the company had 1,506 franchised restaurants and 32 company-owned restaurants in 44 states and 10 countries worldwide. Wingstop Inc. was founded in 1994 and is based in Dallas, Texas.

Reminder

The above is only a technical view and does not take into account fundamental data like sales, operating margins, cash flows and debt levels. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell.

Notes

1. Target of $180 for CDNS is calculated as the trough at 120 projected above resistance at 150.
2. Target of $205 for CDW is calculated as the trough at 165 projected above resistance at 185.
3. Target of $155 for KMX is calculated as the trough at 115 projected above resistance at 135.
4. Target of $144 for MDT is calculated as the trough at 120 projected above resistance at 132.
5. Target of $225 for WING is calculated as support at 115 projected above resistance at 170.

Acknowledgement

Hat tip to SeekingAlpha.com for the company profiles.

July 10, 2021July 10, 2021

A Tesla in the coal mine

All five US technology behemoths — Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Alphabet (GOOGL), Facebook (FB) and Microsoft (MSFT) — show strong up-trends over the past 6 months, boosted by strong inflows from international investors who are giving the bond market a wide berth.

But the canary in the coal mine is Tesla (TSLA), the darling of retail investors and the largest holding in Cathy Wood’s ARK Innovation Fund (ARKK). TSLA encountered resistance at 700 and looks ready for another test of primary support. Breach of 550 would signal a primary down-trend.

Trading at more than 17 times sales (TTM Q1 FY21), Tesla shows spectacular exponential growth in revenues over the past ten years. But investors should be wary of extrapolating that growth as heavyweights like Volkswagen, Ford and GM invest heavily in the EV space.

Also, free cash flow is patchy, reaching $3.4 billion in FY20 on a levered basis.

That starts to look anemic when one takes into account stock compensation of $1.7 billion — which does not affect cash flow but dilutes existing stockholders. Adjusted free cash flow, net of stock compensation, is $1.7bn. Against market cap of $621bn that gives an earnings multiple of 365 times!

If we take adjusted free cash flow for the trailing 12 months to March 2021, of $1.4bn, that gives an even higher multiple of 443 times.

Conclusion

Valuations of stocks like Tesla (TSLA) are precarious and breach of primary support levels could spark a flurry of margin calls.

Notes

Revenue and cash flows are from SeekingAlpha

July 7, 2021July 7, 2021

Stock breakouts

This is just a view of stock market activity, based on technical analysis. It does not take into account fundamentals — like sales growth, margins, return on invested capital, debt and expected dividend streams — and is not a recommendation to buy/sell.

There were two notable breakouts this week in the Russell 3000:

Amazon (AMZN) was the clear winner, breaking resistance at 3500 after forming a solid base (between 3000 and 3500) over the past 10 months. Rising Money Flow troughs signal increased interest from buyers as Jeff Bezos handed over as CEO to Andy Jassy.

Amazon Inc (AMZN)

RGC Resources (RGCO) was runner up, breaking resistance at 25 at end of the June quarter. The base is not as well-defined as for Amazon, with penetration of support at 22.50 in April ’21 before a strong recovery. Respect of support at 25, however, would confirm the bull signal.

RGC Resources (RGCO)

The closest we have to a breakout this week on the ASX 300 is Rural Funds Group (RFF). After breaking resistance at 2.40 RFF formed a loose “cup and handle” pattern¹, with a sharp pullback to test support at 2.30 followed by a rally to test resistance at 2.65/2.70. Divergence on Twiggs Money Flow, with a lower TMF peak, however warns of stubborn resistance and another test of support is likely.

Rural Funds Group (RFF)

Notes

The “cup” on RFF runs from August ’19 to October ’20, the “handle” from November ’20 to the present.

June 25, 2021June 25, 2021

Fed’s favorite inflation indicator surges

The Fed’s preferred measure of inflation, the Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) Index grew by 3.9% in the 12 months ended May ’21, while Core PCE (excluding food & energy) came in slightly lower at 3.4%.

Personal Consumption Expenditure Index: Annual Change

We still have to watch out for base effects, because of the low readings in May last year, but growth for the past 6 months is even higher, registering 5.3% (PCE) and 4.6% (core PCE) annualized gains.

Personal Consumption Expenditure Index: 6-Month Change

Conclusion

Excluding temporary price spikes due to supply chain disruption, we expect inflation to average a minimum of 4.0% over the next three years.

June 22, 2021

Deflationistas and base effects

Deflationistas like respected economist David Rosenberg point to a sharp decline in bank credit over the past 12 months as evidence of deflation.

By the end of April, commercial bank loans and leases had declined by $510 billion, or 4.7% of total, over the past 12 months.

Commercial Banks: Loans & Leases

That would be cause for concern but it does not take into account the massive $742 billion surge in lending in the preceding two months, March-April 2020, when borrowers drew on lines of credit to ensure that they had sufficient liquidity during the pandemic. They were afraid that banks would withdraw credit facilities in anticipation of widespread corporate defaults.

Commercial Banks: Loans & Leases

Conclusion

There is no credit contraction.

Bank credit did shrink by $510 billion in the past 12 months but this followed an unusual $742 billion surge in credit as borrowers drew on credit facilities to ensure liquidity during the first two months of the pandemic. What we have witnessed is the normalization of bank credit, with borrowers repaying credit temporarily drawn at the height of the liquidity crunch.

We expect normal credit growth to resume.

May 8, 2021May 8, 2021

Beware of the GDP “spike”

Hours worked jumped to a massive 13.5% (YoY) spike in April and GDP is expected to follow.

Real GDP & Hours Worked

Jim Stock’s Weekly Economic Index predicts a similar 12.2% (YoY) spike in Q2 GDP.

Weekly Economic Index

Apologies for being the bearer of bad news but that spike is entirely due to base effects: the year-on-year change is measured from the pandemic low of April 2020.

In real terms, hours worked are still 3.8% below their Feb 2020 level and GDP for Q2 2021 is expected to come in at close to the peak in Q4 of 2019.

Real GDP & Hours Worked

May 8, 2021

Labor market turmoil

Pundits are wringing their hands about the poor jobs report, with +266K of new jobs in April compared to 1M estimated. Non-farm jobs recovered to 144.3 million in April, compared to 152.5m in Feb 2020, a shortfall of 5.4%.

Non-farm Payroll

Hours worked has done slightly better, at 5.05 billion in April, compared to 5.25bn in Feb 2020, a shortfall of 3.8%.

Real GDP and Hours Worked

The rate of increase (in hours worked) slowed significantly from March 2021, but that is to be expected. It will be difficult to match the recovery rates achieved at the re-opening and we suspect that the +1m new jobs estimate for April was over-optimistic.

Increase in Hours Worked

Manufacturing

Manufacturing jobs are not fully recovered either, at 12.3m in April, a 4.0% shortfall from the 12.8m in Feb 2020. But manufacturing production in March 2021 (104.3) was only 1.7% below its Feb 2020 reading and is expected to close the gap even further in April. A sign that productivity is improving.

Manufacturing Jobs & Industrial Production

Average hourly wage rates continue to grow between 2.5% and 3.5% (YoY). A sign that employers are able to fill job openings.

Manufacturing Hourly Wage Rates

Job Openings

Outside of manufacturing, job openings are growing. A sign that wage rates are likely to follow.

Job Openings

We suspect that job openings are concentrated in low paid jobs where the pandemic and higher unemployment benefits are likely to have the most impact on participation rates.

Low Participation

Unemployment Benefits

Bond Market

After momentary panic, the bond market seems to have decided that the weak jobs report is a non-event and unlikely to reduce inflation or require increased Fed intervention. The 10-year Treasury yield dropped to 1.525% in the morning but recovered to 1.572% by the close.

10-Year Treasury Yields

Conclusion

The labor participation rate has been declining for 20 years and the COVID-19 pandemic may have accelerated the decline. Participation rates may never fully recover to pre-pandemic levels.

Declining Labor Participation

But as long as the difference is made up by rising productivity (output/jobs), boosted by increased automation, then the economy is expected to make a full recovery.

Manufacturing Production/Jobs

Higher unemployment benefits and a lower participation rate are likely to drive up wages for unskilled jobs, while de-coupling from China and on-shoring of critical supply chains is expected to lead to skills shortages, driving up wages for higher-paid employees. The Fed will be reluctant to increase interest rates to cool the economic recovery, allowing inflation to rise.

When the (inflation) train starts to roll, it is difficult to stop. Sharp pressure on the (interest rate) brake is then required, but would cause havoc in bond and equity markets.

April 22, 2021April 22, 2021

Netflix heralds end of COVID boom for tech stocks

A sharp fall in new Netflix subscribers may signal the end of the boom for many tech companies that enjoyed stellar gains since the start of the pandemic. Economies are starting to re-open as vaccination levels rise, warning of tepid growth ahead for companies that thrived during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Zoe Samios at The Age writes:

In the first three months of 2020, Netflix acquired 15.77 million paid subscribers, sending its already elevated shares into the stratosphere. In the corresponding period this year, Netflix added just 3.98 million subscribers, its results on Wednesday morning (AEST) showed.

Netflix (NFLX) momentum has slowed since July last year. Breach of support at 500 would warn of a correction, while breach of support at 460 would signal a primary down-trend.

Netflix (NFLX)

The big five technology stocks all enjoyed a huge surge, up to September 2 last year, gaining between 28% (GOOGL) and 91% (AMZN) since early January. Since then, only Alphabet (GOOGL) and Microsoft (MSFT) have recorded further gains.

AAPL,AMZN,GOOGL,FB,MSFT

The broad S&P 500 index has gained 16.5% since September 2, 2020.

Conclusion

Growth in large technology stocks is slowing as the economy re-opens.

April 21, 2021May 25, 2021

This time is different

The chart below compares the Wilshire 5000 broad market index (light blue) to the money supply (MZM or “at call” money). The previous two recessions show a surge in the money supply (green circles) as the Fed injects liquidity into financial markets to forestall a deflationary spiral. In both cases, stocks took more than two years to react, with the low-point reached 8 quarters after the Fed started to inject liquidity in Q1 2001 and 9 quarters after liquidity injections commenced in Q3 of 2007.

MZM Money Supply and Wilshire 5000

It took almost 13 years for the index to make a new high after its Q1 2001 Dotcom peak and 5.5 years after its Q3 2007 peak (values are plotted relative to GDP).

The recovery in 2020 was quite different. The index formed a low two quarters after the Fed started to inject liquidity and had recovered to a new high in the next quarter.

While the recovery from the Dotcom crash took an unusually long time — because of the extreme valuations — we can still conclude that the latest recovery was exceptional. Record government stimulus caused a surge in disposable incomes, rather than the fall seen in previous recessions.

Disposable Personal Income

The surge in disposable income combined with a sharp fall in consumption caused a massive spike in personal saving, much of which flowed into the stock market.

Personal Saving

Huge inflows caused a surge in stock prices, which in turn led to similar exuberance to the Dotcom bubble of 1999-2000.

“This is the only time in my 88 years when I saw technology stocks go to 100 times earnings; or, when there were no earnings, 20 times sales. It was insane, and I took advantage of the temporary insanity.” ~ Sir John Templeton, in 2001.

Conclusion

While the government attempt to prevent a fall in personal disposable income during the pandemic is laudable, their overreaction caused a massive spike in personal saving — spreading the contagion to the stock market. Stocks are now trading at precarious levels relative to earnings, with no easy way for authorities to engineer a soft landing.

We are not sure how long the Fed can prop up the stock market but are certain that it will end badly for investors who ignore the risks.

Notes

Sir John Templeton (1912-2008) was an American-born contrarian and value investor, banker, fund manager, and philanthropist. He founded the Templeton Growth Fund in 1954, which averaged more than 15% p.a. over 38 years. In 1999, Money magazine rated him as “arguably the best stock picker of the century.”