Conference Calls
Conference Call Replay – Navigating Coronavirus, Central Banks, and Primary Season
March 5, 2020
A replay of our March 5, 2020 conference call
A replay of our March 5, 2020 conference call
Today's topics include timing the rate cuts/zero-yielding Treasuries, coordinated policy or lack thereof, the repo market's latest liquidity strains, stock market liquidity, stock market returns: Democrats vs. Republicans, more coronavirus alternative data, easing big bank regulation, and the deflationary effect of technological gains.
Funding strains are developing again. The Fed might have to respond by expanding its "not QE" support for the repo market even more, which would push its balance sheet to even larger levels.
The Fed cut on fears that the US is about to see massive economic disruption. Given the examples from other countries, this is a reasonable fear.
Biden had a good night and completes a stunning four-day reversal taking him from disappointing also-ran to runaway favorite to become the Democrat nominee.
Today's topics include the Fed cuts rate and the market prices in more cuts, will the ECB follow in the Fed's footsteps?, a fiscal response to coronavirus, the monetary response to coronavirus, raising capital in a coronavirus world, goodbye to the 50-year bond, risks to the corporate bond market, gauging the odds of a credit crunch, and the problem with ESG ratings.
Governments and central banks can manage, but not reverse, a shift in markets and the global economy caused by the coronavirus.
Fed support of the repo market surged to new a record this morning. This was not expected and the initial reasons for the banks' surge in demand are hard to determine.
Biden's odds of becoming the Democrat nominee surged on the back of Saturday's victory in South Carolina. He is now even with Sanders. Texas could decide this contest.
Bonds are off to their fastest start since at least 1973.