Conference Calls
Conference Call Replay & Transcript – Assessing the Risks of COVID-19 and the U.S. Election
February 20, 2020
A replay of our February 20, 2020 conference call
A replay of our February 20, 2020 conference call
Today's topics include the PBOC says everything will be fine, are traders too complacent on coronavirus?, Chinese lenders cut prime rate, the Swedish negative rate experiment, the FOMC minutes on repo operations, low rates and the deficit, and the U.S. workforce is getting older.
In tonight's Democrat debate, Michael Bloomberg will be on the stage for the first time. It comes as "The Bloomberg Boomlet" is showing signs of peaking while Sanders's momentum continues to build. If Bloomberg still has a chance, it has to start tonight.
Today's topics include tracking COVID-19 with alternative data, earnings growth ex-big tech, Chinese bonds, share buybacks, options trading on the rise, China's tit for tat with the U.S., previewing the FOMC minutes, and the EU budget summit.
While stocks soared to new all-time highs last week, the bond market has been telling a far different story. Central banks may be correct when they state their toolbox will be limited in future downturns, but that isn't stopping the markets from expecting further action.
Q4 2019 earnings season is more than 78% complete and growth estimates are roughly 1.2% higher versus last year, continuing the trend of low growth the past few quarters. Perhaps more concerning, 2020 forecasts appear to be getting hit on global supply chain fears from China’s coronavirus.
Today's topics include central banks' waning effectiveness, the New York Fed continues reducing repo operation sizes, the stock/bond relationship and negative rates, doubting China's stock market recovery, companies with high sales exposure to China, Italian and Greek debt, debt to GDP ratios around the world, Japan's GDP feels pinch of sales tax hike, and stock market sentiment.
Using cable news coverage as a gauge of concern/interest, we find complacency is setting in about the Covid-19. This may suggest little financial market downside has been discounted.
Wuhan underwent the largest quarantine in human history. The data suggests it might not have been successful. The rest of the world is now approaching a similar position to Wuhan when it implemented its ban on travel and contact.