Quick thread on the strategic importance of Credit Suisse and why the Fed's support of it is so important.
Famously, the SNB holds a big equity portfolio, at last count ~$139B. These are mostly US large caps. /1 whalewisdom.com/filer/swiss-na…
Last Summer I took heat from the skeptical on Fintwit for my 'thesis' of a war between Davos and the Fed because the Fed sent billions in a lifeline to the SNB who helped out $CS. /2
This happened at the same time as Blackrock's assault on the Bank of England, bringing down PM Liz Truss, installing Davos boy Rishi Sunak.
At the time I noted the two banking jurisdictions in Europe not under ECB control were assaulted simultaneously. No coincidences /3
$CS has been under constant attack since then, with the latest push occurring while the Fed clearly decapitated $SIVB and Signature Bank. Move/Countermove. /4
$CS is a key driver of SNB monetary policy. It's their $JPM. Without $CS a run on the SNB is very possible. For the Fed, who just set off a wave of instability across the eurodollar system, the SNB is a key partner, as they provide key liquidity to US equities such as $AAPL /5
It's not a stretch to then conclude that the Fed will support CS through the SNB to support US equity markets.
If you are the Fed you want to allow global capital to flow into US stocks as safe havens
/6
If you are Davos, you want to cut off all avenues of escape from the incipient capital flight Powell set off with the BTFP and not bailing out $SIVB, the SNB and $CS play a big role in this.
For Davos, volatility is their main weapon, and you increase vol by drying up volume. /7
If you want to hurt the Fed after the Fed clearly hurt you a continued assault on CS is a logical move.
So, strategically, the Fed will pay certain prices to achieve larger goals. This is what so many in Fintwit fail to grasp, wanting to just ab react and scream "BACKDOOR QE!" "IT'S ALL A CLUB!" blah blah blah.
Think about relationships. Map incentives. /8
Conclusion: The Fed and NY will continue to try and support CS as the chess game continues.
Whether that's good or bad for anyone outside of the Marriner-Eccles building or Wall St. is anyone's guess. But that's the lay of the land. /end @threadreaderapp
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In 2008/09 all the FCID bank closures happened after the market closed on Fridays to limit the damage. Today we are treated to a vandalistic "Biden" regime making a big deal out of this DURING trading hours. /2
From a purely political and qualitative standpoint I'd say a number of things are at play here.
For a major SV bank to fail this spectacularly in 24 hours, 72 after the FOMC Chair went full "Resting Hawk Face" smells of a setup to force a "pivot" this weekend./3
More meltdown in the Eurodollar markets this morning on US inflation data.
These markets and the long-end of the US yield curve are hideously mispriced 1/
@SecYellen is selling 2/3's and buying 10/20's
Why? To make the 2/10 spread worse than it should be but also to help @ECB protect US/German credit spreads.
Really?
Who do you think she really works for?
The Fed could provide the market 10's if Yellen would back off.
/2
This is to support the fiction that the US is headed for a 'historic default' if we don't raise the debt ceiling.
We'll raise the debt ceiling. This is just more Treasury Dept. blackmail of the Fed. Yellen is flying into coffin corner here. /3
Does anyone seriously think markets won't react in real time to the Fed going to 8% and continue holding their breath sending the 2yr to 8.5 percent but the 10yr will stay at 3?
back in November I did a podcast with Pascal Najadi who told the story of Frm. Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder visiting Scholz's office with an offer for gas to Gazprom, which was summarily rejected. /2
The big on is that there is nothing telling the Fed to slow down here in any meaningful way.
Most of the pullback in inflation and consumer spending is just baseline effects.
The banks have collateral, loan growth is fine and labor market strong. go another 50 Jay-Pow. /2
Powell is dealing with the hangover from Brainard/Obama's attempt to get rid of him in 2021.
That's why the markets are so stubborn.
It's moronic. Powell's entrenched. They didn't believe him last year either. /3
5000 Swiss troops to protect oligarchs at #Davos2023.
This is what you order up when you're scared of the people.
Here's a reminder that I saw Peak Davos in November 2021. It was over the COVID-9/11 Jab Protests... among other things. tomluongo.me/2021/11/21/hav…
1/
Austrian protests, Nov. 2021.
It doesn't matter that they buried the lede for months. The anger is still there. /2