1. Through April, our systems place Real GDP growth at 1.37% versus one year prior. Below, we show our monthly estimates of Real GDP relative to the official data:
2. Below, we show the weighted contributions to the most recent one-month change in real GDP, along with the recent history of month-on-month GDP. Additionally, we show the contribution by sector to monthly GDP in the table below.
3. April saw an improvement in investment activity, contributing significantly to GDP data. Combined with our inflation estimates, this place nominal GDP at 5.31% versus one year prior:
4. Overall, this picture does not look like one where inflationary pressures have cooled adequately for the Fed to begin the easing of monetary policy.
5. Against this backdrop, markets continue to be indecisive about their pricing of nominal growth conditions, which remain roughly unchanged (though somewhat recomposed, with a bias towards higher real growth vs. inflation).
6. This contextual understanding is extremely important for bonds. Especially, following the mixed reading we are getting from the bond trend factors (across both, the weekly asset class signal as well as the daily ETF signals).
7. Markets continue to discount aggressive monetary policy easing by the Federal Reserve— only to be disappointed as data emerges to suggest this is unlikely. This sustained pattern in markets continues to create mixed trend readings in bonds.
8. The next likely sustained trend in bonds (if any) will be when bond market discounting aligns with the fundamental economic picture.
9. Said differently, the next sustained trend in bonds is likely to be if we begin to see recessionary conditions that force the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates more than currently discounted.
However, it doesn’t look like we will get there in the very near term.
1/ Prometheus ETF Portfolio was our first retail strategy, launched in November 2023. The strategy has achieved our goal of achieving strong risk-adjusted returns relative to cash with limited capital drawdowns in depth and duration:
2/ Prometheus ETF Portfolio aims to allow everyday investors to access an investment solution that combines active macro alpha, passive beta, and strict risk control, all in an easy-to-follow, low-turnover solution. Thus far, we have been successful in generating these outcomes.
3/ However, innovation has been the cornerstone of our evolution, and we’re constantly pushing forward our understanding of macroeconomic dynamics to further our edge in markets.
Employment growth has begun to deviate meaningfully from GDP numbers. This is unlikely to persist.
Will output come down to meet employment, or will labor markets accelerate?
1/23 Thread.
2/Employment & output are at odds. To understand what’s driving the gap between them, we examine each individually. We then reconstruct the gaps between spending & employment for major industries, allowing us to assess 1) what’s driving divergence, & 2) its sustainability
3/In terms of labor market mechanics, the two primary macro drivers of employment growth are changes in the labor force and changes in unemployment.
1/20 At its core, inflation is a simple concept: the change in the overall price level in the economy. This price level can be measured in various ways: CPI, PCE, PPI, GDP Deflator, etc.
2/20 Like economic growth, inflation represents a mechanical framework that has more power than any specific definition.
3/20 Inflation is fundamentally driven by the balance between nominal spending (demand) and the available supply of goods and services in an economy.
Growth conditions have a nuanced transmission mechanism to various asset classes.
1/ A thread on what we consider table stakes in trading markets and a precise understanding of why Growth markets to investors.
2/ The exact measure & definition of growth are less important than conceptually understanding why growth matters to macro assets, i.e., stocks, bonds, commodities, constantly experience price changes to reflect ongoing shifts ..
3/ .... in expectations of their demand, supply, & cash flows. Individually, each of these assets has extremely specific drivers, such as earnings announcements (stocks), interest rate policy (bonds), inventory reports (commodities), etc.....
A recession is a persistent and pervasive decline in output, spending, income, and employment.
1/14 A thread looking across a wide range of measures to see whether we meet these criteria...
2/ Let's start with GDP numbers. Our current GDP Nowcast currently shows a nominal GDP of about 5.3%, while real GDP accounts for about 2.5%. Not close to recessionary.
Mind that these are Nowcast numbers, so they are fairly timely, unlike the official numbers:
3/Let's look under the hood of those real GDP numbers.
Consumption is strong, investment data has begun to soften, and government spending is very elevated.
The investment data is definitely something to note, but remains handily offset by strong consumer spending....