There is a ton of noise on this app at the moment. To help you cut through that, let me share some key points:
1. Long stocks (esp AI/Mag7), short yen and short vol were 3 VERY CROWDED trades coming into this. Many positioning metrics were at/near the 100th percentile in July. These positions will not get unwound in a week
2. Japan has had zero interest rates for over 3 decades. Plenty of time for Yen carry trades to build up (estimates at $4T). Yen strength is causing a negative feedback loop as stops get triggered and overstretched carry positions get unwound. This is rattling positioning in global risk assets
3. Friday 2nd Aug, saw the largest-ever option volumes session. This indicates short vol positions are beginning to unwind, but there's much further to go on this. Again, to unwind these positions vol gets bid, which elevates vol, creating another negative feedback loop
4. Systematic traders will keep hitting the bid on stocks so long as vol remains elevated. Their selling elevates vol, creating - you guessed it - another negative feedback loop. They are very long equities too, btw
5. Are we looking at a growth scare or a recession? Odds favour the latter
All of the classic recession signals are lining up.action
i) Unemployment rate +0.8% within 12 months. Sahm Rule also triggered
ii) Yield curve is normalising after it's longest period of inversion
iii) Persistent weakness in manufacturing/output, employment, housing, the consumer
Stocks already looked stretched to the downside short term...but they can certainly get more stretched until Vol stabilizes. We're not in a buy-the-dip environment unless you are nimble and know what you're doing. Even then, wait for signs of reversal, don't blindly buy into a falling tape
7. Bonds are looking stretched to the upside short term... but here we are in a buy-the-dip environment. I just wouldn't panic buy on Monday morning at these levels.
8. As always, this is not financial advice, do your own research, manage your risk etc, but I hope these points provide you with some clarity amid all the noise and histrionics
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1/ For years the West has accused China of secrecy. But when it comes to gold, Beijing’s silence may be strategy...defensive or aggressive, depending on your perspective
Here’s what might be the biggest monetary story hiding in plain sight 👇
2/ China’s been the world’s largest gold producer since 2007. Exports of standard bullion from the domestic market are generally prohibited—so most mined metal stays onshore.
3/ China also became the largest gold importer around 2013, Hong Kong, and other conduits.
So: the world’s biggest producer and the biggest importer.
Where does all that gold go?
What's Happening with Market Breadth & Why You Should Care, 🧵
1/ Market breadth is sending mixed signals right now. While $SPY (S&P 500 ETF - blue line) is at all-time highs, $RSP (equal-weight S&P 500 - orange line) is lagging. Only 53% of SPY stocks are trading above their 50-day moving average (SMA). So, what’s going on?
2/ Here’s the twist: the Advance-Decline Line (a key breadth measure) just hit an all-time high too. This suggests more stocks are participating in the rally than you might think.
3/ And that 53% of S&P members above 50 SMA? Historically, $SPY often peaks when this hits ~70%, the laggards have the potential to catch up. Bullish, not bearish.
The dispersion trade: What is it and why should you care? A 🧵
Per Goldman:
"Over the last 5 trading sessions, the realized volatility for the SPX index is ~15 (0.9% daily move)
Over the last 5 trading sessions, the realized vol for the avg SPX stock is ~45 (2.8% daily move)
This 30 vol spread is the highest since November 2020 (election + vaccine efficacy data) ... this 30 vol spread is in the top 10 going back 25 years (GFC, covid, etc inclusive)"
What does this mean, in English?
A 30 vol spread between SPX and the average SPX stock is quite extreme historically and signals significant underlying dispersion in the market.
This can have several broad implications for stock market behavior, trading opportunities, and sentiment. Let’s take a look.
Yeah, yeah, I know the saying. But what if this is a zombie market? One that looks dead but is about to spring back to life as a flesh-eating monster?
Anyway, IMO the risk/reward of going short here justifies a position. I'll explain...
a 🧵
1) The S&P hasn't been able to make any progress at the trendline from the ATH. This coincides with the 1.618 extension from the July highs to the Oct lows
2) Nasdaq futs - this is looking like a false breakout.
I love false breakouts (breakdowns) because they result in trapped longs (shorts) if the breakout (breakdown) doesn't work