The Kobeissi Letter Profile picture
Dec 19, 2024 12 tweets 5 min read Read on X
Apollo with another HUGE call today:

Not only does Apollo see less rate cuts in 2025, but they are now calling for potential rate HIKES.

Today, Apollo officially said they see a 40% chance of rate HIKES returning in 2025.

Has the "Fed pivot" been canceled again?

(a thread)
The Fed officially made their 3rd interest rate cut of 2024 for 25 basis points.

This marks a total of 100 basis points of rate cuts in 2024 as inflation reaccelerates.

With all key metrics of inflation nearing or above 3%, a new question arises.

Are rate hikes coming back? Image
Apollo makes the case that the economy is strong and growth has been robust.

Over the past 2 quarters, US GDP growth has been 3.0% and 2.8%.

The Atlanta Fed expects GDP growth in the fourth quarter to be 3.2%, well above the CBO’s 2% estimate of long-run US growth. Image
Apollo notes that the strong economy, combined with the potential for lower taxes, higher tariffs, and restrictions on immigration, could spark inflation.

PCE inflation could rise by over 140 basis points due to tariffs, according to Deutsche Bank.

Higher prices are coming. Image
Recent data shows that inflation is already heading higher again.

3-month annualized core CPI inflation is now back up to an alarming 4%.

6-month annualized core CPI fell to 2.5% before rebounding back toward 3% now.

This is BEFORE tariffs and tax cuts are imposed. Image
PCE inflation, the Fed's preferred inflation measure, is trending sharply higher.

1-month annualized core PCE inflation is now at 3.5%+.

1-month, 3-month, and 6-month annualized core PCE inflation are ALL back on the rise here.

Tomorrow's data will show November's numbers. Image
Meanwhile, bond markets are trading like rate hikes already started.

In what Fed Chair Powell has called normal market "fluctuations," something does not add up.

The 10-year note yield is now up ~90 basis points since rate cuts began in September.

Markets are not convinced. Image
Meanwhile, oil prices are surging adding to the case for higher inflation in 2025.

Our premium clients bought the dip into $67, as shown in our alert below.

With inflation rebounding, we are trading.

Subscribe at the link below to access our analysis:

thekobeissiletter.com/subscribeImage
All while the US now has a record $36.2 TRILLION of Federal Debt.

Deficit spending has been highly inflationary and this is coupled with a potential government shutdown.

Treasury yields are rising as the US government is forced to issue trillions in bonds for deficit spending. Image
The Fed is clearly concerned despite the calm image they are trying to paint.

They raised their PCE inflation target from 2.1% up to 2.5% by the end of 2025.

15 out of 19 Fed officials view inflation risks weighted to the upside.

In September, just 3 officials felt this way. Image
So, what does this all mean for investors and for your portfolio?

As we have been forecasting, we expect more volatility in 2025.

These swings will be tradable.

Subscribe now at the link below to gain instant access to our alerts and analysis:

thekobeissiletter.com/subscribe
Lastly, the million Dollar question is if the labor market
can hold up with tighter financial conditions in 2025.

If not, we risk stagflation, the Fed's nightmare.

In fact, stagflation may already be here.

Follow us @KobeissiLetter for real time analysis as this develops. Image

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More from @KobeissiLetter

Apr 4
The "World War 3" of Trade Wars Has Begun:

Americans are waking up to the first MAJOR tariff retaliation against President Trump.

China has announced 34% tariffs on ALL US goods with the S&P 500's 2-day losses now at -$3.5 TRILLION.

Here's what just happened.

(a thread) Image
This was the move that we all knew was coming, but wanted to pretend it wasn't.

China has announced that ALL US imports will be subject to this 34% tariff.

And, they added 11 American companies to their list of "unreliable entities" and 16 to their "export control" list. Image
Furthermore, China announced NEW rare earth metal controls:

They are imposing export controls on samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium and yttrium.

As President Trump has made clear, he wants more US access to rare earth metals.

This was personal.
Read 16 tweets
Apr 3
It's official:

After "Liberation Day," the Russell 2000 has closed in BEAR market territory for the first time since 2022.

Over the last 24 hours, S&P 500 stocks have erased -$120 billion PER HOUR for a total of -$2.9 trillion.

What's next? Let us explain.

(a thread) Image
The last 24 hours:

On April 2nd, we saw stocks rally into the market's close as investors anticipated lighter tariff announcements.

After the 10% baseline tariff was announced, stocks rallied.

However, stocks collapsed minutes later as more reciprocal tariffs were read off. Image
Beginning at 11:00 AM ET today, the S&P 500 started to rebound, rising from 5415 toward 5500.

However, the rally was sold after a key headline emerged.

President Trump comments on the stock market's reaction and says "it's going very well" and the "market is going to boom." Image
Read 14 tweets
Apr 3
We just witnessed history:

After "Liberation Day" tariffs, the weighted-average US tariff rate has jumped to a whopping 29%.

Not even the Smoot-Hawley Act during the 1930s Great Depression saw tariff rates this high.

Are you ready for what's next?

(a thread) Image
If it wasn't already clear to you, it should be clear now:

Markets are bracing for a recession.

This morning, oil prices are down nearly -7% as investors price-in a collapse in global demand.

If these tariffs are implemented long-term, we could see oil prices fall 40%+. Image
If the average tariff rate remains at 29%, inflation is expected to rise to ~5.0%-5.5%.

UBS also agrees with this estimate as price increases will be at least partially passed on to consumers.

Canada is the only other country that is expected to see inflation rise by 2%+. Image
Read 11 tweets
Apr 2
"Reciprocal tariffs" are officially HERE:

President Trump just announced tariffs on 185 countries AT ONCE, one of the largest tariffs in US history.

S&P 500 futures erased -$2 TRILLION of market cap in under 15 minutes.

What just happened? Let us explain.

(a thread) Image
The announcement began with a WSJ report that a 10% baseline tariff would be imposed by the US.

While this was true, markets took it as ALL reciprocal tariffs were 10%.

However, this quickly changed as President Trump began outlining many other tariffs, well above 10%. Image
At 4:26 PM ET, President Trump picked up the below poster on stage at his announcement.

Before he picked up this poster, futures were up +2%.

By 4:42 PM ET, futures had fallen -4% from their high as Trump listed new tariffs name by name.

This was truly insane to watch. Image
Read 16 tweets
Apr 2
BREAKING: The White House publishes an even larger list of US tariffs than initially shown at the "Make America Wealth Again Event."

We have included the full list in the thread below with ALL countries worldwide being tariffed. Image
List 2 of "US Reciprocal Tariffs." Image
List 3 of "US Reciprocal Tariffs." Image
Read 4 tweets
Apr 1
Yesterday marked one of our strongest ends to a quarter yet:

Throughout Q1 2025, we increased short exposure into most rallies of 3% or more on the basis of WEAKER sentiment.

This concluded with a large PUT position taken at on March 26th when the S&P 500 traded at 5780.

As shown below, one of our premium members was able to capitalize on a -280 POINT drawdown in 4 trading days.

With the Economic Policy Uncertainty Index now 70% above 2008 levels, Q2 2025 is going to be incredibly volatile.

Furthermore, most down days have come with ORDERLY selling, so far.

We have NOT seen capitulation yet.
Below is the FIRST alert we made for our premium members on March 26th.

We took shorts in the S&P 500 at 5776 and called for a drop into 5650.

Within a matter of hours, the S&P 500 had fallen into our target.

Subscribe to access our work:

thekobeissiletter.com/subscribeImage
On March 28th, we took more shorts into the weekend.

We posted, "It's hard to find a reason we do not retest the 5505 low from March 13th."

Our target was hit by 9:40 AM ET on Monday, March 31st.

Again, please see to access these alerts. thekobeissiletter.com/subscribeImage
Read 5 tweets

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