The Kobeissi Letter Profile picture
Dec 26, 2024 12 tweets 5 min read Read on X
It's official:

The 10-year note yield is now up 100 basis points since the "Fed pivot" began in September.

In other words, while the Fed has CUT rates by 100 bps, rates in the market have RISEN by 100 bps.

Is this the biggest market to Fed disconnect in history?

(a thread)
Since Fed rate cuts began in September, the 10-year note yield has risen from 3.60% to 4.60%.

This puts yields at their highest since May 2024, even as the Fed aggressively cuts rates.

Rates are rising after the Fed began cuts with a 50 bps cut for the first time since 2008. Image
As a result, the average interest rate on a 30-year mortgage in the United States is now at 7.10%.

To put this into perspective, just 3 months ago the average rate bottomed at 6.15%.

Buying the median priced home at $420,400 now costs an average of ~$400 more PER MONTH. Image
So why are interest rates rising as the Fed cuts rates?

The main reason is that markets have realized that inflation is back on the rise.

3-month annualized core CPI is nearing 4% while PCE, PPI, and CPI inflation are all rising again.

This is BEFORE tariffs and tax cuts. Image
At the November Fed meeting, after the Fed cut rates by 25 basis points, Fed Chair Powell was asked about this.

He responded, "it's material changes in financial conditions that last... and we don't know that about this."

6 weeks later and interest rates are only rising.
Also confirming the hawkish shift in bond markets, the US Dollar, $DXY, hit a fresh 25-month high.

It is now up nearly 8% since October as markets price in more inflation and Trump Administration policies.

$1.00 USD is now worth $1.44 CAD which is nearing a 20-year high. Image
Interestingly, gold prices are also rising and our premium members got ahead of this trend.

Below was our alert for subs.

Most recently, when gold fell into $2,600, we called for a rebound into $2700+.

Subscribe at the link below to access our alerts:

thekobeissiletter.com/subscribeImage
Even more alarming is the Supercore PCE inflation data.

1-month annualized Supercore PCE inflation is now nearing a whopping 5%.

Headline Supercore PCE inflation is above 3.5% and back on the rise.

Consumers are back under pressure of severe inflation in many categories. Image
The result of recent inflation data is a significantly more hawkish expectation for 2025.

Markets now see the first rate cut of 2025 beginning in May 2025.

There is a 21% chance that we don't see a single rate cut in 2025.

Just months ago, markets saw 4 cuts as a base case. Image
Combine this with record equity allocation and we are setting up for a wild 2025.

A record $140 billion pumped into US equities since Election Day alone.

Even as inflation rebounds and the Fed pivot pares back, both US and foreign investors are piling into US equities. Image
As we head into 2025, market uncertainty is significantly higher than it was in 2024.

Returns will be excellent for those who follow the technicals and can ignore the noise.

Subscribe at the link below to access our premium analysis and alerts:

thekobeissiletter.com/subscribe
Lastly, China is facing the EXACT opposite situation as as the United States.

Their 10-year yield has collapsed nearly 100 basis points in 2024 and widespread stimulus has begun.

China is nearing a recession.

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

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More from @KobeissiLetter

May 25
What is happening in Japan?

In 45 days, Japan's 30Y Government Bond Yield rose a MASSIVE +100 basis points, to a record 3.20%.

Over $500 BILLION worth of "safe" 40Y Japanese Government Bonds have lost 20%+ in 6 weeks.

Is Japan's bond market imploding?

(a thread) Image
What's happening in Japan is not "normal."

Japan's 40Y government bond that was yielding ~1.3% two years ago is now yielding 3.5%.

As yields continue to surge, inflation has begun to rebound and Japan's economy is decline.

It appears Japan is entering a recession. Image
The surge all began when the Bank of Japan (BOJ) made a major policy shift.

After years after BUYING bonds, the BOJ stopped doing so.

This resulted in much more bond supply hitting the market, which drove yields higher.

And, the BOJ has a colossal balance sheet still. Image
Read 15 tweets
May 23
The trade war is back:

After a brief pause, Trump just threatened 50% tariffs on the EU beginning June 1st and 25% tariffs on Apple.

In 5 days, the S&P 500 has erased -$1.5 trillion of market cap.

What's next? Here's why you NEED to watch the bond market.

(a thread) Image
First, at 7:19 AM ET today, President Trump made the below post.

As Apple, $AAPL, has moved iPhone production to India, Trump said this was not acceptable.

Trump says iPhones must be made in the USA or face tariffs of at least 25%.

The S&P 500 to 5820 on this news. Image
24 minutes later, President Trump made the below post.

He said he is "recommended a straight 50% tariff on the EU, staring June 1st."

This was the first escalation since the 90-day tariff pause and it sent S&P 500 futures down to 5750.

But, why now? Image
Read 13 tweets
May 21
What just happened?

At 1:00 PM ET, the S&P 500 fell nearly -80 points in 30 minutes without any major "news."

What actually happened was a weak 20Y Bond Auction which sent US Treasury Yields soaring.

Investors MUST watch yields here. Let us explain.

(a thread) Image
The US frequently conducts bond auctions, where investors can buy US Treasuries (debt).

Today, the US conducted a $16B auction of 20Y Bonds.

Typically, these auctions happen with minimal impact on markets.

However, today was different which sent yields soaring. Image
Today was different because demand for the bond auction was weak.

In other words, investors wanted to buy these bonds for LESS than initially expected.

The high yield came in at 5.047%, well above expectations of 5.035%.

When bond prices fall, yields rise, as we just saw. Image
Read 14 tweets
May 17
It's official:

For the first time in history, Moody's has downgraded the United States' credit rating.

Moody's cites concerns over soaring US debt levels with interest on US debt set to hit 30% of REVENUE by 2035.

What does it all mean? Let us explain.

(a thread) Image
This isn't the first time the US has seen a credit rating downgrade.

In 2011, S&P downgraded the US' credit rating from AAA to AA+.

As seen below, the downgrade came with an ~8% drop in the S&P 500 in 2 months.

The 10Y Yield fell as much as ~35% within the first 2 months. Image
In 2023, Fitch downgraded the US' long-term credit rating from AAA to AA+.

They cited concerns over rising US debt levels, unaddressed fiscal challenges, and Fed rate hikes.

This seemed to pave the path for the historic Moody's downgrade that we just received. Image
Read 13 tweets
May 5
Gold won't stop.

Gold is surging again, now trading above $3,300/oz, even as the S&P 500 is up +17% from its April 7th low.

Since 2020, the gold ETF, $GLD, has now OUTPERFORMED the S&P 500 by 35 percentage points.

Are you still watching gold?

(a thread) Image
Heading into 2025, $GLD was underperforming the S&P 500 since 2020 by ~10%.

However, as uncertainty has risen, $GLD is now up +109% since 2020 compared to +74% in the S&P 500.

But, why are gold prices surging even as the market recovers?

Uncertainty remains the answer. Image
The equity market's rebound has been a product of SENTIMENT.

The Fear & Greed index is up ~54 points since its April 2025 low.

However, we have not seen a material reduction in macroeconomic uncertainty.

Equity and gold markets are telling two different near-term stories. Image
Read 12 tweets
May 3
This is insane:

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway just announced they now hold a record $348 BILLION in cash.

Since 2022, Buffett's cash balance is up $239 BILLION and he has net SOLD stocks for 10-straight quarters.

What does Warren Buffett see here?

(a thread) Image
Below is Berkshire Hathaway's balance sheet:

They now hold $305.5 BILLION of US Treasury Bills and $36.9 billion of cash in their insurance and other business.

In their Railroad, Utilities and Energy business, they hold another ~$5.3 billion of cash.

This is unprecedented. Image
To put this in perspective, the US Federal Reserve currently holds $195.3 billion in US Treasury Bills.

This means that Berkshire Hathaway now holds ~$110.2 billion MORE of T-bills than the Fed.

Berkshire Hathaway's T-bill balance is ~56% HIGHER than the Fed itself. Image
Read 12 tweets

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