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Markets Brief: Is the Bond Market’s Recession Indicator Broken?

Despite the inverted yield curve, which traditionally predicts an economic downturn, the US economy has remained strong due to factors such as fiscal and monetary stimulus efforts and a lag time before interest rate hikes impact the economy, but some bond market experts believe the yield curve will eventually prove to be a good indicator for the market and the economy.

morningstar.com
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The U.S. economy is forecasted to be growing rapidly, which is causing concern for the Federal Reserve and those hoping for low interest rates.
The U.S. economy and markets seem to be in good shape for now, but there are concerns about the potential for problems in the future due to factors such as rising interest rates, supply and labor shocks, and political uncertainties.
The U.S. economy continues to grow above-trend, consumer spending remains strong, and the labor market is tight; however, there are concerns about inflation and rising interest rates which could impact the economy and consumer balance sheets, leading to a gradual softening of the labor market.
US bond-market selloff continues as resilient economy prompts investors to anticipate elevated interest rates even after the Federal Reserve finishes its hikes, leading to a 16-year high in 10-year yields and increased inflation expectations.
Surging U.S. Treasury yields are causing concern among investors as they wonder how much it will impact the rally in stocks and speculative assets, with the S&P 500, technology sector, bitcoin, and high-growth names all experiencing losses; rising rates are making it more difficult for borrowers and increasing the appeal of risk-free Treasury yields.
Despite optimistic economic data and the belief that a recession has been avoided, some economists and analysts believe that a recession is still on the horizon due to factors such as the impact of interest rate hikes and lagged effects of inflation and tighter lending standards.
The Federal Reserve faces new questions as the U.S. economy continues to perform well despite high interest rates, prompting economists to believe a "soft landing" is possible, with optimism rising for an acceleration of growth and a more sustainable post-pandemic economy.
The US economy continues to perform well despite the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes, leading to questions about whether rates need to be higher and more prolonged to cool inflation and slow growth.
The recent spike in U.S. bond yields is not driven by inflation expectations but by economic resilience and high bond supply, according to bond fund managers, with factors such as the Bank of Japan allowing yields to rise and an increase in the supply of U.S. government bonds playing a larger role.
Despite predictions of a slowdown, the American economy continues to show strong growth, with recent data suggesting annualized growth of nearly 6% in the third quarter; however, concerns about overheating and potential inflation, as well as increasing bond yields, raise doubts about the sustainability of this growth.
Market optimism around the US economy may decline as recent shifts in the Treasury yield curve indicate a potential trigger for a correction or rapid unwind in positions, with investors closely watching Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's upcoming speech.
The dollar is expected to continue strengthening as bond yields rise, with the Fed likely to hike rates at least once more this year, and a barrage of economic data this week will heavily influence Fed policy decisions and impact the direction of the dollar and interest rates.
The US economy is expected to slow in the coming months due to the Federal Reserve's efforts to combat inflation, which could lead to softer consumer spending and a decrease in stock market returns. Additionally, the resumption of student loan payments in October and the American consumer's credit card addiction pose further uncertainties for the economy. Meanwhile, Germany's economy is facing a contraction and a prolonged recession, which is a stark contrast to its past economic outperformance.
Investors should consider moving into longer-dated bonds as historical data shows that the broader U.S. bond market typically outperforms short-term Treasurys at the end of Federal Reserve rate hiking cycles, according to Saira Malik, chief investment officer at Nuveen.
Despite the appearance of a "Goldilocks" economy, with falling inflation and strong economic growth, rising yields on American government bonds are posing a threat to financial stability, particularly in the commercial property market, where owners may face financial distress due to a combination of rising interest rates and remote work practices. This situation could also impact other sectors and lenders exposed to commercial real estate.
The U.S. economy is defying expectations with continued growth, falling inflation, and a strong stock market; however, there is uncertainty about the near-term outlook and it depends on the economy's future course and the actions of the Federal Reserve.
Stock investors have been reacting positively to "bad economic news" as it may imply a slowdown in the economy and a potential halt to interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, however, for this trend to change, economic data would have to be much worse than it is currently.
U.S. Treasury yields rose as investors assessed the impact of recent economic data and speculated on the future of Federal Reserve monetary policy.
Bank of America Securities' Savita Subramanian sees the recent jump in Treasury yields as a positive signal for the economy, with companies focusing on efficiency and productivity rather than leveraging buybacks and cheap financing costs, driving the next leg of the bull market.
Deutsche Bank strategists warn that the U.S. economy has a greater chance of entering a recession within the next year due to high inflation and the Federal Reserve's aggressive interest rate hike campaign.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury note is predicted to decrease significantly for the remainder of this year and in 2024, as economists anticipate the Federal Reserve to loosen its monetary policy and inflation to fall.
Jim Cramer predicts that the upcoming demise of the inverted yield curve will expose all bearish investors as financial failures and that gradually increasing interest rates will not harm the economy if it remains healthy.
The US economy is facing a looming recession, with weakness in certain sectors, but investors should not expect a significant number of interest-rate cuts next year, according to Liz Ann Sonders, the chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab. She points out that leading indicators have severely deteriorated, indicating trouble ahead, and predicts a full-blown recession as the most likely outcome. Despite this, the stock market has been defying rate increases and performing well.
Investors are growing increasingly concerned about the ballooning U.S. federal deficit and its potential impact on the bond market's ability to finance the shortfall at current interest rates, according to Yardeni Research.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Goldman Sachs may be optimistic about a "soft landing" scenario for the US economy, but the author remains skeptical due to factors such as a deeply inverted yield curve, declining Leading Economic Indicators, challenges faced by the consumer, global growth concerns, and the lagging impact of the Fed's monetary policy, leading them to maintain a conservative portfolio allocation.
Popular analyst Arthur Hayes argues that traditional economic theories about Bitcoin's relationship with interest rates will fail due to the US government's substantial debt, as inflation may become "sticky" and bond yields may not keep up with GDP growth, leading bondholders to seek higher yielding "risk assets" like Bitcoin.
The US bond market has consistently indicated a potential recession for over 212 consecutive trading days, despite the resilient economy, suggesting a disconnect between market signals and economic reality.
Stronger-than-expected U.S. economic data, including a rise in producer prices and retail sales, has sparked concerns about sticky inflation and has reinforced the belief that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates higher for longer.
The bond market's 10-year and 3-month yield curve has been inverted for a record-breaking 212 straight trading days, indicating the possibility of an upcoming economic recession despite economists' lowered expectations; however, the inversion's uniqueness, driven by the Federal Reserve's focus on combating inflation during a period of strong economic growth, leaves open the question of whether this inversion will fail to predict a recession, particularly if the Fed is able to declare victory on inflation and cut interest rates to above the neutral rate of around 2.5%.
The US economy shows signs of weakness despite pockets of strength, with inflation still above the Fed's 2% target and consumer spending facing challenges ahead, such as the restart of student loan payments and the drain on savings from the pandemic.
U.S. Treasury yields remained steady as investors awaited fresh economic data and the conclusion of the Federal Reserve's September meeting, with expectations of unchanged interest rates but uncertainty about future policy.
The Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates steady and signal that it is done raising rates for this economic cycle, as the bond market indicates that inflation trends are moving in the right direction.
The Federal Reserve's continued message of higher interest rates is expected to impact Treasury yields and the U.S. dollar, with the 10-year Treasury yield predicted to experience a slight increase and the U.S. dollar expected to edge higher.