Eli Salzmann, manager of the Neuberger Berman Large Cap Value Fund, predicts that a recession is on the way and advises investors to adopt a defensive position in their portfolios, with holdings in consumer staples and utilities, due to the impact of monetary policy, the inverted yield curve, and higher inflation.
This article does not mention any specific stocks. The author's advice is to rotate out of historically overvalued financial assets and into historically undervalued critical resources. The author's core argument is that there is a high probability of a recession in the next twelve months, and they believe that the Fed's policies will contribute to this recession. The author also highlights potential risks in the junk bond market, the private equity industry, and the banking sector.
Hedge funds are cautious despite positive economic data, with defensive holdings high relative to cyclical stocks, and here are the 20 stocks hedge funds are gravitating towards in this uncertain market.
The markets are facing numerous headwinds, including an imbalanced U.S. economy, stubborn inflation, a looming recession in Europe and China, a bulging deficit, reduced market liquidity, rising geopolitical risk, and high price earnings ratios, making above-average cash reserves a sensible choice for investors.
Investors are speculating about the likelihood of a recession after recent data showed a decline in job openings, and Key Advisors Wealth Management CEO Eddie Ghabour believes that the market is not prepared for a recession and it could bring about significant volatility. Ghabour highlights factors such as the JOLTS data, earnings season results, and housing market data to support his recession forecast. He also mentions concerns about rising inflation and its impact on the bond market. Ghabour predicts that a recession could lead to a double-digit drop in equity markets and suggests buying the long end of the Treasury curve as a top trade if a recession occurs.
Investors hold onto their risk-on hats as US job openings data drops, increasing the likelihood of a Fed pause on rates, and Asian equity markets rise in anticipation of the Federal Reserve's monetary tightening coming to an end.
Hedge funds' increased use of leveraged trades in the Treasury market is raising concerns among economists at the Federal Reserve Board, who highlight the need for continued monitoring due to the potential financial stability vulnerability of these trades.
The top 25 stocks in the S&P 500 outperformed the index in the 35th week of 2023, with tech stocks leading the way, suggesting a return of bull markets and a decrease in recessionary fears; however, market health, the balance between developed and emerging markets, and investor behavior still need to be addressed. Additionally, market correlations have dropped since COVID, and on "down-market" days, correlations are 5% higher than on "up-market" days. Market correlations also decrease during upward economic cycles. Retail investors are showing a preference for dividend-driven investing and investing in AI stocks. The global subsidies race is impacting valuations in tech and leading to supply chain inefficiencies. As a result, there are opportunities for diversification and investment in a wide variety of equities and bonds.
The global economic slowdown and U.S. recession risks are causing concern among officials, with experts discussing recession forecasts and advising investors on portfolio and sector strategies.
Global equity investors are concerned about central bank policies as U.S. data shows a rise in inflationary pressures, causing markets to worry about a potential end to the Goldilocks scenario and softer labor markets.
Leon Cooperman, billionaire investor and founder of Omega Advisors, believes that a US recession is still possible without higher interest rates, and warned of various risks that could trigger it, including the Federal Reserve's tightening campaign, rising oil prices, and the US dollar. He also expressed skepticism about the stock market reaching new highs and advised investing in cheap stocks with share repurchase programs. Additionally, Cooperman compared Nvidia's current stock boom to the 2000 bubble surrounding Cisco.
Peter Schiff, CEO of Euro Pacific Capital, believes that President Biden's economic policies and the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes have both failed to address rampant inflation in the US, leading to a bleak outlook for the future with inflation expected to worsen; as a result, Schiff is advocating for investments in gold and energy as hedges against inflation.
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.
The former economic advisor to Donald Trump, Steve Moore, warns that the US housing market is at risk of deflation due to high mortgage rates, and coupled with rising costs and inflation, individual Americans are at risk of financial strain.
Renowned investor Jeremy Grantham warns that the US tech bubble is on the verge of bursting due to inflated stock prices driven by AI hype, with a high chance of a US recession in the next 18 months. He advises caution in investing in US equities, real estate, and commodities, but sees compelling opportunities in climate-change stocks.
