NAB Morning Call

Wednesday 26th May 2021Okay, we know The US dollar has fallen again, with rises in the Euro, and a shift up in the Yuan, but will it stick? NAB’s Ray Attrill says there have been conflicting reports from China as to whether the country would benefit from a stronger currency, or not, but the belief is it will continue to rise which could add more strength to the Aussie dollar over time. In the US house sales were well down, but it seems to be a factor of supply shortages mixed with rising construction costs weakening demand. It’s being seen as another temporary inflation measure, with further falls ion bond yields overnight suggesting the transitory inflation story is even more widely accepted. Today the RBNZ policy statement – can they remain so dovish in light of the local data? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 25th May 2021Equities are back on the rise and bond yields are falling, slightly, as investors seem to have accepted the line of most central banks that inflation is only transitory. The Bank of England’s Chief Economist is one of the few dissenters, but as NAB’s Gavi Friend points out, he has always been hawkish, and he is about to walk out the door anyway. Nonetheless, the inflation debate continues and attitudes could quickly switch. Meanwhile, the Aussie dollar hasn’t gained as much as the NZ dollar from the weakening US dollar, in part because of more noises for China on the need to control speculation in commodities. Today Aussie merchandise trade figures, plus the weekly payrolls report, and the German IFO report. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 24th May 2021There was a strong set of numbers at the end of the week; PMI reads were generally good, UK retail bounced back and vaccines, we’re told, will do a good job against the current mutations of COVID-19. But the Euro lost ground on Friday as Cristine Lagarde refused to commit to any schedule for talking tapering, whilst support for tapering sooner rather than later is gathering some momentum in the US. Inflation continues to be a hot topic, with more evidence of rising costs in the PMIs. NAB’s Tapa Strickland says the survey highlights how many companies are expecting to pass the costs on. What will rising prices and a string economic recovery do for Biden’s hopes for a massive infrastructure spending program? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 21st May 2021Equities bounced back in the US and Europe as markets re-evaluated the comments about the timing of tapering in this week's FOMC minutes. The US dollar is also lower, along with bond yields. NAB’s Gavin Friend points out that this is the third turnaround Thursday in a row. Will it become habit forming? On today’s podcast more discussion about differing attitudes to inflation, plus a look at yesterday’s job numbers in Australia and a look ahead to today’s flash PMI numbers for many parts of the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 20th May 2021The FOMC minutes gave away more than expected, with the Fed suggesting it might be appropriate at some point to discuss a plan to adjust the pace of asset purchases, if the economic recovery continues. Lots of caveats there, but markets responding pushing 10 year Treasury yields up 5 basis points quickly afterwards. NAB’s David de Garis says the mere mention of tapering was enough to evoke a response, with inflation also back in full focus. Also today, Bitcoin lost almost a third of its value, before making most of it back again, after China announced a ban on financial institutions facilitating any transactions into or out of the currency. There’s also discussion on today’s Aussie employment numbers – NAB is more bullish than consensus on this, expecting the unemployment rate today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 19th May 2021It’s been a mixed session for US equities overnight, whilst bonds headed sideways. The main move has been the further decline in the US dollar, falling below 90 on the DXY index for the first time since January and not far from the lows of 2018. NAB’s Gavin Friend says the move down is being driven by the reopening in Europe ,without the US labour market volatility, plus the fall in real yields. Also on today’s podcast, discussion on yesterday’s RBA minutes, tomorrow’s FOMC minutes and whether a US-Iran nuclear will add a sizeable chunk of extra oil on the global markets. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 18th May 2021US shares fell sharply today as investors once again weighed up inflation concerns. The only new data to support rising prices was the Empire State Manufacturing Index, which showed an all-time high for prices paid and future prices. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says it’s the tech sector that has been hit the hardest, perhaps because of overvaluation concerns and the fear of a Fed that has to raise rates aggressively if it’s behind the curve on inflation. Also on today’s podcast discussion of the RBA minutes later today, China’s retail numbers yesterday and the UK’s employment data later on today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 17th May 2021Share markets are riding high again in the US despite a triple whammy of disappointing reports. First, retail sales ex-auto fell 0.8 percent in April, secondly consumer sentiment fell from 88.3 to 82.8, and finally inflation expectations have risen to the highest level in a decade. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says investors are buying the Fed’s line that the recovery will see fluidity in numbers and rises in inflation are transitory. But we should also be looking at vaccination numbers, lockdowns and COVID infection rates to understand which economies will bounce back the fastest. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 14th May 2021USA equities came bouncing back today after yesterday’s sharp response to the higher than anticipated CPI numbers. Topday, investors clearly decided to look beyond any temporary price rises and look to the great re-opening story. The news that there were less than expected jobless claims last week will have helped to drive the expectation that the worst is over and the US economy is reopening. That was reflected in the rise of cyclical stocks in particular and further evidence was provided in the New York Fed’s Weekly Economic Index. Today, eyes will be on the US retail numbers for April and the Michigan Uni Consumer Sentiment Index. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 13th May 2021US CPI numbers came in on the high side today, and markets have reacted swiftly, with equities falling sharply and the bond sell-off pushing Treasury yields up, although not quite as high as late March when inflation fears were at fever pitch. Phil Dobbie asks NAB’s David de Garis whether the market is over-reacting. After all, it’s one month, it includes the base effect of last year’s lockdowns and the core number is not too far from the Fed’s target range. It could easily settle down in a month or two. The UK could be next to see this supply driven inflation ramp up, with the GDP numbers showing a significant rise in March, even before lockdown was fully eased. There’s only one focus for the markets right now and nobody is exactly sure how it will play out. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 12th May 2021Equities have taken a tumble again in the US, with the falls broader than just tech stocks. Europe too has seen sharp falls. This risk off mood is being driven by increasing inflation concerns, as evidence mounts that supply restraints are pushing up producer prices, which will eventually be passed on to the consumer. NAB’s Gavin Friend says vertigo is another factor, shares have risen so much this year that investors are worried. There’s also discussion on the Australian budget, China’s rising PPI numbers and why the rise in European bond yields this morning? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 11th May 2021Inflation expectations continues to influence markets, with NAB’s Rodrigo Catril explaining why it has such a marked impact on tech stocks. Inflation in supply chains is a theme around the world, and tonight’s PPI numbers from China are expected to give another clear indication. The pound has had a string session as Britain prepares for more lockdown easing – and Boris Johnson promising the return of hugging – from next Monday. Locally, the focus will be the Federal Budget, and the implications for the RBA of a smaller deficit and less bond issuance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 10th May 2021US non-farm payrolls markedly undershot market expectations on Friday, with just 266 thousand new payrolls, versus the expectation of close to one million. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says some argue that the $300 a week jobless supplement is delaying the return to work. Nonetheless, investors took it as a sign that government stimulus would continue and that the Fed’s program would continue on schedule, with no moves until a string of months with strong recovery in jobs numbers. In Australia all eyes will be on the revised government deficit in the Federal Budget tomorrow. Can the RBA continue with the current scale of bond buying if the government is issuing less of them? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 7th May 2021The Bank of England has upped its forecasts for the growth of the UK economy this year – from 5 percent a few months ago, up to 7.25 percent. The recovery is booming, it seems, but let’s not get carried away, said BoE Governor Andrew Bailey. NAB’s David de Garis looks at the implications of the new forecast on their policy decisions moving forward. The RBA has also been in the spotlight, with Guy Debelle talking in Perth last night and suggesting that inflation forecasts were of less interest to the bank than the inflation that was actually being experienced. Tonight non-farms payrolls will be the focus in the US, where the economy is also bouncing back and jobs will be part of it, but just how quickly? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 6th May 2021The Fed’s board continues to talk down the prospect of tapering, pushing the argument that price rises will be transitory. There was more evidence of prices being hit by supply chain issues in the services ISM numbers in the US this morning. It might be a different story in the UK. NAB’s Gavin Friend says its line ball as to whether the Bank of England will highlight the prospect of tapering this year. Guy Debelle might add some thoughts on the timeline for the RBA’s bond buying when he talks in Perth this afternoon. The UK also goes to the polls today, with the question of whether an increase in the SNP vote could force the case for another Scottish independence referendum. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wednesday 5th May 2021Janet Yellen surprised the markets this morning suggesting that it might be necessary to raise interest rates to stop the economy from overheating. A call to be made by the Federal reserve, not the Treasury Secretary. Initial market reaction was paired back as the reading of the intent and timing of the comments was watered down. Meanwhile, shares fell in the UK and Europe, although big -tech fared worse than cyclicals. The RBA has upped their growth forecasts for Australia, and cut their unemployment rate expectations, whilst the RBNZ’s Financial Stability Report will be looked at with keen interest to see the influence of a housing market running hot. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tuesday 4th May 2021Demand is outstripping supply on both sides of the Atlantic. That fact shone through in today’s US manufacturing ISM, which, whilst still well over 509, at 60.7 it is quite a bit down on March, with a rising number of backorders and increasing material costs. It’s a similar story in Europe, where manufacturing PMIs for April have been revised down a little. NAB’s Rodrigo Catril says there is little doubt that inflation is coming, the question is, for how long and how deep? The RBA meets today, their statement will foreshadow the forecasts in Friday’s Statement on Monetary Policy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday 3rd May 2021What data there was on Friday was largely good news, apart from the horrific turn of events in India. In the US, though, reads on consumer sentiment and Chicago’s PMI came out stronger than expected. Yet markets turned a little sour at the end of the week, with equities sharply down, and commodity prices falling. NAB’s Tapas Strickland says month-end positioning will be partially to blame, along with concerns about market valuations. Another positive indicator for the US was a 21 percent surge in personal income in the US. Will this flow through to stellar GDP growth in Q2, and if so, what does this do t the prospects for Biden’s next stimulus package or for the Fed’s resistance to tapering? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Friday 30th April 2021It’s been a choppy session for US stocks, even though the news on the economy was largely positive and earnings results have been strong. Still, equities generally pushed higher, with the S&P500 getting over the 42,000 level. Commodities have also been rising sharply, with copper breaking $10,000 momentarily. NAB’s David de Garis talks about how supply chain issues are pushing prices higher, particularly the supply of chips which is slowing car production in the US AND Japan. Commodities generally are impacting the prices paid for producers the world over. The big questions is, how long will this go on for? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thursday 29th April 2021Excuse the American pluralisation, but “long ways to go” is the Fed’s Jerome Powell’s take on the path to recovery for the American economy, and the reason that rates won’t be lifting anytime soon, and the easing of bond purchases are, supposedly, also some way off. There were small movements in the market, says NAB’s Ray Attrill, mostly from the press conference rather than the FOMC statement. Also today, why housing subsidies partially account for Australia’s lower than anticipated CPI numbers yesterday. Plus, the problem with the US’s rising trade deficit, and how we can expect Australia’s terms of trade to rise even more later today. And the first look at earnings results for Apple and Facebook. Spoiler alert, both very strong. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.