UBS On-Air: Market Moves

The latest employment report is in - Brian stops by to provide thoughts around the health of the US labor market, and what this latest data means for the potential timing and extent of Fed rate cuts in the weeks ahead. Plus, a look at what to expect in the week ahead. Featured is Brian Rose, Senior Economist Americas, UBS Chief Investment Office. Host: Shiavon Chatman

Just one month ago, markets were panicked by the release of an unreliable labor market signal, distorted by seasonal peculiarities. Now, once again, it is time for the US employment report. The unreliability adds unpredictability to the numbers, but the expectation is for a lower unemployment rate as temporarily unemployed auto-sector workers return to work.

The Washington Post reports that US President Biden will prevent Japan’s Nippon Steel from acquiring US Steel, citing national security grounds. There will probably be a legal challenge to this, as national security might be hard to justify. Economic nationalism, however, is not just about trade in goods—it also often covers capital flows. Interestingly, economic nationalism goes both ways on capital flows: “how dare foreigners buy our assets?” for inflows; and “why are you not investing at home?” for outflows.

As Congress returns from summer recess, and the race for the White House heats up, Shane drops by to outline legislative priorities over the next few weeks, along with updates as to where polling for the White House and key Congressional races currently stands. Featured is Shane Lieberman, Senior Governmental Affairs Advisor, Governmental Affairs US. Host: Daniel Cassidy

Equity markets had one of their funny turns yesterday. Some commentators, searching for scapegoats, want to blame the US ISM manufacturing sentiment poll. This seems unfair, as the ISM sentiment poll does not know what it is doing. Despite sentiment signaling five months of contraction, US manufacturing output is above where it was at the start of the year.

As Election Day in the US quickly approaches, Alejo stops by the studio to outline the implications of different outcome scenarios to emerging market assets. Featured is Alejo Czerwonko, Chief Investment Officer for Emerging Markets Americas, UBS Chief Investment Office. Host: Daniel Cassidy

Following Canada’s decision to dramatically tax Canadian consumers of electric vehicles made in China, China has launched anti-dumping investigations into Canadian exports. “Dumping” is the deliberate sale of exports at below market price. It is not a common occurrence, but it is a convenient way of pursuing economic nationalism (per US and EU accusations of dumping against China).

In Germany, the far-right AfD won the largest share of the vote in Thuringia’s state elections. That and high support levels for the AfD and the far-left BSW in eastern Germany remind investors that prejudice politics is widespread and persistent. Industrial revolutions create insecurity about jobs, income, and social status. The causes are complex, but people crave simplicity. Blaming a scapegoat (scapegoat economics) offers simplicity, and encourages prejudice politics.

Disinflation data continues today. The US July personal consumer expenditure deflator is expected to show fairly stable inflation rates. It is worth remembering that if inflation falls because of owners’ equivalent rent, this does not change the spending power of any US household (as OER is a fiction).

In this global CIO livestream, Global Chief Investment Officer Mark Haefele and his colleagues from around the world will delve into the recent market volatility and subsequent corrections. They discuss the implications of these changes and share their investment outlook for the months ahead.

The cycle of European consumer price inflation data is about to start again (in reality, this is pretty much a perpetual cycle). The Spanish and German preliminary August numbers are due today. Both are expected to show a fairly sizable decline. That means, of course, that real interest rates are rising. The ECB should continue to chase inflation down, not to offer policy stimulus but to maintain policy stability.

There is little macroeconomic data today. Asian markets have been moved by corporate news, with micro evidence of additional weakness from China’s consumers. At a time of structural change, the assumptions behind macroeconomic data can become further and further removed from reality. Corporate data should be more precise, but listed companies are relatively unimportant in most economies.

We weigh in on the state of the race and investment implications following the Democratic National Convention (DNC). Featured are Tom McLoughlin, Co-lead of ElectionWatch, CIO Americas, and Nadia Lovell, Senior US Equity Strategist, CIO Americas. Host: Anthony Pastore

The rise of economic nationalism has encouraged a rise in accusations of export “dumping” (selling at a loss in foreign markets)—and China has been specifically accused of this. China’s official industrial profit growth data, if accurate, argues against general export dumping. Profits growth accelerated in July, and with domestic demand lackluster some of this must be due to exports. Accelerating profit growth is not compatible with dumping.

As we begin a new trading week, investors do so with further clarity around the course for monetary policy, namely the prospects for rate cuts in the months ahead. Jason will spend some time reflecting on last week’s Jackson Hole Symposium, along with outline the updated allocation preferences per the latest UBS House View. Featured is Jason Draho, Head of Asset Allocation Americas, UBS Chief Investment Office. Host: Daniel Cassidy

Bank of Japan Governor Ueda spoke to the Japanese Diet, and was inclined to be somewhat hawkish. There was an acknowledgement of the instability of financial markets, which is hardly surprising in the wake of recent volatility—including suggestions that BoJ action may have contributed to it. The yen strengthened modestly in the aftermath.

The Federal Reserve minutes make it clear that rate cuts are coming (some wanted to cut in July). The Fed is late, and is now going to have to scramble after the decline in inflation, in an undignified manner. Policy operates with a lag, so the economic benefit of these cuts will take some time to come through (policy lags are why “data dependency” is so dangerous). The Jackson Hole summer camp for central bankers gets underway, and between marshmallow roasting and campfire songs there is a chance for some interest economic papers.

The US will be revising last year’s non-farm payrolls data. Markets have a heightened interest in the labor market, and these revisions are likely to be negative. However, this does not change anything about the economy. Making payrolls marginally less inaccurate is about spin, not substance. Consumers have been spending this year based on the labor market they experience, not the labour market that was reported.

Tune in monthly to hear from top portfolio managers and business heads from UBS Asset Management’s Muni, Taxable Fixed Income and Liquidity teams. We hear candidly from them on their views on markets and what they believe you should be focused on within the fixed income space.

US politicians are politicking. At the margin, Vice President Harris’s endorsement of the proposed increase in US corporate tax rates might seem to be market relevant. However, listed companies are not always that sensitive to headline corporate tax rates. Otherwise, this is still mainly political theater (obviously, were Taylor Swift to do an impromptu concert in Chicago, the theater would become serious).