Archive - Sep 17, 2015

Whether Janet Yellen admits it or not, you can bet that going into today’s most important Fed meeting ever (until the next one) the supposedly “data dependent” FOMC has taken a good hard look at what’s happening in China in the wake of Beijing’s not-so-smooth transition to a new currency regime. A fresh look at the data suggests outflows from July through mid-Septemeber total more than $300 billion.

As if there was not enough negative data for the Fed to contend with, and make the case for a rate hike delay already, moments ago the BLS released the preliminary estimate of its "annual benchmark revision to the establishment survey employment series" for the 12 month period ended March 2015.  While the final report will not be released until February 5, 2016, with the publication of the January 2016 Employment Situation news release, today's release will give the Fed yet another reason for concern as the BLS just admitted that at least 208K total jobs (and 255K private jobs) were overestimated in the year ending March 2015.

On the heels of Empire Fed's big plunge, Philly Fed just collapsed. Despite employment and new orders picking up, the headline Philly Fed data crashed from 8.3 to -6.0 (missing expectations of +5.9 by the most in 4 years). This is the lowest print since March 2013 and is blamed on markets "evidence suggests that the responses regarding general activity that were received earlier in the month may have been negatively affected by the volatility in the stock market and international news reports." Must. Keep. Stocks. High.

We are in good hands aren't we?

Today, much of the world turns its lonely eyes to the Fed and its chieftain. The Fed has as much as promised to make the blind see and the lame walk. It claims that it – and it alone – is capable of improving the U.S. economy and, by extension, the world economy. People will earn more money. They will live better. And they will have less to fear from financial calamities, such as those that happened before the Fed was set up in 1913. In the popular mind – if there is such a thing – it is further believed that the Fed “won’t allow” a major bear market, because “it would be bad for the economy.” The Fed rules the entire universe of commerce, finance, and investment. Janet Yellen rules the Fed. But who rules Janet Yellen?

"What do we think the Fed shall do? We’ve not the faintest idea and we openly admit that fact. What the Fed will do and what the Fed should do are two wholly separate issues, for we believe strongly that the Fed should have begun to process of “normalizing” rates two years ago and has erred in not having done so, but at this point perhaps it is prudent to wait one or two or even three more months “just to be sure.” The question is, were we voters on the FOMC what would we do? And the answer is, we’d probably vote to hold rates steady."

First we had “too big to fail”. Then came “too big to jail”. Now, finally, the U.S. Department of “Justice” is letting us know what it really thinks: U.S. Big Banks simply have a license to steal.

While today's economic data is likely too late to influence the Fed's decision which is now due in just over 5 hours, moments ago the latest housing starts and permits data painted another mixed picture, with Starts declining to a three month low of 1,126K, missing expectations of 1160K, and below last month's downward revised 1161K. The miss was a result of housing starts in the Northeast tumbling by 34% to 108K, the lowest prince since March now that the tax-driven surge, which we discussed previously expired in July, is over.

Initial jobless claims fell 11k (on an adjusted basis) to 264k last week - hovering near its lowest level since 1973 as firms hoard labor leaving The Fed stuck between an "everything looks awesome" rock and a "well we have to admit all these indicators are bullshit" hard place...

The long awaited day is finally here by which we, of course, mean the day when nobody has any idea what the Fed will do, the Fed included. Putting today in perspective, there have been just about 700 rate cuts globally in the 3,367 days since the last Fed rate hike on June 29, 2006, while central banks have bought $15 trillion in assets, and vast portions of the world are now in negative interest rate territory.

“Normally when one route gets blocked or more difficult, migrants’ first choice is to return to an old established route. It is likely that some people will look again at the central Mediterranean route from Libya — we can predict a spike there — and people will be working on rival Balkan routes as we speak."

• Wall Street Has Doubts About Fed Lifting Interest Rates (WSJ)
• Global stocks at three-week highs as Fed decision looms (Reuters)
• Charting the Markets: The World Awaits the Fed (BBG)
• Powerful quake off Chile slams waves into coastal towns; eight killed (Reuters)
• As Fed Storm Brews, Europe Stocks Seen Weathering Turmoil Best (BBG)
• Fiorina's rise adds another insurgent to U.S. election fray (Reuters)

Today, most of the developing world, tomorrow most of the developed world. Today Ukraine, Syria, South Africa and Brazil. Tomorrow Ireland, Greece, the UK, the EU, other Middle Eastern and African nations and the U.S. (see important charts) 

Kyle Bass shared his macro views during the “Squawk on the Street”