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The Surprising Death Of "Surprise"

Tyler Durden's picture




 

"The period of peak liquidity will remain in place for the foreseeable future," suggest Brown Brothers Harriman in a recent note, and as Reuters reports, for all the fevered speculation about when the Federal Reserve will begin scaling back its monetary stimulus, market volatility has been taking a leisurely nap, suggesting investors see no major shocks on the horizon to derail their bets. "We're not trying to follow the twists and turns of the very short-term investment cycle," confirms one wealth manager who will only change his strategy if the Fed "dramatically changed," its policies. The market's apparent ignorance of the ebb and flow of data surprises - both positive and negative - is clear as it has virtually no bearing on short-term yields, which have remained at historic lows thanks to the trillions of dollars of liquidity and zero interest rates from the Fed. "Fear not the Fed," advises BofAML, as the Fed's $85 billion-a-month asset purchase program trumps everything.

Via Reuters,

Low market volatility is a sign markets expect no "taper" any time soon, or that they are steeled for a reduction in the pace of the Fed's bond-buying if it comes.

The sting of the taper has been gradually sucked out of markets since the Fed's surprise decision not to start withdrawing stimulus in September.

...

But the Fed's $85 billion-a-month asset purchase program trumps everything, and as long as the liquidity taps are open, the economic data will only have a real impact on markets if it changes the Fed's thinking.

...

The following chart shows that since mid-2011, the correlation between U.S. economic surprises and two-year Treasury yields has completely broken down:

The ebb and flow of data surprises - both positive and negative - has had virtually no bearing on yields, which have remained at historic lows thanks to the trillions of dollars of liquidity and zero interest rates from the Fed.

But it is not just interest rate volatility that have succumbed to the Fed's heavy and visible finger (and thumb)...

So there it is - no news is bad news ever again... or as we have repeatedly noted "bad news is good news, and good news is great news." What could possibly go wrong?

 

As the Reuters headline proclaims: "Forget data and rhetoric, Fed liquidity's the only show in town."

 

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Sun, 11/17/2013 - 22:35 | 4163970 Trimmed Hedge
Trimmed Hedge's picture

Taylor, do you have your BTC $600 hat ready?

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 22:46 | 4163998 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

$569 right now.

If you have gains (which is ANYONE who has bought it prior to now), I would highly recommend a little "tapering" of your own.  At least get your own cost out so you're only playing with house money.

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 22:55 | 4164016 flacon
flacon's picture

$575 10 minutes later... 

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 23:08 | 4164054 Trimmed Hedge
Trimmed Hedge's picture

Watched the subsequent drop to $538 in real-time..

That shit moves fast!

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 22:59 | 4164021 bunzbunzbunz
bunzbunzbunz's picture

You just want a dip! You want to BTFD!!! Caught you! Now, go to http://freebitco.in/?r=25727 and get some for free! Did you catch me!?@#

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 22:48 | 4164000 prains
prains's picture

Taylor ! LOL

 

think you may have cut too close today, make sure to pick up some tulips on the way home this week....as a reminder

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 23:04 | 4164041 Cabreado
Cabreado's picture

Our collective behavior makes it easy to see how we got here, and easy to see how we have no way out.

And just for some colorful downarrows, I would suggest that BTC mania is a glaring indicator and reminder of both.

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 22:38 | 4163977 jcaz
jcaz's picture

Sweet- always nice to see the top- when everyone is absolutely, positively sure that nothing can go wrong.....

This liquidity will disappear as soon as the Chinese repatriot to cover their bullshit real estate bubble-  Ben will be sitting on his hands, cursing why he didn't get out a month earlier......

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 22:49 | 4164006 NoDebt
NoDebt's picture

I'm guessing you were around for the last two blow-off tops.  Does feel a bit similar, doesn't it?

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 23:00 | 4164026 bunzbunzbunz
bunzbunzbunz's picture

Everyone = < 1% of the population now? Yeah, that's a real signal there bro.

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 22:40 | 4163981 Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day's picture

The party will go on until everyone, including the shoe shine boy is a trillionare

 

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 22:59 | 4164022 Pure Evil
Pure Evil's picture

Is that when everyone, including the shoe shine boy, gets their newly minted trillion dollar platinum coin from the US Mint?

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 22:44 | 4163994 666
666's picture

"...since mid-2011, the correlation between U.S. economic surprises and two-year Treasury yields has completely broken down"

 

This couldn't possibly have anything to do with the beginning of QEternity, right?

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 23:30 | 4164072 JustObserving
JustObserving's picture
The Surprising Death Of "Surprise"?


More accurately, it is death of markets.

At least, the Bitcoin market is alive and kicking  And it is a big FU to the Fed.

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 23:20 | 4164074 holdbuysell
holdbuysell's picture

Take advantage and convert the ponzi into true forms of capital.

It's Wall Street's game, not those who are nimble enough to find alternatives.

Wall Street has become the punchline of every joke.

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 23:21 | 4164076 Son of Loki
Son of Loki's picture

QE and weakening of the dollar will not end in my lifetime. Watch for all assets to rise, some faster then others.   I'm waiting for food, gas, etc to soar ag ain. Health insurance, airfare, etc are still soaring.

The undervlaued assets (like PMs) will make a robust come back.

Overvalued assets (like stocks and houses) will most likely see a correction.

Sun, 11/17/2013 - 23:34 | 4164091 Seasmoke
Mon, 11/18/2013 - 03:09 | 4164368 ebworthen
ebworthen's picture

Bubble part deux, surprise!

S&P 666 is real valuation you dumb monkeys.

Jump in the pool if you can avoid the piranha's! 

Ooh!  They have sharp teeth!

If you're not sure when the blood is in the water and the swarm of piranha's is coming then STAY OUT OF THE WATER!!!

Mon, 11/18/2013 - 03:55 | 4164395 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

 As much as "NoDebt" and I disagree? I have to take his opinion.

Mon, 11/18/2013 - 06:55 | 4164461 falak pema
falak pema's picture

On the issue of surprising death of surprise here is an exposé by ZH's arch enemy : Krugman.

All about secular stagnation (barbarous expression) and PERMANENT BUBBLES economy, as exposed by his alter ego Larry Summers

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/16/secular-stagnation-coalmines...

Chew on that if you want indigestion !

Anyways, with Krugman its surprise avec surprise. What else in this crazy world?

Mon, 11/18/2013 - 11:46 | 4165221 moneybots
moneybots's picture

"Fear not the Fed," advises BofAML, as the Fed's $85 billion-a-month asset purchase program trumps everything.

"Forget data and rhetoric, Fed liquidity's the only show in town."

 

Until it isn't, which could be sooner than people think,  amid complacent thinking that the FED is really in charge.

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