Tag: ECB – European Central Bank

Daily Brief For October 4, 2022

Post author By Renato L. Capelj
Post date October 4, 2022
1 Comment on Daily Brief For October 4, 2022

The daily brief is a free glimpse into the prevailing fundamental and technical drivers of U.S. equity market products. Join the 990+ that read this report daily, below!

*Graphic updated 9:20 AM ET. Sentiment* ***Risk-On*** *if expected /ES open is above the prior day’s range. /ES levels are derived from the profile graphic at the bottom of the following section. Levels may have changed since initially quoted;* *click here* *for the latest levels. SqueezeMetrics* *Dark Pool* *Index (DIX) and* *Gamma* *(GEX) calculations are based on where the prior day’s reading falls with respect to the MAX and MIN of all occurrences* *available. A higher DIX is bullish. At the same time, the lower the GEX, the more (expected) volatility.* *Learn* the implications of volatility, direction, and moneyness. Breadth reflects a reading of the prior day’s NYSE Advance/Decline indicator. VIX reflects a current reading of the CBOE Volatility Index (INDEX: VIX) from 0-100.

Fundamental

Fresh and top of mind, still, is the Credit Suisse Group AG (NYSE: CS) debacle. However, despite the bank’s “critical moment,” as discussed in yesterday’s letter, credit default swap (CDS) levels, though still rising, are “far from distressed.”

Adding, not reflected by the stock is a “strong capital base and liquidity position,” per CS.

*Graphic:* *Retrieved* *from Credit Suisse Group AG (NYSE: CS).*

A big topic speculated on was CS’ probability of default. At its core, CDS spreads relate to the probability of default in the following way, per Deutsche Bank AG (NYSE: DB) research:

(CDS Spread) / (1 – Recovery Rate) = Implied Probability Of Default.

The recovery rate is basically the (estimated) amount of a loan that will be repaid in the case of a bankruptcy or default. Per European Central Bank research, “the standard recovery rate used by the industry in price calculations is 40%.”

Roughly speaking, below is a quick calculation:

250 basis points / (1 – 0.40) = 416.67 basis points = 4.17% Implied Probability Of Default

In CS’ case, if the spread is 250 basis points, assuming a 40% recovery, that’s a 4.17% default probability implied. If the spread was at 150 basis points, then, assuming a 40% recovery, that’s a 2.5% chance of default.

*Graphic: Taken from @EffMktHype who* *retrieved* *from Bloomberg. “So many [Bloomberg] screenshots of CS CDS levels and talking about massive default prob numbers. Zero people actually using [the] same terminal to look at default risk screen.”*

Taken together, in short, similar to as we put forth, yesterday, “[t]his is not 2008,” per Citigroup Inc’s (NYSE: C) Andrew Coombs. Bloomberg adds that Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) faced its own credit spread debacle during 2011 European debt exposure rumors; “it took months for the price of the default swaps to fall as the feared losses never materialized.”

Ahead of an October 27 CS review covering topics including “a large-scale investment banking retreat, … [i]nvestors are worried about how much the bank will [have to] cover” a restructuring.

Bloomberg adds: “A sale of Credit Suisse’s structured-products group, which trades securitized debt, has attracted interest from potential buyers, … [amid] rising interest rates.”

Per UBS Group AG (NYSE: UBS) research, a sale of such businesses, which may be worth more than the market is currently implying, “could help to avoid a dilutive capital increase.”

Positioning

“Month-end portfolio rebalances and [the] expiration of quarterly option strategies [acted] in support of the market,” JPMorgan Chase & Co’s (NYSE: JPM) Marko Kolanovic stated in a September 30, 2022 commentary titled “Throwing rocks in glass houses.”

In that same commentary, Kolanovic eased support for his 2022 price targets on economic volatility led by central banks, the war in Europe, and beyond.

As stated last week, per Kai Volatility’s Cem Karsan, it’s the case that the removal of options strategies and potential supply of protection (as investors further come to the realization that options protection has done little to protect against downside) may provide markets a boost.

*Graphic: Taken from @Alpha_Ex_LLC who* *retrieved* *from Bloomberg. S&P 500 (INDEX: SPX) October put option lower in price and volatility.*

Ultimately, though, a final resolution would be “tied to the incremental effects on liquidity,” (e.g., QT manifesting itself as “$4.5 billion less in demand for assets per day,” and buyback blackout) while options repositioning may make the case for increased fragility, as traders’ falling demand for put protection opens the door to less supportive hedging flows with respect to time (Charm) and volatility (Vanna) changes.

*Graphic:* *Retrieved* *from SqueezeMetrics.*

Therefore, trades such as the Short Ratio Put Spread, particularly if narrower, may be far riskier to employ into the end of this year and the middle half of next year. For context, this was a trade to have on this year.

As participants continue to make the aforementioned realizations and supply to the market put (downside protection), tails may “continue to be cheap,” and discount “crash risk,” according to The Ambrus Group’s Kris Sidial.

A lot more to resolve this jumbled mess of a newsletter in the coming days.

Technical

As of 9:10 AM ET, Tuesday’s regular session (9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET), in the S&P 500, is likely to open in the upper part of a positively skewed overnight inventory, outside of prior-range and -value, suggesting a potential for immediate directional opportunity.

In the best case, the S&P 500 trades higher.

Any activity above the $3,771.25 HVNode puts into play the $3,826.25 HVNode. Initiative trade beyond the last-mentioned could reach as high as the $3,862.25 HVNode and $3,893.00 VPOC, or higher.

In the worst case, the S&P 500 trades lower.

Any activity below the $3,771.25 HVNode puts into play the $3,722.50 LVNode. Initiative trade beyond the LVNode could reach as low as the $3,671.00 VPOC and $3,610.75 HVNode, or lower.

Click here to load today’s key levels into the web-based TradingView charting platform. Note that all levels are derived using the 65-minute timeframe. New links are produced, daily.

*Graphic: 65-minute profile chart of the Micro E-mini S&P 500 Futures.*

Definitions

Volume Areas: A structurally sound market will build on areas of high volume (HVNodes). Should the market trend for long periods of time, it will lack sound structure, identified as low volume areas (LVNodes). LVNodes denote directional conviction and ought to offer support on any test.

If participants were to auction and find acceptance into areas of prior low volume (LVNodes), then future discovery ought to be volatile and quick as participants look to HVNodes for favorable entry or exit.

POCs: POCs are valuable as they denote areas where two-sided trade was most prevalent in a prior day session. Participants will respond to future tests of value as they offer favorable entry and exit.

Vanna: The rate at which the delta of an option changes with respect to volatility.

Charm: The rate at which the delta of an option changes with respect to time.

About

After years of self-education, strategy development, mentorship, and trial-and-error, Renato Leonard Capelj began trading full-time and founded Physik Invest to detail his methods, research, and performance in the markets.

Capelj also develops insights around impactful options market dynamics at SpotGamma and is a Benzinga reporter.

Some of his works include conversations with ARK Invest’s Catherine Wood, investors Kevin O’Leary and John Chambers, FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried, ex-Bridgewater Associate Andy Constan, Kai Volatility’s Cem Karsan, The Ambrus Group’s Kris Sidial, among many others.

Disclaimer

In no way should the materials herein be construed as advice. Derivatives carry a substantial risk of loss. All content is for informational purposes only.

Daily Brief For May 15, 2023 + Key Update

by Renato L. Capelj May 15, 2023

Daily Brief For May 12, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj May 12, 2023

Daily Brief For May 11, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj May 11, 2023

Commentary

Daily Brief For September 30, 2022

Post author By Renato L. Capelj
Post date September 30, 2022
2 Comments on Daily Brief For September 30, 2022

The daily brief is a free glimpse into the prevailing fundamental and technical drivers of U.S. equity market products. Join the 980+ that read this report daily, below!

*Graphic updated 9:50 AM ET. Sentiment* ***Neutral*** *if expected /ES open is inside of the prior day’s range. /ES levels are derived from the profile graphic at the bottom of the following section. Levels may have changed since initially quoted;* *click here* *for the latest levels. SqueezeMetrics* *Dark Pool* *Index (DIX) and* *Gamma* *(GEX) calculations are based on where the prior day’s reading falls with respect to the MAX and MIN of all occurrences* *available. A higher DIX is bullish. At the same time, the lower the GEX, the more (expected) volatility.* *Learn* the implications of volatility, direction, and moneyness. Breadth reflects a reading of the prior day’s NYSE Advance/Decline indicator. VIX reflects a current reading of the CBOE Volatility Index (INDEX: VIX) from 0-100.

Administrative

Apologies for the delay. Hectic end-of-week! A little heavy on the fundamental side of things and light on the positioning. More to unpack next week. Have a great weekend!

Fundamental

As an update to our September 29, 2022 letter, Russia responded to the Nord Stream attack suggesting the incident spoke of state-sponsored “terrorism”, all the while “an EU official said the incident had fundamentally changed the nature of the conflict in Ukraine,” p e r Refinitiv.

*Graphic:* *Retrieved* *from Bloomberg. Updated September 28, 2022.*

In short, Russia’s throwing blame on the US, among others, suggesting it was likely to benefit through a boost in liquefied natural gas (LNG) sales. Russia previously said the leaks were in areas “fully under the control” of US intelligence agencies.

It’s the case that in February 2022, Joe Biden commented that if Russia invaded Ukraine, there would “no longer be a Nord Stream 2,” also.

In response, Nord Stream 1 leaks will be stopped on Monday with no forecasts yet on the future of the pipeline’s operation.

To note, the pipelines were not “supplying gas to Europe when the leaks were first detected, … [but] both had gas in them.” Regardless, the EU will be assessing the application of sanctions.

Moving on, as a recap, this week there was tons of volatility in overseas fixed income and FX markets. In short, the announcement of new fiscal policies coincided with market volatility that prompted reflexive feedback responses, which we dissected in our September 29, 2022 letter.

A cascade of margin calls, during the route to 7-8% yields, would have put in jeopardy 90% of UK pension funds.

To explain, per Reuters, there are schemes “that pay pensioners a fixed annual amount, often a portion of the final salary they earned as employees.” The schemes invest about 50% of assets in bonds, in order to have cash on hand and pay pension liabilities.

To reduce the effects of market volatility, positions are hedged through derivatives “managed by so-called liability-driven investment (LDI) funds,” Reuters well explained. “For example, pension schemes might pay the floating rate leg of an interest rate swap and receive fixed rates.”

Due to the leverage, market moves have an amplified effect on the funds. Therefore, if bonds fall too much, too fast, more cash must be sent to these LDIs.

“[P]ositions become loss-making – they are paying out more money in the transaction than they are receiving.”

In some cases, schemes were to have “cash reserves to cope with a 200 bps rise in swap rates over a year. However, 30-year gilt interest rate swaps … rose 360 bps this year and 120 bps in the last few days before the BoE stepped in” and bought bonds, boosting inflation expectations, the thing that monetary tightening was, in part, intended to reduce.

*Graphic:* *Retrieved* *from Fabian Wintersberger.*

Accordingly, pensions sold gilts to “ready cash to meet those collateral calls, or they were kicked out of their derivatives positions because they could not pay up in time and had to sell gilts to avoid having a naked exposure to further sharp moves.”

The BoE’s actions calm the market allowing for the more orderly processing of transactions.

Still, the UK is seen “out-hiking the Fed in the wake of Kwarteng tax cuts,” while “schemes are running out of cash.”

The risks don’t just stop there, though, we added.

For one, there’s damage to be had if FX hedges go awry, which we said would likely prompt a call for collateral, too; investors will “buy overseas assets and hedge away the currency risk,” Jim Leaviss explained. “[I]f you had bought a dollar bond and hedged it, the dollars that you have effectively sold ‘short’ against sterling as the hedge have rallied, and the counterparty to the FX hedge will call for a collateral payment.”

The actions of the recent days likely put investors in a position of less liquid assets to meet the (potential) collateral calls, and this is part of the aforementioned technical factors that are likely to have a bearing on the direction of bonds and yields “over coming months.”

Additionally, some participants speculate the US may run into similar issues as the UK. A single (unconfirmed) participant explained pensions may be “selling equities and other asset classes to meet their swap obligations.”

Separately, another topic of discussion was the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) telling state-run banks to prepare for the shedding of dollar holdings to buy and assist in propping up the yuan.

*Graphic: Retrieved from Reuters’ John Kemp.*

This is all the while the Federal Reserve (Fed), to address problems of its own (e.g., real estate affordability) is implementing aggressive monetary tightening (prompting a rise in the dollar and triggering a “reverse currency war”).

*Graphic:* *Retriev*ed from Bloomberg. “So if you want to spend $2,500 a month, you can now buy a house that costs $476,425. For that same monthly payment, you could have purchased a $758,572 house in early 2021.”

As an aside, US mortgage rates hit a 15-year high and home prices are falling.

*Graphic:* *Retrieved* *via Bloomberg. To* *note, housing wealth regressions indicate “that every dollar of changes in housing wealth leads to a 38-cent change in consumption.”*

China is looking to do less of the same and “spark growth in an economy that’s been dragged down by COVID-19 lockdowns, a real estate crash, and supply chain snags,” which have hurt some US firms including Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL).

*Graphic:* *Retrieved* *from Bloomberg. Apple’s manufacturing exposure to China.*

That’s the mismatch (i.e., China easy, US uneasy) that’s going on and, per some, the Fed may be acting on a set of lagging indicators; monetary policy action may do more harm than good.

*Graphic:* *Retrieved* from Bloomberg. Via Liz Ann Sonders. “Unbelievable decline in shipping rates … cost to send a 40-ft container from Shanghai to Los Angeles has fallen by 74% from peak and is back to August 2020 levels.”

But, for now, a robust labor market and continued spending by American consumers have some feeling there’s far more room to go before US monetary policy does more harm than good.

*Graphic:* *Retrieved* *from Bloomberg. An end of an era is approaching, however, as companies that grew largely over the past years, including Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: META), seek to* *reduce* *headcount and reorganize.*

Positioning

All that was said yesterday, and earlier this week, remains valid. In short, the decline prompted traders to demand downside protection, and this wound measures of implied volatility (IVOL).

*Graphic:* *Retrieved* *from Interactive Brokers Group Inc (NASDAQ: IBKR). Read,* *here, to understand backwardation and contango in futures markets.*

For IVOL measures to remain wound, something bad needs to happen, in short. Otherwise, as seen yesterday, slightly, the S&P 500 drifted lower while certain IVOL measures, such as the Cboe Volatility Index (INDEX: VIX) printed a lower high than that observed on Wednesday.

Per SpotGamma, “If the decline in IVOL is very pronounced, relative to the decline in the S&P, that too can aid in a push-and-pull that actually serves to … resist far-reaching weakness.”

Graphic: Retrieved from SpotGamma. SPX prices X-axis. Option delta Y-axis. When the factors of implied volatility (Vanna) and time change (Charm), hedging ratios change. The graphic is for illustrational purposes, only.

From hereon, the decay and/or removal of the protection that’s been demanded in the past days and weeks may place a like on IVOL and boost markets over a very short term. In the long term, however, weakness is here to stay, says Kai Volatility’s Cem Karsan.

That’s amid impacts of quantitative tightening (QT) which is manifesting itself as “$4.5 billion less in demand for assets per day,” as well as the blackout period for buybacks (which were consistently “supporting the market”) and options repositioning bolstering the weakness.

*Graphic: Via* *Physik Invest. Data compiled by* *@jkonopas623. Fed Balance Sheet data,* *here. Treasury General Account Data,* *here. Reverse Repo data,* *here*. ***NL = BS – TGA – RRP***.

A lot more on this positioning, and the rollover of some large fund exposures, which have grasped the attention of many online, in some coming letters.

Technical

As of 9:50 AM ET, Friday’s regular session (9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET), in the S&P 500, is likely to open in the middle part of a balanced overnight inventory, inside of prior-range and -value, suggesting a limited potential for immediate directional opportunity.

In the best case, the S&P 500 trades higher.

Any activity above the $3,638.25 LVNode puts into play the $3,688.75 HVNode. Initiative trade beyond the HVNode could reach as high as the $3,722.50 LVNode and $3,771.25 HVNode, or higher.

In the worst case, the S&P 500 trades lower.

Any activity below the $3,638.25 LVNode puts into play the $3,610.75 HVNode. Initiative trade beyond the latter could reach as low as the $3,554.75 and $3,506.25 HVNode, or lower.

Click here to load today’s key levels into the web-based TradingView charting platform. Note that all levels are derived using the 65-minute timeframe. New links are produced, daily.

Definitions

About

Capelj also develops insights around impactful options market dynamics at SpotGamma and is a Benzinga reporter.

Disclaimer

In no way should the materials herein be construed as advice. Derivatives carry a substantial risk of loss. All content is for informational purposes only.

Daily Brief For May 10, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj May 10, 2023

Daily Brief For May 9, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj May 9, 2023

Daily Brief For May 4, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj May 4, 2023

Tags AAPL - Apple Inc, BoE - Bank of England, BS - Federal Reserve Balance Sheet, Buybacks, Cem Karsan, Charm, Delta, ECB - European Central Bank, EU - European Union, EUR - European Union Euro, Fabian Wintersberger, Gamma, GBP - British Pound, HVN - High Volume Node, IBKR - Interactive Brokers Group Inc, Interest Rates, IVOL - Implied Volatility, Kai Volatility, LDI - Liability-Driven Investment, LNG - Liquified Natural Gas, LVN - Low Volume Node, META - Meta Platforms Inc, PBOC - People's Bank of China, QE - Quantitative Easing, QT - Quantitative Tightening, RRP - Reverse Repo Rate, SpotGamma, SPX - Cash S&P 500 Index, TGA - Treasury General Account, USD - U.S. Dollar, USD/CNH - U.S. Dollar / Offshore Chinese Yuan, Vanna, VIX - CBOE Volatility Index, VIX Futures Term Structure

Commentary

Daily Brief For September 8, 2022

Post author By Renato L. Capelj
Post date September 8, 2022
1 Comment on Daily Brief For September 8, 2022

The daily brief is a free glimpse into the prevailing fundamental and technical drivers of U.S. equity market products. Join the 850+ that read this report daily, below!

*Graphic updated 7:15 AM ET. Sentiment* ***Neutral*** *if expected /ES open is inside of the prior day’s range. /ES levels are derived from the profile graphic at the bottom of the following section. Levels may have changed since initially quoted;* *click here* *for the latest levels. SqueezeMetrics* *Dark Pool* *Index (DIX) and* *Gamma* *(GEX) calculations are based on where the prior day’s reading falls with respect to the MAX and MIN of all occurrences* *available. A higher DIX is bullish. At the same time, the lower the GEX, the more (expected) volatility.* *Learn* the implications of volatility, direction, and moneyness. Breadth reflects a reading of the prior day’s NYSE Advance/Decline indicator. VIX reflects a current reading of the CBOE Volatility Index (INDEX: VIX) from 0-100.

Fundamental

Please pardon the light letter, team.

The Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell will speak on monetary policy today at 9:10 AM ET. He is likely to embolden the tone set forth yesterday by the Fed’s Lael Brainard who said that higher rates for far longer seem necessary at this juncture.

The base case calls for a 75 basis point hike to interest rates this month, followed by 50 basis points in November, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE: GS) forecasts.

A quick check of the Eurodollar – which reflects the interest offered on U.S. dollar-denominated deposits held at banks outside of the U.S. (i.e., participants’ outlook on interest rates) – shows a peak in the overnight rate at 4.155% in February of 2023. From thereon, rate cuts are implied.

*Graphic: Via Charles Schwab Corporation-owned (NYSE: SCHW) TD Ameritrade’s Thinkorswim.*

It’s the case that monetary policies implemented resulted in too many dollars (still) chasing too few goods. We spoke on supply side dislocations last week and put forth that, from a monetary perspective, the Fed, among its peers like the ECB, can only and will tighten to stem inflationary pressures that are (to remain) structural.

*Graphic:* *Retrieved* from Bloomberg. “The number of references to the word ‘shortage’ in the Fed’s latest Beige Book report edged higher after declining for three straight reports, according to a Bloomberg tally. Job markets remained tight and labor shortages weighed on several sectors. That plus continued supply-chain snarls hampered manufacturing, the Fed said.”

It is the case that the economy is on a path that is “L”-shaped (i.e., vertical drop in activity via recession, and flatline for a period of time as rates remain higher for longer to prevent a sharp rise in inflation, again).

Zoltan Pozsar of Credit Suisse Group AG (NYSE: CS) puts forth that policymakers now have to “generate a round of negative wealth effects to lower demand such that it becomes more in line with the new realities of supply.”

Technical

Implied volatility (IVOL) is wound and markets are in an environment characterized by two-way ranges that are larger. Yesterday, we unpacked one way traders could have played the entry into this environment.

Further, as SpotGamma puts it well, a positive response to Powell’s remarks, into and through events such as the next update on consumer prices and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, opens the door to IVOL compression and this would be “a boost for equities.”

*Graphic:* *Retrieved* *from VIX Central.*

That’s because the Delta risk counterparties are exposed to by holding short put options, for instance, reduces with falling IVOL. Accordingly, since the short puts carry less positive Delta, the counterparty reduces its negative Delta exposure via the underlying future or stock, which can support markets.

*Graphic: Retrieved via SpotGamma’s Hedging Impact of Real-Time Options (HIRO) indicator. S&P 500 volatility selling coincides with a drop in IVOL and a price rise in the underlying.*

Technical

As of 7:15 AM ET, Thursday’s regular session (9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET), in the S&P 500, is likely to open in the middle part of a balanced overnight inventory, inside of prior-range and -value, suggesting a limited potential for immediate directional opportunity.

In the best case, the S&P 500 trades higher.

Any activity above the $3,988.25 HVNode puts into play the $4,018.75 HVNode. Initiative trade beyond the latter could reach as high as the $4,064.00 RTH High and $4,107.00 VPOC, or higher.

In the worst case, the S&P 500 trades lower.

Any activity below the $3,988.25 HVNode puts into play the $3,952.75 LVNode. Initiative trade beyond the LVNode could reach as low as the $3,925.00 VPOC and $3,884.25 LVNode, or lower.

Click here to load today’s key levels into the web-based TradingView charting platform. Note that all levels are derived using the 65-minute timeframe. New links are produced, daily.

Considerations: Responsiveness near key-technical areas (that are discernable visually on a chart), suggests technically-driven traders with short time horizons are very active.

Such traders often lack the wherewithal to defend retests and, additionally, the type of trade may be indicative of the other time frame participants waiting for more information to initiate trades.

*Graphic: Daily chart of the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE: SPY).*

Definitions

MCPOCs: POCs are valuable as they denote areas where two-sided trade was most prevalent over numerous day sessions. Participants will respond to future tests of value as they offer favorable entry and exit.

Volume-Weighted Average Prices (VWAPs): A metric highly regarded by chief investment officers, among other participants, for quality of trade. Additionally, liquidity algorithms are benchmarked and programmed to buy and sell around VWAPs.

About

Capelj also develops insights around impactful options market dynamics at SpotGamma and is a Benzinga reporter.

Disclaimer

In no way should the materials herein be construed as advice. Derivatives carry a substantial risk of loss. All content is for informational purposes only.

Daily Brief For May 3, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj May 3, 2023

Daily Brief For May 2, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj May 2, 2023

Daily Brief For April 26, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 26, 2023

Commentary

Daily Brief For July 18, 2022

Post author By Renato L. Capelj
Post date July 18, 2022
No Comments on Daily Brief For July 18, 2022

The daily brief is a free glimpse into the prevailing fundamental and technical drivers of U.S. equity market products. Join the 300+ that read this report daily, below!

*Graphic updated 6:30 AM ET. Sentiment* ***Risk-On*** *if expected /ES open is above the prior day’s range. /ES levels are derived from the profile graphic at the bottom of the following section. Levels may have changed since initially quoted;* *click here* *for the latest levels. SqueezeMetrics* *Dark Pool* *Index (DIX) and* *Gamma* *(GEX) calculations are based on where the prior day’s reading falls with respect to the MAX and MIN of all occurrences* *available. A higher DIX is bullish. At the same time, the lower the GEX, the more (expected) volatility.* *Learn* the implications of volatility, direction, and moneyness. Breadth reflects a reading of the prior day’s NYSE Advance/Decline indicator. VIX reflects a current reading of the CBOE Volatility Index (INDEX: VIX) from 0-100.

Fundamental

Positivity across most products we monitor in this letter. This is alongside participants’ paring of bets on more aggressive Federal Reserve (Fed) action. It was just last week, right after the CPI dump, that participants were pricing a near-50% chance of a 100 basis point rate hike in July.

That is no longer the case. The odds are 60-40 in favor of a 50 to 75 basis point hike.

*Graphic: Via CME Group Inc’s (NASDAQ: CME) FedWatch Tool.*

A quick check of the Eurodollar (FUTURE: /GE) curve, a reflection of participants’ outlook on interest rates, we see a peak of the Fed-rate-hike cycle – the terminal rate – near DEC 2022.

Below, we see the overnight rate expected to peak near 3.915% by late 2022.

For context, the price of /GE reflects the interest offered on U.S. dollar-denominated deposits at banks outside of the U.S. With that, they’re “expressed numerically using 100 minus the implied 3-month U.S. dollar LIBOR interest rate,” per Investopedia. This means that at current DEC 2022 prices (96.085), this reflects an implied interest rate settlement rate of 3.915%.

Read: The shift from the Eurodollar to SOFR is accelerating as “SOFR adoption cracked 50%.”

The U.S. Dollar (INDEX: DXY), though it is generally far stronger on pressures (e.g., recession, geopolitics) elsewhere, eased.

Read: Why the U.S. Dollar is booming and creating a possible doom loop and Sunak takes the lead in the voting for U.K. Prime Minister, as well as China weighs mortgage grace period to appease angry home buyers and the ECB case for a half-point rate hike just won’t go away.

Further, it is policy adjustments that are inflicting damage on some inflated areas of the market like crypto and private equity.

Recall that prevailing monetary policies made it easier to borrow and make longer-duration bets on ideas with a lot of promise in the future. Central banks, too, underwrote losses of this regime and encouraged continued growth. This had consequences on the real economy and asset prices which rose and kept deflationary pressures at bay.

As well put forth in our May 18, 2022 commentary, the recent market rout is a recession and the direct reflection of the unwind of carry. Capital was “misallocated” and the Fed’s move to control price stability is “completely unreasonable” as they’re not in a position to do it “without bringing down the markets,” per Kai Volatility’s Cem Karsan.

Read: Kris Abdelmessih’s Moontower #148 on prevailing macroeconomic perspectives.

A prospective hit in demand is in the context of improvement among supply chains, as Citigroup Inc (NYSE: C) economists explain.

“The bad news is that this looks to be occurring on the back of a slowing in the global consumer’s demand for goods, especially discretionary goods, and thus may also signal rising recession risks.”

*Graphic: Via* *Bloomberg*. “Carmakers registered the fewest new vehicles in the European Union since 1996 as persistent supply chain snarls and record inflation afflict the industry. New-car sales in the EU and four other states tracked by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association fell 17% to 1.07 million last month, according to a statement. Volkswagen AG was the hardest-hit major carmaker, with registrations dropping 24% from a year ago.”

It is the case that as the “Fed is pursuing demand destruction through negative wealth effects,” it will, ultimately, pivot because “central banks can only deal with nominal [and] not real chokepoints,” according to Credit Suisse Group AG’s (NYSE: CS) Zoltan Pozsar.

Read: Despite stronger than expected retail sales, inflation adjustments point to a leveling-off.

The “risk of recession, whether it is real or merely implied by an inversion of the yield curve, won’t deter the Fed from hiking rates higher faster or from injecting more volatility to build up negative wealth effects.”

“Rallies could beget more forceful pushback from the Fed – the new game.”

Watch: Quantitative Tightening is the direct flow of capital to capital markets.

Positioning

Please check out the Daily Brief for July 15, 2022. There we summarized, well, the implication of the macro landscape and options positioning.

The summary was that with commodities not offering protection, one has to be concerned if “the flock move[s],” per The Ambrus Group’s Kris Sidial and, ultimately, “if you wanted to go out and hedge, the opportunity is still there in the equity space.”

This is as markets are in a window of “non-strength,” says Karsan in the video below.

Technical

As of 6:30 AM ET, Monday’s regular session (9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET), in the S&P 500, is likely to open in the upper part of a positively skewed overnight inventory, outside of prior-range and -value, suggesting a potential for immediate directional opportunity.

In the best case, the S&P 500 trades higher.

Any activity above the $3,909.25 MCPOC puts into play the $3,943.25 HVNode. Initiative trade beyond the HVNode could reach as high as the $3,982.75 LVNode and $4,016.25 HVNode, or higher.

In the worst case, the S&P 500 trades lower.

Any activity below the $3,909.25 MCPOC puts into play the $3,857.00 VPOC. Initiative trade beyond the VPOC could reach as low as the $3,829.75 MCPOC and $3,800.75 LVNode, or lower.

Click here to load today’s key levels into the web-based TradingView charting platform. Note that all levels are derived using the 65-minute timeframe. New links are produced, daily.

Considerations: Responsiveness near key-technical areas (that are discernable visually on a chart), suggests technically-driven traders with short time horizons are very active.

Such traders often lack the wherewithal to defend retests and, additionally, the type of trade may be indicative of the other time frame participants waiting for more information to initiate trades.

Definitions

About

Capelj also develops insights around impactful options market dynamics at SpotGamma and is a Benzinga reporter.

Some of his works include conversations with ARK Invest’s Catherine Wood, investors Kevin O’Leary and John Chambers, FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried, former Bridgewater Associate Andy Constan, Kai Volatility’s Cem Karsan, The Ambrus Group’s Kris Sidial, among many others.

Disclaimer

In no way should the materials herein be construed as advice. Derivatives carry a substantial risk of loss. All content is for informational purposes only.

Report: Investing In A High Rate World

by Renato L. Capelj April 26, 2023

Daily Brief For April 25, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 25, 2023

Daily Brief For April 24, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 24, 2023

Commentary

Daily Brief For July 12, 2022

Post author By Renato L. Capelj
Post date July 12, 2022
3 Comments on Daily Brief For July 12, 2022

The daily brief is a free glimpse into the prevailing fundamental and technical drivers of U.S. equity market products. Join the 300+ that read this report daily, below!

*Graphic updated 7:00 AM ET. Sentiment* ***Risk-Off*** *if expected /ES open is below the prior day’s range. /ES levels are derived from the profile graphic at the bottom of the following section. Levels may have changed since initially quoted;* *click here* *for the latest levels. SqueezeMetrics* *Dark Pool* *Index (DIX) and* *Gamma* *(GEX) calculations are based on where the prior day’s reading falls with respect to the MAX and MIN of all occurrences* *available. A higher DIX is bullish. At the same time, the lower the GEX, the more (expected) volatility.* *Learn* the implications of volatility, direction, and moneyness. Breadth reflects a reading of the prior day’s NYSE Advance/Decline indicator. VIX reflects a current reading of the CBOE Volatility Index (INDEX: VIX) from 0-100.

Fundamental

The top headlines are on the inflation conjectures, the depth and breadth of the energy crisis, supply constraints, EUR/USD parity, geopolitical unrest, and global economic slowing.

*Graphic:* *Via* *Bloomberg. Dollar surge, European growth path, waning demand, and increasing supply weigh on copper, a bellwether of the world economy.*

A boiling point, if not already, is soon to be reached, in short.

For instance, the energy crisis, which is, in part, the result of earlier capacity erosion, short-term triggers, and panic, is expected to worsen according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Per Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE: GS), a “full interruption to Russian flows to Europe would be equivalent to a 35% supply shock to the European gas market.”

*Graphic: Retrieved via* *The Market Ear*. Via Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE: GS). “[W]e estimate bills would increase by c.65% from here in this event, bringing the total household cost for power and gas to nearly €500/month, creating a meaningful affordability problem. Versus the summer-2020 trough, we estimate that gas/power bills would have increased by nearly 300% on this basis.”

What does this mean for the markets we’re focused on day-to-day in this letter?

Well – and this is pursuant to the Daily Brief for Monday, July 11 – markets have only suffered through compression in multiples. Does it stop or is there a looming earnings compression?

Most likely there is an earnings compression. For now, it is only sentiment that is taking the hit.

*Graphic:* *Retrieved* *via The Market Ear. Taken from FactSet Research Systems Inc (NYSE: FDS).*

When will the turn occur?

As stated yesterday, it will be the earnings season that is likely to shed clarity on the answer all the while – what is known right now – a strong dollar is for sure to translate into a headwind for S&P 500 earnings growth.

*Graphic: Via* *Bloomberg. The “Fed is still perceived as having more room to hike rates going forward, also on the back of the strong US jobs report for June,” Unicredito SPA (OTC: UNCRY) analysts* *explained*. “On the other hand, other central banks, such as the ECB and the BoE, might be forced to become more prudent, given the more direct exposure their respective economies have to the gas and energy crisis.”

What’s lending to the dollar’s strength?

Let’s start with the following. Participants were extending moneyness to nonmonetary assets, given easy monetary policies and an environment of ample debt and leverage (which cuts into asset price volatility).

*Graphic:* *Retrieved* *from The Market Ear. Via Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS).*

When the reverse happens – tighter liquidity and credit – and volatility eventually rises, the demand (and competition) for money (or cash) deflates assets.

Graphic: Via Citigroup Inc (NYSE: C). According to Joseph Wang, amidst asset price volatility and bank deposits to drain about $1 trillion or so by year-end, investors will “continue to lower their selling prices to compete for the cash they want.”

It is a deflationary pulse manifesting disinflation in consumer prices, that will prompt the Fed to reverse itself on rates and quantitative tightening (QT).

What does this mean?

Depends on the timeframe.

Though the policy pivot may come alongside a peak in the de-rate markets are experiencing, now, longer-term there are multi-decade trends brewing on the back of the de-globalization pulse, for instance, and a tendency to spend wealth, instead of creating it (as supply chains are replicated here at home), is inflationary which makes the context for a more two-sided market in the future (rather than straight up or down).

Read: Former Bridgewater Associate talks recession odds, capturing a macro edge.

What about the dollar?

With the Fed “still perceived as having more room to hike rates going forward,” per Unicredito SPA (OTC: UNCRY), all the while “other central banks, such as the ECB and the BoE … [are] more prudent, given … the[ir] gas and energy crisis,” short-term dollar strength does more to diminish the global reliance on the U.S.

This is explained even better by Lyn Alden of Lyn Alden Investment Strategy.

The dollar is the dominant currency for carry primarily due to easy monetary policies removing the risk of an ultra-strong dollar. Accordingly, the dollar is “the currency that most offshore debt is denominated in all over the world,” as explained by Bankless, who interviewed Alden.

“Non-US entities make dollar-based loans and transactions in pretty much all markets everywhere because it’s considered more trustworthy than native fiat,” they add. “When there’s a disruption in global cash flows, there’s effectively a short squeeze on the dollar.”

“The stronger the dollar gets in comparison, the less tenable it becomes as a global reserve,” and that is a pressure on the long-term trajectory of that currency.

Positioning

Yesterday’s letter was spot on with respect to positioning.

We can speculate as to where the market may move next, after the release of inflation figures, this week. What’s likely is that, even if the print is hot, the first move is to be structural, per Kai Volatility’s Cem Karsan.

“A function of inevitable rebalancing of dealer inventory post-event. The second move and final resolution, if you wait for it, is usually tied to the incremental effects on liquidity (QE/QT).”

Rising inflation probably bolsters the Fed’s backing of a 75 basis point rate hike on July 27. So, don’t fight the Fed. Rising rates and the withdrawal of liquidity prompts a continued de-rate.

Knowing this, the “flattening in the downside fixed strike skew, while the upside wings [are] more smiley,” as described by JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE: JPM), has made for attractive low-cost spread opportunities, as talked about yesterday and in the July 8, 2022 letter.

The moral is as follows: own volatility where the market is likely to not expire. Sell it where the market is likely to expire. Just because implied (IVOL) volatility is at a high starting point does not mean it should be sold, blindly.

Read: Explanations and Applications – Moontower on Gamma.

Technical

As of 7:00 AM ET, Tuesday’s regular session (9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET), in the S&P 500, is likely to open in the lower part of a negatively skewed overnight inventory, outside of prior-range and -value, suggesting a potential for immediate directional opportunity.

In the best case, the S&P 500 trades higher.

Any activity above the $3,830.75 MCPOC puts into play the $3,867.25 LVNode. Initiative trade beyond the LVNode could reach as high as the $3,909.25 MCPOC and $3,943.25 HVNode, or higher.

In the worst case, the S&P 500 trades lower.

Any activity below the $3,830.75 MCPOC puts into play the $3,800.25 LVNode. Initiative trade beyond the LVNode could reach as low as the $3,774.75 HVNode and $3,755.00 VPOC, or lower.

Click here to load today’s key levels into the web-based TradingView charting platform. Note that all levels are derived using the 65-minute timeframe. New links are produced, daily.

Considerations: Responsiveness near key-technical areas (that are discernable visually on a chart), suggests technically-driven traders with short time horizons are very active.

Such traders often lack the wherewithal to defend retests and, additionally, the type of trade may be indicative of the other time frame participants waiting for more information to initiate trades.

Example: The below 65-minute S&P 500 chart with volume profiles was included in the July 8, 2022 edition of the newsletter. Prices were near an inflection (micro-composite point of control and two key volume-weighted average price levels). From thereon, selling surfaced.

This is what is meant by responsiveness near key-technical areas.

*Graphic: Updated 7/2/22. 65-minute profile chart of the Micro E-mini S&P 500 Futures.*

Definitions

About

Capelj also develops insights around impactful options market dynamics at SpotGamma and is a Benzinga reporter.

Disclaimer

In no way should the materials herein be construed as advice. Derivatives carry a substantial risk of loss. All content is for informational purposes only.

Daily Brief For April 21, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 21, 2023

Daily Brief For April 20, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 20, 2023

Daily Brief For April 19, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 19, 2023

Tags BoE - Bank of England, BTC - Bitcoin, C - Citigroup Inc, Cem Karsan, CPI - Consumer Price Index, DXY - US Dollar Currency Index, Earnings Season, ECB - European Central Bank, EUR - European Union Euro, EUR/USD - Euro and U.S. Dollar Exchange Rate, FDS - FactSet Research Systems Inc, FOMC - Federal Open Market Committee Event, Gap, GS - Goldman Sachs Group Inc, HVN - High Volume Node, IEA - International Energy Agency, IVOL - Implied Volatility, JPM - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Kai Volatility, LVN - Low Volume Node, Lyn Alden, Lyn Alden Investment Strategy, MCPOC - Micro Composite Point Of Control, MS - Morgan Stanley, QE - Quantitative Easing, QT - Quantitative Tightening, SPX - Cash S&P 500 Index, The Rise of Carry, UNCRY - Unicredito SPA, USD - U.S. Dollar, Volume-Weighted Average Price (VWAP), VPOC - Virgin Point Of Control

Commentary

Daily Brief For June 29, 2022

Post author By Renato L. Capelj
Post date June 29, 2022
No Comments on Daily Brief For June 29, 2022

The daily brief is a free glimpse into the prevailing fundamental and technical drivers of U.S. equity market products. Join the 300+ that read this report daily, below!

What Happened

Overnight, equity index futures traded sideways-to-lower, keeping intact the bearish tone from yesterday. Commodities were mixed. Bonds, the dollar, and implied volatility were bid.

At a micro-level, the selling was not similar to that of past market turmoil events. Instead, stocks were sold, but on the back of tame and steady volumes. Adding, the market’s responsiveness to key visual areas may mean that participants with shorter time horizons are more active, pointing to the potential that those with larger horizons are waiting for better entry or more information.

In terms of the news, similar to yesterday, narratives remain uninspiring. The key is that there are signs that inflation may soon turn the corner, as discussed in yesterday morning’s letter. In accordance with that perspective are comments by trader and macro strategist Andy Constan, who this letter’s author spoke with last week and will share insights extracted, below.

Ahead is data on GDP (8:30 AM ET), as well as talks by Federal Reserve (Fed) and European Central Bank (ECB) officials (9:00 AM ET, 11:30 AM ET, and 1:05 PM ET).

*Graphic updated 6:40 AM ET. Sentiment* ***Risk-Off*** *if expected /ES open is below the prior day’s range. /ES levels are derived from the profile graphic at the bottom of the following section. Levels may have changed since initially quoted;* *click here* *for the latest levels. SqueezeMetrics* *Dark Pool* *Index (DIX) and* *Gamma* *(GEX) calculations are based on where the prior day’s reading falls with respect to the MAX and MIN of all occurrences* *available. A higher DIX is bullish. At the same time, the lower the GEX, the more (expected) volatility.* *Learn* *the implications of volatility, direction, and moneyness.* *SHIFT* data used for S&P 500 (INDEX: SPX) options activity. Note that options flow is sorted by the call premium spent; if more positive, then more was spent on call options. Breadth reflects a reading of the prior day’s NYSE Advance/Decline indicator. VIX reflects a current reading of the CBOE Volatility Index (INDEX: VIX) from 0-100.

What To Expect

Perspectives: This letter’s objective is to provide salient information one may use in developing a tradeable narrative. Today, we’re taking a different approach and adding some diversity to the format by threading important points from the conversation Physik Invest’s Renato Capelj had with trader and macro strategist Andy Constan, the CEO and CIO of Damped Spring Advisors.

Without further ado, here it is.

The University of Pennsylvania alumnus had his start in finance in the 1980s when he joined Salomon Brothers. There, he excelled quickly and was the “go-to for questions.”

At one point, Salomon tapped Constan for his assistance with the 1987 stock market crash where he learned more about self-reinforcing market strains and how dynamic hedging processes may manifest market volatility.

Constan, later, managed Salomon’s derivatives operations, as well as the sale of those services. He said a lot of his success, in those years, was owed to making “everything systematic” and “operat[ing] with a framework.”

He, then, spent some time at Ray Dalio’s Bridgewater Associates where he was key in the firm’s research on volatility as an asset class. The lesson Bridgewater instilled was to “spend time finding the persistent trade,” parameterizing and executing, accordingly.

The alpha stream from the capture of that systemic edge is an asset itself.

Through the decades of experience, Constan eventually pivoted after recognizing that edges built on top of relative value (RV) – “the capture of inefficiencies generated from some form of concentrated positioning that pushes assets out of whack” – would fail on macro happenings.

Most noteworthy were Constan’s comments on the market’s de-rate.

As we’ve talked about in this letter in the past, for decades monetary policies were the go-to instrument for stimulation. This money stocked a technological revolution, bolstered the supply of goods, and, by that token, promoted deflation, which was kept at bay by rising asset prices.

Trends in the geopolitical climate, a focus on fiscal stimulation, as well as supply chokepoints, have stoked goods and services inflation. The commitment to addressing inequality, as well as misallocations of capital through a tightening of liquidity and credit has consequences on the economy and asset prices, which are highly connected given multi-decade trends.

Stemming inflation, via supply-side economics, alone, is folly, as explained in the article. Trends like de-globalization are destructive to prosperity.

“The most destructive things to future prosperity are the tendencies that have developed over the last five years, like Brexit, the border wall, and the war in Ukraine. Comparative advantages, which globalization is essential for, generates uninsured supply chains and now we’re spending money on insurance.”

As the article explains, at its core, prices are set by the equilibrium between the supply and demand for goods. Both are not in line, and the stimulative monetary policies that helped keep the supply-side in check are not on the table, all the while supply chain replication is not adding to production.

Though that’s inflationary, political gridlock is a dampener on the trend.

What about the more pressing matter? Are we in a recession?

The simple answer is yes, and 2022 is likely to be a 1% total GDP year with a 4% inflation rate. That said, an equity market recovery is not off the table.

“We’re in a recession — a period of modestly to significantly below-trend growth — and the fiscal side would have to not force the Fed to do more by having a large spending bill which would hurt markets in a meaningful way.”

On the expression of opinions, Constan’s preferred method is to use defined risk options trades structured around his macro theses two to four months out in maturity.

If volatility is rich, he will lean on selling credit. If volatility is cheap, he will opt to buy spreads.

“I want deltas and leverage. My macro indicators give me an edge on price and in the worst case, the loss is limited to 10%, if everything has to go against me all at once. I can be 100% invested and only risk 10%.”

Read Full-Text: Former Bridgewater Associate Talks Recession Odds, Capturing A Macro Edge

Follow Andy Constan on Twitter, here.

Positioning: Little has changed. The volatility that the markets are realizing (RVOL) is high and, at times, in excess of that implied (IVOL).

To cut to the chase, there’s a “higher starting point” in IVOL, and a still-present right-tail (from the positioning for a bear market rally).

Graphic: Taken by Physik Invest from Interactive Brokers Group Inc (NASDAQ: IBKR) on 6/24/2022. Multi-expiry skew in the Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 (NASDAQ: QQQ). Notice the v-shape in the shorter maturity and smirk in the longer maturity. *Here’s what that means*.

Both make it so we may, for zero or no cost, trade short-dated structures with asymmetric payouts.

Read: Trading Volatility, Correlation, Term Structure and Skew by Colin Bennett et al. Originally sourced via Academia.edu.

*Graphic: Via Banco Santander SA (NYSE: SAN)* *research, the return profile, at expiry, of a classic 1×2 (long 1, short 2 further away) ratio spread (the inverse of a back spread).*

Technical: As of 6:30 AM ET, Wednesday’s regular session (9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET), in the S&P 500, will likely open in the lower part of a negatively skewed overnight inventory, outside of prior-range and -value, suggesting a potential for immediate directional opportunity.

In the best case, the S&P 500 trades higher; activity above the $3,821.50 LVNode puts in play the $3,836.25 ONH. Initiative trade beyond the ONH could reach as high as the $3,883.25 LVNode and $3,909.25 MCPOC, or higher.

In the worst case, the S&P 500 trades lower; activity below the $3,821.50 LVNode puts in play the $3,793.25 Ledge. Initiative trade beyond the Ledge could reach as low as the $3,770.75 and $3,735.75 HVNode, or lower.

Click here to load today’s key levels into the web-based TradingView charting platform. Note that all levels are derived using the 65-minute timeframe. New links are produced, daily.

Considerations: Push-and-pull (responsiveness) near key-technical areas (that are discernable visually on a chart), suggests technically-driven traders with short time horizons are very active.

Such traders often lack the wherewithal to defend retests and, additionally, the type of trade may be indicative of the other time frame participants waiting for more information to initiate trades.

What People Are Saying

If everyone knows how to utilize the Black Scholes model, how tf do you make money in options?

The edge clearly isn’t the math
— SurgiFi (@FiSurgi) June 29, 2022

Definitions

Overnight Rally Highs (Lows): Typically, there is a low historical probability associated with overnight rally-highs (lows) ending the upside (downside) discovery process.

About

Capelj also develops insights around impactful options market dynamics at SpotGamma and is a Benzinga reporter.

Some of his works include conversations with ARK Invest’s Catherine Wood, investors Kevin O’Leary and John Chambers, FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried, Kai Volatility’s Cem Karsan, The Ambrus Group’s Kris Sidial, among many others.

Disclaimer

In no way should the materials herein be construed as advice. Derivatives carry a substantial risk of loss. All content is for informational purposes only.

Daily Brief For April 18, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 18, 2023

Daily Brief For April 17, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 17, 2023

Daily Brief For April 14, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 14, 2023

Tags Andy Constan, Damped Spring Advisors, ECB - European Central Bank, GDP - Gross Domestic Product, HVN - High Volume Node, IBKR - Interactive Brokers Group Inc, Ledge, LVN - Low Volume Node, MCPOC - Micro Composite Point Of Control, ONH - Overnight High, SAN - Banco Santander SA, Volume-Weighted Average Price (VWAP)

Commentary

Daily Brief For June 28, 2022

Post author By Renato L. Capelj
Post date June 28, 2022
2 Comments on Daily Brief For June 28, 2022

The daily brief is a free glimpse into the prevailing fundamental and technical drivers of U.S. equity market products. Join the 300+ that read this report daily, below!

What Happened

Overnight, equity index futures rotated higher, along with commodities. Implied volatility was bid. Bonds were lower.

In the news were some changes to China’s COVID policies, the European Central Bank’s (ECB) intent to follow its peers and raise interest rates in July by 25 basis points, and the Group of Seven (G-7) leaders are talking about geopolitics and placing limitations on Russia.

At home, mortgage lenders are tur n ing “desperate” as soaring rates roil their industry. Some are bracing for a 20% reduction in business as 30-year mortgage rates level out below 5.75%.

Pursuant to some of our analyses last week, Scion Asset Management founder Michael Burry suggested a “supply gut at retail is the bullwhip effect.” More on this, later.

Ahead is data on trade in goods (8:30 AM ET), S&P Case-Shiller U.S. home price index (9:00 AM ET), consumer confidence index (10:00 AM ET), as well as updates by Federal Reserve (Fed) members (8:00 AM ET and 12:30 PM ET).

*Graphic updated 6:30 AM ET. Sentiment* ***Neutral*** *if expected /ES open is inside of the prior day’s range. /ES levels are derived from the profile graphic at the bottom of the following section. Levels may have changed since initially quoted;* *click here* *for the latest levels. SqueezeMetrics* *Dark Pool* *Index (DIX) and* *Gamma* *(GEX) calculations are based on where the prior day’s reading falls with respect to the MAX and MIN of all occurrences* *available. A higher DIX is bullish. At the same time, the lower the GEX, the more (expected) volatility.* *Learn* *the implications of volatility, direction, and moneyness.* *SHIFT* data used for S&P 500 (INDEX: SPX) options activity. Note that options flow is sorted by the call premium spent; if more positive, then more was spent on call options. Breadth reflects a reading of the prior day’s NYSE Advance/Decline indicator. VIX reflects a current reading of the CBOE Volatility Index (INDEX: VIX) from 0-100.

What To Expect

Fundamental: Though badly timed, last year ARK Invest’s Cathie Wood said inflation would be on its way out due in part to inventory build-ups and their impact on commodity prices.

*Graphic: Via Societe Generale SA (OTC: SCGLY).*

At the time, she asked whether the velocity of money was depressed given pent-up savings and demand for assets, putting forth disappointing GDP updates (which grew, mostly, on the back of inventories) and slightly negative retail final sales as support for her broader thesis.

Recall happenings in real estate – the iBuying debacle – late last year. Wood sa i d this:

“This is unsustainable, … and I’m wondering if even the housing market inflation is going to give way, here.”

Participants were extending moneyness to nonmonetary assets, given monetary policies and an environment of debt and leverage that ultimately cuts into asset price volatility. Ultimately, these trends bolster the risks of carry when volatility does rise and the demand for money pushes deflation, particularly in asset prices.

Read: Daily brief for May 18, 2022.

*Graphic: Via the Investment Company Institute. Taken from Joseph Wang. “Investors are selling everything for cash.”*

With bank deposits to drain about $1 trillion or so by year-end, that volatility is happening, now, as investors “continue to lower their selling prices to compete for the cash they want.”

Scion Asset Management’s Michael Burry nods at the “supply gut” in retail. Like Wood, he thinks that it is a deflationary pulse that manifests disinflation in consumer prices, prompting the Fed to reverse itself on rates and quantitative tightening (QT).

Read: DC’s Chartbook #16 on the “fundamental evolution in the global money markets.”

That’s as Credit Suisse Group AG’s (NYSE: CS) Zoltan Pozsar, who gained much attention this year on his bold market commentary, said the Fed is likely to change course as it “can only deal with nominal [and] not real chokepoints.” This is as “nominal balance sheet and liquidity trends will, at some point, clash with the realities of a garden variety of supply chain issues.”

*Graphic: Via* *@BarnabeBearBull. “[L]ast week 18 Central Banks tightened their monetary policy (12% of all monitored CBs), including 4 of the top 9. Strongest move in a while.”*

Positioning: Incredible is the still-depressed volatility skew we’ve talked about ad nauseam on.

*Graphic: Via JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE: JPM). Taken from* *The Market Ear. “Overwriting longs and using the premium to buy downside protection is relatively cheaper now.”*

It’s the strong supply of volatility. Participants are hedging, buying into volatility that is closer to current prices, and selling (skew) that which is farther out.

The counterparts are long that volatility further out, which they may sell into declines, and all of this, together, “results in vol underperformance on market declines,” per Sergei Perfiliev.

Graphic: Via Physik Invest. Taken from TradingView. The top is S&P 500 (INDEX: SPX). The second, from the top, is the Nations SkewDex (INDEX: SDEX), a clearer measure of options skew. The second from the bottom is the Cboe Volatility Index (INDEX: VIX). The bottom is the Cboe VVIX index (INDEX: VVIX), a naive measure of skew.

For that reason, the volatility that the markets are realizing (RVOL) is heightened and, at times, in excess of that implied.

*Graphic: Via Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE: GS). Taken from* *The Market Ear. “SPX 6-month realized volatility is at a level rarely seen outside of major crises; current 6-month implied volatility has been exceeded in just 3 periods since 1940.”*

As said, yesterday, given these dynamics, it makes sense to lean toward owning volatility, rather than selling it. A “higher starting point” in IVOL, and a still-present right-tail (from the positioning for a bear market rally), make it so we may position, for less cost, in short-dated structures with asymmetric payouts (call and put side), precisely as we’ve been talking about for half-a-year.

*Graphic: Via* *Pat Hennessy. “[T]he performance of short-dated 1×2 put ratios in SPX this year. Despite being short the tail, the grind lower has been well captured by this trade structure.”*

In the near term, from a positioning perspective, the front-running of quarter-end repositioning flow is (and is expected), in part, to add to the equity market upside.

Technical: As of 6:30 AM ET, Tuesday’s regular session (9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET), in the S&P 500, will likely open in the mid-to-upper part of a balanced overnight inventory, inside of prior-range and -value, suggesting a limited potential for immediate directional opportunity.

In the best case, the S&P 500 trades higher; activity above the $3,909.25 MCPOC puts in play the $3,943.25 HVNode. Initiative trade beyond the HVNode could reach as high as the $3,982.75 LVNode and $4,016.25 HVNode, or higher.

In the worst case, the S&P 500 trades lower; activity below the $3,909.25 MCPOC puts in play the $3,885.75 ONL. Initiative trade beyond the ONL could reach as low as the $3,821.50 LVNode and $3,793.25 Ledge, or lower.

Click here to load today’s key levels into the web-based TradingView charting platform. Note that all levels are derived using the 65-minute timeframe. New links are produced, daily.

Balanced (Two-Timeframe Or Bracket) Trade The Status Quo: Rotational trade that denotes current prices offer favorable entry and exit.

Balance areas make it easy to spot a change in the market (i.e., the transition from two-time frame trade, or balance, to one-time frame trade, or trend).

Modus operandi is responsive trade (i.e., fade the edges), rather than initiative trade (i.e., play the break).

Definitions

Overnight Rally Highs (Lows): Typically, there is a low historical probability associated with overnight rally-highs (lows) ending the upside (downside) discovery process.

About

Capelj also develops insights around impactful options market dynamics at SpotGamma and is a Benzinga reporter.

Disclaimer

In no way should the materials herein be construed as advice. Derivatives carry a substantial risk of loss. All content is for informational purposes only.

Daily Brief For April 13, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 13, 2023

Daily Brief For April 12, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 12, 2023

Daily Brief For April 11, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 11, 2023

Tags Ark Invest, Balance, Cathie Wood, COVID-19, CS – Credit Suisse Group Ag, ECB - European Central Bank, G-7 - Group of Seven, GDP - Gross Domestic Product, GS - Goldman Sachs Group Inc, HVN - High Volume Node, IBKR - Interactive Brokers Group Inc, Interest Rates, IVOL - Implied Volatility, Joseph Wang, JPM - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Ledge, LVN - Low Volume Node, Michael Burry, ONL - Overnight Low, Pat Hennessy, QQQ - Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1, QT - Quantitative Tightening, Ratio Spread, RVOL - Realized Volatility, SAN - Banco Santander SA, SCGLY - Societe Generale SA, Scion Asset Management, SDEX - Nations SkewDex, Sergei Perfiliev, SPX - Cash S&P 500 Index, VIX - CBOE Volatility Index, Volatility Skew, VVIX - CBOE Volatility Of Volatility Index, Zoltan Pozsar

Commentary

Daily Brief For June 15, 2022

Post author By Renato L. Capelj
Post date June 15, 2022
1 Comment on Daily Brief For June 15, 2022

The daily brief is a free glimpse into the prevailing fundamental and technical drivers of U.S. equity market products. Join the 300+ that read this report daily, below!

What Happened

The calm before the storm.

Overnight, equity index futures auctioned sideways, inside of a developing balance area. The S&P 500 was glued to the area above $3,700.00.

The Treasury rout cooled. T-Note (FUTURE: /ZN) and T-Bond (FUTURE: /ZB) futures were off their lows. Per Bloomberg, the sell-off in fixed income wiped nearly $10 trillion of value in global bonds, erasing post-Pandemic gains on stimulative central bank intervention.

This letter has talked about the bonds and equities down phenomenon before. It is the shifting in priorities at the policy level – from monetary to fiscal – driving (more) positive correlations.

Abroad, the slump solicited the attention of policymakers. The European Central Bank (ECB) said it would have an emergency meeting to discuss current market conditions. Policymakers are to sign off on the reinvestment of bond purchases conducted during the pandemic.

In other news, the American Petroleum Institute issued policies to unleash American energy and fuel recovery. The U.S. rebuffed China by calling the Taiwan Strait an international waterway as CEOs urge the U.S. Congress to pass a China competition bill. More news of layoffs hit the wire also. Coinbase Global Inc (NASDAQ: COIN) will lay off 18% of its workforce, alongside many other crypto companies.

Elsewhere, Redfin Corporation (NASDAQ: RDFN) and Compass Inc (NYSE: COMP) are laying off workers, as are automotive manufacturers.

Ahead is a packed calendar. To be released is data on retail sales, import prices, and manufacturing (8:30 AM ET). Later is data on home building and inventories (10:00 AM ET).

Key is the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) statement, projections, and news conference (2:00 PM ET).

What To Expect

Fundamental: Let’s keep it short and to the point.

As talked about, yesterday, the FOMC is expected to raise rates by 75 basis points in light of new data. Per Bloomberg, “Powell will argue that a supersized move is needed to preempt inflation expectations from unanchoring.”

The peak in rates is somewhere in the 3.75-4.00% range out in early-to-mid 2023. Into that date range, there is a 100% the Fed will hike.

*Graphic: Via* *Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation* *(OTC: FMCC). “The housing market is incredibly rate-sensitive, so as mortgage rates increase suddenly, demand again is pulling back.”*

On the quantitative tightening (QT) side of things, which is the direct (out) flow of capital from capital markets, the Fed will stop reinvesting the proceeds of maturing Treasuries for the first time since the start of quantitative easing (QE).

Per the Financial Times, in May, FOMC members agreed to cap their monthly balance-sheet run-off at $30 billion in U.S. Treasuries (UST) and $17.5 billion for agency mortgage-backed securities (MBS).

This will have an effect on prices “as liquidity – the ease with which investors can buy and sell assets – deteriorates as markets grapple with a larger amount of bond supply to absorb.”

Moreover, in the recent sale of bonds, liquidity was “worse than it was leading up to Lehman,” and, accordingly, this has played into repo dislocations.

“As customers sell their position to dealers, there’s limited liquidity in the off-the-run markets so the dealers short-sell currents,” Scott Skyrm of Curvature Securities says on increased buys and sells leading to more settlement activity, which plays into more fails.

“Market participants reduce their investments and leverage and go into ‘cash,’ leaving more actual cash in the repo market.”

Therefore, Treasury securities, across all tenors, have traded below the rate on overnight general collateral repurchase agreements.

This could “be a sign of another shortage of collateral and that another systemic risk event might come up in the future,” as Fabian Wintersberger well explained in his newsletter.

*Graphic: Via* *Fabian Wintersberger. Data from Bloomberg.*

Wintersberger adds: “All those things suggest that the storm we are currently facing in markets is just the beginning. The war in Ukraine, a rising interest rate environment, energy costs that subdue the outlook for the real economy, and finally, signals of stress in financial markets imply that there might be tough times ahead.”

Positioning: The divergence in volatility implied (IVOL) by participants’ options activity, versus that which the market realizes (RVOL) was resolved.

*Graphic: Taken by Physik Invest from Interactive Brokers Group Inc (NASDAQ: IBKR).*

As I wrote in my commentary for options data and analysis platform SpotGamma, yesterday, pursuant to remarks made in Physik Invest’s recent letters, volatility repriced and that was a boon for participants who bought into the implied skew convexity idea.

Moreover, $3,700.00 SPX is a key level, per SpotGamma. This is because there is sizeable interest at that level expiring June 17, after FOMC. These options have little time to expiry and, thus, their gamma (options sensitivity to direction) grows rather large, at near-the-money strikes.

*Graphic: Text* *taken* *from Exotic Options and Hybrids: A Guide to Structuring, Pricing and Trading.*

In theory, we see participants as owning protection against their stock exposures. Therefore, the counterparties are short puts (positive delta) and short stock or futures (negative delta).

As the time to expiry narrows, above the strike in question delta decays, and counterparts buy back their static delta hedges.

As the time to expiry narrows, below the strike in question delta expands and counterparts sell more static delta to hedge.

That means, depending on what happens with FOMC, if below $3,700.00, associated hedging, less any new reach for protection would pressure markets lower. If above $3,700.00, hedging, less any new sale of protection, would bolster markets higher.

If lower, all else equal, the June 17 options expiration will coincide with the removal of the in-the-money options exposures in question. This opens a window during which markets may have less pressure to rally against.

Technical: As of 6:30 AM ET, Wednesday’s regular session (9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET), in the S&P 500, will likely open in the lower part of a positively skewed overnight inventory, inside of prior-range and -value, suggesting a limited potential for immediate directional opportunity.

In the best case, the S&P 500 trades higher; activity above the $3,768.25 HVNode puts in play the $3,808.50 HVNode. Initiative trade beyond the $3,808.50 HVNode could reach as high as the $3,836.25 LVNode and $3,863.25 LVNode, or higher.

In the worst case, the S&P 500 trades lower; activity below the $3,768.25 HVnode puts in play the $3,727.75 HVNode. Initiative trade beyond the $3,727.75 HVNode could reach as low as the $3,688.75 and $3,664.25 HVNode, or lower.

Click here to load today’s key levels into the web-based TradingView charting platform. Note that all levels are derived using the 65-minute timeframe. New links are produced, daily.

*Graphic: 65-minute profile chart of the Micro E-mini S&P 500 Futures. Updated: 6/14/2022.*

Definitions

Should the market trend for long periods of time, it will lack sound structure, identified as low volume areas (LVNodes). LVNodes denote directional conviction and ought to offer support on any test.

Point Of Control: POCs are valuable as they denote areas where two-sided trade was most prevalent in a prior day session. Participants will respond to future tests of value as they offer favorable entry and exit.

Micro Composite Point Of Control: POCs are valuable as they denote areas where two-sided trade was most prevalent over numerous day sessions. Participants will respond to future tests of value as they offer favorable entry and exit.

About

Capelj also develops insights around impactful options market dynamics at SpotGamma and is a Benzinga reporter.

Disclaimer

In no way should the materials herein be construed as advice. Derivatives carry a substantial risk of loss. All content is for informational purposes only.

Daily Brief For April 10, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 10, 2023

Daily Brief For April 6, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 6, 2023

Daily Brief For April 5, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 5, 2023

Commentary

Daily Brief For June 10, 2022

Post author By Renato L. Capelj
Post date June 10, 2022
No Comments on Daily Brief For June 10, 2022

The daily brief is a free glimpse into the prevailing fundamental and technical drivers of U.S. equity market products. Join the 300+ that read this report daily, below!

What Happened

Overnight, equity index futures continued lower after breaking a multi-day consolidation late yesterday afternoon.

This is amid growth concerns and the European Central Bank (ECB) decision to end asset purchases this month and commit to a 25-basis-point interest rate hike at its next meeting, setting the stage for further rate hikes, potentially 50-basis-points or higher.

Ahead are updates to consumer prices (8:30 AM ET), which may shed further clarity on the path of the Federal Reserve’s policies. Later are updates to consumer sentiment and inflation expectations (10:00 AM ET), as well as the budget balance (2:00 PM ET).

*Graphic updated 6:30 AM ET. Sentiment* ***Risk-Off*** *if expected /ES open is below the prior day’s range. /ES levels are derived from the profile graphic at the bottom of the following section. Levels may have changed since initially quoted;* *click here* *for the latest levels. SqueezeMetrics* *Dark* *Pool* *Index (DIX) and* *Gamma* *(GEX) calculations are based on where the prior day’s reading falls with respect to the MAX and MIN of all occurrences* *available. A higher DIX is bullish. At the same time, the lower the GEX, the more (expected) volatility.* *Learn* *the implications of volatility, direction, and moneyness.* *SHIFT* data used for S&P 500 (INDEX: SPX) options activity. Note that options flow is sorted by the call premium spent; if more positive, then more was spent on call options. Breadth reflects a reading of the prior day’s NYSE Advance/Decline indicator. VIX reflects a current reading of the CBOE Volatility Index (INDEX: VIX) from 0-100.

What To Expect

Fundamental: The CPI report is a driver of perceptions regarding future Fed activity.

*Graphic: Via Societe Generale SA (OTC: SCGLY). Taken from* *The Market Ear*. SocGen’s Kit Juckes explains that “the Fed put its foot down on the accelerator in 2020, harder than ever before, to keep the global economy going. Now it’s put its foot on the brake, equally hard but perhaps, a little bit late. How this plays out will become clearer in the coming weeks.”

Expected is an 8.2% rise year-over-year (YoY) and 0.7% month-over-month (MoM). In April, these numbers were 8.3% and 0.3%, respectively.

Core CPI (which excludes food and energy) is expected to rise by a rate lower than in April, 5.9% YoY and 0.5% MoM, respectively.

*Graphic: Via* *Bloomberg. “For two straight months, fuel, power and grocery-store food have all been rising at double-digit annual rates—and tomorrow’s data is likely to show a further surge. Meantime, stocks fell with* *growth concerns in focus* *after the ECB moved to combat inflation.”*

What matters most is the latter – core inflation – which the Fed has more control over. If lower than expected, that may warrant more appetite for risk.

“While inflation in some parts of the world [is] yet to peak, there are at least some signs emerging that we may not be too far off in terms of a turning point,” adds Khoon Goh of Australia & New Zealand Banking Group ADR (OTC: ANZBY).

Bloomberg reports semiconductor prices are now down 14% from the middle of last year. Also, the spot rate for shipping containers fell 26% while fertilizer prices are 24% below their record.

Still, the commitment to aggressive contractionary monetary policies is likely to remain. This reduction of liquidity and credit has consequences on the real economy and asset prices which rose and kept the deflationary pressures of monetary intervention at bay.

Positioning: It remains profitable to own options structures as implied (IVOL) underprices the volatility which is realized (RVOL).

This is the result of what options analytics service SqueezeMetrics suggests is an “absolute slamming” (i.e., sale of options) that’s compressing IVOL in shorter-dated tenors.

It is “[o]nly rational to consider a bulk of them as put underwrites, because completely irrational otherwise.”

Important to note that this is in the context of next week’s large options expirations.

Into those events, typically, the frontrunning of delta hedging flows with respect to changes in time (charm), mainly, and volatility (vanna) provide an added boost.

Graphic: Via SpotGamma. “SPX prices X-axis. Option delta Y-axis. When the factors of implied volatility and time change, hedging ratios change. For instance, if SPX is at $4,700.00 and IV jumps 15% (all else equal), the dealer may sell an additional 0.2 deltas to hedge their exposure to the addition of a positive 0.2 delta. The graphic is for illustrational purposes, only.”

As stated Monday, however, the marginal impact of further volatility compression, since IVOL was falling from already low levels, was likely to do less to bolster equity upside.

A lot of the supportive action happened in the days and weeks prior, hence the comments on owning options.

*Graphic: @pat_hennessy* *breaks down* *returns for the S&P 500, categorized by the week relative to OPEX.*

Technical: As of 6:30 AM ET, Friday’s regular session (9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET), in the S&P 500, will likely open in the lower part of a negatively skewed overnight inventory, outside of prior-range and -value, suggesting a potential for immediate directional opportunity.

In the best case, the S&P 500 trades higher; activity above the $4,016.25 HVNode puts in play the $4,055.25 LVNode. Initiative trade beyond the LVNode could reach as high as the $4,071.50 BAL and $4,095.00 VPOC, or higher.

In the worst case, the S&P 500 trades lower; activity below the $4,016.25 HVNode puts in play the $3,982.75 LVNode. Initiative trade beyond the LVNode could reach as low as the $3,951.00 VPOC and $3,909.25 MCPOC, or lower.

Click here to load today’s key levels into the web-based TradingView charting platform. Note that all levels are derived using the 65-minute timeframe. New links are produced, daily.

Standard Balance-Break + Gap Scenarios: A change in the market (i.e., the transition from two-time frame trade, or balance, to one-time frame trade, or trend) is occurring.

Monitor for acceptance (i.e., more than 1-hour of trade) outside of the balance area.

Leaving value behind on a gap-fill or failing to fill a gap (i.e., remaining outside of the prior session’s range) is a go-with indicator.

Rejection (i.e., return inside of balance) portends a move to the opposite end of the balance.

Definitions

About

Capelj also develops insights around impactful options market dynamics at SpotGamma and is a Benzinga reporter.

Disclaimer

In no way should the materials herein be construed as advice. Derivatives carry a substantial risk of loss. All content is for informational purposes only.

Daily Brief For April 4, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 4, 2023

Daily Brief For April 3, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj April 3, 2023

Daily Brief For March 31, 2023

by Renato L. Capelj March 31, 2023

Commentary

Daily Brief For June 9, 2022

Post author By Renato L. Capelj
Post date June 9, 2022
1 Comment on Daily Brief For June 9, 2022

The daily brief is a free glimpse into the prevailing fundamental and technical drivers of U.S. equity market products. Join the 300+ that read this report daily, below!

What Happened

U.S. markets were weighed by action abroad before recovering late in the overnight session.

This was ahead of a European Central Bank (ECB) decision that likely results in a tightening of monetary policies in that region of the world. The expectation is that the ECB will end its bond purchases this month. Then, hike rates in July and September.

At home, in the U.S., the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is looking to change the business model of wholesalers. In consideration is a model in which different firms compete with each other to fill investors’ trades. Some suggest this would increase trading costs.

Elsewhere, one of the largest U.S. export plants of liquified natural gas (LNG) is to shut down due to a facility explosion, raising the risk of shortages in Europe, according to Reuters.

Ahead is data on jobless claims (8:30 AM ET), as well as real household net worth and domestic financial debt (12:00 PM ET).

*Graphic updated 6:40 AM ET. Sentiment* ***Neutral*** *if expected /ES open is inside of the prior day’s range. /ES levels are derived from the profile graphic at the bottom of the following section. Levels may have changed since initially quoted;* *click here* *for the latest levels. SqueezeMetrics* *Dark Pool* *Index (DIX) and* *Gamma* *(GEX) calculations are based on where the prior day’s reading falls with respect to the MAX and MIN of all occurrences* *available. A higher DIX is bullish. At the same time, the lower the GEX, the more (expected) volatility.* *Learn* *the implications of volatility, direction, and moneyness.* *SHIFT* data used for S&P 500 (INDEX: SPX) options activity. Note that options flow is sorted by the call premium spent; if more positive, then more was spent on call options. Breadth reflects a reading of the prior day’s NYSE Advance/Decline indicator. VIX reflects a current reading of the CBOE Volatility Index (INDEX: VIX) from 0-100.

What To Expect

In the past week, a narrative on bearish bets in funds such as the iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (NYSE: HYG) surfaced.

The ETF saw some of the largest volumes since March of 2020, presumably as traders looked to hedge for low cost, the Federal Reserve’s (FED) hawkishness.

*Graphic: Via Bloomberg. “Given that HYG’s realized volatility is still relatively low, it’s an inexpensive way to hedge the impact of tightening monetary policy on corporate credit.”*

According to The Ambrus Group’s Kris Sidial, “a lot of banks continue to push credit vol[atility] as a cheap hedge. Every month, at least four banks push the theme on that trade because of ‘value.’”

This is “also, another reason why every month you see HYG put spreads hit the tape with big size, relatively speaking,” he adds.

Adding, Bridgewater Associates, which was founded by Ray Dalio in 1975, is betting on the sale of corporate bonds via credit default swaps (CDS), which are used to transfer and hedge credit exposure on fixed income products.

Bridgewater’s Co-Chief Investment Officer Greg Jensen explained their bet against corporate bonds is based on inflation remaining stubborn, resulting in the Fed to “tighten in a very strong way, which would then crack the economy and probably crack the weaker [companies].”

Here’s why that matters.

The firms facing challenges, “are creations of easy credit,” according to Bloomberg and, now, for some of them, their time is running short as they “aren’t earning enough to cover their interest expenses, let alone turn a profit.”

“When interest rates are at or close to zero, it’s very easy to get credit, and under those circumstances, the difference between a good company and a bad company is narrow,” said Komal Sri-Kumar of Sri-Kumar Global Strategies.

“It’s only when the tide runs out that you figure out who is swimming naked.”

Despite many of these companies having debt that could last them “months, even years,” Vincent Reinhart explains that “[a]s rates rise, it pushes more of those firms into distress, and amplifies the tightening by the Fed of financial conditions and credit availability.”

As stated yesterday, financial conditions are “the mechanism through which the Fed [impacts] the economy,” and “if the data doesn’t slow, financial conditions will need to tighten more,” potentially feeding into a freezing of credit and a harder hit on still-frothy areas of the market “with the greatest systemic risk.”

As we quoted Simplify Asset Management’s Mike Green explaining in early May, we’re more than halfway through a dot-com type collapse that’s happened “underneath the surface of the indices.”

That’s noteworthy since still-strong passive flows continue to support the largest stocks within the index.

That said, with bonds “not acting as a hedge and appear to be becoming less ‘money’ like due persistent declines in price and elevated rate vol,” per Joseph Wang, who was a trader at the Fed, “[i]nvestors in both bonds and stocks are reaching for cash by selling their assets, driving further asset price declines. For non-bank investors, ‘cash’ means bank deposits.”

How to think about trades?

As explained, yesterday, the marginal impact of further volatility compression is likely to do less to bolster equity market upside. Heading into the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) event, next week, according to SpotGamma, short-dated, pre-event volatility is likely to get sold (further promoting market consolidation) while that which is farter-dated is likely to be bought.

To capitalize on a resolution of the index-level pinning, participants, too, could sell short-dated volatility (which capitalizes on pinning and the rapid decay of soon-to-expire options) and use those proceeds to fund farther dated options.

Such a structure would assist in lower the cost of directional exposure.

*Graphic: The risk profile of a long put calendar spread, via* *Fidelity*.

Alternatively, if bearish on volatility, one could buy a butterfly (short two times at the money and long above and below out of the money options).

*Graphic: The risk profile of a long call butterfly spread, via* *Fidelity*.

In such a case, the trader becomes long implied skew convexity. This is a play on the comments above, coupled with the fact that the Cboe VVIX Index (INDEX: VVIX), the expected volatility of the 30-day forward price of the VIX, or the volatility of volatility (a naive but useful measure of skew), dropped off largely, too, in comparison to the VIX, itself.

Technical: As of 6:40 AM ET, Thursday’s regular session (9:30 AM – 4:00 PM ET), in the S&P 500, will likely open in the upper part of a balanced overnight inventory, inside of prior-range and -value, suggesting a limited potential for immediate directional opportunity.

In the best case, the S&P 500 trades higher; activity above the $4,129.25 low volume area (LVNode) puts in play the $4,149.00 untested point of control (VPOC). Initiative trade beyond the VPOC could reach as high as the $4,164.25 regular trade high (RTH High) and $4,189.25 LVNode, or higher.

In the worst case, the S&P 500 trades lower; activity below the $4,129.25 LVNode puts in play the $4,101.25 LVNode. Initiative trade beyond the LVNodes could reach as low as the $4,073.25 weak high/low and $4,055.75 LVNode, or lower.

Click here to load today’s key levels into the web-based TradingView charting platform. Note that all levels are derived using the 65-minute timeframe. New links are produced, daily.

Definitions

About

Capelj also develops insights around impactful options market dynamics at SpotGamma and is a Benzinga reporter.

Disclaimer

In no way should the materials herein be construed as advice. Derivatives carry a substantial risk of loss. All content is for informational purposes only.

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