Is GDP Growth Really All About Oil? 

What the Macro Correlation Matrix Is Signaling

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Atlanta Fed GDPNow model just cut its Q1 estimate from 3.0% to 2.1% in four days.

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Most commentary blames oil. But the macro factor data suggests the more important signal sits one layer deeper. 

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We are seeing sharp, simultaneous shifts in macro factor correlations that look more like stagflation-lite than reflation.

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1. The Energy–Growth relationship has indeed flipped

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Qi’s Risk Model monitors daily the pair-wise correlation matrix across macro factors (6m lookback, exponentially weighted).

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Energy’s correlation with GDP Nowcast is near its most negative level in 5 yrs.

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Historically oil had a small positive correlation with growth. Right now it looks more like a tax on growth.

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Continue reading our analysis by downloading the PDF below

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Author
Amit Khanna

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