Qi Macro Vantage

Markets Anticipate Credit Tightening as USD-Asia Shifts Create Tactical Opportunities

Table of Contents

1.       Stocksalready discounting further tightening in US HY credit?

Qioffers macro tracking equity baskets (tradeable with Goldman Sachs). We usemachine learning to identify a selection of stocks and their weights, which arethen traded out of sample for a month and then re-balanced to keep adapting tomarket conditions. We offer a long / short pair to track HY credit spreads(GSQIHYLL (long leg) / GSQIHYLS (short leg).

Thefirst chart below shows the Qi credit tracker pair vs. HY credit spreads. Theformer appears to discounting ~360bps HY spreads vs. spot of 391bps.

Similarly,the second chart show only the short leg vs. the inverse of HY credit spreads(i.e. you profit from shorting the basket when HY spreads widen). This is alsodiscounting ~350bps HY spreads.

Theconclusion is that the easy reset in vol has been done. Despite the hopium onChina / US talks next week, a lot is already priced. Even if China tariffs arereduced to 60%, it will still hurt the growth / inflation tradeoff.

Ifat 6000 SPX zero recession odds are priced and at 4500, a 25% decline, 100%recession odds then today ~20% recession odds are priced. It gets harder fromhere – that China does not give in easily is a distinct possibility.

2.     EFA – the easy vol reset has been done

The Dollar denominated EFA ETF (MSCI EAFEindex which represents DM in RoW) is today at new all-time highs. Last week, wesaid Japanese equities in Dollar terms was looking over-extended. Qi shows EFAat +1.65 sigma above its macro-warranted fair value. This level of Fair Value Gapis close to record highs. Whilst spot has made new highs, the Qi model valuefor this ETF has not.

Markets have come a long way given depressedpositioning alongside the view that incremental tariff news will be positive.There will also be hope next week of a deal between the US & China.However, even tariffs on China back at 60% (which is where expectations wereduring Trump’s presidential campaign) and 10% elsewhere will hurt. We may endup with a dose of “travel & arrive”. Meanwhile, European earnings seasonhas failed to drive earnings expectations higher – it has been all about PEexpansion (no longer cheap vs. history), not earnings delivery.

 

 

3.       USD-Asiaon the move I

Asia accounts formore than half the US's trade deficit. That fact alone supports the ideaDollar-Asia is entering a new multi-year re-pricing. There were already manybelievers in the idea of lower USDJPY, but does the two-day 10% move in USDTWDor the HKMA announcement about diversifying into non-US assets add fuel to thefire?

Positioningand macro suggest these are not the best levels to chase USDJPY downside. Firstconsider the latest Commitments of Traders data – speculators are running thebiggest net Yen long in history.

 

Second,USDJPY sits 1.3 sigma (4.2%) below Qi’s macro-warranted model value.Aggregating across rate differentials, shifts in respective 5s30s yield curves,spikes & subsequent retracements in VIX & credit spreads, model valueis flat-lining. Macro conditions have not vindicated the latest downtick,instead suggesting the cross should trade near 150.

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Author
Huw Roberts

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