Federal Reserve Federal Reserve Federal Reserve

Are equities in a “good place”?

Equities 5 minutes to read
Peter Garnry

Head of Saxo Strats

Summary:  The Fed delivered a hawkish rate cut but equities nevertheless made new highs fueled by better than expected earnings from both Facebook and Apple after the US market close. While Powell seems to believe the US economy is in a "good place" equity valuations in the US are getting stretched and on some metrics resembling what we saw in 2000. Yesterday's ADP employment change figure for October was bad news and the 6-month average is now the weakest since 2010. The next three months are going to be critical for equity investors.


FOMC delivered a hawkish rate cut last night as anything else would be fueling exuberance in equities. The guidance provided in the press release and subsequent press conference changed the market’s pricing of a no change FOMC meeting in December from around 70% to almost 80% suggesting that the Fed is simply aligning itself with the market. The market reaction was equities higher with S&P 500 reaching new all-time highs and the USD headed lower. For more in-depth analysis of the FOMC rate decision we recommend reading our FX Update from this morning. During the press conference Powell said that the US economy was in a “good place” due to Fed policy fitting the narrative of the hawkish cut. But is the economy and equities really in a “good place”?

Source: Saxo Bank

As we have highlighted repeatedly the past 18 months the global economy is slowing down, the credit transmission in China is broken, equity valuations are clearly driven by substitution effects rather than actual profit growth and the strong USD means that financial conditions are tight in emerging market countries. In our view the Fed is not getting ahead of the curve by aligning itself with the equity market and Fed Funds futures as these two markets are not in line with the current trajectory in the economy. Normally, we show S&P 500 valuation using our standard model of nine different valuation metrics, but today we feel it necessary to show the current ratio of EV/EVITDA in a historical context. As the chart shows, equity valuations are flirting with dot-com bubble levels. Not an ideal starting point for good long-term returns. One must begin questioning whether the Fed’s policy is now starting a bubble in US equities never seen before.

Yesterday’s most interesting data point except from the FOMC rate decision was the ADP employment change figure for October at 125K beating estimates of 110K, but September’s figure was revised down to 93K from 135K. On a net basis the employment situation is worse during the Sep-Oct period than expected. The 6-month average declined to 112K which is now the lowest level since September 2010 and the loss of momentum in the US labour market in 2019 is eclipsing the slowdown in 2011. The US economy is entering a critical phase as the slowdown in the labour market could begin changing the narrative among the consumer. These inflection points where the narrative changes are often sudden and makes it difficult for the central bank to offset.

The last couple of days rumours of a merger between Fiat Chrysler and PSA (parent company of Peugeot) came true this morning with the two carmakers announcing a board agreement to combine the two groups. The combined entity is expected to get €3.7bn in cost synergies and the combined group will complement each other globally in terms of geography and brands. Fiat Chrysler shareholders will receive a special dividend of €5.5bn as part of the deal. The two groups will each own 50% of the new combined entity. As competition is heating up in the global car industry with large new Chinese carmakers and an expensive transition to electric vehicles the merger might turn out to be the right thing.

Adding to the positive sentiment in US equities pushing the key indices into new all-time highs was positive reactions to the Facebook and Apple earnings releases. Facebook delivered strong revenue growth of 29% y/y and EPS growth of 21% y/y both beating expectations. Simultaneously with Facebook reporting earnings Twitter announced that they are banning political ads globally on their platform putting pressure on Facebook to make similar move or at least tighten the control more. The potential canary in the coalmine for investors in Facebook was the EBITDA margin declining to 48.7% the lowest level since Q1 2016.

Apple’s earnings were a story of revenue and EPS beating estimates but also a story of iPhone revenue down 9% y/y and iMac revenue down 5% y/y but importantly offset by Services (app store sales etc.) and Wearables etc. The most positive thing in the earnings release was the flat revenue growth in the Greater China segment which indicates that Chinese consumers are not completely abandoning Apple’s products.

Disclaimer

The Saxo Bank Group entities each provide execution-only service and access to Analysis permitting a person to view and/or use content available on or via the website. This content is not intended to and does not change or expand on the execution-only service. Such access and use are at all times subject to (i) The Terms of Use; (ii) Full Disclaimer; (iii) The Risk Warning; (iv) the Rules of Engagement and (v) Notices applying to Saxo News & Research and/or its content in addition (where relevant) to the terms governing the use of hyperlinks on the website of a member of the Saxo Bank Group by which access to Saxo News & Research is gained. Such content is therefore provided as no more than information. In particular no advice is intended to be provided or to be relied on as provided nor endorsed by any Saxo Bank Group entity; nor is it to be construed as solicitation or an incentive provided to subscribe for or sell or purchase any financial instrument. All trading or investments you make must be pursuant to your own unprompted and informed self-directed decision. As such no Saxo Bank Group entity will have or be liable for any losses that you may sustain as a result of any investment decision made in reliance on information which is available on Saxo News & Research or as a result of the use of the Saxo News & Research. Orders given and trades effected are deemed intended to be given or effected for the account of the customer with the Saxo Bank Group entity operating in the jurisdiction in which the customer resides and/or with whom the customer opened and maintains his/her trading account. Saxo News & Research does not contain (and should not be construed as containing) financial, investment, tax or trading advice or advice of any sort offered, recommended or endorsed by Saxo Bank Group and should not be construed as a record of our trading prices, or as an offer, incentive or solicitation for the subscription, sale or purchase in any financial instrument. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, would be considered as a marketing communication under relevant laws.

Please read our disclaimers:
- Notification on Non-Independent Investment Research (https://www.home.saxo/legal/niird/notification)
- Full disclaimer (https://www.home.saxo/en-gb/legal/disclaimer/saxo-disclaimer)

Saxo Markets
40 Bank Street, 26th floor
E14 5DA
London
United Kingdom

Contact Saxo

Select region

United Kingdom
United Kingdom

Trade Responsibly
All trading carries risk. To help you understand the risks involved we have put together a series of Key Information Documents (KIDs) highlighting the risks and rewards related to each product. Read more
Additional Key Information Documents are available in our trading platform.

Saxo Markets is a registered Trading Name of Saxo Capital Markets UK Ltd (‘SCML’). SCML is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Firm Reference Number 551422. Registered address: 26th Floor, 40 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, London E14 5DA. Company number 7413871. Registered in England & Wales.

This website, including the information and materials contained in it, are not directed at, or intended for distribution to or use by, any person or entity who is a citizen or resident of or located in the United States, Belgium or any other jurisdiction where such distribution, publication, availability or use would be contrary to applicable law or regulation.

It is important that you understand that with investments, your capital is at risk. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. It is your responsibility to ensure that you make an informed decision about whether or not to invest with us. If you are still unsure if investing is right for you, please seek independent advice. Saxo Markets assumes no liability for any loss sustained from trading in accordance with a recommendation.

Apple, iPad and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Android is a trademark of Google Inc.

©   since 1992