Some questions I’m contemplating proper now:

1. Did tech shares break the inventory market?

The leaders within the inventory market going right into a disaster are not often the leaders popping out of a disaster.

There’s something a few regime change within the financial cycle that tends to shift the way in which traders allocate their capital to completely different sectors of the market.

There was a sea change this round too…for somewhat bit.

Final yr throughout the rising inflation and rate of interest atmosphere, development shares received killed whereas worth shares lastly had their time within the solar after a decade of tech inventory dominance.

But right here we’re once more with the identical big development shares main the way in which.

The Nasdaq 100 is up 40% this yr after falling 33% final yr.

The Man Group carried out some analysis on the highest 100 shares within the S&P 500 every decade going again to the Nineteen Sixties to point out that lots of the leaders from the earlier period sometimes fall from their perch:

This occurred each decade…till the 2010s.

The highest shares roughly remained the highest shares.

Historical past tells us tech shares ought to underperform in a significant manner finally.

This time is completely different sometimes will get you into bother however John Templeton himself as soon as mentioned 20% of the time it actually is completely different.

Perhaps tech shares broke the mould. Perhaps they’re establishing for an enormous fall.

You might speak me into both argument proper now.

2. When are we going to get a helpful streaming bundle?

I’m on file saying I’ll by no means minimize the wire in terms of cable.

However the streaming revolution goes to make it troublesome till we get some type of mixed bundle.

I watched the Michigan recreation final week on Peacock. It labored OK however right here’s the issue — it’s a ache within the ass to modify to a different recreation throughout commercials (and there are A LOT of commercials).

Going from an app again to cable after which again to an app takes endlessly.

I’m positive we’ll determine one thing out finally the place AT&T, Comcast and Spectrum simply have the streamers proper of their cable packages however the transition to get there’s going to be painful for my channel-flipping within the meantime.

I’m prepared for everybody to return to the previous cable bundle days.

3. Can the federal government afford to maintain charges this excessive for lengthy?

I’m not good at predicting the course of rates of interest. I’ve tried and failed many instances.

If you happen to had requested me a number of years in the past if charges might go from 0% to five%, I’d’ve mentioned you’re nuts. We added trillions of {dollars} of debt throughout the pandemic.

I assumed the curiosity expense on that debt would turn out to be a political drawback if charges rose as a lot as they did.

Hand up — I used to be mistaken.

Curiosity funds as a proportion of GDP are nonetheless decrease than they have been within the Eighties and Nineteen Nineties however take a look at how a lot they’ve risen previously 18 months or so:

Right here’s a take a look at the full curiosity funds by the federal government:

It seems like a meme inventory.

I’m not saying a disaster is imminent.

I’m not going to foretell a collapse within the greenback (we’re nonetheless the worldwide reserve forex).

I’m not going to foretell an finish to the monetary system as we all know it (folks have been complaining about Federal debt ranges endlessly and it’s by no means actually mattered).

My fear right here is finally, it’s going to turn out to be a political subject if we ever cease having ridiculous arguments about tradition struggle stuff.

I’m stunned we haven’t seen any politicians who’re fearful about our debt ranges latch onto this as a re-election subject but.

This additionally makes me doubtful that charges can keep increased for longer however I’ve been mistaken concerning the path of charges earlier than.

4. Are the Lions lastly going to be good this yr?

The Lions beat the Chiefs to kick off the NFL season. Expectations are about as excessive as they’ve ever been for one of the vital tortured fan bases in all {of professional} sports activities.

Right here’s my take:

My dad has drilled it into my head that the Lions will disappoint us finally.

I’m normally a glass-is-half-full sort of man. Not in terms of the Lions.

I’ll imagine it after I see it.

5. Can we get a mushy touchdown with out hurting the labor market an excessive amount of?

Take a look at the trail of the inflation charge, variety of folks quitting their job and variety of job openings:

They’ve all adopted an analogous path throughout one of many strongest labor markets in many years.

The unknowable proper now’s if these numbers can all proceed to fall with out impacting the unemployment charge an excessive amount of and pushing us right into a recession.

The unemployment charge stays extraordinarily low by historic requirements:

I’m curious how lengthy it may stay close to these ranges with rates of interest a lot increased.

6. Did the infant boomers spoil the housing market?

Barclays has a brand new analysis report that claims the infant boomers are partly in charge for the continued power within the housing market.

Right here’s their take (through Bloomberg):

“The US housing sector is on the upswing once more, even with mortgage charges at multi-decade highs,” Jonathan Millar, Barclays senior economist, writes within the analysis. “Though a lot has been attributed to shortages of current properties and mortgage lock-in results, we predict robust demand is a symptom of the getting older inhabitants.”

I respect this scorching absorb some respect. Near 40% of all mortgages are paid off on this nation. That’s principally child boomers.

That technology has the flexibility to promote their houses which can be up like 500%, ignore 7% mortgages and purchase in money once they relocate for retirement.

I suppose that is sensible however I’d blame the unhealthy market on so many different elements earlier than ever attending to the boomers.

Right here’s my checklist in no specific order: The Fed, HGTV, the pandemic, distant work, the federal government (for not incentivizing the constructing of extra houses), the Nice Monetary Disaster (completely screwed up the homebuilders), NIMBYs and Taylor Swift (her tickets are so costly nobody can afford a home).

If we need to repair the housing market, we’ve got to construct extra homes.

It’s so simple as that.

Additional Studying:
The Luckiest Technology