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Category: Fed, Central Bank and Banking Macro Liquidity

Analysis of the major forces of macro liquidity that drive markets. Click here to subscribe. 90 day risk free trial!

The Sky’s the Limit

Lee Adler

The only thing keeping the market afloat is the willingness of big market participants to take on leverage to continue buying stocks and bonds. Increasingly prodigious amounts of T-bill supply are not pressuring prices as I had forecast back in ancient times, maybe 3 months ago, that they would and should have. Instead, they have become the basis for taking on more debt via repo and margin, and using it to buy other assets such as Treasuries and stocks. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

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As a result, I have been suggesting to hold on to longs for the time being, and hold off on shorting. However, the market’s pricing is now so extended versus base liquidity, aka money, that we have to wonder where the limit is? Is it here, or is it the sky? Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

The trend is still in place and there’s no indication yet that it is beginning to turn. On the other hand, there are indications that price to liquidity ratios are at or near extreme trend limits. They’ve been at other apparent limits before and gone through them, as the movement increasingly moves toward the vertical. They’re so vertical now that it looks “end-stagey” to me, but that’s just a gut reaction born of 56 years of observing markets, not an empirical judgment. We need more. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

It will come down when the weight of higher prices becomes too much to absorb. All we can do is closely watch the price measures via technical analysis, and apply basic TA to price/liquidity sentiment measures, looking for the first signs of a change of direction. Given the fragility of the current structure, I suspect that the turn could be faster than usual. I would want to react quickly at the first sign of a turn. In other words, sell first and ask questions later. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

This report shows and explains the critical indicators that you need to follow to stay on top of the market as it tops out. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

 

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Picking Up Nickels in Front of a Steamroller

Lee Adler

The combination of market sentiment that has gone insane and the coming deluge of Treasury supply have rendered the financial markets increasingly fragile. At the same time, that does not rule out continuation of the rally. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

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Survival of the bullish trend in stocks will depend on the willingness of dealers, hedge funds, and institutions to continue to increase leverage in order to support rising prices. They could use the coming crush of T-bill supply as collateral for new borrowing to buy stocks and bonds.

Or they may decide not to.

I know of no way to forecast when the willingness to constantly increase leverage to support the bull market will end. Nor do I think it necessary to do so. Normally we can see the signs of reversal via technical analysis applied not just to stock prices, but also to the liquidity measures that we track here. When the tide begins to go out, we should see the signs of it in both, in time to take the appropriate actions. As of now, we see xxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx.

In the meantime, we must keep our radar up and running.

Here are the charts and analysis that show you how to view this and when to be ready to move. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

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Tax Collections Post Strong Gain in June

Lee Adler

Withholding tax collections were strong in June. The US economy shows no sign of slowing. More importantly, strong revenue growth has restrained the growth of Treasury supply. Consequently, the US Treasury was able to continue T-bill paydowns through June, reducing the negative impact of heavy coupon issuance. Non-subscribers, click here for the rest of the story.

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We were able to use the data to foresee that, and the fact that the impact would be bullish. We also knew that the paydowns would end in July and that the resumption of T-bill issuance that would result in renewed withdrawals from the Fed’s RRP facility. That’s because money managers would switch from holding Fed RRPs back to holding T-bills as they were issued. The decline in the RRP fund would resume. Non-subscribers, click here for the rest of the story.

Given where I expected the RRPs outstanding to be at the end of June, last month I guessed that the facility would run dry in November or December. But the RRPs never got as high as I expected as money managers took some of the cash from the T-bill redemptions and used it to buy stocks and bonds instead of depositing it in the RRP facility. Non-subscribers, click here for the rest of the story.

Now bill supply is starting off July at a gargantuan level. Putting 2 and 2 together suggests that the RRP slush fund will run dry in October, even at the current revenue growth rate. Non-subscribers, click here for the rest of the story.

Here’s the illustrated story of how we got here, and what it means for your trading and investment strategy. Non-subscribers, click here for the rest of the story.

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Liquidity Shows It’s Time to Get Out

Lee Adler

Macro liquidity is drying up, according to the banking indicators and other monetary data that we follow. It’s not just one thing. It’s everything. Money growth has stopped in its tracks everywhere we look. Some indicators are breaking down. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

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Macro liquidity is drying up, according to the banking indicators and other monetary data that we follow. It’s not just one thing. It’s everything. Money growth has stopped in its tracks everywhere we look. Some indicators are breaking down.  Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

Falling money supply is not bullish. Even flat money supply growth that we’ve seen for months should be bearish. In fact, if we look beneath the surface of the rally in the big cap market averages, most stocks are not participating in the big cap bull trend. I’ve covered that aspect of the market in the Technical Trader reports. Here the focus is solely on liquidity, and that is turning from yellow flags to red flags.  Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

In recent reports I had been recommending that longs could still be held. I now recommend… Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

Here are the charts and analysis that show you why. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

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KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW, before the Street does, read Lee Adler’s Liquidity Trader risk free for 90 days! Act on real-time reality! 

Attention New Subscribers! Please check your spam folder for your subscription welcome messages and post notifications and whitelist Liquiditytrader.com. Some email providers like Hotmail and others which use the Proofpoint gatekeeper are blocking Liquidity Trader emails completely. I have been unable to get them to stop. Please notify them to “Let my emails go!”

If you continue to have issues receiving Liquidity Trader emails, just check here daily at 9 AM ET for the latest posts.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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For Primary Dealers Easy Street is No More

Lee Adler

Primary Dealers have reduced their fixed income portfolio hedging at the worst possible time. They are facing a deluge of supply in the months ahead, and they are not well hedged. They have reduced leverage a bit, but this doesn’t appear to be enough to help them through the supply tsunami that is headed their way. Non-subscribers, click here for access.

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Here’s what this means for stocks and bonds, and what you should do about it.  Non-subscribers, click here for access.

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Here Cometh the Grim Repo Man

Lee Adler

Repo data has been an important part of our liquidity analysis for many years. But the data had shortcomings. It showed only the banking system data, which is not the entire repo market by far. And it was only somewhat timely, offering a weekly snapshot with a 10 day lag. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

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I have found something better. It’s daily data on the entire repo market, current through the last business day before yesterday. No surprise, it correlates with the trend of stock prices and even shows evidence of divergences that precede changes of stock market trends. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

The current data through Monday supports the stock market rally, but only up to a point. A negative divergence has developed since January. A breakdown from here could be a bearish signal for stocks. A breakout would be bullish confirmation. They’re not at either point yet, but it’s now week to weak. Pun intended. We’ll keep an eye on it. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

It’s a similar story from the other drivers. There’s enough liquidity to keep the rally going for a bit longer. But the sands of time are falling to the bottom of the hourglass. Long for now, but not for long, looks like the watchword for this market. Tick tock. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

This report illustrates each component of the liquidity data to give you a complete view and deeper understanding of the dynamics that drive market trends so that you can invest and trade with greater confidence. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

Subscription Plans

KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW, before the Street does, read Lee Adler’s Liquidity Trader risk free for 90 days! Act on real-time reality! 

Attention New Subscribers! Please check your spam folder for your subscription welcome messages and post notifications and whitelist Liquiditytrader.com. Some email providers like Hotmail and others which use the Proofpoint gatekeeper are blocking Liquidity Trader emails completely. I have been unable to get them to stop. Please notify them to “Let my emails go!”

If you continue to have issues receiving Liquidity Trader emails, just check here daily at 9 AM ET for the latest posts.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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May Tax Collections Were Super Bullish

Lee Adler

Withholding tax collections boomed in May. Consequently, the US Treasury is flush with cash. This means that T-bill paydowns are likely to hit my previous estimate of $80-100 billion for June. It could be more than that, but the difference shouldn’t be enough to materially impact the market. The current estimates are bullish enough.  Non-subscribers, click here for access.

Subscribers, click here to download the report.

This report gives the details of the May tax windfall, what it means for the market, and how you can use that information in your trading and investment strategy.  Non-subscribers, click here for access.

Here’s a snip from last month’s summary of the review of April tax collections.   Non-subscribers, click here for access.

5/3/24 This is the second straight month of strong tax revenue. That means less supply. The usual April-May tax bulge cash cow could hang around through June, when the government sees a mini tax collection bulge from June estimated taxes. That could extend the T-bill paydown period into late June or early July before the well runs dry.  Non-subscribers, click here for access.

And that, my friends, will be a bullish influence between now and the end of the second quarter.  Non-subscribers, click here for access.

As I wrote in this update last month, “Cash doesn’t guarantee a bull stampede, but it means that the gates are open for them to easily run through.”  Non-subscribers, click here for access.

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After Growth in the Spring Comes the Harvest

Lee Adler

The Treasury supply issue is still favorable for most of June. The Treasury has already resumed paying down T-bills thanks to a huge cash balance and the prospect of a big wave of estimated tax collections on June 15. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

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I now estimate that paydowns should rebuild the Fed’s RRP facility to xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. That should be enough to last until xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. It doesn’t guarantee bullish markets until then, but it’s potential cash flow that will offset ongoing QT until it doesn’t. That should be xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx at the latest. So enjoy the party while it lasts. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

Meanwhile the stock market had looked historically overbought versus the level of bank deposits in recent weeks. But it has now blown through that record extreme into a supernova of bullishness. When that finally turns, it should mark the end of this bull run. But we’re not there yet, and there’s no reason to try and anticipate the turn by selling too early. The market will tell us. Meanwhile, I would let xxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

However, the buildup of divergences between liquidity indicators and the direction of asset prices means that when the market finally does give it up, we should believe it. It will be time to sell and sell short, not just wait out the next correction. Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

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KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW, before the Street does, read Lee Adler’s Liquidity Trader risk free for 90 days! Act on real-time reality! 

Attention New Subscribers! Please check your spam folder for your subscription welcome messages and post notifications and whitelist Liquiditytrader.com. Some email providers like Hotmail and others which use the Proofpoint gatekeeper are blocking Liquidity Trader emails completely. I have been unable to get them to stop. Please notify them to “Let my emails go!”

If you continue to have issues receiving Liquidity Trader emails, just check here daily at 9 AM ET for the latest posts.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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June Swoon Called Off

Lee Adler

Fed balance sheet and banking data, along with Treasury supply data had previously shown the prospect for some stock market weakness around the enormous expected end of May Treasury coupon settlement. I warned about it in our last update of this data on May 13, which was headlined, “Why Sell in May and Go Away.”  Non-subscribers, click here for access. 

Subscribers, click here to download the report.

Last week, the Treasury confirmed the amount of the settlement that I had estimated. Over the past few days, we’ve begun to see the effects of that in stocks and bonds. But how bad will it be? This report answers that question, and shows you why.

Subscription Plans

KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW, before the Street does, read Lee Adler’s Liquidity Trader risk free for 90 days! Act on real-time reality! 

Attention New Subscribers! Please check your spam folder for your subscription welcome messages and post notifications and whitelist Liquiditytrader.com. Some email providers like Hotmail and others which use the Proofpoint gatekeeper are blocking Liquidity Trader emails completely. I have been unable to get them to stop. Please notify them to “Let my emails go!”

If you continue to have issues receiving Liquidity Trader emails, just check here daily at 9 AM ET for the latest posts.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

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Primary Dealers Get a Break from Impending Doom

Lee Adler

Headline Corrected

The storm warnings of extreme dealer leverage have dissipated over the past two months. For the moment, the skies are only partly cloudy with a chance of showers, but no sign of any big storms. They’re still over the horizon. Non-subscribers, click here for access.

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Dealers are required to buy a significant percentage of every Treasury offering by the deal they made with the devil to be its Primary Dealers. And those offerings keep coming in a never-ending tide. But they were sharply curtailed from late March through early May by the annual tax collection bulge. Those collections enable the US Treasury to pay down debt over that period. That reduction in supply accrues to the benefit of the dealers. It enabled them to not only reduce leverage, but also to add to hedges as the accumulate inventory. So over the past two months they have taken the opportunity to get a little healthier than they were through early this year. Non-subscribers, click here for access.

We know from our other reports on the Fed’s balance sheet and the banking system that the time when trouble is likely is when the Fed’s RRP slush fund runs out. It’s been holding in the 400-500 billion range, but as T-bill issuance picks up it will begin to diminish. We’ll watch that data as always and will keep an eye on the dealers’ positions as the other signs of impending doom begin to appear. Right now, they’re on hold. Non-subscribers, click here for access.

This report shows the pictures that tell the story, and that tells us what to do about it.  Non-subscribers, click here for access.

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