From the Macro Tourist:
The Eurostoxx outperformance of the past month has garnered a lot of attention, but there is another similar trade many investors are missing. Not only that, but it has a positive carry, something that is sorely lacking in this day and age of NIRP.
Since early April, the German Bund / US T-note 10 year yield spread has rallied 35 basis points, rising from negative 220 bps to 185 bps.
For all those who think quantitative easing is long end fixed income friendly, this move makes no sense. After all, the ECB is busy buying bunds by the bucketful while the Federal Reserve is preparing the market for the eventual winding down of their balance sheet, reducing the rate of reinvestment (and therefore bond buying). Yet, for me, this move makes complete sense. What is a bond investor’s worst nightmare (after default)? Inflation. What is quantitative easing suppose to create? Inflation. Why then does the market expect QE to cause bond prices to rise? If Central Banks are successful, it should actually create the exact opposite reaction....MORE
