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October 4, 2021 – A tough September is not a harbinger of what’s to come. The Delta variant is fading, and interest rates are not likely to rise as fast as they did in September. Inflation concerns remain. However, that should mute future upside. Higher earnings, on the other hand, will mute the downside.

//  by Tower Bridge Advisors

Stocks rallied at the end of a dismal September. While growth in September deteriorated a bit thanks to the persistence of the Delta variant of Covid-19, stocks fell due to a combination of issues, a slowdown in growth being just one. Interest rates rose, the Fed hinted at tapering bond purchases before year end, and the political environment was one in turmoil. It remains in turmoil.

But….

“Don’t worry, be happy” – Bobby McFerrin
“What, me worry?” – Alfred E. Neuman

Despite problems with transitions, despite higher interest rates for a few weeks, and despite political turmoil, the economy is strong and likely to strengthen further. The Delta variant is history. How do I know? The lead story on the evening news is no longer overcrowded emergency rooms! Seriously, the impact of the variant is not only decreasing, it is decreasing rapidly, in line with the exact pattern from other spikes. More people are getting vaccinated, booters are arriving, and the herd impact of herd immunity is increasing. Now Merck is on the verge of bringing a drug to market that can lessen the severity of the disease materially. I hope everyone understands this. Fast forward to next spring or summer when the Merck pill (a pill, not a shot) is readily available. If you feel sick, you see the doc, get the pill and the worst that happens is a few lousy days a la the flu. That changes the whole dynamic of the disease. The pandemic ends: the endemic begins. That means Covid-19 doesn’t disappear. AIDS never disappeared. Covid 19 becomes a disease that we can deal with without changing our lifestyles.

Economically, in one word, that means normality. It means parents don’t have to worry that their kids will require virtual learning and they will have to stay home. It means I can go to theatre and know I am not going to face death in a week. It means all the shut downs that are causing supply chain gridlock start to fade. It means supply chain issues are weeks or months from ending. But they will end.

“What, me worry”?

OK, there are still concerns. The Democrats can’t get enough votes to pass close to $5 billion in added spending. They can yell it doesn’t cost anyone anything, but that’s a pile of political garbage. Even if they mean the rich and corporations are going to pay for their entire wish list, that doesn’t fly. How does $2 trillion in taxes and $5 trillion in spending come to mean no cost? So far at least, a few Democrats understand the difference. While the progressives can crow that they delayed a vote on the infrastructure bill (which wasn’t fully paid for), they are no steps closer than they were a few weeks ago to passing anything.

The reality is that the $3.5 trillion (supposed!) reconciliation bill must be cut. It must be cut a lot if it has any chance of passage. The progressives can label Senators Manchin and Sinema whatever they choose, but they aren’t going to get anything near $3.5 trillion across the finish line. Playing political games like shortening the length of programs, won’t fool anyone currently opposed to the bill. The reality is that while parts of the program are popular, the program in its entirety is not. The American public realizes that supersizing the government is going to be a huge long-term cost borne by all at some time, in some context.

Will the Democrats work to tighten the bills? If they want them to pass, they will. The infrastructure bill was cut in half before it gained bipartisan support in the Senate. Can they get Republican support for parts of the reconciliation bill? Unlikely, if Republicans are never asked to participate in its creation. The Democrats took the solo path from the beginning. Are they being held hostage by Sinema, Manchin, and others? I don’t think so. The better response is that Democrats need to find a common center, one that all 50 Senators and all 435 members of the House can agree on. So far, the moderates haven’t given in, and the progressives still want everything. If they can’t find middle ground, nothing will happen. Wall Street would love that!

Back to the economy. It is solid and growing at above average rates. Yes, maybe Covid and supply chain issues have slowed it a bit, but as the Delta variant passes and supply chain issues get resolved, growth will get back on track at levels not seen since before the Great Recession.

Which leaves just one last issue, inflation. The Fed is right that many of the forces pushing inflation higher today will ebb as supply and demand rebalance. What about shelter and labor costs? There is a shortage of available housing that isn’t going away any time soon. That means higher home prices and higher rents. There are workers that will reenter the work force once Covid disappears but there are also a lot of retirees that will stay retired. Higher home values and stock prices ensure that. It is hard to believe that wage inflation is going to disappear.

Thus, we are headed for a reacceleration of growth, maybe a slight moderation of inflation, but the likelihood is that key inflation components (rent and wages) will stay above average for a longer period. That suggests a good market for equities but not a great one. We just finished a third quarter with a great July, a flat August, and a funky September. Transitions create volatility without a lot of direction. In Q4, growth prospects will rise. The key is inflation. 10-year Treasury yields spiked over 25 basis points in just a few weeks. Too far, too fast. Look for some consolidation. Look for higher rates overall in the coming months. Higher earnings and higher rates will keep volatility high, but those aren’t the ingredients for a huge correction or a huge burst higher. Expect the volatile sideways movement of Q3 to continue into next year. Seasonally, however, expect Q4 to recover some from September fears as the Delta variant fades.

Today, Alicia Silverstone turns 45.

James M. Meyer, CFA 610-260-2220

Additional information is available upon request.

Tower Bridge Advisors manages over $1.7 Billion for individuals, families and select institutions with $1 Million or more of investable assets. We build portfolios of individual securities customized for each client's specific goals and objectives. Contact Nick Filippo (610-260-2222, nfilippo@towerbridgeadvisors.com) to learn more or to set up a complimentary portfolio review.

# – This security is owned by the author of this report or accounts under his management at Tower Bridge Advisors.

Additional information on companies in this report is available on request. This report is not a complete analysis of every material fact representing company, industry or security mentioned herein. This firm or its officers, stockholders, employees and clients, in the normal course of business, may have or acquire a position including options, if any, in the securities mentioned. This communication shall not be deemed to constitute an offer, or solicitation on our part with respect to the sale or purchase of any securities. The information above has been obtained from sources believed reliable, but is not necessarily complete and is not guaranteed. This report is prepared for general information only. It does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation or the particular needs of any specific person who may receive this report. Investors should seek financial advice regarding the appropriateness of investing in any securities or investment strategies discussed in this report and should understand that statements regarding future prospects may not be realized. Opinions are subject to change without notice.

Filed Under: Market Commentary

Previous Post: « October 1, 2021 – Concerns, they are aplenty. Markets ended September on a sour note, as major averages tested last week’s spike lows. The key to the next 5% move revolves around equities holding near current support levels. Near-term headwinds are compounding, pointing to more downside risk. Rest assured, this bull market is not over yet.
Next Post: October 11, 2021 – Markets remain volatile as growth slows, interest rates rise, and Washington politics remain a mess. Until supply chain problems are resolved the picture is unlikely to change. Demand is strong but much of it is unfilled. Perhaps it is time for Washington to take notice. »

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  • September 22, 2023 – Stocks fell sharply, continuing a negative reaction to the outcome of Wednesday’s FOMC meeting. While rates remained unchanged, the committee expressed a bias toward increasing rates again at the next meeting that ends November 1. In addition, the dot-plot of projections from Committee participants suggested only one (net) rate cut between now and the end of 2024. While short-term rates barely budged, yields on 10-year Treasuries rose by about 15 basis points, suggesting tougher economic conditions ahead, higher rates for longer and, by extension, lower P/E ratios. Lower P/Es mean lower stock prices.
  • September 20, 2023 – Today concludes the 2-day FOMC meeting. No change in rates is expected but investors will parse every detail of the post-meeting releases as well as comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Recent data suggests both inflation and the economy are slowing. The ideal soft landing is still within reach, but it is also quite possible that the economy might slip into recession over the next few months.
  • September 18, 2023 – Markets are directionless, torn between better economic activity and an increase in storm clouds from labor unrest to China. What is crucial is the future trend for interest rates. Investors will parse this week’s FOMC meeting for clues, but probably won’t get a much clearer picture for their efforts.
  • September 15, 2023 – Auto workers are out on strike. So far, markets don’t care. They probably won’t care overall, unless the strike becomes extended. Elsewhere the public offering of ARM Holdings signals a healthier IPO market. Instacart is likely next. Traders are waking up from the late summer doldrums, but valuations, high bond yields and rising oil prices probably suggest more sideways churning ahead.
  • September 13, 2023 – Today’s focus will be on the August CPI report. The headline number will be disturbing thanks to higher oil prices, but core inflation is likely to stay muted. Bond yields have been creeping higher and are back at the top end of recent trading ranges. Any breakout to higher yields would be disturbing to equity markets.
  • September 11, 2023 – Spectrum and Disney are locked in a battle over how TV content is delivered to the home. Both want a bigger economic piece of the pie. The battle reminds us of the strike by actors and screenwriters. All are fighting for a bigger piece of a smaller pie. These battles are part of a process, one where the consumer will be the winner in the end. But before the wars end, there will be lots of carnage as economic reality sorts out those parts of the puzzle that cannot survive.
  • September 8, 2023 – The reported impending ban on the use of iPhones in Chinese government offices sent Apple’s shares reeling and infected the entire tech sector, sending stocks lower this week. While China’s government hasn’t officially commented, this news is yet another sign of the deterioration of economic cooperation between the U.S. and China. Economically, that can’t be a good sign.
  • September 6, 2023 – Stock prices remain slaves to interest rates. A spike in rates the past two days has put downward pressure on stock prices once again. Higher oil prices add further pressure. With little economic or corporate news coming that should change sentiment, the key data in the weeks ahead will focus on the pace of decline in inflation readings.
  • September 1, 2023 – We all hear about the lag effects of higher rates. That lag varies from sector to sector. When rates first started to rise, it affected home buyers immediately. But for those who financed or refinanced debt in 2020 or 2021, the impact was delayed. For some, that cheap debt is starting to come due. Over the next couple of years, debt service is going to become a bigger and bigger cost of doing business.
  • August 30, 2023 – At a time on the calendar when there is a dearth of economic and corporate data, traders look to the bond market for direction. Yesterday, yields on the10-year Treasury fell by almost 2% and stocks staged a solid rally. Trying to guess day-to-day moves in the bond market is pure folly, and thus trying to guess the stock market’s next move is equally foolhardy. Friday’s employment report could be market moving.

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