The spread was ~0.3% when the Fed rate was 1.75-2.00% and it's 0.11% as it's 2.00-2.25% and believed to go to 2.25-2.50% shortly. A couple of more hikes are expected in 2019. The real question is what can heavily indebted debtors (like the ARMs and the US government) afford to refinance at? At this magnitude of money, it's not like the sellers won't come down to meet the desperate borrowers in order to keep them alive for a while longer.
The Gundlach reference that the Fed are going to keep hiking until (paraphrased) "onething" breaks makes a lot of sense to me. I see a lot more "stupid" being perpetrated now (compared to two years ago)... borrowing to invest---doing a carry trade between cheap junk debt and expensive junk equity because the latter always goes up. I can see why the Fed would want to build powder while at the same time discouraging more greater fool approaches. It solves two problems at the same time.
Another sign pointing to a possible recession. Anyone getting nervous yet? Or are you excited, hoping to buy assets on sale? Personally, If the market tanks or moves sideways for a long time it may be difficult for me to be as excited about investing.
Real estate is definitely warped. I do not think it is necessarily a losing game if you wait a few years before buying. The steady-as-she-goes upward housing market is over- long live the boom/bust cycles.
Local market definitely a primary factor but I read an article about RE prices having reached a point where a lot of buyers are just not having it anymore so now especially a lot of properties in high COL areas are just sitting there. I see this in my area. Prices plateaued in 2014 but some realtors haven’t gotten the message yet.
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Some say we’re already in a bear market and don’t know it yet. I like trading volatile markets but am approaching with caution lest I get caught on the way down.
Former fed chairman Yellen and Greenspan weigh in on yield curve. We haven't heard from helicopter Ben yet.
Historically, it has been a pretty good signal of recession, and I think that's when markets pay attention to it, but I would really urge that on this occasion it may be a less good signal," "The reason for that is there are a number of factors other than market expectations about the future path of interest rates that are pushing down long-term yields.
-Yellen
There is international arbitrage going on in the bond market that is helping drive long-term Treasury yields lower," "There is no barrier for U.S. Treasury yields going below zero. Zero has no meaning, beside being a certain level.
Famed economist Mohamed El-Erian on the U.S. yield curve being distorted by European negative yields and the biggest risk to the economy being a self fulfilling prophecy:
I've always thought recessions were self-fulfilling prophecies. And this is the most anticipated recession in history. But then when the herd thinks one thing...