Cross-Asset Liquidity Strategist, CrossBorder Capital

Michael J. Howell

Cross-Asset Liquidity Strategist

Implementing Research Using Alt Data & AI

CrossBorder Capital

CrossBorder Capital is a London-based independent investment advisory firm. Founded in 1996, it exploits a gap in the investment arena by focusing on Central bank liquidity. 

It specialises in the monitoring and analysis of global liquidity flows - an important determinant of asset prices, from currencies through to bonds, equities and real estate.

CrossBorder Capital implements its investment strategy and currently manages over US$ 350m.


Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>US QT will soon melt away into a ‘stealth QE’ under pressure from illiquidity in key financial markets. QT is effectively already dead
</li>
<li>Recent experiences by the UK (September) and Japanese (December) Monetary Authorities evidence poor sovereign debt market liquidity 
</li>
<li>Lesson is that QE and QT are not symmetric policies: QE is easier to engage than to disengage via QT. This likely puts a floor under Global Liquidity in 2023</li>
</ul>


US QT will soon melt away into a ‘stealth QE’ under pressure from illiquidity in key financial markets. QT is effectively already dead

Recent experiences by the UK (September) and Japanese (December) Monetary Authorities evidence poor sovereign debt market liquidity 

Lesson is that QE and QT are not symmetric policies: QE is easier to engage than to disengage via QT. This likely puts a floor under Global Liquidity in 2023


Is QT Already Dead? Can The Fed Really ‘Ease’ Liquidity And Still ‘Tighten’?

<ul>
<li>
 Global debt projected to test US$315 trillion (ex-financials) in 2023, or 312% of World GDP. Too much debt increases financial fragility</li>
<li>
 Financial dominance driving a return to Central Bank QE. Global Liquidity will reverse its recent fall and rebound to US$174 trillion</li>
<li>More liquidity is consistent with a future stabilization and moderate gains in World asset markets. Gold looks to be a winner 
</li>
</ul>



 Global debt projected to test US$315 trillion (ex-financials) in 2023, or 312% of World GDP. Too much debt increases financial fragility

 Financial dominance driving a return to Central Bank QE. Global Liquidity will reverse its recent fall and rebound to US$174 trillion
More liquidity is consistent with a future stabilization and moderate gains in World asset markets. Gold looks to be a winner 



<ul>
<li>Markets are often driven by liquidity. 2022 has seen a collapse in Global Liquidity, but there are signs that the cycle could turn higher in 2023?</li>
<li>We evidence 5 reasons for optimism, including positive signs from the US Fed and China's PBoC; a US$ peak and rising market depth in the US Treasury market</li>
<li>We expect interest rates to stay higher for longer, but predict liquidity will be reinjected. It is not ‘Risk On’ yet, but it may be the end of ‘Risk Off’ 
</li>
</ul>


Markets are often driven by liquidity. 2022 has seen a collapse in Global Liquidity, but there are signs that the cycle could turn higher in 2023?
We evidence 5 reasons for optimism, including positive signs from the US Fed and China's PBoC; a US$ peak and rising market depth in the US Treasury market
We expect interest rates to stay higher for longer, but predict liquidity will be reinjected. It is not ‘Risk On’ yet, but it may be the end of ‘Risk Off’ 



<ul>
<li>Dominance of retail investors in US equity market may explain disparity between data on investor positioning and more negative sentiment surveys</li>
<li>Households’ equity positions can be shown to be directly related to the US unemployment rate, and it reactive than anticipatory</li>
<li>With unemployment set to test 6% of workforce, equities will continue to sell-off. Yet, this looks like the final down-leg of this bear market</li>
</ul>


Dominance of retail investors in US equity market may explain disparity between data on investor positioning and more negative sentiment surveys
Households’ equity positions can be shown to be directly related to the US unemployment rate, and it reactive than anticipatory
With unemployment set to test 6% of workforce, equities will continue to sell-off. Yet, this looks like the final down-leg of this bear market


The Final Bear Phase: America’s Retail Investors Are Only Just Starting To Panic

<ul>
<li>Daily Liquidity has tanked lower, causing bond term premia to worryingly collapse to near all-time lows</li>
<li>S&amp;P500 (SPX) likely to test 3200 because of skidding Liquidity, but may even drop below 3000 as earnings get crushed.</li>
<li>Lower term premia are already set-in-stone and have  always led to much weaker reported corporate earnings some 15 months later. US S&amp;P500 earnings could skid by over 20% in 2023  </li>
</ul>


Daily Liquidity has tanked lower, causing bond term premia to worryingly collapse to near all-time lows
S&amp;P500 (SPX) likely to test 3200 because of skidding Liquidity, but may even drop below 3000 as earnings get crushed.
Lower term premia are already set-in-stone and have  always led to much weaker reported corporate earnings some 15 months later. US S&amp;P500 earnings could skid by over 20% in 2023  


Icarus Is Falling! The Markets Are Breaking: More Volatility Is Coming

United States

The MSCI World Index is a free-float weighted equity index. It was developed with a base value of 100 as of December 31, 1969. MXWO includes developed world markets, and does not include emerging markets. MXWD includes both emerging and developed markets.

MSCI World Index (MXWO INDEX)

Is QT Already Dead? Can The Fed Really ‘Ease’ Liquidity And Still ‘Tighten’?

US QT will soon melt away into a ‘stealth QE’ under pressure from illiquidity in key financial markets. QT is effectively already dead. This puts a...

Michael J. Howell

Is QE Returning By Stealth in 2023?

Global Liquidity is set to test US$174 trillion in 2023, after falling sharply in early 2022. China is already easing and the US Fed may be...

Michael J. Howell

Five Reasons For Optimism In 2023?

We evidence 5 reasons for optimism in 2023. Interest rates could stay higher for longer, but we predict liquidity will be reinjected. It is not...

Michael J. Howell

The Final Bear Phase: America’s Retail Investors Are Only Just Starting To Panic

Dominance of retail investors in US equity market is related to the US unemployment rate. With this set to test 6%, equities will continue to sell...

Michael J. Howell

Icarus Is Falling! The Markets Are Breaking: More Volatility Is Coming

Higher forex volatility and higher bond volatility eventually pass through into higher equity volatility. Second leg-down in this bear market is...

Michael J. Howell