Alpine Macro Research
Independent investment research. Market insights & analysis. Investment strategy & asset allocation recommendations.

Global Strategy
March 30, 2020
However, it is still worth pointing out that both the speed and magnitude of stock price declines is only matched by the 1929 crash. In addition, most sentiment indicators suggest that investors have turned as bearish as they were during the 2008 Global Financial Crisis (GFC).

Global Strategy
December 16, 2019
Such a sharp divergence between these two corporate profit series has rarely happened. The last time it occurred was in the second half of the 1990s, when NIPA profits fell between 1997 and 2001. However, S&P 500 EBIT behaved differently: It fell in 1997, followed by a two-year surge. It fell again in 2001 when recession hit.

Emerging Markets & China Strategy
September 18, 2019
An inflection point may have been reached in two major themes affecting China-related assets this year, namely the U.S. –China trade war and Chinese policymakers’ reflation efforts. We now see higher-than-even odds that a “deal,” however structured and temporary, will be reached in next month’s negotiations, and that China’s policy easing will regain some momentum.

Emerging Markets & China Strategy
April 16, 2019
Korea’s current macro conditions, characterized by a domestic savings glut, weakening productivity growth and a worsening demographic profile, share striking similarities with those in Japan some 20 years ago. The Korean economy is likely to follow Japan’s roadmap to drift towards even slower growth and price deflation, which calls for aggressive policy easing.

Emerging Markets & China Strategy
October 3, 2018
Overall, the country allocation recommendations are largely stable, but the dispersion between countries’ model weights and their benchmark weights has become smaller, especially for our less favored markets. For Q4 no country fits our criteria for the most bearish rating of “underweight”, i.e. 20% below benchmark weight for smaller markets and 10% below for larger ones.

U.S. Themes & Strategy
March 23, 2020
The current episode rhymes with previous V-shape market trajectories in 1998, 2001 and 2008, even though the shock driving the panic is unique. The potential for a corporate credit event is high up on our list of tail risks to monitor, at least until the government offers open-ended protection to credit-starved corporations. Gold remains attractive while for oil and energy stocks it is still too soon to bottom-fish.

U.S. Themes & Strategy
March 26, 2020
This report comes at a critical time for both the U.S. housing market and broader economy. Unlike 2008, the real estate is far from the epicentre of the meltdown. But it will be critical to consumer behaviour and the nature of the recovery.
Conditions are falling into place for a prolonged real estate expansion and outperformance of housing plays. Apartment REITs and distressed Houston assets are among the assets to consider.

U.S. Themes & Strategy
March 27, 2020
Bank stocks have performed like “2008 all over again” during the pandemic. Barring a nightmare scenario, we agree with Warren Buffett. Banks should be among the market leaders once the bottom is in place, given encouraging differences with the Global Financial Crisis.

Global Fixed Income & Currency Strategy
February 28, 2020
The immediate focus of investors is clearly on the coronavirus and its negative impact on the global economy. The attention will gradually shift to the coming policy responses; first from China and then from the Fed. The Fed is already conducting a review of its monetary policy strategy. The coronavirus could hasten the shift to a new and more accommodative regime, such as average inflation targeting. What will this mean for global fixed income and currency markets?

Global Fixed Income & Currency Strategy
March 6, 2020
The recent plunge in yields has worsened the risk profile of several bond markets, including U.S. Treasuries. Ultimately, we expect the Fed to cut rates close to zero, which will pull bond yields even lower. But for now, we recommend keeping duration near benchmark as our subjective outlook is tempered by our quantitative models.

Global Fixed Income & Currency Strategy
December 6, 2019
There are increasing concerns over “systemic risk” that is associated with the proliferation of collateralized loan obligations (CLOs). Is the CLO market headed for a major debacle similar to the meltdown of the CDO market in 2008? How to assess and monitor the risk associated with CLOs and their underlying assets, leveraged loans? What should investors do with these debt instruments?