Thursday, May 6, 2021

A Quick Note on the Dichotomy Between Stock Market and Bond Market Views on Inflation

Something strange is going on in the financial markets. With strength in commodity and industrial stocks and weakness in utility and consumer staple stocks, the stock market is acting like a sustained burst in inflation is upon us. However, the bond market remains calm with the 10-year U.S. Treasury yields being well-behaved at around 1.6% and with the 10-year break even at modestly above 2% suggesting lower out year inflation than the 5-year break even.

What gives? My answer is simple. The bond market is listening to economists while the stock market is listening to a parade of companies reporting higher prices. To sure some this maybe due to temporary bottle-necks, but the breadth of companies reporting rising prices indicates to me that an inflationary process is well underway. After four months of sequentially 3%+ inflation the bond market and what I would characterize as the "Fed-shilling" economists will come around. 

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