TOL @ Mar 5, 2023
Beware of the Ides Of March?
Ino.com had a recent article asking people to beware of the "Ides Of March" due to the upcoming reports:-
1. March 14 - Consumer Price Index (CPI)
2. March 15 - Producer Price Index (PPI), Retail Sales
The above events could provide the necessary catalysts for the next big market move.
At this point in time, the narrative is:-
1. Higher Rates on the way (5%+)
2. Higher Rates till end 2023
3. Six to Twelve months of lagged economic impact
4. Already weak economic readings
5. Fertile soil to create recession and thus extension of the bear market
In addition, we also have the following bearish comments from some "experts" recently:-
1. Leon Cooperman: Stocks could plunge 22% from here. QT, Fed Tightening, High Oil Prices & Strong Dollar, will create a recession and the final bottom of the market will be about 35% below the 4,800 peak.
2. David Einhorn: Still bearish on stocks and bullish on inflation
3. Stan Druckenmiller: Once inflation goes above 5%, it has never come back down without the Fed Funds Rate exceeding the CPI. And the latest CPI report shows year-over-year inflation coming in at 6.4%
From "Extreme Value", we also had a very bearish article:-
1. Don't make the mistake of thinking this bear market is an average one
2. Prepare, Don't predict
3. Protect yourself by doing the following:-
a. Hold the stocks of great businesses
b. Sell unprofitable, cash-burning tech stocks and other trashy speculations
c. Hold plenty of cash
d. Hold gold and silver
Before we sell everything, I did managed to find some "bullish" news too:-
1. AAII: This ratio is at 60. Any reading above 50 means there are more bulls than bears. And this is the first time we've seen that happen since the bear market began in June last year. This reading is also the highest since November 2021. Sentiment is getting bullish and we still got a long way to go before one should worry.
2. China: UBS sees $87 Billion of China Retail Money ( from an army of 200m Retail Investors) supporting stocks
3. China: NPC Meeting this weekend may be catalyst for the China markets to move higher.
WRT to my trading activities, I did managed to unload some HK equities when it spiked about 800 points on Wednesday. "Sell First And Investigate Later" is my motto in this type of a trading market. If HK spikes again next week due to the NPC Meeting, I may probably unload more.
As for Malaysia, I have been trying to bottom-fish some counters that I think were oversold, to sell them on the 25% to 50% pf the retracement. As long as I'm not too greedy, I think that these could be quite profitable trades (hopefully).
Weekly Risk Management Progress Report:-
1. To Monitor "Net Exposure" To Equities (Long Less Shorts):- Neutral (45% from 45% last week from 41% two weeks ago, of Liquid Assets)
Goal: 15% exposure to Equities before the next crash; Maximum 60%;
2. To Diversify Across Countries; Goal: Maximum 20 Counters (Not Easy)
a. Singapore: 0% (0 Counter); Boring Market
b. HK: 40% (17 Counters); Trading Market
c. US: 32% (8 Counters); Large Caps & ETFs @ Time Difference Risk
d. Malaysia: 29% (12 Counters); Special Situations
Goal: To ensure that my portfolio is not too concentrated in any country.
3. To Increase "USD/HKD/Gold/Silver" from around the current 25%
Goal: To be in the "safe havens" before next recession; (HKD may be repegged)
4. To Minimize Industry / Sector Risk / Country Risk
a. Heavy exposure to Asian Based Equities
b. Heavy exposure to Asian Based Currencies eg. HKD, MYR and SGD
Goal: To diversify across various Sectors, Countries and Currencies
Commodities: Risk-On (Every Saturday)
1. WTI Oil - Higher. US$80 from US$77 last week from US$76 two weeks ago;
Support: US$72; US$62, US$29; Resistance: US$126;
a. What's the global demand destruction? 10%? 10m bpd?
b. Saudi Instability? King Salman is 86 years old
c. When will Iranian Oil (4m bpd) be available?
d. Russia produced about 11m bpd. About 4m of Supply could be affected.
e. SPR release: Released 25% (160 m barrels); 390m barrels left; Will replenish at US$67 to US$72?
f. Will Venezuela Sanctions to be lifted?
g. OPEC+ to cut 2m bpd
h. Russia to curt 500,000 bpd
i. UAE leaving OPEC?
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=9249&p=231235#p231235
2. Gold - Higher. US$1863 from US$1818 from US$1851;
Support: 1490; 1240; 1050; Resistance: 2015; 2070;
a. They cant print gold
b. In a crisis (cash crunch), gold will also be sold
c. Rising Interest Rates and a Rising USD, would not be good for gold
d. Vested in Gold Coins, GDX;
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=8845&p=231236#p231236
3. Silver - Flat; US$21 from US$21 from US$22;
a. Attractive "Silver to Gold" ratio
b. Industrial Demand eg. Solar
c. Vested in SLV
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=10086&start=80
4. Copper - Higher. US$4.07 from US$3.96 from US$4.13;
Support: 3.08; 2.25; Resistance: 4.75;
a. Slight oversupply for a few years?
b. 14 years for operational new mine
c. Monitoring COPX
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=5598&p=231237#p231237
5. Uranium - Lower; US$50 from US$52 from US$52;
Support: 14 (2016); Resistance: 53; 73 (2011); 140 (2007);
a. Kazatomprom, world's largest, to keep production flat in 2022 & 2023.
b. Droughts in Europe affecting Nuclear Energy generation?
c. If Oil and Natural Gas drops, how would that affect Uranium?
6. Bitcoin - Lower. US$22327 from US$23084 last week from US$23820 two weeks ago @ 6.57 AM on March 4, 2023
a. Record: $69,000 Nov 2021; Support: $8300;
b. Cost of Mining Bitcoin: US$15,000 (Floor?)
c. US$1m Target by Cathie Woods by 2030
d. Demand from Russia-Ukraine War, Iranian Sanction, Venezuela Sanction;
e. Not vested
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6175&start=170
Equities - Risk-Off (Data as every Saturday)
CNN Fear & Greed Index - Weaker: "59 Greed: from "69 Greed" last week from "70 Greed" two weeks ago.
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=9099&start=90
1. US Equities - Lower; 3970 from 4079 last week from 4090 two weeks ago;
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=7643&start=200
a. Support: 3900; 3400; 2800; 2237 (2020); 1930 (2016); Resistance: 4375; 4750;
b. S&P 500: PE 21; Forward PE 17; Average 16
c. S&P 500 CAPE Ratio; Current = 28; Sept 1929 = 33; Dec 1999 = 44
d. Buffett Indicator: U.S. Equity Market Cap / GDP = 151; >140 is Expensive
e. Nasdaq PE 20; Forward PE 23;
f. Bought Grab
2. HK Equities - Higher. 20568 from 20010 from 20720;
htttp:/investideas.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=7470&start=120
a. Support: 18500; 17,000; 13300; 8600
b. Resistance: 22470; 31200; 33
c. Traded Techtronic
d. Traded Geely
e. Traded CG Services
f. Sold 1/2 Sensetime
g. Sold Baidu
3. Shanghai Equities - Higher; 3328 from 3267 from 3224;
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=7190&start=210
a. Support: 2450; Resistance 4600
b. Vested 3188 (CSI 300 ETF) & 2822 (A50 ETF)
c. Targeted Stimulus Programs
4. Spore Equities - Lower; 3232 from 3282 from 3328;
Resistance 3850
a. No Trade
5. Japan Equities - Higher; 27927 from 27453 from 27513;
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=7138&start=200
a. Support 15575 (2016); Resistance 30715
b. BOJ owns > Half government bonds and 75% of ETFs
c. Breakeven on BOJ's ETF at 19,500
d. Not vested
6. Malaysian Equities: Lower; 1454 from 1457 from 1477:
https//investideas.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=6292&start=30
a. Added to DNEX
b. Bought DRB Hicom
c. Bought Hap Seng
d. Bought Hexstar Industry
e. Traded Pharmaniaga
f. Traded Velesto
g. Sold 1/2 Citaglobal
h. Sold Gamuda
Currencies: Risk-On (Data from XE.com on Mar 03 @ 9.05 PM)
1. USD to JPY - JPY Flat; 136 from 136 last week from 135 two weeks ago
a. Range is 76 to 151
b. Aging Population
c. High Debt Ratio
d. Unlimited QE
e. Monitoring FXY
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=4205&start=180
2. SGD to MYR - SGD Stronger; 3.32 from 3.28 from 3.31;
a. Would they devalue the SGD because of the slowdown?
b. How would the reopening affect the exchange rate?
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=136&start=110
3. AUD to USD - AUD Stronger; 0.68 from 0.67 from 0.67;
a. Range: 0.66 to 1.10 (2011)
b. Commodity Currency
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=5256&start=130
4. EUR to USD - EUR Flat; 1.06 from 1.06 from 1.06;
a. Winter Energy Crisis?
b. Russia escalating Ukraine War?
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=5523&start=100
5. USD to HKD - HKD Flat; 7.8497 from 7.8496 from 7.8446;
a. USD Peg band: 7.75 to 7.85
b. When will they be removing the peg to the USD?
c. No Hot IPO
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=3529&start=40
6. USD to MYR:- MYR Weaker; 4.48 from 4.44 from 4.43;
a. 52 Week Range is 3.27 to 4.75
b. Lowest: 4.885 (1998)
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=397&start=9
7. USD to SGD:- SGD Flat; 1.35 from 1.35 from 1.34;
a. High 1.70 (2004); Low 1.20 (2011)
b. Am uncomfortable holding the currency of a small country where a catastrophe can wipe them out.
c. But Singapore has been managing it's finances well.
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=136&start=100
8. USD to CNY:- CNY Stronger; 6.91 from 6.96 from 6.88;
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=7720&start=90
9. Dollar Index - USD Weaker; 104.76 from 105.19 from 104.51;
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=7616&start=60
Properties:-
1. China Properties:-
a. Cap of 40% for loans to Developers by banks; Low Cost Rental projects excluded;
b. Cap of 32.5% for mortgage loans by banks
c. Developers' M&A loans not limited by the "three red lines" policy
d. Supportive Programs
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8150&start=140
2. HK Properties:-
a. GS: To drop by 25% by end 2023
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=7785&start=150
3. Singapore Properties:-
a. Stronger than expected
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=7750&start=210
4. Malaysian Properties:-
a. How much will it drop and for how long?
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4220&start=20
Others
Headwinds:-
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=8930&p=231225#p231225
Tailwinds:-
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=8940&p=231226#p231226
Warning Signs:-
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=9909&p=231227#p231227
Risk Management:-
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=7547&p=231228#p231228
Yield on 10 Year US Treasuries - Higher; 3.96% from 3.74% from 3.52%;
Yield on 2 Year US Treasuries - Higher; 4.86% from 4.81% from 4.52%;
Interest Rates:-
a. 2/10 Inverted; Recession Indicator
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=7319&p=221670#p221670
JNK (SPDR Barclays High Yield Bond ETF) - Lower: 90.67 from 90.98 from 91.08;
HYG (iShares iBoxx $ High Yid Corp Bond ETF) - Lower; 73.96 from 74.17 from 74.27;
Baltic Dry Index - Higher; 1145 from 816 from 530; Low 290; High 11,400 (2008)
Inflation:-
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=6950&start=11
Covid19 Notes:-
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=5657&start=150
US Slowdown - How Deep & How Long?
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=9039&start=50
Risks Out There:-
posting.php?mode=reply&f=16&t=8930
Please Note:-
The above is to help me crystallize my thinking. It's not a recommendation to Buy or Sell. For illiquid counters, I may not disclose my trading activity for the week.
Please do use the above at your own risk and please do feel free to provide me with your kind comments
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