Showing posts with label Margin Debt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Margin Debt. Show all posts

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Margin Data Suggest Prolonged Bear Market to Come

Margin Data Suggest Prolonged Bear Market to ComeSocialTwist Tell-a-Friend
Ashraf Laidi

One essential indicator for the future performance of US equity indices is the aggregate margin debt used by member firms of the NYSE. After attaining a record high of $381 billion in July, member firms’ margin use continued to tumble for the following 4 months, reaching a low of $322 billion. Such declines in debt result from the execution of margin calls as client losses escalate to unsustainable levels, which is the case during mounting market volatility.

The chart below clearly shows that the rapid declines in margin debt from their record highs correctly predicted the prolonged bear market in equities in fall 1987, fall 1998 and spring 2000. The continued declines in margin debt in December to $322 billion from the July high of $381 billion suggests that continued losses are due in the market, which is consistent with our expectations for a prolonged bear market in equities. The 12-15% declines in stocks we predicted back in December are already underway. We expect another 15-25% of declines to come by end of H1 as the macroeconomic deterioration coupled with prolonged losses in US banks and profit warnings (no currency translation effect this time as the dollar stabilized in Q4-Q1) will overwhelm the easing measures of the Fed.

The importance of determining where the general equity indices are heading is highlighted by the 70-20-10 rule, which states that 70% of a stock’s movements are influenced by the broad indices, 20% are driven by stock’s sector and 10% by the fundamentals of the individual stock. As history has shown without fail, individual stocks have consistently followed the broad averages during prolonged bear markets regardless of their individual fundamentals.

Incorporating this outlook to currencies, continued risk reduction should maintain the yen as the key beneficiary of falling risk appetite and unwinding of carry trades. Further declines in USDJPY, GBPJPY and CADJPY are in store as we anticipate 103, 202 and 100 respectively before the end of the quarter.











Editor's Note: Do not miss Mr. Laidi's Q&A session with the Financial Times last week regarding currencies located at
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/34139f9c-c50b-11dc-811a-0000779fd2ac.html

Disclaimer and Terms of Service

© Copyright 1998-2023, Hamzei Analytics, LLC. Hamzei Financial Network is published by Hamzei Analytics, LLC, Naples, FL 34112, Admin@HamzeiAnalytics.com (310) 306-1200. The information herein was obtained from sources which Hamzei Analytics, LLC believes are reliable, but we can not and do not guarantee its accuracy. None of the information, advertisements, website links, or any opinions expressed constitutes a solicitation of the purchase or sale of any securities or commodities. Please note that Hamzei Analytics, LLC or its principals may already have invested or may from time to time invest in securities or commodities that are recommended or otherwise covered on this website. Neither Hamzei Analytics, LLC nor its principals intend to disclose the extent of any current holdings or future transactions with respect to any particular security or commodity. You should consider this possibility before investing in any security or commodity based upon statements and information contained in any report, post, comment or recommendation you receive from us. The content on this site is provided as general information only and should not be taken as investment or trading advice. Any action that you take as a result of information, analysis, or conclusion on this site is ultimately your responsibility. Always consult your financial adviser(s) before making any investment or trading decisions.