Perfect storm
The FED made a major mistake underestimating inflation. Interest rates should have increased earlier. Now it is tightening aggressively.
We experience the worst inflation in 40 years.
Covid resurfaced in China. It is the worst pandemic in 100 years
In addition, have a war in Europe after 75years.
A painful coincidence!
Have markets priced in the bad news ?
Certainly the markets know about these adverse developments and have already discounted them. New information has to provide positive surprise to drive markets higher. For the moment, we are getting a series of bad news. But the reversal will be very sudden, unpredictable and strong.
Performance Cycles
All asset classes experience fluctuations in performance. Real estate, business sectors, shipping ….etc. In some cases the length and the severity of corrections might be very pronounced as well as the appreciations. Leverage might render these cycles even larger.
Liquidity and continuous valuation
Liquidity is a very attractive a characteristic of listed stocks and bonds . This is a great advantage to investors enabling partial additions or liquidations. However, constant monitoring of the performance creates nervousness during periods of crisis and might induce sales.
Benefits of compounding
The great miracle, the compounding of returns enabling continuous reinvestment of gains, can be achieved only with patience in all investments.
Not with abrupt sales and hopes of timely repurchases.
Possible resolution
The key issue is for the supply chains to be reinstated.
The increase in supply is more efficient than the decrease in demand but both will contribute.
The future inflationary data will be key.
At the same time the aggressive interest rate increases should not create a recession but hopefully only a slowdown.
Conclusion
This bear market will also pass. Possibly in a year ! Nobody knows the exact timing. It will not be easy to get inflation out of the system.
We understand the distress of investors looking often at the portfolio valuation.
However, we would like to point out again that sellers during this period will not participate in the stronger recovery. As always !
Best wishes,
N.Ritsonis
