No data was found
CA-EN Institutional
THIS WEEK WITH SADIQ

Defense Wins Championships

May 8 to 12, 2023

THIS WEEK WITH SADIQ

Defense Wins Championships

May 8 to 12, 2023

Share
Share on facebook
Share on linkedin
Share on twitter
Share on email
Share on print
Weekly Commentary

Market Recap

  • Equity markets endured the FOMC announcement, some key economic data, debt ceiling concerns and ongoing trouble in the U.S. regional bank sector—just another week in the office. The S&P 500 ultimately finished down a modest 0.8%, but not without some meaningful swings. Banks were hit hard, down 4.6% on the week, with some regional names under intense pressure. Defensive sectors—see health care and utilities—held at the top of the pack along with technology.
  • It’s also noteworthy that the rangebound S&P 500 has mainly been propped up by the large heavyweights, many of which are in tech or communications services, and have seen valuations benefit from the prospect of a Fed pause.
  • In fact, the S&P 100 large cap sector is up 2.6% over the past three months, masking an 11% slide in the smaller and broader Russell 2000. Meantime, the TSX gave back 0.5% on the week, with weakness in energy and health care weighing.

Interest Rates

Last week, as we’d expected, the U.S. Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate by 25 basis points. But it was Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s remarks afterward that prompted much debate—while he emphasized that “a decision on a pause was not made,” many observers nonetheless interpreted the Fed’s actions as such. This sentiment was compounded by the removal of a line from the previous decision’s post-meeting statement, which had said that “the Committee anticipates that some additional policy firming may be appropriate” to combat inflation1; this time around, the statement merely mentions “determining the extent to which additional policy firming may be appropriate” without saying that it anticipates such moves2. The result? Some investors are once again expecting interest rate cuts this year. Even before the Fed’s announcement, people had lined up into two camps: the doves, who were asking, “do we really need more rate hikes?”, and the hawks, whose question was, “how many more do we need?” Our evaluation is that a rate cut in 2023 remains very unlikely and that this may very well be the last one. It’s the uncertainty that gives some investors a license for optimism—but it’s also worth keeping in mind that if the Fed had announced a pause, that likely would have made markets nervous too – especially given the recent bank situations and tighter credit markets.

Bottom Line: Despite a possible rate-hiking pause by the Fed, a rate cut this year remains unlikely.

Banks

The First Republic Bank saga is in the books, with news breaking last Monday that JPMorgan had purchased the majority of the bank’s assets after it had collapsed and been seized by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). We characterized the situation as a company-specific crisis, which we still believe. But despite assurances from the government and others that the U.S. regional banking system is stable and sound, news that another regional bank, PacWest, is now in trouble has raised additional concerns. What this latest development highlights is that the regional banking system is still delicate. Since the beginning of the crisis with Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), there’s been skepticism about the perceived “weakest” regional bank—first it was SVB, then it was Signature Bank and First Republic, and now it’s PacWest. Outflows from those banks have had to go somewhere, and that’s what’s driving ongoing uncertainty. We wouldn’t be surprised if more regional banks get nervous and pre-emptively consider acquisitions, which is what PacWest appears to be doing. The good news is that each time a bank is saved, the regulators are able to scale back their protections, and uncertainty—and therefore instability—diminishes.

Bottom Line: There will always be a “weakest” regional bank, but the threat of a broader banking crisis is likely to remain low.

Oil

Recently, oil markets have been somewhat more volatile than usual, prompting speculation about where crude prices may be headed. Our team deserves a pat on the back for their accurate assessment of the situation—earlier in the year, we had opened a covered call position in Energy collecting premiums as oil stayed range-bound and then eventually took our profits by selling our tactical position when OPEC cut production and prices soared. In general, we still like oil, but not under the current environment and at current prices, which are around $70 per barrel for WTI Crude. The $60-per-barrel range would be attractive, but only if and when we get more certainty on the macroeconomic picture. In that regard, there are a couple of developments we’ll be watching closely. The first is China’s economic reopening—if it goes smoothly, that could provide a serious boost to oil demand. And the second is the possibility of a recession, which could prompt a slump in energy demand. As long as there are open questions on those fronts, it will be difficult to predict when oil prices will go up strongly again.

Bottom Line: We’ll need more clarity on macroeconomic questions and the timing of a possible recession before we’ll be confident jumping back into oil.

Positioning

As Toronto Maple Leafs fans will surely tell you, reliable defense is a necessity if you want to win. After several months of staying balanced, we now believe that it’s time for defensive positioning in our portfolios. As previously mentioned, many investors are clearly misunderstanding the Fed, remaining unjustifiably optimistic about the potential for interest rate cuts. This leaves room for a downside surprise in markets. The decision we’re now faced with is between selling some equities or adding covered calls to collect income from premiums—for instance, on our Industrials position. We’ll continue to evaluate those options going forward. Overall, Quality is staying on top. And regionally, there’s the question of China—when will be the right time to pare back our position? Those are the questions we’ll be asking ourselves in the coming weeks, and as always, we’ll adjust our positioning as warranted.

Disclosures:

The viewpoints expressed by the Portfolio Manager represents their assessment of the markets at the time of publication. Those views are subject to change without notice at any time without any kind of notice. The information provided herein does not constitute a solicitation of an offer to buy, or an offer to sell securities nor should the information be relied upon as investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This communication is intended for informational purposes only.


BMO Global Asset Management is a brand name under which BMO Asset Management Inc. and BMO Investments Inc. operate.


Any statement that necessarily depends on future events may be a forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although such statements are based on assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from expectations. Investors are cautioned not to rely unduly on any forward-looking statements. In connection with any forward-looking statements, investors should carefully consider the areas of risk described in the most recent simplified prospectus.


This article is for information purposes. The information contained herein is not, and should not be construed as, investment, tax or legal advice to any party. Investments should be evaluated relative to the individual’s investment objectives and professional advice should be obtained with respect to any circumstance.


Commissions, management fees and expenses (if applicable) all may be associated with investments in mutual funds. Trailing commissions may be associated with investments in certain series of securities of mutual funds. Please read the fund facts, ETF facts or prospectus of the relevant mutual fund before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Distributions are not guaranteed and are subject to change and/or elimination.


For a summary of the risks of an investment in the BMO Mutual Funds, please see the specific risks set out in the prospectus. ETF Series of the BMO Mutual Funds trade like stocks, fluctuate in market value and may trade at a discount to their net asset value, which may increase the risk of loss. Distributions are not guaranteed and are subject to change and/or elimination.


BMO Mutual Funds are managed by BMO Investments Inc., which is an investment fund manager and a separate legal entity from Bank of Montreal.


®/™Registered trademarks/trademark of Bank of Montreal, used under licence.

Insights

Sadiq Adatia
Weekly Commentary
November 27, 2023
November 2023

Is Now the Time for Bonds?

What are the key takeaways from the Fed’s latest meeting? Is there more upside on the table for A.I. stocks like Nvidia?
Responsible Investment
November 27, 2023

What to look for at COP28

The UN’s annual climate conference meets in the United Arab Emirates November 30-December 12. Here’s what we’re watching.
Sadiq Adatia
Weekly Commentary
November 20, 2023
November 2023

Is It High Noon for The Magnificent Seven?

What do the latest U.S. inflation numbers mean for interest rates? Will the November market rally continue through the rest of the year?
Sadiq Adatia
Weekly Commentary
November 13, 2023
November 2023

Canada’s Housing Timebomb Keeps Ticking

As the U.S. and Canadian economies diverge, what does that mean for the housing market? What’s the outlook for crude prices, and is the Israel-Hamas conflict a material risk factor?
Equities
November 9, 2023
November 2023

Getting to Net Zero Requires Action on Indigenous Reconciliation

Canadian investors must proactively encourage industry policies and practices that deepen historical understanding, honour Indigenous rights and ensure equitable distribution of economic gains.
Sadiq Adatia
Weekly Commentary
November 6, 2023
November 2023

Betting on a November Rally

Has the Fed’s latest rate decision set the stage for an end-of-year rally? What will be the impact of the UAW’s agreement with automakers?