In Renaissance Macro’s weekly replace, technician Jeff deGraff has this to say about their use of the credit score spreads:
The one space the economist will not be sturdy on in predicting recessions is what has been occurring within the credit score markets. Renaissance Macro has at all times been large on utilizing credit score market information. For 25 of 35 years of his profession, Jeff has been targeted on credit score as a result of credit score is such window into the soul of the financial system.
There’s not quite a lot of worth in company credit score. Company credit score spreads are extremely tight and we will likely be hard-pressed to have a recession when the company credit score spreads is that this tight.
Credit score spreads will mirror the expectations of mixture demand as a result of if mixture demand is contracting, an individual’s capacity to pay your payments or curiosity funds go down. Your margins get compressed and that will likely be mirrored within the credit score markets.
This morning, I noticed this up to date illustration that in all probability explains what Jeff is speaking about:

The highest of the chart is the S&P 500 and the underside is the unfold between funding grade fastened revenue and authorities fastened revenue. At present it’s at one of many lowest factors previously 5 years.
However in a means, the individual illustrating this chart would love us to view it extra in regimes. The inexperienced half is when the credit score unfold may be very tight. You’ll be able to see the corresponding coloration code. The fairness index tends to do properly when funding grade credit score unfold is tight.
When it’s amber or crimson there are higher volatility.
It sort of feels like the identical habits within the VIX, or the spot implied volatility index of the S&P 500.
When the VIX is excessive or mid, you get rougher markets. However when the VIX is actual low, that’s when equities run.
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