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C6 Real Misery Index Series Tom Cammack This is Part 2 of the C6 Real Misery Index series. Part 1 is found here. Summary:
Stagflation has been defined by Investopedia as "an economic phenomenon marked by slow economic growth and rising prices." While I believe "stag" (sluggish economic growth) is a common thread of both the 1970's and the times we now live in, I believe the "flation" part of the equation has changed. In the 1970's, the oil embargo/price shock caused a spike in Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation during a time of sluggish economic growth. Thus, we had "stag-inflation", which was simply called "stagflation". Today, however, government and household debt imbalances are much higher and CPI-inflation is not considered to be a problem. In fact, there is talk among central bank officials around the world about "inflation targeting" - how to raise CPI above current levels, usually to the +2% area. I am of the opinion that the traditional business cycle has been largely replaced with credit-driven asset price bubbles. Therefore, the risk now is on the "stag-deflation" side of the coin. I define stag-deflation as sluggish economic growth combined with declining leveraged asset prices (such as stocks and real estate). Periods of CPI inflation can still occur, but they are largely the result of food or energy supply disruptions. If money printing only resulted in CPI inflation, then Japan would have experienced hyperinflation long ago. Below is a list of bubbles that have occurred since 1976 (based on standard deviation from trend):
The debt/asset bubble cycle can be described generally as follows:
Chart 1: The Debt-Driven Asset Bubble & Burst Cycle In this cheap debt, asset price-driven economy, we could easily experience the worst of all worlds - slow economy with too much debt, declining stock and housing markets, and CPI-inflation staying higher than real household incomes. I refer to this as the “Vampire Economy” because it is a Wall Street driven economy that sucks the lifeblood out of just about everything it touches. The implications for the middle class and most already underfunded pension plans are not good, especially considering the aging baby boomer population. I believe that financial imbalances resulting from the debt super cycle have reached the point where a long-lasting global recession could easily occur, perhaps starting as early as this year. Under this scenario, economic conditions would not respond to central bank and government stimulus measures, but only get worse over time. Loan demand from credit-worthy borrowers continues to be problematic and a hindrance to economic growth. With low, and in some cases, negative investment returns occurring down the road, there will be increasing pressure on pension funds. With approximately 10,000 baby boomers reaching the age of 65 every day until the year 2030, the pension problem will likely get much worse. Given the U.S. government debt situation -- $19+ trillion outstanding and at least another $66 trillion of entitlement promises (present value), the outlook is grim. As bad as these numbers are, they are just as bad, if not worse, in Japan and Europe. In regard to Japan and Europe, David Stockman has written two excellent articles which I recommend reading: "Why This Sucker is Going Down" and "Draghi's Deadly Derangement." Below are long-term charts of the Nikkei 225 and the S&P 500: (Click on image to enlarge) Chart 2: Nikkei 225 Stock Index, March 1966 to March 2016 As you can see from the chart, buyers of the Nikkei 225 near the top (1988-90) are still under water to this day - over 25 years later. I had the opportunity to manage a Japanese stock portfolio for much of the 1990’s and I can assure you it was not easy. There is a strong tendency among analysts and strategists to compare post-boom (bust period) valuation metrics against the boom-time valuations and declare stocks to be cheap. This normally leads to excessive optimism and more disappointment down the road. (Click on image to enlarge) Chart 3: S&P 500 Stock Index, January 1960 to March 2016 Historical experience shows us that we live in perilous times. While ultimate collapse is inevitable, it may not be imminent. Therefore, having a prudent investment strategy is of the utmost importance. Investment Implications:
Stag-deflation + Aging Population + Continual Central Bank Intervention in the Markets = A Very Bad Result Your Path Determines Your Destination ### Mar 29, 2016 Disclaimer: Independent financial consultant Tom Cammack (CFA) is the creator of the C6 Real Misery Index. Previously, Tom was a senior investment manager with the Teacher Retirement System of Texas for 24 years. If you have questions or comments, you are welcome to contact Tom at tom.cammack@realmisery.com. 321gold Ltd |
