2024 Recap:

Economy:

Even as growth slowed in Europe and China, the US economy remained strong in 2024. Unemployment is low and wage gains are solid, supporting continued growth in consumer spending. Regional Fed surveys suggest that domestic manufacturing is still in a slump, but services PMIs (representing the bulk of the US economy) are solidly in expansion territory. Fiscal policy continues to be an economic tailwind thanks to a 2024 federal budget deficit equal to nearly 7% of GDP according to CBO projections.

Inflation:

The disinflation trend continued in 2024, albeit at a slower pace than in 2023 when inflation fell rapidly from its mid-2022 peak. With one month of data (December) still to come, CPI inflation had fallen 60-70 basis points in 2024 to +2.7% (y/y) headline and +3.3% core, while PCE inflation was down a more modest 20-30 basis points to +2.4% (y/y) headline and +2.8% core. Progress on inflation appeared to stall in late 2024 as shelter costs showed early signs of reacceleration.

Monetary Policy:

The FOMC cut overnight interest rates at each of the last three meetings in 2024, by a total of 100 basis points (1%). Futures markets imply that one or two 25bp more cuts are likely to occur sometime in 2025, after a near term pause. The Fed’s updated Summary of Economic Projections (SEP) released at the December meeting also suggest a slower pace of rate cuts (2 instead of 4) in 2025 and a higher terminal rate (~3%) than was previously forecast by committee members.

Election:

After Donald Trump earned a second term as US president and the GOP took control of both houses of Congress, US stocks rallied on the prospect of lower corporate taxes and less regulation. Meanwhile, rates moved higher on the potential inflationary impact of tariffs and tight border controls, as well as concerns regarding future US federal budget deficits.

Bond Market:

Treasury yields moved higher for a 4th consecutive year, and the yield curve mostly reestablished an upward slope after a 2+ year period of inversion. Credit spreads gradually got tighter, reaching an all time tight of 74 basis points on the Bloomberg US Corporate Agg index shortly after the election. Mortgage rates for 30-year fixed were in the 6% to 7+% range all year, constraining transaction activity in the housing market.

Stock Market:

US stocks soared for a 2nd straight year, led once again by large cap technology companies. Financials also delivered strong returns, thanks in part to a steepening yield curve. Most other parts of the equity market posted smaller but still positive total returns, including cyclicals, defensives, small caps, and internationals.

Albion’s “Four Pillars”:

Economy & Earnings

The US economy has been resilient despite the higher interest rate environment. S&P 500 earnings are on track for high single-digit y/y growth in 2024, with consensus calling for an acceleration to double-digit y/y growth in 2025.

Valuation

The S&P 500’s forward P/E of 22x is well above the long run average, so valuations are likely to be a headwind to future returns. More predictive metrics like CAPE, Tobin’s Q, and the Buffett Indicator (Eq Mkt Cap / GDP) suggest that compound annual returns from current levels over the coming decade are likely to be in the mid single digits.

Interest Rates

After the “hawkish cut” at the December 2024 FOMC meeting, a near term pause on further rate cuts is likely, and the curve has mostly resumed its normal upward slope. Belly and long end rates in the 4% to 5% range may represent the “new normal” given solid economic growth, lingering inflation pressures, and large US fiscal deficits.

Inflation

After the disinflationary trend resumed in the summer of 2024, more recent inflation data has shown some renewed signs of stickiness. Services inflation remains somewhat elevated, in part due to heavily lagged shelter costs.

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Albion Financial Group is an SEC registered investment advisor. The information provided is intended solely for educational purposes and should not be construed as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any particular securities product, service, or investment strategy. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. Additional information about Albion Financial Group is also available on the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov under CRD number 105957. Albion Financial Group only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, notice filed or excluded or exempted from registration or notice filing requirements.

May Recap:

Inflation:

Data released in May suggested that price pressures may have eased back just slightly in April. The m/m change in Core CPI fell 10 basis points sequentially to +0.3%, leaving the y/y figure at +3.4%. Similarly, the m/m change in the PCE Core Deflator also fell 10 basis points to +0.2%, with the y/y figure holding steady at +2.8%.

Monetary Policy:

May featured what might be termed “a meeting in two parts,” at least in terms of how financial markets reacted. At the conclusion of the FOMC meeting on May 1st, markets breathed a sigh of relief that the committee did not appear to be seriously contemplating rate hikes to combat sticky inflation. Rates fell across the curve in early May as a result, while Fed funds futures markets priced in a second rate cut prior to year-end. However, when the minutes from that meeting were released on May 22nd, investors were discouraged by the very clear reminder that many committee members lacked confidence that inflation was sufficiently under control to seriously contemplate rate cuts in the near term. Odds of a second rate cut in 2024 fell to roughly 50/50 by month end.

Economy:

Data released in May was mixed. The labor market remains strong but is gradually normalizing: new jobless claims remain low at ~220k per week, but job creation slowed (175k nonfarm payrolls added) and unemployment ticked higher by 10 basis points to 3.9%. Consumer confidence indicators were also mixed: the Conference Board’s index rebounded 4.5 points to 102.0, while the University of Michigan saw an 8 point decline to 69.1 with weakness in all components. Meanwhile, persistently high mortgage rates appear to have stalled any upward momentum in housing sector activity. Q1 GDP growth was revised lower by 30bp to +1.3% q/q annualized, but Q1 corporate earnings growth was robust at roughly +6% y/y for the S&P 500, well in excess of inflation.

Bond Market:

Treasury yields see-sawed, initially falling after what felt like a dovish FOMC meeting, only to reverse course and retrace most of that ground later in the month after the meeting minutes were released. Finally, yields fell again after the May 30th release of a downwardly revised Q1 GDP print, leaving bond prices higher on the month. Credit spreads remained steady throughout at levels that are very tight by historical standards.

Stock Market:

Stocks of nearly all stripes were higher in May, aided by the tailwinds of lower rates, solid corporate earnings, and renewed enthusiasm for A/I themed companies after yet another blowout earnings report from Nvidia. Falling oil prices pushed the energy sector slightly into the red, but all other sectors in the S&P 500 finished higher, led by technology stocks.

Albion’s “Four Pillars”:

Economy & Earnings

The US economy has been resilient despite the higher interest rate environment. Analysts are forecasting low double digit EPS growth in 2024; growth of that magnitude will depend on the economy avoiding recession.

Valuation

The S&P 500’s forward P/E of 20.3x is above the long run average, so valuation could be a headwind to future returns. More predictive metrics like CAPE, Tobin’s Q, and the Buffett Indicator (Eq Mkt Cap / GDP) suggest that compound annual returns over the next decade are likely to be in the mid single digits.

Interest Rates

Futures markets imply that the Fed will cut overnight interest rates once or possibly twice in 2024, most likely at some point in the 2nd half of the year. Rate cut expectations have been tempered recently due to sticky inflation prints.

Inflation

After falling rapidly in late 2022 and all of 2023, inflation has become sticky in the 3-4% range in early 2024. Services inflation remains somewhat elevated, in part due to heavily lagged shelter costs. Rising oil prices driven by armed conflicts in Ukraine and the middle east are also a risk to the inflation outlook.

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Albion Financial Group is an SEC registered investment advisor. The information provided is intended solely for educational purposes and should not be construed as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any particular securities product, service, or investment strategy. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. Additional information about Albion Financial Group is also available on the SEC’s website at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov under CRD number 105957. Albion Financial Group only transacts business in states where it is properly registered, notice filed or excluded or exempted from registration or notice filing requirements.

January 2024 Recap:

Inflation

Data released in January showed that as 2023 drew to a close, inflation was generally tame, but not quite tame enough for the Fed to declare victory. The Core PCE Deflator (the Fed’s preferred inflation metric) stood at +2.9% y/y as of the end of December, the first sub-3% print since March of 2021. Meanwhile, Core CPI printed at +3.9% y/y, also the lowest since the first half of 2021. While these figures are directionally encouraging, the pace of disinflation has slowed in recent months, and both metrics remain solidly above the Fed’s long term 2% target.

Monetary Policy

The main event for market participants in January was the FOMC meeting that concluded on Wednesday the 31st. While no one expected a change in overnight interest rates out of that meeting, everyone was interested in getting an answer to the question of “will they or won’t they” begin cutting rates at the March meeting. The answer, delivered as clearly as can be given the constraints of Fed-speak, is no. Jerome Powell made it very clear that the committee does not anticipate that economic conditions will justify the start of a rate cutting cycle in March.

Economy

Outside of the manufacturing sector, which mostly remains in contraction, economic data released in January was solid. Consumer confidence continues to climb, thanks in part to falling inflation that everyone can see at the gas pump. Lower mortgage rates stimulated activity in the housing sector. And the labor market remains strong: jobless claims are low (~200k initial claims per week), open jobs are plentiful (9 million per the most recent JOLTS report), and job creation continues to chug along (216k nonfarm payrolls added in the most recent monthly BLS job report).

Bond Market

The yield curve steepened in January, with 2y yields falling slightly while yields in the belly and (especially) the long end rising a bit. Longer term yields continue to be challenged by the outlook for US budget deficits, making them somewhat more attuned to the election cycle (and especially growing populist impulses across the political spectrum) that will unfold over the course of 2024. Most bond prices finished the month lower, although a contraction in credit spreads (to levels that are nearing historic tights) helped to cushion the downside in corporate bonds.

Stock Market

US large caps enjoyed a solid first month of 2024, but as was the case last year the gains were concentrated in a comparatively small number of individual stocks. Cyclicals and defensives were much more of a mixed bag, resulting in underperformance of small and midcap benchmarks that have greater exposure to such industries. International markets were mixed as well, with emerging market indices especially weak due to sharp underperformance in Chinese equities.

Albion’s “Four Pillars”:

Economy & Earnings

The US economy was resilient last year, and Wall Street analysts expect full-year 2023 corporate earnings to be roughly flat y/y versus 2022. Analysts are forecasting approximately 10% EPS growth in 2024; growth of that magnitude will depend on the economy avoiding recession.

Valuation

The S&P 500’s forward P/E of 20x is above the long run average, so valuation could be a headwind to future returns. More predictive metrics like CAPE, Tobin’s Q, and the Buffett Indicator (Eq Mkt Cap / GDP) suggest that compound annual returns over the next decade are likely to be in the mid single digits.

Interest Rates

Futures markets imply that the Fed will cut overnight interest rates several times in 2024, most like beginning mid-year. The belly and long end of the curve have already priced in a rate cutting cycle, with yields falling more than 100bp in the past few months.

Inflation

After reaching 40yr highs in mid-2022, inflation has moderated significantly over the past 18 months. Goods inflation has fallen due to softening demand and supply chain normalization, while services inflation remains somewhat elevated, in part due to heavily lagged shelter costs.

2022 Year-End Recap

Inflation:

Post-pandemic inflation was the story for the global economy in
2022, as a combination of snarled supply chains and labor shortages were
exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which sent energy prices
skyrocketing. Inflation reached a 40-year high in the US in the late spring,
but moderated somewhat in the second half thanks to falling energy prices,
fewer supply problems, and a slowly-but-steadily normalizing labor market.

Monetary Policy:

If inflation was the fuel for the 2022 bear market, monetary policy was the match that lit the flame. At the start of the year, the Fed still had overnight interest rates pinned at zero, and Fed Fund Futures markets were pricing in just three 25bp rate hikes in 2022. Fast forward 12 months, and the Fed has enacted the equivalent of seventeen 25bp hikes, including four consecutive 75bp increases, pushing its policy rate floor to 4.25%. Central banks around the world have followed suit in the fight against global inflation, including the Bank of England, the ECB, and even the Bank of Japan. Looking ahead to 2023, markets are expecting a much more balanced monetary posture, with two small rate hikes expected from the Fed early in the year, and the potential for cuts on the horizon towards the end.

Economy:

The US economy normalized somewhat in 2022, with growth
decelerating after a torrid +5.9% pace in 2021. GDP growth was mildly
negative in the first two quarters this year, but the US has avoided recession thus far, thanks largely to a resilient consumer. Over the course of the year, most gauges of manufacturing activity weakened, and housing decelerated sharply thanks to soaring mortgage rates. Looking forward, Albion’s expectation is that the Fed’s monetary tightening will ultimately cause the economy to enter recession at some point in 2023.

Bond Market:

Driven by the Fed’s sharp pivot to inflation-fighting, US fixed income endured one of its worst years in history. Treasury yields rose by 200- 350bp as the curve became almost completely inverted, and IG credit spreads widened by more than 30bp. No sector of the bond market was spared the decline in prices, although the restoration of yield to decade-plus highs helps to brighten the outlook for fixed income investors going forward.

Stock Market:

After reaching an all-time high on the first trading day of
2022, the S&P 500 spent most of the year in a bear market. Equity returns
were primarily driven by duration exposure, with long-dated growth sectors (especially technology) hit the hardest while dividend-rich sectors fared better. Energy was an upside outlier all year thanks to the dramatic rise in oil and gas prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. International stocks finished lower as well, with China giving investors a particularly turbulent ride in 2022 thanks to Beijing’s ever-evolving Covid and economic policies.

Albion’s “Four Pillars”

Economy & Earnings

US GDP rebounded to +2.6% in Q3 after falling
1H22, and corporate operating margins remain solid at ~12% on the S&P 500 Albion’s base case expectation is that the US economy will enter recession in 2023, putting downside pressure on earnings.

Valuation

The S&P 500’s forward P/E of 17x is slightly above the long run average. More predictive metrics like CAPE, Tobin’s Q, and the Buffett Indicator (Mkt Cap / GDP) suggest that compound annual returns over the next decade are likely to be in the single digits. Most or all of this year’s P/E multiple compression has been driven by rates, rather than an expansion of the equity risk premium.

Interest Rates

Rates have risen across the curve in 2022 in response to a shift in monetary policy. Fed Fund Futures are pricing in two additional 25bp hikes in 2023, with a “terminal” Fed Funds rate slightly below 5% for this cycle.

Inflation

After reaching 40yr highs in spring of 2022, inflation has begun to moderate in recent months. Headline inflation eased over the summer on falling energy prices, and core inflation has followed suit in Q4. Goods inflation has fallen due to softening demand and excess inventory, while heavily lagged housing data is helping to keep services inflation elevated.