Jan 14, 2005

Where I Stand

Currencies
Near the end of last year I put on a tiny Short GBP long Yen trade and I am now looking to exit and look for a bounce to reshort. I also reentered a short AUD long Yen trade when it got back below my original stop. I plan to just keep rolling down my stop there. EUR/Yen has moved below the 135 level which I considered an important breakout and I will now be looking to short that on a bounce as well. Through the great dollar rally of 2005 the Yen has barely budged and I simply don't trust the dollar long term against the currencies that have been supporting it these last couple of years.

Bonds
I have been outright wrong on interest rates in the U.S. for the last couple of months. I don't see how the market can continue shifting its estimates of short-term rates higher while the long-end stays down. If the market anticipates a slowdown why isn't it showing up in commodity prices or the equity markets? I continue to see it as an accident waiting to happen and would prefer to own foreign bonds for interest rate exposure. Either the Japanese short end or the European long-end with the currency hedged.

Stocks
The markets are in a good position now both in price and by the market psychology to resume the rally from last year. I would own companies that make something whether it is a technology product or machinery, I just prefer something physical. I am generally nervous about the financials because they are most exposed to a credit event. They have still not really reacted to the changes at Fannie Mae (FNM) or the general deteriorating credit of consumers. I am short-term bullish only and if I wasn't comfortable trading actively I would just be investing in a foreign stock or bond index.


2 comments:

  1. It's amazing how FNM sticks around $70 despite the company being trashed week after week. I am taking the other side and betting that FNM has a sharp rally sometime this year as the shorts finally throw in the towel.

    Jason

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  2. Being long because shorts might throw in the towel is really not my type of strategy. Best of luck though.

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