Trends matter, for among other reasons, because they impact the impressions, expectations and actions of policy officials, investors, consumers and businesses. For this reason, we think investors should be aware of just how many financial market trends are on the cusp this year threatening to breach significant milestones.

Undoubtedly, not all of the trends we highlighted will actually break new ground this year and perhaps none will reach levels that draw much investor focus. However, in 2017, the following list of financial market trends are worth monitoring because they are “on the cusp”…

1. Evidence of inflation is broadening and inflation expectations embedded in the 10-year Treasury TIP bond is only about 0.5% below the highest level in at least 20 years.

2. Three major themes are on the cusp in the U.S. stock market. First, is the recent breach of a two-year old trading range in the S&P 500 Index to a new recovery high possibly suggesting a third leg in this bull market? Second, the relative total return performance of conservative investments is nearing its lowest level of the entire recovery. And finally, the relative performance of small cap stocks is within 10% of rising to a new all-time record high relative to large cap stocks.

3. Bond investors face several important trends on the cusp including the potential end of a 30-year bond bull, a flatter Treasury yield curve and investment grade yield spreads about to reach new narrows for the recovery.

4. The U.S. dollar is in a two-year old trading range which, with a break, will settle whether this is just a pause in an ongoing dollar bull market or the start of a fresh dollar bear market.

5. In the commodity markets, crude oil is on the cusp of breaking out of a two-year old trading range above $60 and industrial commodity prices are within 10% of rising to a new six-year high.

So far, this year has been dominated by political news and what it means for future economic and regulatory policies. Perhaps, however, in a year with so much on the cusp, investor mindsets will eventually become more impacted by financial market trends breaking outside old recovery trading ranges? 

Eoin Treacy's view

Here is a link to the full report.

I find the choice of words “on the cusp” to be very interesting because it represents a point of view which is outside. It suggests an investor is out of the market and potentially on the cusp of investing again. 

Perhaps that’s not overly surprising. The main stock market indices spent almost two years ranging and endured some scary pullbacks during that time. Bonds have sold off aggressively in the last few months which would have prompted at least some investors to raise cash. Commodities prices are rallying of off very depressed levels but with since they are already a year into an advance there are logical questions being asked by those on the side lines centring on whether they are already too late.

The promise of tax cuts, deregulation and fiscal stimulus may be the catalyst needed to convince increasing numbers of investors to participate. The S&P500 broke out to new all-time highs today, resolving the two-month inert trading range in favour of the bulls and suggesting an additional upward leg in the medium-term uptrend is now underway. 

The Nasdaq-100 continues to lead on the upside and broke out to new highs on Monday. A clear downward dynamic would be required to check momentum beyond a brief pause. 

US 10-year Treasury yields found at least short-term support in the region of the lower side of the 10-week range and a sustained move below 2.25% would now be required to signal a return to demand dominance.