Heavyweights
Posted on Saturday, October 22nd, 2016
Two heavyweight investors took to the airwaves this week to give their views on current markets and Federal Reserve actions. David Tepper who manages Appaloosa Management and is one of the more successful hedge fund managers noted that he is “pretty light in the market and we have a lot of cash”. He is “pretty cautious “on the market right now and he points towards the election for that caution. He feels that if the election provides a shock to the market it could put the Fed on hold. If the market is not shocked by the election we could get a relief rally. It appears that he, like everyone else, is looking for fiscal spending to ramp up.
If the market goes down because of the election, Tepper said the Federal will also be less likely to raise its benchmark federal funds rate. But if the market holds at current levels, Tepper said the central bank will likely raise rates because the economy is “at a point where they should raise rates.”
“But if you do get some sort of mixed government or something that’s near what’s going on right now … then you’ll get some relief after this election’s over. I think they have to anticipate business investment going up, especially if you have more or less of a status quo economically,” Tepper said. This would include the Republicans retaining their control over the House, he added.
Jeffrey Gundlach was the other heavyweight investor to weigh in this week. Gundlach manages over $100 billion at DoubleLine Capital and we find him to be the single most valuable investment opinion to follow. He has given some prescient guidance since the crisis of 2009 and we have invested with great confidence in Double Line. While Gundlach is mainly known for his bond acumen he also espouses his views on equities. He gave an interview this week noting a critical support level of 2130 on the S&P 500. We closed below that level on Monday of this week. According to Gundlach, we need a second close below it to confirm more downside to the market.
Wiki leaks continue to drip. Denial of service attacks on the East Coast put a slight chill into markets. Pressure continues to build. The S&P 500 has now closed below its 100 day moving average for the second straight week. The next real level of support is the always critical 200 day moving average at 2070 on the S&P 500. Keep an eye on 2130.
Is this long national nightmare over yet? Vote early and vote often.
I think we aspire less to foresee the future and more to be a great contingency planner… you can respond very fast to what’s happening because you thought through all the possibilities, – Lloyd Blankfein
To learn more about us and Blackthorn Asset Management LLC visit our website at www.BlackthornAsset.com .
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. – Winston Churchill
Disclosure: This blog is informational and is not a recommendation to buy or sell anything. If you are thinking about investing consider the risk. Everyone’s financial situation is different. Consult your financial advisor.