(Washington)

The Democrats may have won the House, but they are at a definitive crossroads. While the Republicans currently have a well-defined brand and agenda, the Democrats found themselves largely without a leader and without a clear agenda (other than being anti-Trump). That means they will have some big decisions to make in the near term as they try to mount a push for the presidency in 2020. There appear to be two major policy decisions the party is considering. The first is whether pursuing a fruitless impeachment against Donald Trump would be worthwhile, and the second, and frankly more intriguing question, is whether they will adopt a “Medicare for all” platform.

FINSUM: So much hangs in the balance right now. The Democrats have let themselves be overshadowed by the Republican party and will need to find their ideological and policy footing ahead of the next election. We expect the party’s agenda will move further left in order to serve as a mobilizing foil for its base.

(Miami)

Luxury real estate is an interesting corner of the housing market for a number of reasons. It is not subject to the same sort of macro trends that affect the rest of the real estate market, such as mortgage rates directly influencing pricing and demand. Therefore, it is often overlooked as a barometer of the sector. However, if you pay attention, luxury real estate actually works as a solid leading indicator of the broader real estate market. While it is insulated, it is not immune from the same forces as its mass market brethren, and rates, stock prices, foreign buying and beyond all affect it. For instance, the chief economist at Redfin comments that “When people have more wealth because of stock gains, they have more money to spend on luxury homes … But if some luxury buyers think the stock market isn’t going to do as well, there may be an increase in investment in real estate because it’s seen as a safer place to put money”.

FINSUM: The problem with correlating the stock market and luxury housing is that both stocks rising and falling can boost luxury real estate, as rising shares mean more wealth to splash out on homes, while a weaker market can boost the sector because of safe haven characteristics.

(New York)

One of the big questions investors and analysts are still trying to sort out is who are the biggest market winners and losers as a result of the midterms. Here are some insights. The sector which seems likely to gain most is healthcare, as the risk of more regulation looks diminished, and the chances of increased government healthcare spending (as a result of the election of Democrats in key states) seems higher. The sectors which seem likely to lose out are banks and telecoms, both which seem likely to face much greater scrutiny by the now Democrat-led House.

FINSUM: We would also lump big tech into the losers category as increased scrutiny and regulation of the sector is one of the few areas of bipartisan agreement right now.

(New York)

Here is something no one was calling for before the election—the yield curve has has flattened considerably since the midterm results. The spread between two- and ten-year Treasuries got as low as 25 basis points. The market thinks the US deficit may be tighter than in an all-Republican scenario, which has sparked a rally in ten-years.

FINSUM: A flattening yield curve on its own does not necessarily indicate recession, but if it does invert, look out, as that is one of the most reliable indicators of a looming slowdown.

(New York)

Almost all of the market articles regarding the results of the midterms have been about stocks, including which sectors might thrive etc. But the real winner might be the bond market. Treasury yields have fallen and spreads between short and longer term bonds have tightened. The reason why is that traders see the forthcoming US budget as more conservative now that Congress is split. In particular, the market thinks there won’t be a big surge in infrastructure spending, and Treasury bond issuance will probably be tighter, both of which have conspired to boost prices.

FINSUM: It is quite odd to think that the election of a Democrat majority to the House would make the market expect more conservative fiscal policy, but the reality is that a divided Congress will probably be less fiscally loose because of gridlock.

(Houston)

The oil market is nervous, which seems likely to lead to volatility. The surprise is that sharp moves may trend to the upside rather than the downside. The two big concerns are about how sanctions on Iran may crimp output, as well as how OPEC lacks spare capacity to boost output. Such concerns are a stark change from the attitude that accompanied the sharp price falls in recent weeks, when supply seemed to be expanding strongly.

FINSUM: The Saudis are saying they will expand production to a record, but the reality is they do not want to do so because they don’t want prices to fall. It seems like OPEC will walk a line to keep prices where they are.

(New York)

Investors have been really afraid of the next bear market for the last few months. Ever since spreads grew tighter and the economy became very strong, fears of a looming recession and accompanying bear market have been rampant. Here are six signs to consider about a potential bear market. Firstly, look at high yield bond spreads. When they start to rise, its shows the credit cycle is ending, potentially signaling a recession. Yield curve steepness (or inversion) is another key metric. Deal activity in M&A is also excellent sign. Weekly jobless claims are another strong leading indicator. Finally, look at investor sentiment. When investors are very confident, that tends to be when the bear bites.

FINSUM: This is a pretty good list of leading indicators. Some are flashing red right now, while other are humming along nicely.

(Washington)

Investors can breathe a sigh of relief, but only for a moment, as it looks unlikely that the Fed will hike again in its next meeting this week. The Fed will not be releasing updated projections after this meeting. That said, improvements in the labor market recently make it likely that the central bank will hike rates at its meeting next month. The Fed is supposed to discuss this week all the things you might expect: “the economy, financial markets, and the future path of rates”, according to the WSJ. Fed chairman Powell will not be holding a press conference after the meeting.

FINSUM: This Fed is so hawkish and the economy is rolling so well that even a month’s break from hikes seems like a reprieve. We are a long way from 2013.

(Washington)

With the midterms finally over, investors need to think critically about how the market will respond. In particular, specific sectors will have different reactions. With that in mind here are six sectors to watch. Drugmakers seem likely to be seen favorably as the split between the parties means new regulation governing prices seems less likely. Banks could go either way, but most expect Trump’s deregulatory agenda to continue. Technology is looking less favorable as regulation and scrutiny of the sector is one of the few areas of bipartisan agreement. Industrials are looking less favorable as well, as the odds of a big infrastructure package have decreased. Energy seems neutral, as no big changes appear likely. Finally, marijuana stocks are likely to jump.

FINSUM: There is going to be quite a range of reactions over the next few months as each sector digests how the newly split Congress will affect them.

(Los Angeles)

More bad news is flowing out of the housing market. For the last several months, home sales, new builds, and demand has been falling. Prices are down in some major metropolitan areas. Now, new data shows that mortgage demand is contracting. US mortgage applications fell to their lowest level since 2014 in recent weeks. This comes on the back of mortgage rates rising to their highest since 2010.

FINSUM: There have been eight rate hikes since 2018 and home prices are at lofty levels. A downturn should come as no surprise.