Research Firm with a Qualitative Overlay, Pearl Gray Equity and Research

Pearl Gray Equity and Research

Research Firm with a Qualitative Overlay

Quantitative fund & research firm with a qualitative overlay. 

Our coverage: General U.S. with a skew towards the primary sector. 

Methods: Smart Beta/Factor Pricing, Neural Networks, Street Gossip, and Common Sense.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Key variables suggest BNP Paribas' Q4 report could surprise the market, with its held-for-trading securities leading the way.</li>
<li>The bank's balance sheet possesses little maturity mismatch, but its Value-at-Risk could remain elevated amid sustained volatility in the FX and Bond markets.</li>
<li>BNP Paribas (OTCQX:BNPQF) is scheduled to release earnings on Tuesday, the 7th.</li>
</ul>


Key variables suggest BNP Paribas' Q4 report could surprise the market, with its held-for-trading securities leading the way.
The bank's balance sheet possesses little maturity mismatch, but its Value-at-Risk could remain elevated amid sustained volatility in the FX and Bond markets.
BNP Paribas (OTCQX:BNPQF) is scheduled to release earnings on Tuesday, the 7th.


BNP Paribas' Earnings Report Could Surprise Many

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

iShares MSCI China ETF / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>We remain neutral on global equities (MSCI ACWI), we believe upside remains limited with the MSCI ACWI (ACWI-US), S&amp;P 500, and several European indexes still below major resistance.</li>
<li>We continue to expect rangebound price action in the months ahead on the MSCI ACWI.</li>
<li>And, rangebound price action could very well be the theme for all of 2023 (with resistance at $93 and support at $75-77 on ACWI-US)</li>
</ul>


We remain neutral on global equities (MSCI ACWI), we believe upside remains limited with the MSCI ACWI (ACWI-US), S&amp;P 500, and several European indexes still below major resistance.
We continue to expect rangebound price action in the months ahead on the MSCI ACWI.
And, rangebound price action could very well be the theme for all of 2023 (with resistance at $93 and support at $75-77 on ACWI-US)


Hang Seng and MSCI China Bottoming -- Add; Europe Still Leading; Shift From U.S. To Non-U.S.

Financials Credit Analyst

Hank Calenti, CFA

CreditContinuum

Credit

Executive Summary: Issuance expectations are often a topic of anxiety for actively trading investors. The concern is that if issuance is expected to be large, then the value of the currently on-the-run security may fall as the market moves into the new security. Our experience is that timing matters. Any decline generally represents a buying opportunity in the older security; however, it can take a week or two for the security to regain lost value. As such, unexpected debt issuance just before quarter-end can be painful.With leverage ratios yet to be a requirement for Eurozone area banks, risk-weighted asset (RWA) capital ratios remain the constraining capital measure. By this standard, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bnp-paribas" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:525:1" rel="noopener">BNP Paribas (BNP FP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/credit-agricole-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21373:1" rel="noopener">Credit Agricole Group (ACAFP)</a> remain underweight in Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bond issuance.Amongst UK banks, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hsbc-holdings-plc-a723bd63-0890-486f-aaa0-3bb9ad2b95ce" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21976:1" rel="noopener">HSBC Holdings (HSBA LN)</a> looks to have a surplus of AT1 bonds from a RWA capital ratio perspective. However, we calculate a deficiency relative to its leverage capital ratio needs. Basel IV inflation may diminish the RWA-base surplus; but for now, HSBC’s leverage ratio is its AT1 governor.In terms of Tier 2 needs, Eurozone banks are largely where they need to be from an efficiency perspective with the main exception of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cooperatieve-rabobank-ua" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28085:1" rel="noopener">Cooperative Rabobank UA (RABO NA)</a>. Meanwhile, HSBC may be in a position to reduce its Common Equity Tier 1 levels by issuing Tier 2 bonds while remaining well above minimum capital requirements. Concurrently, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/standard-chartered-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:193:1" rel="noopener">Standard Chartered's (STAN LN)</a> Tier 2 levels are materially more than minimum regulatory requirements. These look better value than HSBC’s.

Executive Summary: Issuance expectations are often a topic of anxiety for actively trading investors. The concern is that if issuance is expected to be large, then the value of the currently on-the-run security may fall as the market moves into the new security. Our experience is that timing matters. Any decline generally represents a buying opportunity in the older security; however, it can take a week or two for the security to regain lost value. As such, unexpected debt issuance just before quarter-end can be painful.With leverage ratios yet to be a requirement for Eurozone area banks, risk-weighted asset (RWA) capital ratios remain the constraining capital measure. By this standard, BNP Paribas (BNP FP) and Credit Agricole Group (ACAFP) remain underweight in Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bond issuance.Amongst UK banks, HSBC Holdings (HSBA LN) looks to have a surplus of AT1 bonds from a RWA capital ratio perspective. However, we calculate a deficiency relative to its leverage capital ratio needs. Basel IV inflation may diminish the RWA-base surplus; but for now, HSBC’s leverage ratio is its AT1 governor.In terms of Tier 2 needs, Eurozone banks are largely where they need to be from an efficiency perspective with the main exception of Cooperative Rabobank UA (RABO NA). Meanwhile, HSBC may be in a position to reduce its Common Equity Tier 1 levels by issuing Tier 2 bonds while remaining well above minimum capital requirements. Concurrently, Standard Chartered's (STAN LN) Tier 2 levels are materially more than minimum regulatory requirements. These look better value than HSBC’s. 

Debt Capital Surplus (Shortfall) And Trading Opportunities in European Banks

Executive Summary:<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/societe-generale-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21478:1" rel="noopener">Société Générale (SocGen)</a> recently presented plans to target sustained profitability with a lower standard deviation of performance in its Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) unit. The firm produced its first annual loss in 30 years from equity derivative positioning as firms cut their prior year dividends due to Covid-19 concerns. As such, SocGen intends to make its results less sensitive to market dislocations.Late last year, SocGen announced a retail banking restructuring plan which effectively increases the resolution potential of the firm should it reach the point of non-viability (PoNV). Taken on its own, this move was not bondholder friendly. Please see: <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/compose/insight/52061/Soci%C3%A9t%C3%A9%20G%C3%A9n%C3%A9rale%20AT1:%20Resolution%20or%20Resilience%20in%20the%20Retail%20Restructuring?%20Take%20Shorter%20Duration.%20Read%20more:%20https://skr.ma/U3otL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Société Générale AT1: Resolution or Resilience in the Retail Restructuring?</a> for more details.However, the bank’s plans and actions already undertaken to reduce the volatility in the global markets’ operations may reduce the likelihood of approaching the PoNV. Combined with a meaningful buffer of capital above the level at which Additional Tier 1 bond suspension could be required, SocGen’s AT1 bonds may be ripe for picking.

Executive Summary:Société Générale (SocGen) recently presented plans to target sustained profitability with a lower standard deviation of performance in its Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) unit. The firm produced its first annual loss in 30 years from equity derivative positioning as firms cut their prior year dividends due to Covid-19 concerns. As such, SocGen intends to make its results less sensitive to market dislocations.Late last year, SocGen announced a retail banking restructuring plan which effectively increases the resolution potential of the firm should it reach the point of non-viability (PoNV). Taken on its own, this move was not bondholder friendly. Please see: Société Générale AT1: Resolution or Resilience in the Retail Restructuring? for more details.However, the bank’s plans and actions already undertaken to reduce the volatility in the global markets’ operations may reduce the likelihood of approaching the PoNV. Combined with a meaningful buffer of capital above the level at which Additional Tier 1 bond suspension could be required, SocGen’s AT1 bonds may be ripe for picking.

SocGen: AT1 Is Ripe for Picking as CIB Is Restructured

Executive Summary: Friday’s jobs report shocker capped off a week which included US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen needing to be Mirandized. This was followed by the Fed stating the obvious in its financial stability report. Unmentioned in this report is that the role of this Fed is no longer to take away the punchbowl, but instead it is the bartender. The week ended with a jobs report that was the biggest miss in nominal terms, ever.The report was at odds with recent PMI surveys in which respondents stated that it was difficult to hire. This may be the result of frictions in hiring as unemployment benefits as well as child-care needs and postponed school re-openings delay employee re-entry. The truth serum for the US economy may occur around September when extended unemployment payments expire.The market impact was an immediate 10 basis point (bp) drop in the 10-year Treasury while the 2-year note even fell 1bp. Prices on the 10-year gave up these gains as the day progressed, but the smart money, that is the bond market, may be correct with the recent dampening of interest rates suggesting a longer time period to a less accommodative Fed.  The US Treasury bond curve ended the week flatter with short-end yields falling by much less than the longer part of the curve.With rates continuing to push credit spreads, Asia- and European-headquartered banks generated negative total returns in all but the lowest duration notes. There was a clear preference for Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bond issuance over the past week while over US$11 billion equivalent was raised by financial institutions globally in USD and Euros. In what may have been the busiest AT1 bond issuance weeks of the year, five institutions brought over US$6.5 billion in six securities.Nonetheless, this is a great credit environment and spreads which could go even tighter into year-end. A single piece of data, such as April’s non-farm payroll figure, is unlikely to change investor positioning. It may be a little too early to fade the market as fundamentals catch-up.Next week we will get a record-matching $126 billion slate of Treasury auctions. We may also see a robust serving of corporate and financials debt issuance. US consumer-price data is set to be published on Tuesday, 12 May. A sharp annual acceleration is forecast, although the market is likely to dismiss the figure as resulting from a comparison to depressed levels of a year earlier.With peak Q1 earnings season now behind us, Japanese banks will deliver their year-end results over the next week while several other stragglers pepper the remainder of the month. US banks signaled that they anticipate significantly higher interest rates by raising record breaking amounts in the debt capital markets following their Q1 earnings announcements. Other banks may follow with material debt issuance over the next few weeks after reporting earnings.Market Outlook: The question is whether the over-heating narrative will make a comeback and bring rate and tapering expectations closer. Financial stability risks appear binary from here. Either the Fed is over-accommodative, and it sits on its hands too long while asset bubbles over-inflate so that it gets nasty when it moves, or the Fed gets impatient, and it lowers accommodation unexpectedly which creates a risk off reaction. In both cases, curves flatten in a risk-off environment. We suspect the former is more likely, and for now, the Fed remains the bartender.

Executive Summary: Friday’s jobs report shocker capped off a week which included US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen needing to be Mirandized. This was followed by the Fed stating the obvious in its financial stability report. Unmentioned in this report is that the role of this Fed is no longer to take away the punchbowl, but instead it is the bartender. The week ended with a jobs report that was the biggest miss in nominal terms, ever.The report was at odds with recent PMI surveys in which respondents stated that it was difficult to hire. This may be the result of frictions in hiring as unemployment benefits as well as child-care needs and postponed school re-openings delay employee re-entry. The truth serum for the US economy may occur around September when extended unemployment payments expire.The market impact was an immediate 10 basis point (bp) drop in the 10-year Treasury while the 2-year note even fell 1bp. Prices on the 10-year gave up these gains as the day progressed, but the smart money, that is the bond market, may be correct with the recent dampening of interest rates suggesting a longer time period to a less accommodative Fed.  The US Treasury bond curve ended the week flatter with short-end yields falling by much less than the longer part of the curve.With rates continuing to push credit spreads, Asia- and European-headquartered banks generated negative total returns in all but the lowest duration notes. There was a clear preference for Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bond issuance over the past week while over US$11 billion equivalent was raised by financial institutions globally in USD and Euros. In what may have been the busiest AT1 bond issuance weeks of the year, five institutions brought over US$6.5 billion in six securities.Nonetheless, this is a great credit environment and spreads which could go even tighter into year-end. A single piece of data, such as April’s non-farm payroll figure, is unlikely to change investor positioning. It may be a little too early to fade the market as fundamentals catch-up.Next week we will get a record-matching $126 billion slate of Treasury auctions. We may also see a robust serving of corporate and financials debt issuance. US consumer-price data is set to be published on Tuesday, 12 May. A sharp annual acceleration is forecast, although the market is likely to dismiss the figure as resulting from a comparison to depressed levels of a year earlier.With peak Q1 earnings season now behind us, Japanese banks will deliver their year-end results over the next week while several other stragglers pepper the remainder of the month. US banks signaled that they anticipate significantly higher interest rates by raising record breaking amounts in the debt capital markets following their Q1 earnings announcements. Other banks may follow with material debt issuance over the next few weeks after reporting earnings.Market Outlook: The question is whether the over-heating narrative will make a comeback and bring rate and tapering expectations closer. Financial stability risks appear binary from here. Either the Fed is over-accommodative, and it sits on its hands too long while asset bubbles over-inflate so that it gets nasty when it moves, or the Fed gets impatient, and it lowers accommodation unexpectedly which creates a risk off reaction. In both cases, curves flatten in a risk-off environment. We suspect the former is more likely, and for now, the Fed remains the bartender.

Bank Credit Weekly: Jobs Report Shocker Flattens Curves

France

BNP Paribas SA attracts deposits and offers commercial, retail, investment, and private and corporate banking services. The Bank also provides asset management and investment advisory services to institutions and individuals in Europe, the United States, Asia, and the emerging markets.

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BNP Paribas (BNPQY US)

BNP Paribas' Earnings Report Could Surprise Many

The bank's balance sheet possesses little maturity mismatch, but its Value-at-Risk could remain elevated amid sustained volatility in the FX and...

Pearl Gray Equity and Research

Hang Seng and MSCI China Bottoming -- Add; Europe Still Leading; Shift From U.S. To Non-U.S.

We remain neutral on global equities $ACWI and expect rangebound price action in the months (possibly year) ahead. Specific $ACWI trading range we...

Vermilion Research

Debt Capital Surplus (Shortfall) And Trading Opportunities in European Banks

Timing matters. A price decline in an on-the-run bond due to issuance represents a buying opportunity; however, it can take time to regain value....

Hank Calenti, CFA

SocGen: AT1 Is Ripe for Picking as CIB Is Restructured

SocGen’s AT1 bonds may be ripe for picking as the firm doubles down on reducing revenue volatility. The recently issued 4.75% 2026 note trades at a...

Hank Calenti, CFA

Bank Credit Weekly: Jobs Report Shocker Flattens Curves

Job data raises uncertainty as the Fed continues to act as bartender. Financial stability risks appear binary while rates push credit spreads. Can...

Hank Calenti, CFA

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