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Current data released for the May Real Estate and Consumer Spending activity suggests a wave of refinancing is taking place – and not much else.  Pending home sales slipped to 69.  That level is 7.4 points below the lowest level in 2010 – at the height of the 2008-09 credit crisis that collapsed the global Real Estate values.  How big is this new low level in Pending home sales?  It’s HUGE.

It suggests the rate of sales in the US for Real Estate has collapsed beyond levels that were seen at the worst possible time in recent history (July 2010).  In fact, over the past 20 years, there has never been a time when the pending home sales index has collapsed below 74 to 75 – until today.

2008-2011 PENDING HOME SALES DATA

The sudden collapse of Pending Home Sales as a result of the COVID-19 virus event should not have come as any surprise to skilled technical investors.  Don’t misread this data – there are still homes selling in the US market, buyers are just being far more selective and discerning in regards to their purchases and timing.

Anyone who understands Supply and Demand theory knows that when price levels are perceived to be excessive, consumers slow their purchases considerably as the supply is determined to be overvalued in price.  This slowing of purchasing results in a supply glut that will eventually push price levels lower (attempting to attract more buyers).

It is this process of shifting perceptions in the Supply and Demand relationship that is likely taking place right now in the Real Estate market.  Low rates in combination with the COVID-19 virus are not prompting more sales of Real Estate right now.  Consumers simply don’t have the confidence (perception) that future price appreciation in Real Estate will be substantially based on the current market environment.  Thus, the perception of the value of Real Estate changes from optimism to caution.

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2020 PENDING HOME SALES DATA

A large portion of the issue related to Real Estate is consumer confidence in their ability to earn real incomes and the stability of employment and opportunity related to their future.  The COVID-19 virus event has really disrupted a large portion of the US consumer market as well as the future expectations of consumers and spending habits.  This disruption is likely to take at least 12 to 24+ months to settle before any real bottom is likely to take place on a broad scale.

Real consumer spending has collapsed in April and May 2020.  Even though the US government has spent trillions attempting to support the US economy, the continued shutdown of cities and states has cut consumers’ jobs, incomes, and the need to go out and spend like normal.  Even though they may be saving some extra money throughout this time, the destruction to local and state economies/revenues is devastating.

MAY 2020 REAL CONSUMER SPENDING DATA

The one aspect of the low-interest rates that we do expect to peak soon is the refinance market.  Stronger homeowners with solid income opportunities are able to refinance at lower rates now and that activity seems to be spiking.  This is very similar to what happened in 2009-2011 where stronger consumers were able to take advantage of very low-interest rates and were able to shed the 5 to 7%+ mortgages and refinance at much lower levels.  Once these transactions peak, these homeowners will likely be settled in their homes for another 5 to 10+ years with new lower rates (unless something disrupts their financial/income situation).

MAY 2020 MORTGAGE REFINANCE INDEX

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS:

Combining all of this data into a consensus analysis for technical traders, we come to the conclusion that a wave of refinancing has likely peaked and that consumers are now in the early stage of attempting to understand what the recovery will look like going forward over the next 6 to 12+ months.  Add into the mix that we have a US Presidential election taking place in 6 months and the potential policy and tax changes that could take place as a result of this election and we have a real “consumer abyss” setting up over the next 6+ months.

With the Fed doing all they can to support the markets, the COVID-19 virus still causing shutdowns and other issues and the consumer waiting for some clear skies and positive expectations, the US and global economy could be stuck in a mode of greatly decreased consumer activity over the next 6 to 12+ months – which translates into a shift in perspective related to business creation, optimism, income/earnings and much more.  A dramatic shift in consumer expectations over a longer period of time could result in far more damaging longer-term issues for assets, state and local governments, and more.

Once the wave of refinancing is completed, we’ll have to see how the housing market data relates to increased consumer optimism.  At this point, we don’t believe anything is likely to change consumer attitudes until after the November 2020 elections.  Skilled technical traders should prepare for some really big price swings over the next 12+ months. This is the time for technical traders to shine with the setups and data that is being presented right now as well as in the future.

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Chris Vermeulen
Chief Market Strategist
Founder of Technical Trader Ltd.

In this last segment of our multi-part research article, we want to highlight our expectations of the Covid-19 virus event and how the next 6+ months of global market activity may play out.  We’ve covered some of the data points we believe are important and we’ve touched on the collateral damage that may be unknown at this time.  Today, we’ll try to put the bigger picture together for investors to help you understand what we believe may be the 12+ month outcome.

As the global central banks and US Fed attempt to come to the rescue, the reality is that monetary policy works better when consumers are able to actually go out and engage in spending and economic activity.  If the Covid-19 virus event contracts global consumer activity, as it has recently, for an extended period of time (4 to 6+ months), then we have a real issue with how QE efforts and consumer activity translate into any real recovery attempt.

The real risks to the global markets is an extended risk that the Covid-19 virus creates a contracting economic environment for many months/quarters and potentially fosters an environment where extensive collateral damage to corporations, consumer activity, credit/debt markets, and other massive financial risks boil over.

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News is already starting to hit that QE is not helping the deteriorating situation in the Mortgage banking business.  Remember, this is the same segment of the financial industry that started the 2007-08 credit crisis event.  News that mortgage lenders and bankers are already starting to experience margin-calls and have attempted to contract their exposure to the risks in the markets (a bit late) are concerning.  This is a pretty big collateral damage risk for the global markets.

Additionally, as we expected, applications for new mortgages have collapsed to their lowest level since 2009.  Until consumers feel confident in their ability to get out, engage in real economic growth and take on home loans they know are relatively secure in their ability to repay – there is going to be a continued market contraction.  The next phase of this contraction is a price reduction, forced selling/foreclosures and a glut of assets waiting for a bottom.

“Home-purchase applications dropped by 14.6% while

refinancing applications plummeted 33.8%… “

I think the most important aspect of this global virus event is to remember that we will survive it (in some form) and we will live to rebuild after this event completes.  Yet, the reality is that we were not prepared for this event to happen and we don’t know the total scope of this Covid-19 virus event.  We simply don’t know how long it will take to remove the threat of the virus and for societies to reengage in normal economic activity – and that is the key to starting a real recovery.

Hong Kong has recently reported a “third wave” of Covid-19 infections.  I believe we should attempt to learn from places like Hong Kong, where news is moderately accurate and reported via social media and other resources.  If we want to learn what to expect in the US and how the process of containing this virus may play out, we need to start learning from other nations that are ahead of us in the curve.

It appears that any attempt to resume somewhat normal economic activities while the virus is still active spouts a new wave of infections.  This would suggest that the only way to attempt to reengage in any somewhat normal economic activity would be when a vaccine or true medical cure is in place to allow nations to attempt to eradicate the virus as these waves continue. (Source: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/third-wave-hong-kong-thought-it-had-a-handle-on-coronavirus-it-doesnt-2020-03-23 )

The price collapse in 2008-09 represented a -56% decline from top to bottom.  Currently, the S&P has fallen by just over 35%.  We don’t believe the bottom in the US stock market has setup just yet and we do believe there is a greater downside price risk ahead.  We don’t believe the housing market will be able to sustain any of the current price levels for much longer.  We believe the collateral damage of this event is just starting to be known and we believe a greater economic contraction is unfolding not only in the US but throughout the globe.

Skilled traders need to understand the total scope of this event.  We’ve attempted to highlight this risk in this article and in our “Crunching Numbers” research article (PART III).  An economic contraction, like the Covid-19 virus event, could contract global GDP by as much as 8 to 15% over an extended 16 to 36+ month span of time.  Are we concerned about the Real Estate market?  You Bet!  Are we concerned about global markets?  You Bet!  Are we prepared for this as traders? You Bet!  Are the central banks global nations prepared for this? We certainly hope so.

As a technical analysis and trader since 1997, I have been through a few bull/bear market cycles. I believe I have a good pulse on the market and timing key turning points for short-term swing traders.

Visit my ETF Wealth Building Newsletter and if you like what I offer, and ride my coattails as I navigate these financial markets and build wealth while others lose nearly everything they own during the next financial crisis.

Chris Vermeulen
www.TheTechnicalTraders.com