Gold hits a new high while bonds fall, and this phenomenon may be caused by several reasons in a specific economic environment. Although the Fed's announcement of rate cuts usually pushes both of them up, the specific market reaction is often influenced by more complex factors:
1. Inflation expectations and the rise in gold:
• The safe-haven nature of gold: Gold is typically seen as an inflation hedge. When the market expects inflation to rise or has concerns about the economic outlook, investors buy gold to preserve value. Rate cuts are often seen as factors that increase inflation, as lower interest rates reduce borrowing costs, stimulate economic growth, but may also lead to increased inflationary pressure.
• The depreciation of the US dollar: Interest rate cuts often lead to the depreciation of the US dollar, and gold is usually negatively correlated with the US dollar. When the US dollar weakens, the price of gold, which is priced in US dollars, rises because holders of other currencies can purchase gold more cheaply.
Reasons for the decline in bonds:
• Rising long-term bond yields: Although interest rate cuts are usually bullish for bonds in the short term, if the market expects long-term economic growth or future inflation to intensify, long-term bond yields will start to rise. Bond prices are inversely related to yields, so when the market expects the economy to continue to strengthen in the future or inflationary pressures to rise, bond prices will fall.
• Rising risk appetite: When the overall market risk appetite rises (such as a stock market rally and increased investor confidence), investors may shift funds from safe assets (such as bonds) to higher-risk assets such as stocks. Although Fed rate cuts may support bond prices, if the market is more bullish on a stock market rebound, funds will flow out of bonds, causing prices to fall.
3. Different reactions of the stock market and bond market after interest rate cuts:
• Stock market rises: Cutting interest rates can lower corporate financing costs, increase consumer and corporate spending power, and provide support to the stock market. Investors tend to buy stocks because they offer higher return potential. Therefore, interest rate cuts often drive stock market gains.
• Bond market declines: Although interest rate cuts benefit bonds in the short term, if the market is concerned about long-term inflation or an overheating economy, investors may expect bond yields to rise, leading to a decline in bond prices. This is particularly true for long-term bonds, which are more sensitive to future interest rate changes.
4. Capital rotation:
• The market engages in capital rotation between different asset classes. When the stock market performs well and investors are optimistic about the economic outlook, funds may be transferred from the bond market to the stock market. This leads to a decline in bond prices and an increase in the prices of stocks and other assets such as gold.
5. Market Expectation Management:
• The Federal Reserve's decision to lower interest rates is often based on managing expectations of the economic outlook. If the market believes that the rate cut is insufficient to offset future economic risks or that inflation may accelerate, investors may become more cautious about the prospects of bonds, which will put pressure on bond prices.
Summary:
• Gold hits a new high: mainly driven by inflation expectations, a weaker US dollar, and safe-haven demand.
• The decline in bonds may be due to the market's expectations of long-term economic growth, rising inflation concerns, and the inflow of funds into high-yield assets such as stocks.
Even if the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates by 50 basis points, different asset classes in the market will have different reactions based on risk preference, inflation expectations, and economic prospects. This explains why gold reached new highs while bonds declined.