US TSYS: US Tsys - Epsilon theory : Our True Enemy Has Yet To Reveal Himself

May-06 01:47

Ben Hunt of Epsilon Theory wrote a thread on X : “It's not the tariffs. It's not the recession. It's not the tax cuts. These are just the catalysts, the vehicles through which the true enemy shows himself.” 

  • “I feel as strongly today as I did in 2008 that our true enemy has not yet revealed himself.”
  • “I feel as strongly today as I did in 2008 that the ‘normal’ market discourse around recession and jobs and inventories acts as a distraction from the systemic risk that is manifesting itself.”
  • “I feel as strongly today as I did in 2008 that to the degree systemic risk is being discussed, it is described as ‘well-contained’ by the US government even though we can all see with our own eyes that it is not contained at all.”
  • “In 2008 the true enemy was the over-financialization of the US residential mortgage market, and the catalyst for the true enemy to wreak havoc in the global financial system was a sharp, universal decline in US home prices.”
  • “In 2025 the true enemy is the over-financialization of the US Treasury market, and the catalyst for the true enemy to wreak havoc in the global financial system is a sharp, universal decline in the full faith and credit of the United States.”
  • “The true enemy is uncompensated risk in the risk-free securities that have been financialized and levered across every substrate of the global system, uncompensated risk that comes from a diminishment of the full faith and credit of the United States.”
  • https://x.com/EpsilonTheory/status/1919474733508178055

 

Historical bullets

AUSSIE 10-YEAR TECHS: (M5) Strong S/T Bounce

Apr-04 22:15
  • RES 3: 96.501 - 76.4% of the Mar 14 - Nov 1 ‘23 bear leg
  • RES 2: 96.207 - 61.8% of the Mar 14 - Nov 1 ‘23 bear leg
  • RES 1: 95.915 - High Apr 4 
  • PRICE: 95.860 @ 16:42 GMT Apr 04
  • SUP 1: 95.420/95.300 - Low Feb 13 / Low Jan 14  
  • SUP 2: 95.275 - Low Nov 14  (cont) and a key support
  • SUP 3: 94.640 - 1.0% 10-dma envelope

Aussie 10-yr futures extended a recent strong bounce through to the Friday close, putting prices through the top end of the recent range. The confirmed breach of 95.851, the Dec 11 high on the continuation contract, reinstates a bull cycle and focuses attention on resistance at 96.207, a Fibonacci retracement point. A stronger bearish theme would expose 95.275, the Nov 14 low and a key support. Clearance of this level would strengthen a bearish condition.

USDCAD TECHS: Bearish Structure

Apr-04 20:00
  • RES 4: 1.4452/4543 High Mar 13 / 4 and a bull trigger
  • RES 3: 1.4415 High Apr 1 
  • RES 2: 1.4308 50-day EMA 
  • RES 1: 1.4242 High Apr 4
  • PRICE: 1.4196 @ 17:10 BST Apr 4
  • SUP 1: 1.4028 Low Apr 3
  • SUP 2: 1.3986 Low Dec 2 ‘24  
  • SUP 3: 1.3944 61.8% retracement of Sep 25 ‘24 - Feb 3 bull run
  • SUP 4: 1.3894 Low Nov 11 ‘24 

USDCAD rallied Friday, but remains lower on the week after Thursday’s downleg. The move down has confirmed a clear reversal of the bull cycle between Sep 25 ‘24 and Feb 3. Price is through a key support at 1.4151, the Feb 14 low. This signals scope for an extension towards 1.3944, a Fibonacci retracement. On the upside, key short-term resistance is seen at 1.4308, the 50-day EMA. 

CANADA DATA: Unexpected Jobs Contraction Boosts Implied April BOC Cut Chances

Apr-04 19:55

Canadian employment unexpectedly contracted in March, falling by the most since January 2022 at -32.6k (+10.0k expected, +1.1k prior) in a sign that the trade war with the US is spilling over increasingly into the "hard" data. The unemployment rate ticked up 0.1pp to 6.7%, in line with expectations and below the November 6.9% high, though unrounded it rose from 6.55% to 6.71% - the largest increase since November.

  • The drop in employment was largely due to a 62.0k drop in full-time positions (after -19.7k, the 2nd straight drop), with part-time up for the 4th consecutive month at 29.5k (after 20.8k prior) - that mix is clearly indicative of hiring uncertainty among firms.
  • The monthly full-time drop was the 2nd largest since the pandemic lows in the labour market (April 2020). Goods producing jobs fell by 12k (2nd consecutive decline), while services shed 21k (wholesale/retail trade and Information, culture and recreation led losses).
  • The participation rate dipped 0.1pp to 65.2%.
  • Wages were soft, dropping 0.2% M/M for the first drop since November, with the Y/Y rate slipping to 3.6% from 3.8% prior. The rise in permanent employees' wages of 3.5% Y/Y was well below the 4.1% expected (4.0% prior).
  • Market-implied probability of an April BOC rate cut rose to as high as 68% after the data before settling the day at around 55%. That compares to 40% prior to Wednesday's US tariffs announcement.
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