shutdown drags on. Increasingly, investors are seeking safety. We told you about the big gains for gold.Many are buying Bitcoin. Where should bonds fit into the equation. Where should fixed income in general fit into the equation.Well, joining us now with his fixed income outlook for the fourth quarter is Jeff Rosenberg, portfolio manager for Black Rockck Systematic Multistrategy Fund. It's great to have you here on set. Great to be here.Thanks. Let's start right there. You just put out your Q4 outlook.What ...

Core Insights - Moretus Research specializes in high-quality equity research aimed at serious investors, focusing on clarity, conviction, and alpha generation [1] - The firm employs a strategy of "positive paranoia" to analyze investments, emphasizing sentiment analysis and competitive positioning to predict future performance [1] - A notable investment recommendation was made at the beginning of 2023, where Carvana was purchased at $5 per share, highlighting an 88% short interest that was deemed excessive, leading to a significant turnaround [1] - The investment in Carvana yielded over 60 times returns over three years, showcasing the firm's ability to identify substantial investment opportunities [1] - Moretus Research aims to uncover data advantages through alternative data sources, focusing on both current holdings and potential future investments [1]

Core Insights - Moretus Research specializes in high-quality equity research aimed at serious investors, focusing on clarity, conviction, and alpha generation [1] - The firm employs a strategy of "positive paranoia" to analyze investments, emphasizing sentiment analysis and competitive positioning to predict future performance [1] - A notable investment recommendation was made at the beginning of 2023, where Carvana was purchased at $5 per share, highlighting an 88% short interest that was deemed excessive, leading to a significant turnaround [1] - The investment in Carvana yielded over 60 times returns over three years, showcasing the firm's ability to identify substantial opportunities [1] - Moretus Research aims to uncover data advantages through alternative data sources, covering both current holdings and potential future investments [1]

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call Industry Overview - The analysis focuses on the US consumer spending landscape, utilizing alternative data sources such as Barclays credit card spending and LightCast job openings data to gauge economic activity in the US [1][2][4]. Core Insights - **Consumer Spending Trends**: - Mid-April credit card spending data indicates that spending growth in 2025 matches or exceeds the average growth from previous years across nearly all retail categories [4][10]. - Recent data suggests a front-loading of spending in anticipation of tariff-induced price hikes, particularly in categories like automobiles [4][18]. - Consumer spending on dining out remains strong, indicating no significant weakness in consumption [4][11]. - **Job Openings and Labor Market**: - There are no alarming drops in job openings as of April 19, 2025, with most industries showing a downtrend that aligns with seasonal trends [4][50]. - The current downtrend in job openings is less severe than in 2023 and 2024, suggesting relatively strong momentum in new job openings [4][50]. - **Spending Momentum Analysis**: - The latest 4-week spending growth in 2025 is comparable to or better than the averages from 2018-2019 and 2023-2024 [5][10]. - Specific categories such as food-away-from-home and building materials show strong spending momentum, while categories like gas and furniture are experiencing some weakness [4][24][32]. Additional Important Insights - **Sector Variability**: - There is a notable dispersion in consumer sentiment across sectors, with some sectors, particularly IT, expressing concerns about consumer weakness [41]. - The correlation between credit card spending and retail sales remains high, indicating that spending trends are likely to reflect retail performance [43][47]. - **Future Outlook**: - Analysts express caution regarding the sustainability of current retail sales momentum due to recent declines in consumer sentiment [42]. - The credit card spending momentum is expected to lag if consumer weakness becomes established, similar to trends observed during the COVID pandemic [43]. - **Methodology**: - The analysis relies on merchant category codes associated with credit card transactions to measure spending growth across various retail categories, focusing on avoiding seasonal distortions [14][16]. This summary encapsulates the key findings and insights from the conference call, highlighting the current state of consumer spending and job openings in the US economy, along with potential future trends and sector-specific observations.