Summary of Morgan Stanley Global Macro Forum - July 28, 2025 Industry and Company Overview - **Industry**: US Economy and Financial Markets - **Key Participants**: Vishwanath Tirupattur (Chief Fixed Income Strategist), Michael Gapen (Chief US Economist), Michael Wilson (Chief Investment Officer), Todd Castagno (Head of Global Valuation), Brian Nowak (Lead US Internet Analyst), Angel Castillo (US Machinery & Construction Analyst), Jenna Giannelli (Head of Retail & Consumer Credit Research) Core Insights and Arguments - **US Economic Outlook**: - Revised expectations indicate slow growth and firm inflation, with real GDP growth projected at 0.8% for 2025 and 1.1% for 2026 [45][45][45] - Inflation is expected to peak in Q3 2025, with fiscal policy presenting both upside risks and downside probabilities due to recent trade announcements [45][45] - **Impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)**: - The OBBBA is anticipated to provide meaningful benefits to corporate cash flows, with cash tax rates expected to reach historical lows due to accelerated expensing [45][45] - The act includes provisions for 100% bonus depreciation and immediate R&D expensing, which are expected to benefit sectors such as technology, healthcare, and industrials [11][45] - **Sector-Specific Insights**: - **Internet Sector**: Amazon is projected to capture approximately $15 billion annually in tax benefits, which could be reinvested into AWS, leading to significant automation savings [45][45] - **Machinery and Construction Sector**: Companies in this sector are likely to use OBBBA savings for buybacks and M&A rather than growth capex, with rental companies and R&D spenders being the biggest beneficiaries [45][45] - **Retail and Consumer Credit**: - The retail sector is expected to face further downside due to a projected demand slowdown in the second half of the year and additional tariff-induced margin pressures [29][45] - Credit performance has outperformed equities, but overall sector performance remains discerning [25][29] Additional Important Insights - **Employment and Inflation Trends**: - The civilian unemployment rate is projected to be 4.2% in 2025 and 3.8% in 2026, with inflation rates expected to stabilize around 2.6% to 2.8% [7][45] - **Market Resilience**: - The rebound in earnings revisions breadth is seen as a crucial driver for stock performance, overshadowing tariff and economic concerns [45][45] - **Tariff Impact**: - Tariff-induced risks to margins and earnings are skewed to the downside, with significant potential impacts on various companies' EBITDA projections [31][45] Conclusion - The overall sentiment from the forum indicates cautious optimism regarding the US economy, with specific sectors poised to benefit from legislative changes while others face challenges due to external pressures such as tariffs and changing consumer demand dynamics [45][45][45]