SPLB

SPDR Portfolio Long Term Corporate Bond ETF (SPLB) - $0.0814.30-Day SEC Yield of 3.03% as of Sept.30.Payable Oct 07; for shareholders of record Oct 02; ex-div Oct 01.

"Japanification" is the process of other countries' economies becoming like that of Japan: flatlined, with little to no growth or inflation and interest rates stuck at zero indefinitely. Because of the Monetary Death Spiral process that I've described elsewhere, many countries around the world are undergoing the process of Japanification. With interest rates now stuck at zero for the long haul and the Fed focused on employment above all else, the US has now completed the process. I go through nine economic metrics to show how the United States is walking down the path of Japan.

Ample economic research has shown that excessive debt, above a certain threshold of GDP, begins to drag down economic growth. US national debt is now well above that threshold. But ballooning debt, in itself, is not the fundamental issue. It is the result of the core problem. In the coming decades, the US economy will be asked to do the impossible: grow faster even while the government extracts more of its resources. There are no easy solutions. There are only painful trade-offs.

The sudden stop to markets induced by COVID-19 caused a substantial repricing of credit risk globally, and central banks, treasuries, and ministries of finance around the world responded unequivocally.As central banks eased liquidity concerns and governments alleviated solvency risks through a massive fiscal response, credit spreads tightened rapidly within more defensive sectors.The focus now is on the economic cycle, as basic industries, capital goods, energy, and other cyclical sectors in both developed and emerging markets are still trading at spreads wide to historical levels, particularly in the lower-quality segments of the market.

We downgrade investment grade credit to neutral and increase our overweight in high yield as we see volatility rising after a rally in risk assets.Negotiations over a new U.S. fiscal package looked to have stalled. We still expect a sizable package, but risks of a no-deal outcome are growing.Markets will focus on the European Central Bank’s updated projections and any policy implications. The traditional U.S. election campaign season kicks off.