With the price of safety, as measured by demand for the 10-year Treasury, trading near an all time high, it is fair to say that the price of risk, as measured by the S&P 500, is comparably cheap right now. Put another way, to some investors, there's nothing but downside for debt and nothing but upside for stocks. Even though turmoil in Europe and uncertainty about the economy might have you seeking shelter, at least one friend of Breakout says this is a buying opportunity not to be missed.
"Absolutely. What I don't see happening is an all out collapse in global markets," says Andrew Wilkinson, Chief Economic Strategist at Miller Tabak & Company in the attached video. He also reiterates a year-end price target of 1450 for the S&P 500 that implies about a 10% return from current levels if you include dividends.
Add in the probability that the Fed will move again to jump-start the lagging economy, and Wilkinson's case for equities starts to come together.
"I do believe that the Fed will come to the rescue and get some of the traction back in," he predicts, "the way forward for stocks, in my opinion, is a lot higher."
To be fair, this is not to say that markets won't continue to be risky, volatile and frustrating, but rather, that over time, look set to deliver superior returns especially if you believe they'll be guided by the Fed.
"We've really come off a growth spurt but the problem now is, at best, we're moving sideways," Wilkinson says, "which is why I am urging the Fed to continue injecting money into the system."
What do you think? Will the Fed come through with more easing this week or leave market to fend for themselves?
