As the United States heads towards the 2024 election, growing concerns about the nation’s swelling debt are casting shadows over the bond market.
With projections indicating that federal deficits will persist and possibly escalate, investors are becoming increasingly wary of the potential implications for the Treasury market, which serves as the bedrock of global finance.
Despite President Joe Biden’s and former President Donald Trump’s claims regarding efforts to curb deficit spending, projections from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) paint a less optimistic picture.
The CBO forecasts a leap in the federal deficit from approximately $1.6 trillion in 2024 to a staggering $2.6 trillion a decade later. This projection is setting off alarms among bond investors, who fear that persistent and growing deficits could destabilize the $27 trillion Treasury market.
Investors and analysts alike are bracing for an era of elevated deficit levels, with some opting to shield their portfolios from potential spikes in bond yields. Others are expressing concerns about the scale of future debt issuance required to fund these deficits without causing market disruptions.
The market for U.S. Treasuries, while robust due to the dollar’s status as the world’s leading reserve currency, is experiencing shifts in demand dynamics.
Foreign ownership has not kept pace with the market’s growth, and the Federal Reserve has been reducing its bond holdings. These factors contribute to a sense of unease about future demand for U.S. government bonds.
David Rogal, a managing director at BlackRock, highlighted the importance of both supply and demand factors in the bond market. “An environment where you have a reduced buyer base and more supply definitely makes me think that over time you will see more term premium,” Rogal remarked.
Amidst these concerns, some investors are shifting their focus to short-term debts, deemed safer in the event of deficit escalations.
Craig Ellinger, head of Americas fixed income at UBS Asset Management, and Ella Hoxha, head of fixed income at Newton Investment Management, both express a preference for shorter maturities.
Hoxha also warned of potential hikes in the yields of 10-year Treasury bonds, which could climb to between 8% and 10% over the next several years, driven by unsustainable low rates in the context of rising U.S. debt levels.
“If we take a step back away from the Fed and away from the next six months where we could still get substantial rate cuts, supply numbers are not healthy,” said Ella Hoxha.
Currently, yields sit around 4.4%, but the long-term outlook suggests significant increases due to the debt burden.
As the election nears, fiscal strategies, particularly those related to deficit spending, are expected to become more prominent. Both Democrats and Republicans have expressed commitments to curb the nation’s deficit.
“After the prior administration increased the debt by a record $8 trillion and didn’t sign a single law to reduce the deficit, President Biden has signed $1 trillion of deficit reduction into law and has a plan to lower the deficit by $3 trillion more,” said Jeremy Edwards, a White House spokesperson.
The Republican stance also promises fiscal prudence. “Trump’s pro-growth, anti-inflation economic policies will bring down interest rates, shrink deficits, and lower long-term debt levels,” stated Anna Kelly, spokesperson for the Republican National Committee.
The debate over the U.S. debt burden and its management remains a critical issue for both policymakers and the markets.