CASH RATIOS FOR EQUITY PMs DOWN TO 4%
When we are talking about cash on the sidelines, it begs the question as to how
much liquidity is sitting in equity mutual funds. As Chart 3 illustrates, we have
gone from around a 6% liquidity ratio when the market was testing its cycle lows
earlier in the year, to 4.0% currently. So, running down cash levels meant nearly
$100 billion of buying power just from PMs putting cash to work during this huge
rally. At 6.0%, institutional equity PMs were at their highest liquidity ratio since
the 2001 recession/bear market; now at 4%, they are back to where they were
in October 2007 (the month the bull market ended).
Historically, institutional equity investors carry less than 4% cash in their
balances less than 1/25 thof the time. Therefore, unless we either start to see
share buybacks, capitulation by the private client or some insider buying, it
remains to be seen where the buying power for the next leg of the bull market is
going to come from now that the shorts have been covered.
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