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Thank you for joining Western Asset’s The Year in Review webcast featuring Deputy CIO Michael Buchanan in conversation with Product Specialist Robert Abad.
Robert AbadMichael Buchanan
The presentation will begin shortly.
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Michael BuchananDeputy Chief Investment Officer
The Year in ReviewDecember 12, 2019
Robert AbadProduct Specialist
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3.15.9
10.0
20.7
0
5
10
15
20
25
2-Year 5-Year 10-Year 30-Year
Perce
nt
US Treasury Total Return 31 Dec 18 – 30 Nov 19
Source: Bloomberg Barclays. As of 30 Nov 19
31 Dec 18
30 Nov 19
0
1
2
3
4
3m 1 2 3 4 5 7 10 30
Perce
nt
Maturity (yrs)
US Treasury Yield Curves 31 Dec 18 – 30 Nov 19
Source: Bloomberg. As of 30 Nov 19
USTs Rallied on Moderate US Growth and Inflation, Fed Dovishness, and Trade Fears
4
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
600
020406080
100120140160180200
Jan 19 Mar 19 May 19 Jul 19 Sep 19 Nov 19
Basis PointsBasis
Poin
tsYear to Date Spreads
US Credit (left) Non-Agency CMBS (left) Agency CMBS (left)Agency MBS (left) US HY (right) EMBI Global (right)CEMBI Broad (right)
Source: Bloomberg. As of 10 Dec 19
With Few Exceptions, Global Credit Spreads Compressed Further
Spread Levels (bps)01 Jan 19 10 Dec 19 Difference
Bloomberg Barclays US Credit Index 143 97 -46Bloomberg Barclays Non-Agency CMBS Index 107 84 -23Bloomberg Barclays Agency CMBS Index 55 49 -6Bloomberg Barclays Agency MBS Index 35 44 9Bloomberg Barclays US High-Yield Index 526 351 -175J.P. Morgan EMBI Global 425 308 -117J.P. Morgan CEMBI Broad 338 262 -76Source: Bloomberg. As of 10 Dec 09
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Services
Manufacturing
46
48
50
52
54
56
58
60
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Index
Leve
l
US, Germany and JapanAverage Manufacturing and Services PMI
Source: Haver, Western Asset. As of 30 Nov 19
-2.0
-1.5
-1.0
-0.5
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
Jan 17 Jul 17 Jan 18 Jul 18 Jan 19 Jul 19
Cumu
lative
Per
cent
Revis
ion to
Roll
ing F
orec
ast
J.P. Morgan Global Revision Index
US China
Euro Area Rest of World
Source: Bloomberg, J.P . Morgan. As of 06 Dec 19
Global Growth Conditions Appear to Be Stabilizing
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US (left)
Japan (left)
Euro (left)
EM Core Inflation* (right)
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
-2.0
-1.0
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
PercentPe
rcent
Per Y
ear
Core Inflation Rates: 12-Month Changes in Core Consumer Inflation
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bloomberg. As of 31 Oct 19*EM Core Inflation data is quarterly, as of 30 Jun 19
Global Core Inflation Remains Below Target
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Credit Market Spreads and Returns
Current Spread (bps)
12-Month Spread (bps) YTD Change (bps)
Yield(%)
YTD Total Return (%)Tight Wide
Bloomberg Barclays US Credit BBB Index 140 140 197 -57 3.3 15.7Bloomberg Barclays US High-Yield 2% Issuer Cap BB Index 191 191 354 -73 3.8 14.1Bloomberg Barclays US Credit Index 100 100 143 -43 2.8 13.5Bloomberg Barclays US Credit A Index 79 79 118 -40 2.6 13.0Bloomberg Barclays US High-Yield 2% Issuer Cap B Index 368 357 531 -50 5.6 12.7Bloomberg Barclays US High-Yield 2% Issuer Cap Index 370 358 526 -53 5.6 12.1Bloomberg Barclays US Credit AA Index 57 57 81 -24 2.4 10.5S&P/LSTA Leveraged Loan BB Index 297 282 437 -139 4.8 8.4S&P/LSTA Leveraged Loan Index 504 418 551 -48 6.5 6.9S&P/LSTA Leveraged Loan B Index 525 445 580 -54 6.7 6.9J.P. Morgan CLO BBB Index 396 315 409 -11 5.6 6.7J.P. Morgan CLO BB Index 779 656 802 45 9.5 6.2Bloomberg Barclays US High-Yield 2% Issuer Cap CCC Index 979 714 989 -10 12.1 4.3Source: Bloomberg, J.P. Morgan, S&P/LSTA. As of 30 Nov 19
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Bank Loans (left)
High-Yield (left)
Bank Loan – High-Yield (right)
-3.5
-3.0
-2.5
-2.0
-1.5
-1.0
-0.5
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
PercentYield
s (%
)
Bank Loan vs. High-Yield
Source: Credit Suisse. As of 30 Oct 19
Bank Loan Valuations Currently Look Attractive Relative to High-Yield
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50%
75%
100%
125%
150%
175%
200%
225%
Jan 17 Jul 17 Jan 18 Jul 18 Jan 19 Jul 19
Ratio
BSL CLO Lower Mezz Cheap vs. HYCLO BBB/HY CLO BBB/HY Avg. - 2Y CLO BB/HY CLO BB/HY Avg. - 2Y
Source: Wells Fargo Securities, Bloomberg, Bloomberg Index Services Ltd, Markit. As of 08 Nov 19
High-Yield/CLO Relative Value
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Consumer and Housing Fundamentals Appear on Solid FootingFavor credit risk on recently originated mortgages due to stringent underwriting standards
New MCAI (Indexed to March 2011 = 100)
Household Financial Obligations Ratio¹
0.8
0.9
1.0
1.1
1.2
0
200
400
600
800
1000
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Multiple*Ne
w MC
AI (I
ndex
ed to
Mar
ch 20
11=1
00)
Mortgage Credit Availability Continues to Be Tight
Source: BAML, Federal Reserve, MBA, Western Asset. As of 30 Nov 19¹Household debt to total disposable income in the United States. As of 30 Jun 19
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EM A - US A Spread
EM BBB - US BBB Spread
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
2012 2013 2014 2015 2017 2018 2019
EM USD Corporate Yields Are CurrentlyHigher than US CorporateYields
Source: Bloomberg, J.P. Morgan. As of 30 Nov 19
Basis
Poin
tsEM IG¹
US IG
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018
Net L
ever
age
Net Leverage – EM IG and US IG
Source: J.P. Morgan. As of 30 Sep 19¹Ex. 100% quasis, Real Estate
EM Corporates Offer Value and Diversification Versus US Credit
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Relative Sector Attractiveness in Relation to Trade War Risk
The above reflects the current opinions of Western Asset. As of 11 Dec 19.
Relative Sector Attractiveness in Relation to Trade War Risk
Sect
or A
ttrac
tiven
ess
High Banks IG & HY, Energy IG, M&M IG & HY
Medium Telecom IG, Telecom HY, Pharma HY Gaming IG & HY Auto IG
Low Chem IG & HY, Energy HY, Pharma IG, Util IG & HY Aero IG & HY, Retail IG & HYAgri IG & HY, Autos HY, Cap Goods IG & HY, Cons IG &
HY, FoodBev IG & HY, Tech IG & HY
Low Medium High
Degree of Trade Risk
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Questions & Answers
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Thank you.
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Risk Disclosure
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