Michael A. Gayed: Credit spreads typically peak months after a recession begins

Michael A. Gayed: Credit spreads typically peak months after a recession begins
Credit spreads lag recession onset

Credit spreads have historically reached their peak 5 to 7 months after a recession has begun, rather than before, according to Michael A. Gayed. He added that by the time widening appears in the data, it is often too late to reposition portfolios.

Gayed previously reported that the S&P 500 fell 19.35% and high yield bonds declined 5.9% in Q4 2018, while the JOJO.Index hypothetical backtest gained 4.78% during the same period (link). He also noted that high yield option-adjusted spreads stood at 343 basis points in early November, marking an increase of 83 basis points from the 12-month low but remaining below the 10-year average of 383 basis points (link). These observations provide historical context to his views on credit spread behavior around recessions.

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