Analysis of MBS Underperformance Compared to Other Credit Products

MBS demand from banks and international buyers is seen as weakening in the near term as expectations for the US Federal Reserve’s first rate cut and a taper in the pace of quantitative tightening is being pushed further into 2024, says Nick Maciunas, head of agency MBS research at JP Morgan Securities. In this Macro Matters edition of the Bloomberg Intelligence FICC Focus podcast, Maciunas joins hosts Ira Jersey, BI chief US rate strategist, and Erica Adelberg, BI’s chief US MBS strategist, to discuss shifts in MBS market dynamics. The trio dive into the microstructure of the market and how changes in Fed policy expectations impacts securities demand from the banking sector. They also touch on the drivers of the asset class’ recent underperformance and the implications of regulatory changes on hedging behavior.