Surging Jobless Claims and In Line CPI validate our Bullish rate Outlook
- InfraCap Management
- 12 hours ago
- 2 min read
The 10-year treasury yield dipped below 4% briefly after jobless claims came in at 263,000 which is the highest level since the end of the Pandemic in late 2021. Jobless claims are a leading indicator of the labor market whereas the actual monthly employment report is a lagging indicator, particularly given a trend of large negative revisions. CPI Core printed in line at .3 with the data series continuing to be distorted by the archaic and arbitrary calculation of shelter wit Owner’s Equivalent Rent inexplicable rising to .4% and 4% Y/Y with actual market rents approximately flat. CPI-R core, which utilizes real time data to estimate shelter vs. the two-year delayed data used in CPI-R, is running at only 1.7% (see figure below). Volatile components of CPI caused the core rate to be elevated with airline fares rising 5.9%, used cars up 1% and motor vehicle maintenance up 2.4%.
CPI-R continues to be a leading indicator for CPI-U

We continue to be bullish on 10-year treasuries with a 3.5-4.0% year-end target based on the fact that the interest sensitive sectors of the US economy, housing and construction, are in recession which is impacting the job market (see figure below). This weakening of the job market will force the Fed to cut 3 times this year and reach the neutral rate of 2.75-3.0% in the first half of 2026. The US 10-year is 70% corelated with the expected terminal rate of Fed Funds which is currently 3.00% with a normal spread being 1.05% (see figure below). We are also bullish on stocks as Fed rate cuts and momentum in AI drive stock prices with our upside target on the S&P at 7,000 which represents 23x our 2026 S&P earnings estimate.
Investment Component of GDP Drives Economic Cycles


Market implied policy rate continues to forecast 10-year yields
