Good thoughts. I agree. Bullish case for bonds:
1. Very strong periods of growth over last ten years (5%+ GDP) yet inflation (as measured by gov't statistics) did not materialize inflation (remember 1993?). Is inflation going to materialize with the moderate growth we have now?
2. Unprecedented wealth creation from 1995-2000 due to rise in equities, particularly NASDAQ, yet, couldn't materialize inflation (as measured by gov't statistics). Current wealth creation in Real Estate.
3. Signficant globalization of labor-very deflationary.
4. Technology (read: Internet) very deflationary. Ever try to buy a shovel in Kansas 10 years ago? One had to pay the ask at the local hardware store, now can log onto homedepot.com and pay the most efficient price.
5. Global rates very low and US actually at the upper end of developed world rate scale. Japanese bonds are less than 1%, etc. (shows you where they can go).
6. Economic growth is moderating almost across the board.
7. Equities are unstable (NASDAQ -11% YTD).
8. Nobody is positioned well, everyone assumes rates going higher. Only a tiny minority positioned for lower rates, despite....
9. Most important reason- Price Action! With all the higher rate talk, 10-yr. is significantly lower in yield than it was a year ago at this time.
10. Greenspan Fed is historically dovish and has a bark worse than it's bite. Greenspan has a dual responsibility, fighting inflation BUT, also, allowing employment to grow at it's fastest possible rate without the creation of insidious inflation. Greenspan is very conscious of this and is probably very close to neutrality on Fed Funds.
11. Market is anticipatory rather than reactionary.
Biggest risk- Changing of the guard at the Fed.