Kyle Bass says US interest rates will follow the rest of the world to zero — 'This is insane'
- "We're the only country that has an integer in front of our bond yields," Bass says. "All the money is going to come here."
- Bass' comments come as several central banks around the world have implemented stimulative policies to the point where around $15 trillion of global debt trades with a negative rate.
Central banks are just getting started with monetary easing, hedge fund manager Kyle Bass said, predicting U.S. interest rates will keep falling and follow global interest rates all the way down to zero.
"We're the only country that has an integer in front of our bond yields. We have 90% of the world's investment-grade debt. We actually have rule of law and we have a decent economy. All the money is going to come here," Bass, founder and chief investment officer of Hayman Capital Management, told CNBC's David Faber on Tuesday.
Bass' comments come as several central banks around the world have implemented stimulative policies to the point where around $15 trillion of global debt trades with a negative rate. Germany and France's respective 10-year yields are in negative territory along with Japan's benchmark rate. China has also implemented stimulative measures to mitigate slowing economic growth.
"This is insane. The Japanese are going to keep going. The Chinese print money like it's a national pastime today. Europe is going to restart QE," Bass said. "QE" refers to quantitative easing, a monetary stimulus tool used by central banks.
In the U.S., the Federal Reserve cut interest rates by 25 basis points last month, citing "global developments" and "muted inflation." Market expectations for lower rates in September are also at 100%, according to the CME Group's FedWatch tool.
Bass noted U.S. rates will fall to zero as politicians disregard budget deficits while economic activity in Europe and China slows. However, these measures could have dire consequences.
"The unintended consequences of central bank printing are that it makes the rich even richer, it makes the middle class stay where they are and it makes the poor stay poor," Bass said.
Central banks are implementing easier monetary policies around the globe while China and the U.S. are engaged in a trade war. The two countries have slapped tariffs on billions of dollars worth of their goods, sparking uncertainty over future profit and economic growth.
China and the U.S. agreed to restart trade talks in late June but President Donald Trump tweeted Aug. 1 that the U.S. will impose tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese exports. The administration later delayed some of those tariffs until December.
Regardless, Bass does not think a deal is anywhere in sight. "I think Trump's political calculus is to keep talking. If he does a deal, it will be too easy and he'll get attacked from the right. If he does a deal that's too difficult, they won't sign it."