Equity Funding Costs Surge to 200 Basis Points as Quarter-End Nears

This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

US equity financing costs have climbed sharply into quarter-end, creating a possible pressure point for investors even as repo markets show only modest stress. The July contract tied to the S&P 500 (SPY) total-return index touched 200 basis points on June 26, far above its 62-basis-point average in May, as large share offerings, rising stock valuations and rapid growth in leveraged ETFs helped drive stronger demand for dealer balance-sheet capacity.

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Bank of America strategists Eleanor Xiao and Mark Cabana warned that equity funding matters for US fixed income because it could crowd out intermediation. If equity funding keeps rising, dealers could potentially redirect balance-sheet capacity from fixed income into equities, while Morgan Stanley strategists said quarter-end activity could become messy as prime brokers possibly turn more conservative, leaving hedge funds with less financing availability and more expensive pricing.

Some relief could arrive after June as recent large public offerings finish tying up cash, but financing costs may not fall back to May levels. With the S&P 500 on track for its best quarter since 2020 on AI investment optimism, Bank of America said equity funding pressure could persist until demand cools, dealer capacity expands or US equities decline, suggesting investors may need to watch funding markets as closely as stock prices.

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