Billionaire Paul Tudor Jones warned on Tuesday that a mix of rock-bottom interest rates and runaway government spending was a “heady brew” fueling an economic bubble that will eventually burst.
At a wide-ranging discussion at the Greenwich Economic Forum with billionaire hedge fund chief Ray Dalio, Jones called the current combination of fiscal and monetary policy “the most stimulative it’s ever been.” Both men have become vocal advocates for the idea that growing inequality is fueling a populist backlash.
"It’s literally the most conducive environment for economic growth and strength that I’ve ever seen,” Jones said. But he noted that low rates and high government spending are also fueling political polarization and a widening wealth gap.
He also suggested the dynamic has created an unusual political convergence between Democrats and Republicans, as neither party has tackled the issue of deficit spending.
President
Donald Trump “is the greatest salesman in the history of this country,” Jones said, noting that the president persuaded the Republican Party to embrace a massive deficit as “a reasonable proposition and [an example of] good government policy.”
He was also critical of the Federal Reserve, which just last week cut benchmark rates in the face of a slowdown. Combined with soaring public spending, Jones called U.S. public policy “a heady economic brew we’re all consuming.”
Jones’s $8 billion macro firm recently warned that the potential election of Democrat Elizabeth Warren could trigger a 25% correction in the stock market. On that score, he predicted the S&P 500 would likely tumble from current levels if either of the leading Democrats were elected, given their embrace of high taxes.
