Asset Allocation

A surprisingly dovish outcome from this week's FOMC meeting has led to broad-based weakness in the U.S. dollar. The monetary policy divergence supporting the dollar may have peaked.

We differ markedly with the U.S. EIA's assessment of the near-term evolution of oil supply and demand.

A Chinese reflationary cycle is unfolding. Capital spending is showing signs of regained vigor, driven by both housing and infrastructure. Chinese PPI deflation will ease further. This will help reduce balance sheet stress of materials producers and boost overall industrial profits. Remain positive on Chinese investable stocks.

This <i>Special Report</i> reviews all of our active recommendations, including our over/underweight country and asset allocation positions, as well as our current tactical trades.

The current uptrend in Treasury yields will be cut short once the dollar appreciates in response to an increasingly hawkish Fed. Maintain benchmark duration and add a long 2/10 barbell, short 5yr bullet trade to profit from Fed hawkishness.

Bearish sentiment, higher oil prices and Chinese policy stimulus leave room for a continued bounce in stock prices. But this rally is unlikely to prove sustainable.

Confirming indicators still do not validate the oversold rally. Fade the materials sector bounce, by selling steel down to underweight.

The benefit of including alternative assets in a traditional portfolio is almost at an all-time high, due mostly to increased return enhancement. This is despite the growing popularity of the alternatives industry and the larger number of entrants, which have reduced alpha opportunities.

The euro stopped weakening in March 2015, which coincided with the ECB starting its asset purchases. Since then, the ECB's incremental policies have been unable to push the euro lower. The price action speaks to the resilience of the currency and indicates that a lot of bad news has been discounted.