Fixed Income
The reflation rally continues. Despite our bearish outlook for the year, we think the risks of the current rally lie to the upside given China's redoubling of stimulus at the expense of reform. Populist troubles are picking up in Europe, but we maintain our positive structural view and note that the migration crisis is slackening. Rather, the greatest risks of populism continue to flourish in the Anglo-Saxon world with Brexit and Trump.
Preliminary results from the Philippine elections suggest that policy uncertainty and discontinuity will challenge the reform trajectory of a country with one of the best macroeconomic backdrops in the emerging market universe.
The U.S. dollar has fallen to almost 5% below its 2016 peak. In this <i>Special Report</i> we explore the impact of a weaker dollar on key U.S. fixed income markets.
To cheaply hedge against a "Leave" vote, go long U.K. inflation protection, reduce exposure to U.K. corporate debt, and position for a steepening of the Gilt curve.
We continue to view the rally in equities and high-yield corporate bonds since February as a high-risk affair.
We discuss the technical and political problems with helicopter money, plus the near-term outlook for the euro area economy and markets.
Colombia's structural growth outlook is superior to many other developing economies. In the near-term, however, Colombia's economy is set to weaken materially. Upgrade Colombian equities and sovereign credit to neutral versus EM benchmarks. Continue betting on further yield curve flattening/inversion and buy 10-year domestic bonds on weakness. Go long Colombian bank stocks / short Peruvian banks, and stay short the peso.
The factors that drove the recent rally - Fed dovishness, China reflation, and a pickup in economic data - are largely over.
Financial conditions will continue to ease during the next few months, and the Fed will use its June statement to prepare the markets for a rate hike in September.
Absolute valuations on Euro Area corporates are not cheap, but there are relative value opportunities to take advantage of the ECB becoming a major buyer of corporates. Favor Euro Area High-Yield over Euro Area Investment Grade, and favor Euro Area corporates over U.S. corporates.