Japan

Global uncertainty is elevated, but markets know this. Brexit could prove extremely negative for the global economy if it prompts a questioning of the EU's integrity. The cyclical outlook for the pound remains poor, but a short-term opportunity to buy GBP/JPY has emerged. We still like the SEK and commodity currencies. The SNB will continue to intervene, but the peg is increasingly dangerous.

The Russo-Chinese relationship got a diplomatic boost this week, but can China provide Russia with the capital it needs to boost productivity meaningfully?

Government bond yields will remain at depressed levels as investors stay in safe haven assets given the lack of clarity on the next steps in the Brexit saga.

Among the myriad of troubling signs for the global economy, some developments on the inventory and deflationary fronts could point to a brighter future. While still not our base case, those factors need to be monitored. With Brexit over and done with, we are reshuffling our GBP portfolio. Remain bullish EUR/USD. Go short CAD/NOK.

The Brexit vote is a coin toss. We introduce a simple model to estimate the effect of a "stay" or a "leave" vote on various currencies and assets. A "leave" vote could cause GBP/USD to fall to 1.32 or less, creating a tactical buying opportunity. Extreme GBP implied volatility suggests that selling vol is attractive. The Fed decreased its rate projections.

The "reflation trade" is breaking down. Brexit risk is partly at fault; the bigger issue is the lack of a global "spender of last resort." Globally, savings must equal investment. The problem is that desired savings are rising and desired investment is falling. Policy is increasingly reflecting this reality: Fiscal austerity is yielding to stimulus, the obsession with fighting inflation replaced with talk of helicopter money/other radical solutions. Bond yields are likely to stay depressed for the next two years, but could then begin to rise much more than current market expectations. We are closing our short EUR/JPY trade.

The 1990s mid-cycle slowdown is an appropriate analogue to current market conditions. A lower dollar was the key ingredient the easing in monetary conditions that resolved this episode. This suggests that today, as the sole economic lever left, the greenback has further downside. Go short USD/SEK. Go long a basket of NOK, CAD, AUD and NZD against the USD.

The disappointing May payroll report does not foreshadow an imminent economic downturn. The Japanese government's decision to postpone next year's VAT increase and introduce fresh fiscal stimulus should help jumpstart growth. On the flipside, the Fed is likely to restart its hiking cycle in September and the Chinese government will crack down later this year on what it regards as excessive credit growth. More worryingly, the odds of Brexit have increased over the past few weeks. Go tactically short European stocks (in dollar terms).

The median voter theory is one of the few genuine theories of political science. It assumes that voters have limited policy priorities and that politicians want power. Therefore the latter will adjust their stances to satisfy the largest swath of voters. The median voter in the Anglo-Saxon world is shifting to the left, and regardless of what happens in the Brexit referendum or the U.S. election, this shift will be the most consequential development for markets.

The median voter theory is one of the few genuine theories of political science. It assumes that voters have limited policy priorities and that politicians want power. Therefore the latter will adjust their stances to satisfy the largest swath of voters. The median voter in the Anglo-Saxon world is shifting to the left, and regardless of what happens in the Brexit referendum or the U.S. election, this shift will be the most consequential development for markets.