USDBRL – Better Entry Point Ahead

We are currently cautious on the BRL. Although valuation is cheap, deceleration in global growth and rising downside risk for global equities and commodities mean there will be a better entry point to short USD/BRL. Shorting EUR/BRL is a more attractive trade given the risk of a stronger dollar in such macro environment. First, theContinueContinue reading “USDBRL – Better Entry Point Ahead”

Central and Eastern European Countries: Rising Rates Will Lift All Boats

Download PDF: central-and-eastern-european-countries-202109-pcDownload Central banks in Czech and Hungary have begun to raise their policy rate this year amid acceleration in inflation as their domestic recovery unfolds, creating a tailwind for the koruna and forint against the Euro, which will not see the ECB raising its borrowing cost anytime soon (Chart 1). With Central andContinueContinue reading “Central and Eastern European Countries: Rising Rates Will Lift All Boats”

Chinese Slowdown, Policy Easing, and the Dollar

Download PDF: monthly_202109Download Chinese manufacturing and services PMI print for August shows growth continued to shift lower amid tight credit and fiscal condition, although it is probably worsened by the mini-outbreak and restrictions last month that distort the number to the downside. One important thing to note is that growth momentum in the rest ofContinueContinue reading “Chinese Slowdown, Policy Easing, and the Dollar”

South Africa: The Not So Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Download PDF: south-africa-pc-202109Download Last November we discussed the cyclically bullish but bleaker longer-term outlook for South African assets, in which the former has played out nicely until the end of second quarter this year. Our long position on South African bond was closed on August 10 with 10.2% gain while our overweight recommendation on SouthContinueContinue reading “South Africa: The Not So Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”

Brazil: Fiscal Crisis in the Making?

Download PDF: brazil-pc-202109Download The Brazilian 10-year bond yield has continued to shoot up to 11% this month amid the political debacle in the country and lack of credible proposal from the government to reign its growing public debt. A hawkish Fed, deterioration in Chinese growth and flareup of the pandemic globally all point to downsideContinueContinue reading “Brazil: Fiscal Crisis in the Making?”

EM Bonds Revisited

Download PDF: em-bonds-revisited_pcDownload We remain positive on some EM local currency bonds, favoring countries with higher yields and cheaper currencies, stronger external profile, and lower interest burden. Investors should overweigh local currency bonds in Indonesia, China, Colombia and Russia, and under weigh those in India, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Chile.Valuation is cheap for both BrazilianContinueContinue reading “EM Bonds Revisited”

Where Is The Correction?

Download PDF: where-is-the-correctionDownload For over a year, investors have been rewarded for tilting their portfolio towards risk assets on the backdrop of plentiful support for households from the government’s generous fiscal transfer that supported spending and Fed’s support on the credit market, preventing a crunch in liquidity of the debt market. The unprecedented fiscal andContinueContinue reading “Where Is The Correction?”

Yields Meltdown, Excess Savings and EM Policy Rate

Download PDF: monthly_202107Download Global stocks continue to experience a dichotomy in recent months amid unequal economic recovery in the developed and emerging world. With vaccination rate crossing above 50% of total population and covid-19 number goes into the rear-view mirror in the rich world, both manufacturing and service sector has rebounded strongly amid last year’sContinueContinue reading “Yields Meltdown, Excess Savings and EM Policy Rate”

Research Note: South Africa Local Curve

Download PDF: south-africa-local-curve-pcDownload South African local curve will likely continue to bear flatten in the coming months as the central bank start to raise policy rate as inflationary pressure rises – in line with other EM countries. Currently we see sufficient spread of ZA 10-year bonds against global benchmark amid the backdrop of abundant globalContinueContinue reading “Research Note: South Africa Local Curve”

$100 Oil? Crude Outlook, Russia and Saudi

Download PDF: update-on-oil-russia_pcDownload Recent weeks have seen oil price keeps on climbing despite the thawing tension between U.S.-Iran relation that potentially bring additional 1.5 mb Bbl/day supply into the market. We are expecting a continued strong global recovery this year and restraint from Saudi and Russia in ramping up production, as currently the two countries’ContinueContinue reading “$100 Oil? Crude Outlook, Russia and Saudi”