U.S. Economy Running Below Potential, Takeaways from Earnings Season

In last month’s piece we suggested that the U.S. labour market and economic growth have likely grown at a below-trend rate: “Below the surface, however, we are watching for the crosscurrent in U.S. labour market data that is the Achilles heel of America’s consumer-driven economy. The 3-month moving average of non-farm payroll gains have droppedContinueContinue reading “U.S. Economy Running Below Potential, Takeaways from Earnings Season”

Evidence, Dear Boy, Evidence

The resilience of the U.S. equity market despite falling fundamentals have continued to puzzle investors expecting lower stock prices. The S&P 500 has rallied 14% from its recent bottom in October, consumer discretionary has been outperforming staples for the past two months and sell-side analysts are sounding more bullish – with some pointing to theContinueContinue reading “Evidence, Dear Boy, Evidence”

Ten Predictions for 2023

This year has been particularly difficult for most investors as there are few places to hide from inflation and rising cost of capital. Both equity and long-term bonds are down over 20% YTD, and even the value of cash is being eaten out by inflation, which rose as high as 9.1% y/y back in June.ContinueContinue reading Ten Predictions for 2023

Can the Stock Market Handle Fed Tightening and Slowing Growth?

Download PDF: 202204_testing_timeDownload Three fundamental events have shaped the first quarter of 2022: Russian invasion of Ukraine, Federal Reserve’s hawkish monetary policy guidance and delivery of its first policy rate hike since the pandemic began, and greater reflationary efforts by Chinese authorities to stimulate growth. All these happened on the backdrop of a strong U.S.ContinueContinue reading “Can the Stock Market Handle Fed Tightening and Slowing Growth?”

Strength of the U.S. Economy and Implications of Russia’s Ukraine Invasion

Download PDF: 202203-thoughts-on-macro-and-equity-strategyDownload Three market moves have dominated the macro landscape in the past quarter amid the Fed tightening policy and geopolitical tension in Eastern Europe: rise in Treasury yields, strengthening dollar, and rally in oil prices. These all amount to a growth tax for consumers, which will inevitably lead to a growth slowdown inContinueContinue reading “Strength of the U.S. Economy and Implications of Russia’s Ukraine Invasion”

China: Implications from Real Estate Crackdown and Growth Outlook

Download PDF: perspective-on-chinese-real-estate-sector-pcDownload The news related to Evergrande default last month has reignite investors attention to the country real estate sector, which is a major driver of Chinese growth and strongly intertwined to the country’s banking sector. Moreover, property accounts for 70% of household wealth – a significantly higher portion compared to U.S. and JapanContinueContinue reading “China: Implications from Real Estate Crackdown and Growth Outlook”

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”

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?”

EM Equity Earnings and Valuation Outlook

Download PDF: em_valuethesis_pcDownload EM Equity Earnings Outlook The broad EM benchmark has rallied hard in the past year and is now some 15% above the pre-pandemic level. After the fall in earnings for most EM countries – with EM benchmark’s earnings currently still 17% below January 2020 level – the market is now expecting sharpContinueContinue reading “EM Equity Earnings and Valuation Outlook”

Peru: Latin America’s Growth Star

Download PDF: peru-researchDownload For long investors have regarded Chile and Peru as one of the more stable Latam countries, as reflected in these countries’ borrowing cost and disciplined management of fiscal and monetary policy. Late last year, however, Peru went through a political crisis over the impeachment of former President Vizcarra by the Congress overContinueContinue reading “Peru: Latin America’s Growth Star”