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Equities Markets Start 2014 in Deep Freeze
By slowly normalizing policy, the Fed is passing the responsibility of pricing risk back to the markets, resulting in higher volatility. The health of the emerging markets is vital to global growth, as developing countries have doubled their contribution to global GDP over the past decade to nearly 40%. S&P 500 corporations derive half their revenue from overseas; support from global consumerism and manufacturing is on track to continue. Broad global diversification across equity and fixed income markets is the best way to protect against volatility.
Thrift, Thrift, Burning Bright
Does the title sound familiar? Think feral instead of frugal, and William Blakes "Tyger, Tyger, burning bright" may start to flicker between the synapses of memory and an English lit class you once soldiered through. But even if you havent read "The Tyger", its theme is aptly captured in the opening line and its image of a big flaming kitty cat. Essentially, Blake saw reality in duality: To appreciate the ferocious feline in all its glory is to come face to face with the same force that created "The Lamb", another entry in the poets Songs of Innocence and of Experience.
Willing a Fiscal Win
Why cant we just will our desired political outcomes the way the most fervent seemingly can impact ballgames? After watching Fenway Park packed to the rafters with Red Sox faithful exercising their sovereign and ethereal right to psychically encourage baseballs out of the yard and knowing that millions of others in Red Sox nation were doing the same in front of their televisions were left wondering if the fans of Team U.S.A. can apply a little of that classic Carlton Fisk mojo a few hundred miles down I-95.
Government Shutdown Doesn't Shut Down Markets in October
The stage was set for an October selloff, but markets treated investors to another round of across-the-board gains. Headlines comparing todays equity market with 1999 are way off; the current rally has been driven by solid corporate fundamentals, and the market remains compellingly valued. Global economic growth remains sluggish, and eventual Fed tapering is likely to introduce volatility into markets worldwide.
Brave New World
If the monotony of high school lulled you into a catatonic state the semester you were supposed to read Brave New World, heres the CliffsNotes summary of what you missed. Aldous Huxley imagined a futuristic utopia in which the government promotes economic and emotional stability through the plentiful use of a soporific opiate called soma. Soma allows the mind to take a holiday from worldly problems via a gram, or two or three. Imagine the chaos into which this fictional world would descend were the government to abandon its role as pharmacist to the masses.
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Good economic news in developed markets has been overshadowed lately by the bad (burgeoning Asian currency crisis) and the ugly (Syria). Unwinding central bank support from the markets will be arduous; it is already contributing to destabilization of certain emerging market currencies. News out of Washington this autumn tapering, Fed leadership and the debt ceiling has the potential to add volatility and uncertainty. The U.S. equity market has been the place to be this year, but diversification remains key.
ING Fixed Income Perspectives August 2013
While it?s been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, some pictures are just not that complicated. Take the current U.S. yield curve, for example, our interpretation of which can be boiled down to just a handful of syllables: ?zero interest rate policy? and ?taper?.
Market Melt-Up Catches Defensive Investors by Surprise
Extraordinary returns in the fourth year of a bull market remind us that long-term defensiveness cant be rationalized. July saw remarkable returns across global equity and fixed income markets, with the exception of U.S. Treasuries. Investors would be well served to ignore media drama and fear mongering and simply follow the fundamentals. Five years spent worrying about Armageddon is too long, but theres still time to get back to a normal allocation.
ING Fixed Income Perspectives July 2013
We are constructive on interest rate risks in many developed and emerging economies as global central banks reinforce accommodative monetary policy. We favor the U.S. dollar versus the Japanese yen, the Euro and other developed market currencies. Credit spreads should narrow from current levels as the markets gain confidence and the Treasury market stabilizes. preads offer more than adequate compensation for likely credit losses and a further rise in interest rates. Spreads have been pressured to pre-QE3 levels and mortgages look attractive at these higher levels as prepayment speeds slow.
A Midyear Update: Getting Back to Normal
Though markets were whipsawed by the announcement, the Feds plan to step aside and allow normalization is a good thing. Today, the primary risk for investors to hedge is economic growth and the strong equity returns it tends to produce not financial Armageddon. While risks in Europe and China persist, U.S. fundamentals look relatively strong. Two consecutive quarters of S&P 500 earnings growth prompts a forecast update.
Getting Back to Normal
Though markets were whipsawed by the announcement, the Feds plan to step aside and allow normalization is a good thing.
The primary risk to hedge is now economic growth and the strong equity returns it tends to produce not financial Armageddon. While risks in Europe and China persist, U.S. fundamentals look relatively strong. Its not too late for investors to move away from defensive positioning and back toward a standard allocation.
ING Fixed Income Perspectives June 2013
Fears of Fed tapering are overblown; we expect global funding conditions to remain easy. We continue to favor the U.S. dollar and are bearish on the euro and the yen; we are cautious on EM local currencies, as volatility is likely to persist.Spreads are appealing at current levels, with higher-quality industrials offering the most attractive risk/reward.
May Flowers Bring Best Equity Market Since 1997 as Bonds Wilt
The S&P 500 has opened 2013 with its best year-through-May return since 1997. U.S. Treasury prices, in contrast, plunged last month on talks of Fed tapering. Dont expect the reflation in bond yields to continue in the near term, as the Fed continues to struggle in its current war against deflation. Fundamental business activity not quantitative easing is the wellspring of sustained economic growth, creating lasting sales and profits. For investors, the two biggest self-defeating fears continue to be 1) the fear of buying equities and 2) the fear of buying bonds.
ING Fixed Income Perspectives May 2013
How do you like them apples? By pointing out some Excel blunders in the data of Harvard economists Reinhart and Rogoff, a UMass-Amherst grad student appears to have gotten their number and in the process discredited their seminal work touting the merits of austerity. Though Good Will Hunting fans may be amused to see a couple of Harvardians get their comeuppance, you don?t need the titular character?s wicked smarts to deduce that harsh government spending cuts may not be the best way to pick up your economy.
A Tale of Two Markets: Equity Bulls and Bond Bears
Surging equity markets absent an accompanying rate rally is a red flag, as Treasury yields remain well below normal. While investors renewed enthusiasm for equities is warranted, they must be careful to avoid the folly of gaming diversification. Corporate earnings have impressed, though revenue has struggled due in part to a moribund Europe. Divergent markets mean investors should stay broadly diversified in equities and real bonds not near-cash and ever alert to the fundamentals.
Deflation Is OverPlease Come Out
A blooper reel of 20th century history would likely include a feature on Japanese soldier Hiro Onoda. Posted to a small island in the Philippines during the waning days of World War II, when Onodas mission proved unsuccessful he was ultimately forced to flee into the woods, where he survived on a steady diet of coconuts and bananasfor almost 30 years after the end of the war.
F.I.R.S.T.: Bond Market Outlook
Amid heightened political uncertainty in Europe and subdued global growth expectations, global investors owe Hiroki Kuroda a big domo arigato for his pledge to inject about $1.4 trillion into the moribund Japanese economy by the end of 2014. The newly appointed BOJ governor?s unprecedented plan to buy Japanese government bonds,
Surprise! 2013 Rally Pales in Comparison to 2012 “Stealth” Rally
Despite the hoopla over first quarter market performance, it paled in comparison to the first three months of 2012. Driven in part by an extremely accommodative Fed, the U.S. economy is gaining traction, but Europe continues to flounder. After their first negative print in three years during the third quarter, S&P 500 companies returned to positive earnings growth in the fourth. A broad, globally diversified portfolio is the best way to balance the desire for wealth accumulation with an appreciation of volatility.
F.I.R.S.T.: Made in the U.S.A.
Not just the preamble for the machine-wash-in-cold-water-and-eat-celery-only instructions on the inside of your skinny jeans, Made in the U.S.A. is a brand in vogue these days as the Stars and Stripes looks to dawn a manufacturing renaissance to go with that snazzy new housing recovery everyones been talking about.
U.S. Dominates World Markets for the Trifecta
While large-cap indices get all the headlines, mid and small caps have continued to excel. Frontier markets have picked up the slack as major emerging markets stumble. Global risks persist, though U.S. fundamentals appear solid. The move toward U.S. energy independence should soon result in a trade surplus, boosting GDP.
Animal Spirits: F.I.R.S.T.
Call it what you will a dog-eat-dog world in which you're wearing Milk-Bone underwear or an example of capitalism at its finest an M&A cycle is heating up. This activity may be signaling the rebirth of what British economist John Maynard Keynes originally referred to as "animal spirits", much to the delight of fictional corporate barbarian Gordon Gekko and his real-life analogues, who require little prompting to act on Keynes "spontaneous urge to action".
ING Fixed Income Perspectives February 2013
Despite its diminutive size, February has been a whirlwind. Eat and drink too much on Fat Tuesday, be reminded of our corporeal nature on Ash Wednesday, receive a sappy Hallmark card on Thursday, and cap it all off with a memorial for a bunch of ex-presidents on Monday. Unfortunately, the next several weeks don't appear to offer any relief from this calendar whiplash.
Fixed Income Asset Allocation Post-Apocalypse
December 21, 2012 the day the Earth was prophesized to collide with a black hole of kaputness has come and gone in defiance of the Mayan calendar. The more upbeat interpretation of the 5,125-year Mayan cycle, however, is that the end date doesn't signify Armageddon but rather the beginning of a new time for positive change here on earth. So allow us to suggest an investment playbook to cash in on this silver lining. In short, the sweetness of the metaphorical fortune cookie in your hand will depend on how you allocate your fixed income assets in 2013.
2013 Forecast: Good Economy, Challenged Markets
We enter 2013 bombarded by conflicting signals. While fundamentals have been mixed of late, longer-term themes our "tectonic shifts" like the energy revolution are gaining momentum and promising to make positive contributions sooner rather than later. And while salutary measures taken by policymakers have eased global risks and lessened fears of Armageddon, there is considerable work yet to be done.
ING Fixed Income Perspectives December 2012
While all the good little boys and Cindy Lou Whos dream of sugar plums and new iPhone 5s in blue, the adults in our modern-day Christmas story can't sleep but a wink, as visions of getting Scrooge'd by the fiscal cliff are making hearts sink. No matter if this political humbug cease or persist, down the chimneys of a recuperating housing market Ol' Saint Bernanke-olas will continue to gift $85 billion of Treasury and MBS purchases per month or more until the labor market can finally get over the hump and deliver 6.5% unemployment and inflation of 2.5% and no more.
Resilient Markets Mask Greater Concerns in Real Economy
Though equity markets have been calm, the real economy tells a different story.
If our leaders in Washington arent able to arrive at a compromise, January 1 will mark the beginning of the countrys first scheduled recession, though third quarter corporate earnings suggest a global slowdown is evident.
Dont be surprised to see a Christmas rally should Congress kick the fiscal can down the road and the Fed extend Operation Twist.
Fixed Income Perspectives
A wise American once said "Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid." A good example is when your pals in Washington are so busy pushing their partisan agendas that they lose sight of what could happen to the American economic Thunderbird if it goes all Thelma and Louise over the fiscal cliff. With the latest elections in the books, it remains to be seen if a Democratic president and acrimonious Republican House can put on their thinking caps to devise a way to delicately pump the brakes of fiscal restraint.
Equities Slumped Post-Election as Investors Grew Fearful of Approaching Fiscal Cliff
by Team of ING Investment Management,
Equities slumped post-election as investors grew increasingly fearful of the approaching fiscal cliff in light of a divided Washington, though encouraging economic data out of the U.S. and China helped stabilize markets on Friday.
Magic 8 Ball Knows All
The efficacy of 1980s technology turned out to be a real bummer, huh? Flying DeLoreans and flux capacitors are the ultimate heartbreakers, but the clairvoyance promised by those iridescent black and white Magic 8 Balls is definitely a close second. Give one a few shakes today and see for yourself. "Magic 8 Ball, [SHAKE] will financial markets rally post the U.S. election?" "It is decidedly so." "Magic 8 Ball, [SHAKE] are you lying?" "Yes definitely." "Magic 8 Ball, [SHAKE] seriously?" "Reply hazy, try again."
October Surprise
Third quarter earnings growth for S&P 500 companies is at risk of being negative for the first time in three years. While the presidential election is important, Congress will ultimately control spending and tax legislation. Monetary stimulus alone is both inadequate and unsustainable; pro-growth taxation, spending and regulatory policy is key to our economic revival.
Commentary and Statistics
by Team of ING Investment Management,
U.S. equity markets were mixed during an abbreviated trading week in which Hurricane Sandy forced the longest weather-related shutdown of U.S. stock trading since 1888. While the S&P 500 eked out a small gain, the DJIA and Nasdaq closed slightly lower.
Weekly Update: Commentary and Statistics
by Team of ING Investment Management,
U.S. equity markets fell back into decline during the week, as earnings reports and more specifically, forward outlooks inspired investor caution. Meanwhile, a potential "Frankenstorm" has the East Coast on edge for the coming week.
Third Quarter Surge Caps 12-Month Relentless Risk Rally
Despite the rally of the past year, equity markets still look cheap. Weakening manufacturing data suggest the 12-quarter streak of positive earnings growth may come to an end in the third quarter.
Housing has turned the corner, providing consumers with cause for confidence. Though fundamentals have wavered a bit, we are constructively bullish on risky assets, as "successful investing demands a choice between prudent risk control and outright risk avoidance".
Perennial May Euro Crisis Hits U.S. and Global Markets
For the third straight year, a Euro-crisis hit markets in May. Investors are fearful and looking for a plan of action. A good plan should defend against bear markets but not overreact to normal volatility. Earnings growth remains positive the U.S. is slowly but surely moving forward. Ample rewards await those who stay focused on long-term goals. For the third straight year a euro crisis hit markets in the month of May.
Late Bull Stampede Turns Bears Into April Fools
April should have derailed the market, but it didnt; a temporary pullback was the best the bears could muster. The bears normally make money by betting against the crowded trade; by being on the sidelines, the bears now are the crowded trade and in foolish fashion. The bulls, meanwhile, find themselves in the odd position of being seen as contrarians, even though fundamentals are setting records and equity market performance over the last two quarters has been spectacular. Let the stampede continue!
Strong Fundamentals Drive Best First Quarter Since 1998
The best first quarter since 1998 was marked by strong fundamentals and reduced volatility and global risk.Could it be that the vicious cycle of the past few years has been broken? Could we have entered into the type of virtuous cycle in which positive data beget more positive data, as has marked prior sustained bull markets? Sell in May and go away and other bear strategies that have worked in prior years will likely be ineffective this year, driven in large part by strong fundamentals and global risks that have been excessively discounted.
February Leaps to a Multi-Decade Market Open
The markets YTD success has been fueled by a dramatic reduction in global risk and upbeat economic data. The fence to contain the euro crisis has been definitively established. Oil prices are a concern, but the real economy has the wind in its sails. Though equity fund outflows continue, its never too late for investors to do the right thing.
Global Markets Rally on Moderating Global Risk and Positive Fundamentals
The so-called January Effect typically causes equity markets to explode out of the gates only to fizzle out after the second week of the month. January 2012 was different, however, as the equity market delivered four weeks of moderate but relentlessly positive returns on the back of easing global risks. Meanwhile, volatility broke below 20 for the first time since last May. Investors on the sidelines barely noticed the explosive performance, nor did a media that nonchalantly labeled it a stealth rally There is nothing stealthy about a 4.5% monthly return!
Fundamentals March on Despite Global Risks in 2012
The two primary drivers of market performancefundamentals and global risksacted in opposition in 2011. It is critical to understand the hierarchy of influence of these drivers in order to understand the current market and to forecast its future direction. Although spikes in global risk may make headlines and cause temporary shocks to investor confidence, the markets path ultimately comes down to the strength of the underlying fundamentals. We expect 2012 will mark the third consecutive year that fundamentals relentlessly march forward despite ample global risks.
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