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A New Breed of Robotics
by Kenichi Amaki of Matthews Asia,
Are collaborative robotsindustrial robots made to better work alongside humanslikely to be well-received in the market? How feasible is a car made from a 3D printer? This week Portfolio Manager Kenichi Amaki discusses his findings from the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago.
A Scary Story for Emerging Markets
by John Mauldin of Mauldin Economics,
The all-too-predictable effects of a rising dollar on emerging markets that have been propped up by hot inflows and the dollar carry trade will spread far beyond the emerging markets themselves. This is another key aspect of the not-so-coincidental consequences that we will be exploring in our series on what I feel is a sea change in the global economic environment.
As the Eurozone Stalls, China Cuts the Red Tape
France and Germanys industrial production has turned down recently. Their purchasing managers index (PMI) numbers are below the 50-mark line, indicating contraction. This trend is especially worrisome because Europe is a bigger trading partner with China than the U.S. is. So whats the solution? The EU would do well to look east, specifically to China.
China: Decelerating but Still Healthy
by Andy Rothman of Matthews Asia,
GDP growth will be just above 7% this year, and slightly slower next year. Despite the negative media headlines, there are no signs of impending doom and Andy Rothman, Matthews Asia Investment Strategist, expects the property market to stabilize in the coming quarters. Strong growth in income and retail sales means China remains the worlds best consumption story.
Despite Volatility, This Bull Is Likely to Charge Higher
As the fourth quarter begins, the market has found itself engulfed in anxiety. Volatility has surged in the equity markets while the 10-year Treasury yield has dropped to 2%-leading some to question whether this bull market is breathing its last breath. We believe: * Global GDP growth will likely be in the 2.0%-3.0% range. * The U.S. is in the 5th or 6th inning of recovery, with slow but improving growth. * Despite the surge in volatility, this bull market has more room to run. * A balance of secular and cyclical growth companies presents the most attractive portfolio for this mid-cycle phase.
Blurring the Lines Between Emerging-, Frontier- and Developed-Market Stocks
There has been some convergence in terms of how one might classify emerging-, frontier- or developed-market companiesand how they might fit into investors portfolios. Recently, we have noted an increase in liquidity and transparency of many frontier-market stocks (the smaller and lesser-developed subset of emerging markets).
Loomis Sayles Core Plus Bond Fund: Navigating Dynamic Markets with Tactical Flexibility
The global economic cycle is a perpetual force influencing interest rates, credit availability and capital markets. For core plus managers who seek to generate total return by balancing liquidity and risk, these undulations pose a clear challenge.
Turkey's Position on ISIL Misunderstood
by John Browne of Euro Pacific Capital,
As territory in the Middle East falls under control of the brutal fanatics of ISIL, many Americans may be wondering how this could happen in the backyard of major U.S. allies. In particular, frustration with Turkey's reluctance to move against ISIL, even as it massacres civilians and creates instability on the Turkish border, is growing rapidly. Turkey's political calculation with respect to the crisis reveals just how complex and intractable the crisis may become.
Opportunities Amid Divergence
by Michael Gomez of PIMCO,
As in developed markets, the trends of increasing growth and policy dispersion will be borne out in emerging markets over the next 12 months. Brazil has some of the highest interest rates in the world, which presents an opportunity for investors, and we expect the next four years will be marked by a better mix of fiscal and monetary policy. Because our outlook for China has moderated somewhat, we are focusing attention on trade and financial linkages and how the ripple effects of a slower China might unfold.
Japan: Small Change Clouds Big Picture
by Mark Jason of Invesco Blog,
We continue to believe that achieving real economic growth in Japan requires changes that are hard to come by. On a recent trip to Japan, it became clear to me that this next stage of Abenomics shorthand for Prime Minister Shinzo Abes three-arrow economic revitalization program of monetary easing, targeted financial support and structural reforms calls for corporate governance reform to take the spotlight as a core part of the important third arrow, particularly as regulatory reforms have made slow progress thus far.
Protecting Whom?
by Tiffany Hsiao of Matthews Asia,
China has long been accused of protectionist policies that restrict access to many markets.Recently, this has garnered more press attention. But has China really become more confrontational with U.S. business? In todays world, what exactly is protectionism, and who are these protections meant to benefit? This month Asia Insight explores.
Global Fears
Volatility could continue but equity investors should keep the longer-term picture in mind, which we believe is positive. The U.S. economy is improving and monetary policy remains quite loose. The international picture is more concerning but diversification is important across asset classes. We currently favor emerging markets within a diversified international portfolio.
How Alibaba Could Capitalize on the EBay-PayPal Split
Ebay and Paypal Split - U.S. Global InvestorsInternet auctioneer and retailer eBay announced last week that it will be spinning off its online payment service PayPal into two listed companies. This decision, heralded by activist shareholder Carl Icahn, among other investors, will allegedly enable both companies to focus exclusively on what they do best.
Putting the Pieces Together: An In Depth Chart Review of Global Financial Markets
by Team of GaveKal Capital,
One of our favorite grounding exercises is to peruse our chart library and review what has happened in the global financial markets so we can opine about what those prices and patterns are telling us about the world. We'll save the opining for another time, so we present the following charts with little commentary.
Tocqueville Gold Strategy Investor Letter
John Hathaway, manager of the Tocqueville Gold Fund (TGLDX), states in his latest quarterly letter on gold that "On a near term basis, this looks and feels like a bottom to us. On a longer term view, we are more bullish than ever." He goes on to write that "Expanding earnings and valuations, the underpinnings of the four year bull market in financial assets, may be approaching an inflection point. A reversal of this cycle would in our opinion restore interest in gold."
Global asset allocation outlook
Recent market performance, particularly in September, has been negative across a widespread array of asset classes as we have seen the U.S. dollar exchange rate rise with increasing intensity in recent months. The worst returns, not coincidentally, were delivered by the very assets that have shown historically high sensitivity to dollar strength. This disruption to currency stability in general, and the particular importance of a rise in exchange value for the worlds reserve currency, represents an important change in capital market conditions.
Emerging from the Global Competitiveness Ranks
The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently released its annual Global Competitiveness Report, which details the strengths and weakness of 144 countries in myriad factors including education, infrastructure, health and technology. There arent many huge surprises in the developed markets, as most countries overall rankings were fairly stable from the prior year. There were, however, a few interesting shifts in the ranks among emerging markets: some making leaps forward, and others, regressing.
600 Million Reasons to Keep Your Eyes on India
In the wake of his rock star reception at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphatically announced to our nation's top corporate and political leaders that India is now open for business. Between September 26 and 30, he met with not only President Barack Obama and other high-profile politicians but also the CEOs of some of our nation's largest and most successful companies.
Vision 1994
by Mark Headley of Matthews Asia,
Twenty years ago, Paul Matthews decided to launch two Asia ex-Japan mutual funds in the U.S. and create what is today the Matthews Asia Funds. One was a core Asia ex-Japan growth fund with a mid-capitalization bias. The other fund was a unique portfolio with a focus on Asian convertible bonds. Thus began the journey of the Matthews Pacific Tiger and the Matthews Asian Growth and Income Funds.
Voya Fixed Income Perspectives September 2014
Change is in the air, and its evident beyond the riot of color overwhelming our natural landscape. Market dynamics, too, are shifting, with the yield on the U.S. two-year Treasury inching higher and the U.S. dollar appreciating. Both not only suggest markets are pricing in a stronger U.S. economy, they are also potential harbingers that the end of zero interest rate policy is near.
Slower Growth in China and Japan Pressures the Region
Our forecast for the global economy is below consensus mainly because of our views for regions outside of the U.S., including Asia, the emerging markets and Europe, although higher growth in the U.S. should offset some of the slowdown we see coming from China. Japan made a kick start under so-called Abenomics with massive monetary and fiscal reflation policies, but the recent data suggest to us that the effectiveness of those cyclical policies are already challenged by secular and structural headwinds.
5 Reasons Why Short-Term Municipal Bonds Make Sense Now
Although short-term bonds might not be as sexy as common stocks in fashionable brands like Apple and Tesla, they play an important role in any serious investor's portfolio. Below are five reasons why investing in municipal bonds makes sense now more than ever.
Global Equities Stay Thirsty for Liquidity
by Rick Golod of Invesco Blog,
Taking a step back from the usual economic and market insights, my September commentary is devoted to a topic that Ive been long overdue in addressing. Financial advisors have frequently asked about my approach to asset allocation, and Ive outlined my strategy for diversifying within the US equity space in my commentary, Harnessing the Markets Natural Rotation: An Asset Allocation Strategy. Here, Id like to provide a summary of my outlook, which remains unchanged from the previous month.
Awakening Japan Inc.
by Yu Zhang of Matthews Asia,
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's first two "arrows" of his expansionary fiscal policies have done well to curb deflation. Now, investors are concerned about Japan's so called "third arrow"the country's growth strategy. Can credible structural reform be implemented to remove impediments to its growth?
Bullish on Japanese Small-Caps
While the macroeconomic picture in Japan is unsettling for many investors, we are finding what we think are inexpensive high-quality businesses across many industries. Royce International Smaller-Companies Fund Portfolio Manager and Director of International Research David Nadel talks about how he is positioning his portfolio and explains why he has confidence in FamilyMart, a Japanese convenience store chain.
Back to Iraq
President Obama has decided to build a coalition to dislodge the Islamic State (IS). The U.S. is leading the coalition, but American efforts will be limited to air power. In this report, we will offer a short synopsis of the war plan. This analysis will be followed by a broader discussion of U.S. Middle East strategy, including a history of American policy. We will move to discuss the most likely outcome from these efforts and conclude, as always, with market ramifications.
Alternative Approaches for Managing Emerging Market Equity Portfolios
The shortcomings of indexing are especially evident in frontier markets, where some very small markets have significant weights. This paper discusses three approaches for targeting inefficiencies in emerging markets. These approaches are designed to fit together and complement each other within an investment portfolio. Overlap is generally minimal, so investors may reasonably employ all three.
“You’re Going to Need a Bigger Boat”: Alpha and Interest Rates
Caution has been the dominant sentiment among investors in recent times even as equities have continued to march along. But as the prospect of rising US interest rates becomes ever more real, Brooks Ritchey, senior managing director at K2 Advisors, Franklin Templeton Solutions, takes a look at how some individuals and institutions are changing their guarded approach. He says alternative investments could find increased interest among savvy investors as interest rates start to tick higher.
Abenomics 2.0
by Kenichi Amaki of Matthews Asia,
The reversal of Japan's equity markets so far this year, have led investors to wonder, "Is Abenomics working?" There are hundreds of components that comprise this economic plan, and among the recent successes has been job creation. However, macroeconomic statistics point to some emerging near-term challenges, including still-muted wage growth. This month Kenichi Amaki takes a look at both current pressures and progress in Japan.
Authoritarianism versus Democracy: The Key Challenge to Chinese Ascendancy
An intense debate has been underway for more than a decade about whether the East - China in particular - is in the ascendancy. Some argue this is so and that the West is in decline. Others say China's flawed political institutions will limit its monumental growth and render it precarious. This an especially opportune time to address these questions.
The Economy: September Viewpoint
The U.S. economy experienced a robust summer for economic expansion and job growth, however recent consumer data is casting doubt as to whether the current level of activity can be sustained. Our position is to maintain an emphasis on higher-quality bonds and be prepared for short-term rate increase(s) in the months to come. The road ahead for stocks continues to look positive, but it would be prudent to keep in mind the inevitable speed bumps that will likely present themselves down the road, as we have not had a meaningful pullback since 2011.
Whats on Your Radar Screen?
by John Mauldin of Mauldin Economics,
So lets look at whats on my radar screen today. First up (but probably not the most important in the long term), I would have to say, is Scotland. What has not been widely discussed is that the voting age was changed in Scotland just a few years ago. For this election, anyone in Scotland over 16 years old is eligible. Think about that for a second. Have you ever asked 16-year-olds whether they would like to be more free and independent and gotten a no answer? They dont think with their economic brains, or at least most of them dont.
Patiently Waiting for Mean Reversion
Because small caps tend to have higher beta than blue chips, you would expect them to outperform in a generally rising market?which we?re currently in. So it appears that a major rotation out of these riskier, more volatile stocks has inexplicably occurred, leading to the wide bifurcation between small and large companies. The good news is that, based on 20 years of historical data, stocks in the Russell 2000 tend to rally in the fourth quarter and continue steadily until around the end of the first quarter. Over this 20-year period ending in December 2013, the Russell has generat
Distressed Corporate Credit: A Tale of Two Markets?
by Sai S. Devabhaktuni of PIMCO,
Middle market distressed credit may be an attractive source of higher returns in an overall low yield environment for investors able to access these opportunities. However, the higher return potential comes with greater risks. Imbalances in middle markets are building. ?Investors looking toward distressed credit markets should focus on companies that will likely be able to withstand periods of economic inertia, to undertake careful valuation practices and to strictly adhere to the absolute priority rule (in which senior creditors are paid in full before junior creditors).
Understanding China's Property Market
by Andy Rothman of Matthews Asia,
One of the biggest misconceptions about Chinas property market is that most buyers are speculators. In fact, the residential market is driven by owner-occupiers, and even many poor Chinese are homeowners; China is a global leader in homeownership with urban ownership rates at 89%. The boom days may be over, but fundamental demand remains healthy. New home prices rose at an average annual pace of 9% over the last eight years, but nominal urban income rose 13% per year. Communist Party leaders do not appear too worried about property; theyve taken only modest steps to support the m
Parallels to 1937
by Robert Shiller of Project Syndicate,
The depression that followed the 1929 stock-market crash took a turn for the worse eight years later, and recovery came only with the enormous economic stimulus provided by World War II, a conflict that cost more than 60 million lives. The global situation today is not nearly so dire, but there are parallels, particularly to 1937.
The Leapfrog: The Role of Technology in Accelerating Emerging Markets Growth
The potential for emerging and frontier markets to realize accelerated economic growth as a result of new technology transfer comes up regularly in our research findings. We have been increasingly excited about a new developmentthe capacity for new technology, particularly related to data over the Internet, to completely bypass swathes of older technology and business activity. We think this could lead to even more dramatic economic progress. In effect, the emerging markets are leapfrogging over the old technology and taking advantage of the newest technology today.
Searching for Value in Global Small-Cap Stocks
by Virginia Au of Invesco Blog,
While many global small-cap companies have gotten their balance sheets in good shape over the last few years, valuations are currently a concern. The MSCI World Index is up 184% since the market low on March 9, 2009, and we believe most equities are at or near full value. This makes it much harder to find high-quality companies at cheap prices. Against this backdrop, the challenge is to find the hidden gems within the vast universe of global small-cap companies.
Europe Takes the QE Baton
by John Mauldin of Mauldin Economics,
This week well look at what is happening across the pond in Europe, where the above-mentioned negative rates are only one ingredient in a big pot of Bizarro soup. And well think about what it means for the US Federal Reserve to be so close to the end of its quantitative easing, even as the ECB takes the baton to add 1 trillion to the worlds liquidity. And meanwhile, Japan just keeps plugging away.
The New Challenges of Price Discovery
In the past few years, price discoveryor the act of finding the right price for a securityhas become much more challenging because of falling stock volume and widening bid-ask spreads. These challenges are directly attributable to the infiltration of high-frequency traders into the market, not to mention the expansion of dark pools and non-exchange trading.
Results 3,501–3,550
of 4,322 found.
