Inflation. War. Covid. They’re each taking their toll on investors’ nerves.
Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues to squeeze commodities, adding to the inflationary pressures that were building during the Covid pandemic and forcing central banks across the world to hike interest rates and drain liquidity from the global financial system.
And Covid itself hasn’t gone away – not least in China, where the more authorities try to throttle a new infection wave, the more they throttle the economy.
This pernicious combination of rising real interest rates and worries about how the global economy will cope with a shortage of fossil fuels and other commodities weighs heavily on the outlook for equities. As a result, we have downgraded the asset class to underweight, and upgraded cash to overweight – we await confirmation that inflation and bond yields have peaked before re-allocating to fixed income.
Although equity valuation multiples have shrunk significantly – down 30 per cent from September 2020 on a price-earnings basis – they’re still not attractive enough to compensate for the risks. For instance, market projections for corporate earnings haven’t sufficiently factored in the prospect of recession. At the same time, profit margins are being squeezed by rising input costs.
As for bonds, performance is likely to track inflation expectations and national growth prospects.
Though the risks are on the downside, our business cycle indicators are only just managing to stay neutral, though there are warning signs of stagflation across the major regions. We have revised down our expectations for global growth for 2022 to 2.9 per cent from 3.4 per cent last month and inflation is revised up to 7.3 per cent from 6.8 per cent.
We have reduced our growth projections for the US economy, revising down our GDP growth forecast for the current year to 3.0 per cent from 4.0 per cent as our leading indicator slipped into negative territory for the first time since August 2020, reflecting the fact that rising mortgage rates are starting to take a bite out of the housing market. On the plus side, retail sales have held up and household balance sheets remain in good shape.
The downward revision to US GDP projections have been more significant than those for the euro zone during the past month.
While the US Federal Reserve has set the hawkish tempo, other central banks, especially the European Central Bank, have started to catch up. Although regional inflation is set to peak in May, wage growth could be a spanner in the works. There are signs of significant pay increases in some sectors in France and Germany. If that starts to pick up the peak in inflation could be delayed.
Lockdowns have sent the Chinese economy into a deep slump. Retail sales, industrial production and fixed asset investment have all come under pressure. We have cut our 2022 full-year growth forecast for the economy to 4.2 per cent now considerably below the official target of 5.5 percent which always looked ambitious. We are however optimistic about a strong recovery in the second half as the economically key regions start to open up again.
Our liquidity readings show central banks are removing stimulus at the fastest pace ever – there has been a USD600 billion drain over the past three months.1 Our liquidity indicator is at its most negative for the US and our readings for the euro zone and emerging Asia ex-China also show a marked retrenchment.
We believe that the US is half way through its monetary tightening cycle – including both Fed rate hikes and the central bank’s quantitative tightening programme. The Fed is increasingly caught between the frying pan and the fire – forced to choose between tightening and causing a recession or failing to tighten sufficiently and allowing inflation to become entrenched. We think the former scenario is more likely. So far, however, the contraction of Fed liquidity is being partly offset by an increase in private sector lending.
China is an exception to the wider rule of contracting liquidity. Central bank policy easing is beginning to have an effect and excess liquidity – money supply in excess of what is needed to maintain current economic conditions – has jumped.
For the first time since the summer of 2011, both bonds and equities look reasonably attractive on our valuation metrics. Commodities, on the other hand, remain at their most expensive in 20 years. Emerging market local currency government bonds are positive while valuations for US dollar and euro denominated high yield credit are improving as their yield spreads have widened. Meanwhile, real estate now looks cheap.
Our technical indicators show that the trend for equities has turned negative for the first time since March 2020, with a broad weakening of momentum across developed markets, which dampens the outlook over the coming six to 12 months, though over the short term there’s the chance of a rebound.
Bond trends remain negative, though are starting to show signs of stabilising. Investor sentiment and positioning surveys show that appetite for risk remains at very depressed levels. Investors have raised cash to highest level in two decades, rotated further into defensives and turned underweight equities and tech as per a widely followed fund manager survey.
Opinion written by Luca Paolini, Pictet Asset Management’s Chief Strategist.
Discover Pictet Asset Management’s macro and asset allocation views.
Information, opinions and estimates contained in this document reflect a judgment at the original date of publication and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those presented herein.
Important notes
This material is for distribution to professional investors only. However it is not intended for distribution to any person or entity who is a citizen or resident of any locality, state, country or other jurisdiction where such distribution, publication, or use would be contrary to law or regulation.
The information and data presented in this document are not to be considered as an offer or sollicitation to buy, sell or subscribe to any securities or financial instruments or services.
Information used in the preparation of this document is based upon sources believed to be reliable, but no representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of those sources. Any opinion, estimate or forecast may be changed at any time without prior warning. Investors should read the prospectus or offering memorandum before investing in any Pictet managed funds. Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each investor and may be subject to change in the future. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. The value of investments and the income from them can fall as well as rise and is not guaranteed. You may not get back the amount originally invested.
This document has been issued in Switzerland by Pictet Asset Management SA and in the rest of the world by Pictet Asset Management (Europe) SA, and may not be reproduced or distributed, either in part or in full, without their prior authorisation.
For US investors, Shares sold in the United States or to US Persons will only be sold in private placements to accredited investors pursuant to exemptions from SEC registration under the Section 4(2) and Regulation D private placement exemptions under the 1933 Act and qualified clients as defined under the 1940 Act. The Shares of the Pictet funds have not been registered under the 1933 Act and may not, except in transactions which do not violate United States securities laws, be directly or indirectly offered or sold in the United States or to any US Person. The Management Fund Companies of the Pictet Group will not be registered under the 1940 Act.
Pictet Asset Management (USA) Corp (“Pictet AM USA Corp”) is responsible for effecting solicitation in the United States to promote the portfolio management services of Pictet Asset Management Limited (“Pictet AM Ltd”), Pictet Asset Management (Singapore) Pte Ltd (“PAM S”) and Pictet Asset Management SA (“Pictet AM SA”). Pictet AM (USA) Corp is registered as an SEC Investment Adviser and its activities are conducted in full compliance with SEC rules applicable to the marketing of affiliate entities as prescribed in the Adviser Act of 1940 ref.17CFR275.206(4)-3.
Pictet Asset Management Inc. (Pictet AM Inc) is responsible for effecting solicitation in Canada to promote the portfolio management services of Pictet Asset Management Limited (Pictet AM Ltd) and Pictet Asset Management SA (Pictet AM SA).
In Canada Pictet AM Inc is registered as Portfolio Manager authorized to conduct marketing activities on behalf of Pictet AM Ltd and Pictet AM SA.