Gavekal Research

Anatole Kaletsky

Oct 14th 2019

The pound surged after Boris Johnson and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar achieved a negotiating breakthrough on Thursday over arrangements for the Irish border. The question is: What next? Anatole argues that while these moves still point to a multi-pronged set of outcomes, at least there is now a measurable set of permutations.

Gavekal Research

Vincent Tsui, Udith Sikand, Tom Miller, Arthur Kroeber

Oct 11th 2019

Vincent outlined EM Asia's "great moderation", as inflation is diverging from other emerging markets, creating opportunities in bonds. Udith argued that Indian growth may be bottoming out but a bad banking picture means that equities may have more downside. Tom addressed the remaking of Asian supply chains in light of the US-China trade war.

Gavekal Research

Charles Gave

Oct 11th 2019

Western democracies in the early 1990s stood unchallenged in the battle of big ideas. Alas, everything that has gone wrong in western economies over the last decade or so stems from the lessons that the technocracy took from this victory. Charles considers the mistakes and examines the investment consequences that must now follow.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Xiaoxi Zhang

Oct 10th 2019

The first wave of Chinese bank failures will not be the last. Over the summer, three smaller Chinese banks had to receive official assistance to continue operating. The problems that brought down those banks were not isolated issues, and there are other smaller banks still at risk. This report identifies the most troubled institutions.

Gavekal Research

Will Denyer

Oct 09th 2019

On Tuesday, Jay Powell confirmed that the US Federal Reserve will go back to growing its balance sheet once again following its meeting at the end of October. The aim is for the balance sheet to grow gradually along with the economy. While the Fed’s planned move is clearly positive for liquidity growth, it is likely to disappoint investors for two reasons.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Tom Miller

Oct 08th 2019

China is still signing up more countries for its Belt and Road Initiative, but money for Xi Jinping’s signature foreign policy is getting tighter. Growth in China’s overseas lending has ground to a halt, and overseas construction projects are declining. In this piece, Tom explains why a slimmer Belt and Road has become an economic necessity.

Gavekal Research

Nick Andrews

Oct 04th 2019

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this year’s slump in manufacturing is how few negative spillover effects it has had on demand in the broader economy—until now. Services PMIs for both the eurozone as a whole and for Germany took a sharp turn south in September. In Germany, the deterioration is making a technical recession all but inevitable.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Thomas Gatley

Oct 03rd 2019

In the latest edition of his annual chartbook, Thomas outlines the fundamentals of China’s corporate sector. The latest downcycle in sales and profits was less severe than previous episodes, but private firms are still suffering from financial strains. The anemic bounce in credit growth points to little recovery in profits or capex in 2020.

Gavekal Research

Vincent Tsui, Udith Sikand

Oct 02nd 2019

Asian inflation has decoupled from other emerging market regions and may be settling at a new permanently lower level. At the same time, lower Asian inflation also reflects weak capital spending and slower economic growth due to the global trade downturn. The best way to play this new low-inflation, low-growth era is with regional bonds.

Gavekal Research

Anatole Kaletsky

Oct 01st 2019

The euro is now trading at its weakest against the US dollar since May 2017. Whether it falls further from here or finds support around current levels to establish a base for a rebound will depend mainly on whether Europe’s economic performance continues to deteriorate, or whether expectations are now so dismal that upside surprises are likely in the months ahead.

Gavekal Research

Vincent Tsui

Sep 27th 2019

In a bid to lessen currency depreciation pressure, three years ago Malaysia effectively closed down offshore trading in the ringgit. It won the battle but has been losing the war. Its asset markets remain unloved and Malaysia has a higher cost of capital than most regional rivals. Yet the time may be right to look again at Malaysia, at least from a fixed income stance.

Gavekal Research

Simon Pritchard

Sep 26th 2019

Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam today begins a process of civic engagement aimed at bridging the divide between an unpopular government and a diffuse movement that has engaged in 17 weeks of violent protest. Simon discusses whether economic goodies can buy off dissent and assesses the chances of a compromise political settlement.

Gavekal Research

Charles Gave

Sep 26th 2019

Democracy is in trouble. Everywhere the cause is the same: a massive conflict between legitimacy and legality. For the last 100 years or more, the split between left and right left anchored the legitimacy of any democratic government. Unfortunately, over the last couple of decades or so, the left has betrayed the people, while the right has betrayed the nation.

Gavekal Research

Udith Sikand

Sep 24th 2019

India’s decision to cut its corporate tax rate from 30% to 22% has spurred a 7% surge in equities as investors bet on new capital spending reigniting a stalled growth cycle. The problem is that even if this fiscal easing spurs more business investment, the consumer side of India’s economy remains stuck in a low gear due to knottier problems.

Gavekal Research

Cedric Gemehl

Sep 23rd 2019

Investors and environmentalists alike got their hopes dashed on Friday. Their best-case scenario would have seen Berlin invoke a climatic emergency to override fiscal orthodoxy and roll out a stimulative program of green investment. In the event, the measures announced not only fell short of the green lobby’s expectations—they were budget-neutral.

Gavekal Research

Dan Wang

Sep 20th 2019

Washington views China as a strategic competitor, and the White House has promised a “whole of government” effort to constrain China’s development of key advanced technologies. Dan examines the three ways in which the US is making life difficult for Chinese tech companies, and explores other weapons the US could deploy should the tech war escalate.

Gavekal Research

Will Denyer

Sep 19th 2019

Despite this week’s violent US money market judders, the Federal Reserve looks to have a clear plan for managing monetary policy and liquidity conditions. There are many reasons to worry about risk asset pricing, but a shock from the bowels of the US financial system is not among them. In contrast, there are four reasons to stay upbeat about the US liquidity situation.

Gavekal Research

Udith Sikand, Vincent Tsui

Sep 18th 2019

Three “master” prices tend to dictate price levels in most asset markets—US interest rates, the US dollar and energy prices. A synchronized fall in these three prices usually bodes well for emerging market assets, while a rise bodes ill. Since it is rare for all three master prices to move together, the challenge for investors is to figure out which way the cross currents are flowing. If one master price is making a big move, its effect can...

Gavekal Dragonomics

Thomas Gatley, Andrew Batson

Sep 17th 2019

The poor economic indicators for August make it obvious why China’s government got ahead of the data release and signal renewed support for growth in early September. That means more incremental policy measures are coming, which will help sentiment. And the drag on growth from the auto sector should also reverse toward the end of 2019.

Gavekal Research

Charles Gave

Sep 17th 2019

I may opine across many topics when writing these missives, but all said and done, I am a rules-based investor. In late 2016 my US recession indicator told me that the US economy was likely to face a recession, yet no such thing happened. As a result, I started to look for an explanation, and only now do I feel that a clear answer is coming into view.

Gavekal Research

Cedric Gemehl

Sep 13th 2019

As he pushed interest rates still further into negative territory and announced the resumption of quantitative easing on Thursday, outgoing European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi made clear that he was passing on the baton of policy stimulus—not so much to his successor, but rather to Europe’s finance ministries.

Gavekal Research

Tom Holland

Sep 13th 2019

This week’s sacking of John Bolton as White House national security advisor triggered a fall in the price of oil as traders concluded the notorious war hawk’s departure paved the way for a relaxation of US sanctions on Iranian oil exports. That may be unlikely; US officials insist their policy of “maximum” pressure on Iran remains in force.

Gavekal Research

Tan Kai Xian

Sep 12th 2019

Ahead of next week’s Federal Reserve meeting, US bank stocks look set to break out of their 21-month underperformance trend. Investors are betting on a 25bp rate cut, with at least one more to come before December. They are also cheering the rise in long rates globally over the last week or so, which has acted to steepen yield curves. Given that US consumers will benefit from even cheaper money and should brush off whatever the trade war throws...

Gavekal Research

Vincent Tsui, Udith Sikand

Sep 11th 2019

Emerging market government bonds yield more than rich-world equivalents because investors worry about getting their money back. This higher return on capital can cause a feedback loop of rising foreign debt and diminished financial sovereignty. Yet, with Asia having seemingly crushed inflation, a “great moderation” may reverse that dynamic and usher in a potential re-rating of risk assets.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Ernan Cui

Sep 10th 2019

The African swine fever crisis in China is reaching a new stage as prices for pigs and pork spiral upward at an unprecedented pace. The government is responding with a combination of subsidies for pork farms, as well as rationing and price caps. But this is a short-term strategy that will not contain the ASF epidemic and could even worsen it.

Gavekal Research

Tom Holland

Sep 09th 2019

Reports that China has signed a long term agreement to buy large quantities of Iranian oil in defiance of US sanctions will weigh on global crude prices and further complicate US-China talks, reducing the chances of a deal before the 2020 US election. In effect, the world is now facing a four-way tug of war over the oil price.

Gavekal Research

Andrew Batson, Thomas Gatley

Sep 06th 2019

As prospects for a quick resolution of the US-China trade conflict fade, and the data continue to soften, expectations for Chinese growth are getting marked down. As if on cue, the government has sent signals of more decisive policy support for growth. While encouraging, this does not presage a shift in China's macro policy of "selective" easing.

Gavekal Research

Udith Sikand, Tom Miller

Sep 05th 2019

They say the first step to solving a problem is recognizing that you have one. With its recent moves to shore up sagging growth, Narendra Modi’s new government has finally acknowledged that India’s economy is in trouble. But unless it quickly finds a coherent reform strategy, Modi’s second term could fizzle out into economic failure.

Gavekal Research

Cedric Gemehl

Sep 04th 2019

On Tuesday, members of Italy’s left wing populist 5-Star Movement lent their support to the formation of a new coalition government with the Democratic Party. The new government, to be led by Giuseppe Conte, technocrat prime minister in the previous coalition, still has to secure a confidence vote in Parliament. But that should go through in the next couple of weeks. If it does, right wing populist Matteo Salvini—Italy’s most prominent...

Gavekal Research

Tan Kai Xian

Sep 03rd 2019

As US growth has slowed this year, consumer spending has been the economy’s bright spot. Personal consumption expenditure was the principal contributor to growth in the second quarter and July. However, fears are growing that the US consumer will come under increasing pressure in the coming months as the latest round of tariffs go into effect.

Gavekal Research

Will Denyer

Aug 30th 2019

Earlier in August, Charles announced that he was reluctantly joining the US recession camp. His reasoning was based largely on his observation that the long run average growth rate of US corporate profits had fallen to a level that in recent decades has always indicated an economic downturn. I am more optimistic than Charles.

Gavekal Research

Vincent Tsui, Udith Sikand

Aug 29th 2019

As the external environment darkens, Asian governments are turning on the fiscal spigots—cautiously. Moves announced in recent weeks do not radically move the dial, but they should support growth. For now, monetary policy will remain the main counter-cyclical tool for arresting a downturn in Asia, but recent moves reflect an end to an era of fiscal consolidation.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Andrew Batson, Lance Noble

Aug 29th 2019

Whatever happens next in the US-China trade conflict, it’s clear that ties between the two nations have undergone a fundamental reset. Some “decoupling” will definitely occur as a result, and indeed has already begun. In this chartbook, Andrew and Lance explore how US-China decoupling could play out in flows of goods, money, people and ideas.

Gavekal Research

Tom Miller

Aug 27th 2019

After a sluggish 2018, global shipping lines are again facing choppy seas thanks to Donald Trump's tariffs and slumping trans-Pacific trade. There is, however, a silver lining for carriers with a strong Asian presence; the US-China trade war is spurring a fragmentation of regional supply chains, and that seems set to boost intra-Asian trade.

Gavekal Research

Tan Kai Xian, Will Denyer

Aug 26th 2019

It may be the dog days of summer, but investors got a truckload of news this weekend that points to a bad situation getting worse. Given President Donald Trump’s escalation of tariffs and threat to bar US firms from operating in China, the worry is that his hardline stance spurs a US recession. KX and Will think this is unlikely.

Gavekal Research

Louis Gave

Aug 23rd 2019

Some readers may know that my family is the majority shareholder in Biarritz Olympique Pays Basque, one of France’s oldest rugby clubs. Through this connection, I have had a front-row seat to the organization of the upcoming G7 meeting to be held in Biarritz over the next three days. When the city was chosen, I naively thought this was good news.

Gavekal Research

Udith Sikand, Tom Miller

Aug 22nd 2019

India’s economy is weak across the board, weighed down by lackluster investment, anemic consumption and soft external demand. Deep reforms are needed to unlock the country’s economic potential. In this quarterly report, Udith and Tom offer a check-in on India’s growth outlook, explain why equities may be de-rated further and worry about the bond rally fizzling out.

Gavekal Research

Charles Gave

Aug 21st 2019

I am certainly no technical analyst, but I do have a good memory. The story of major financial crises can be told with reference to the US dollar’s movements against the euro (and its antecedents). It now looks to have reached a significant juncture, especially with Italy moving toward another period of political instability.

Gavekal Research

Louis Gave

Aug 20th 2019

In almost three weeks since the beginning of August, gold is up 5.9% while investors in 10-year US treasuries have gained 4.2%. This is unusual. As Charles has highlighted, the two “anti-fragile” assets of choice seldom skyrocket simultaneously, so markets have been in full-blown panic mode. But what were markets panicking about, and what could boost confidence once again?

Gavekal Research

Tan Kai Xian

Aug 19th 2019

After the US imposed its first major round of tariffs on Chinese goods last September, the S&P 500 sold off by -20%. After the second round went into force, it fell -6.8%. And since President Trump announced a third round, it has sold off by -6.1%. It seems each successive escalation in the trade war is having a smaller impact on the US stock market.

Gavekal Research

Simon Pritchard

Aug 16th 2019

Extreme nervousness in global markets can be attributed to a synchronous weakening of growth that has been reinforced by soft data out of Germany and China. This is also a juncture when commentators seem to have concluded that pent up stresses in the global trading and security system have reached a tipping point. On top of these secular worries is the terror that China is about to have a “Tiananmen moment” by violently crushing the two month...

Gavekal Research

Louis Gave

Aug 14th 2019

The latest round of data releases appears to confirm fears that the world is facing another synchronous global downturn. If so, it will be different from other slowdowns, in that it will not have been caused by rising interest rates or higher energy prices. What’s more, it will be setting in when there is little prospect of a globally coordinated response, when monetary policy appears to have lost traction, and when asset prices are looking...

Gavekal Dragonomics

Thomas Gatley

Aug 14th 2019

After a end-of-quarter bounce in June, China’s economy resumed its gradual downward course in July, with industrial production, fixed investment, housing starts, retail sales and credit growth all slowing. The bright spots were a surprising pick up in exports, and housing sales, which reversed three months of declines with a modest gain.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Dan Wang

Aug 13th 2019

The outcome of US-China trade talks is uncertain, but one thing is clear. Chinese companies, their customers and suppliers, faced increased risks of US American sanctions. Hardliners in the US national security establishment are pressing ahead with an “all-of-government” strategy to constrain China’s technological and financial clout. This will continue regardless of the outcome of trade talks.

Gavekal Research

Vincent Tsui

Aug 12th 2019

It has often been said that when the US sneezes the rest of the world catches a cold. In Asia, a similar link exists between the behemoth China and other regional economies. Hence when Beijing unexpectedly let the renminbi weaken through CNY7.00 to the US dollar last Monday regional currencies fell by 1.6% in the following five days. They could fall more, however there is unlikely to be a broader contagion to regional asset markets. Asia’s solid...

Gavekal Research

Nick Andrews

Aug 08th 2019

Even before the US-China trade war escalated last week, Europe stood on shaky ground. We learnt yesterday that German industrial production for June fell -1.5%. Europe’s largest economy faces cyclical and structural challenges, and the question is whether it takes its neighbors down with it.

Gavekal Research

Arthur Kroeber

Aug 06th 2019

Monday’s actions on the Chinese currency—Beijing’s decision to let the renminbi’s exchange rate weaken past CNY7.00 to the US dollar, and Washington’s decision to label China a currency manipulator—signal that the US and China are close to throwing in the towel on a trade deal. Trade war escalation should now be the base case.

Gavekal Dragonomics

Rosealea Yao

Aug 05th 2019

China’s government is once again going after pollution from the steel industry, raising the risk of more policy-induced spikes in steel prices. While forced shutdowns to ensure blue skies are on the way, Rosealea argues that the bigger risk to steel prices is on the downside, due to weakening construction activity and cautious housing policy.

Gavekal Research

Tan Kai Xian, Will Denyer

Aug 02nd 2019

Trade war fears are once again front and center of investors' minds. But the reduced magnitude of pledged US tariffs indicates that Trump is anxious to avoid damaging the US economy and financial markets. This leaves the focus on the Fed, and how much it is likely to cut interest rates.