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Gavekal Research
Anatole Kaletsky
Jun 13th 2019
Video: Bull Markets Don't Die Of Old Age
The US economic expansion is entering its 11th year, which makes some wonder whether the end of the business cycle is nigh. Anatole thinks that’s asking the wrong question, because bull markets don’t die of old age. They are, however, more susceptible to diseases of old age. He identifies three events that would cause an economy to keel over. Also on the docket is the seemingly contradictory signals sent by bullish US equity markets and bearish...
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Gavekal Research
Louis Gave
Jun 12th 2019
Driving The Bond Bubble—The Sum Of All Fears
For the past 30 odd years, President Donald Trump has opposed free trade and argued that foreign producers should face tariffs. Yet the market responds with shock each time the US threatens new tariffs. By the same token, almost every central banker today is saying they (i) want to see higher inflation, (ii) will stop at nothing until inflation picks up, and (iii) once inflation duly appears, they will likely let it ramp up. So how does the...
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Gavekal Research
Simon Pritchard
Jun 11th 2019
The Threat To Hong Kong
On Sunday, a million Hong Kongers protested a planned law change that will let individuals be extradited to face trial in China, the city’s biggest political protest in more than 15 years. On Monday, the city’s equity benchmark rose 2%. The betting is that this political furor will pass. But the broader context puts the city at risk of becoming collateral damage in the US-China confrontation.
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Gavekal Dragonomics
Ernan Cui
Jun 11th 2019
Tourism Falls Victim To The Trade War
The boom in China’s outbound tourism could go down as another casualty of the trade war. As Ernan explains in this piece, the combination of a weakening currency and rising political tensions is becoming a major drag on international travel by Chinese—just as the structural factors driving outbound tourism growth are shifting into a lower gear.
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Gavekal Research
Anatole Kaletsky
Jun 10th 2019
Not Such A Dystopian Market
Although Donald Trump's lifting his threat to impose new tariffs on Mexico was good news, raising the chance of a US-China trade climbdown, betting good money on the US president getting up on the right side of the bed is ill advised. So, to maintain our sanity we should focus on US economic data and monetary policy, which turned positive last week.
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Gavekal Research
Nick Andrews
Jun 07th 2019
The ECB Reloads
The ECB may hope for the best, but it is preparing for the worst. As Mario Draghi prepares to hand over the ECB’s reins to an undecided successor, he seems to be restocking its armory.
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Gavekal Research
Tan Kai Xian
Jun 06th 2019
Recession Risk Mispriced
US treasury yields are up from their 21-month low touched earlier this week, but the market is still priced for recession. Sure, the trade war uncertainty is negative for risk assets. But there are good reasons to believe that the US economy will continue to grow, albeit at a modest rate. As a result, piling into treasuries at current yields is a dangerous move.
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Gavekal Research
Charles Gave
Jun 05th 2019
The Malthusian Constraint
Over the last few years, Gavekal has put considerable time and effort into researching portfolio construction in the hope of making the process a little more scientific. This research has led to some interesting results, and suggests some powerful investment themes for the future.
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Gavekal Dragonomics
Thomas Gatley
Jun 05th 2019
Navigating The Shocks To Earnings
Chinese listed companies have lately suffered more than their fair share of shocks to earnings. In this piece, Thomas explains the financial and accounting problems that have squeezed profits in recent quarters. But he argues that, even with the trade war, 2019 is likely to be a normal profits downcycle rather than a disastrous one.
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Gavekal Research
Charles Gave
Jun 05th 2019
Video: Italy And Europe's Banking Problem
The eurozone's main banking index is back at a key threshold that over recent decades has seen large-scale intervention by global central banks. For Charles, the root of the problem lies in the deteriorating Italian economy. In this video interview, he explains this dependence and argues that this time there may be no explicit support coming for the banking sector.
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Gavekal Research
Will Denyer
Jun 04th 2019
Trump's War And Our Problem
In the seven decades after World War II, the most powerful nation in the world could be relied on to defend and promote free trade among nations. Then came President Donald. J Trump. Now it’s conceivable that Trump’s goal is to shake up the old rules-based system.
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Gavekal Dragonomics
Lance Noble
Jun 04th 2019
How Multinationals Are Managing The Trade War
The collapse of US-China trade talks and the ratcheting up of tariffs has intensified the challenges faced by global companies with operations that span both countries. In this piece, Lance reports on their range of responses to the trade war: some are shifting out of China, some are investing more in China, and some are not doing anything yet.
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Gavekal Research
Udith Sikand
Jun 03rd 2019
EMs Hit The Trade Wall
It is not clear if the latest trade actions launched by the US against Mexico and India form part of coherent plan. Such moves do signal that the US-centered multilateral trading system is hanging by a thread. This upending of the post-WWII order is especially bad news for trade-dependent emerging economies.
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Gavekal Research
Research Team, Tom Holland
Jun 03rd 2019
Strategy Monthly: Who Suffers Most In A Long Trade War?
Markets have started to price in a long US-China trade and tech war, and we agree. The odds now favor an indefinite conflict. Damage from the trade war will vary based on a country’s trade-dependency and policy space. Big problems could emerge in Europe and in EMs exposed to China’s supply chain.
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Gavekal Research
Nick Andrews, Cedric Gemehl
May 31st 2019
A European Vortex
There is a big disconnect between markets and reported data in the eurozone. Bund yields are within a whisker of all time lows, inflation expectations have cratered and the Eurostoxx banks index fell -12.5% in May. Yet at the same, Europe’s macro data, while not great, points to stabilization after a 16-month industrial downturn.
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Gavekal Research
Charles Gave
May 31st 2019
Yes, We Are In A Bear Market
In late 2017, Charles argued that global equity markets looked to be topping out, and it was time to adopt a more conservative strategy. As things turned out, the global equity benchmark hit a peak in late January of 2018, and has not retraced that level. He now argues that global equities have likely entered a bear market cycle.
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Gavekal Research
Will Denyer
May 30th 2019
An Ugly Trade War And An Inverted Yield Curve
Will a trade war boost US growth and inflation, or instead cause a deflationary recession? The bond market is basically saying that a trade war will dent US growth and force the Federal Reserve into easing. Bear with my two-handed explanation, but there are also good reasons why it could also boost nominal growth.
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Gavekal Dragonomics
Long Chen
May 30th 2019
The Central Bank's Reform Agenda
The escalation of the trade war with the US likely means that the People’s Bank of China will keep easing monetary policy. But as Chen Long explains, the PBOC will also be pursuing a structural reform agenda. It wants to boost lending to the private sector and move to market-based interest rates—while still preserving overall financial stability.
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Gavekal Research
Nick Andrews
May 29th 2019
Harder Times For European Luxury
It is conceivable that some European industries may benefit from the trans-Pacific economic cold war, picking up business lost to their US and Chinese competitors as a result of the worsening tensions. But one sector that will not benefit is the European equity investor’s favorite: luxury goods. European luxury goods companies now face tougher times ahead.
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Gavekal Research
Louis Gave
May 29th 2019
China's Options In The Unfolding Trade War
China is widely seen as having a pretty miserable hand in its trade stand-off with China. However, Louis is not convinced that China has so few options. Here he considers Beijing’s scope for retaliation, and so leverage, from using its financial clout to spook US capital markets to winding up Kim Jong-un to start causing trouble for the US and its allies.
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Gavekal Research
Arthur Kroeber, Dan Wang, Matthew Forney
May 29th 2019
Audio & Transcript — The US-China Trade And Technology Mess
In yesterday's special Gavekal Research Conference call Gavekal's Arthur Kroeber and Dan Wang, along with Fathom China's Matt Forney, considered what the breakdown of the US-China trade talks means for the trajectory of the trade war, and what the blacklisting of Huawei means for the tech cold war.
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Gavekal Research
Tan Kai Xian
May 28th 2019
The Message In Market Dispersion
Economic events create winners and losers. It is too early to say with confidence how the current US trade and technology confrontation with China will play out, or whether US tariffs on imported autos and the threatened retaliation will go into force. But it is possible to tell how great investors believe the potential disruption is likely to be.
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Gavekal Research
Cedric Gemehl
May 28th 2019
Video: European Election Fallout
The European Parliament elections saw established parties pummeled, but the political center broadly hold out against the forces of nationalist-populism. In this video interview, Cedric considers what that means for investors and how systemic European risk should now be understood.
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Gavekal Research
Louis Gave
May 27th 2019
Parliament Of Losers
For anyone who did not grow up in a Commonwealth country, one of the most perplexing things about the game of cricket is that matches can last for as long as five days, and at the end of it all still end up in a draw. Much the same can be said about European parliamentary elections: they take for ever, and it is often hard to identify a clear winner. Identifying losers, however, is simpler. And looking at Sunday night’s results there were both...
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Gavekal Dragonomics
Andrew Batson, Long Chen
May 27th 2019
Who Wants A New Long March?
Since the collapse of the US-China trade talks, the public position of both sides has hardened. Top leader Xi Jinping’s call for a “new Long March” was widely taken as a sign he is ready for a protracted standoff with the US. But support for such a stance is not universal, as the surprising public comments of Huawei chairman Ren Zhengfei suggest.
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Gavekal Research
Tom Miller
May 24th 2019
India After The Victory Party
After Narendra Modi’s landslide victory in India’s general election, the economic issues that must be tackled quickly are stacking up. Tom runs through the Indian leader’s inbox and concludes that the scale of the short term problems he faces rules out a 2014-style euphoric run-up in Indian equity.
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Gavekal Research
Louis Gave
May 24th 2019
A Change In The Market Mood
Thursday was an ugly day for global equity markets, with losses that brought total returns on US equities almost back to their January 2018 level, and non-US equities to the brink of bear market territory. It is hard to shake the feeling that the investment environment has changed. What lessons should we draw from the tumultuous trading session?
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Gavekal Research
Tom Holland
May 24th 2019
Video: Iran And The Oil Price
Angry rhetoric between the US and Iran reached blood-curdling intensity after the US announced in late April that it wouldn't grant waivers for sanctions on Iran's oil exports. While this caused a short term spike in the oil price, it has since fallen about -8% from its high. Are oil traders too complacent about the risks, or does the market have it right?
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Gavekal Research
Arthur Kroeber
May 24th 2019
Trade War: Back From The Dead
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Gavekal Research
Cedric Gemehl
May 23rd 2019
Don't Bet On A German Fiscal Boost
On Wednesday the OECD added its voice to the chorus calling on the German finance ministry to open its fiscal tap and juice up economic growth with additional public spending on investment. Yet although the outlook for external demand is darkening, investors should not hold their breath for a sizable fiscal boost.
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Gavekal Dragonomics
Ernan Cui
May 23rd 2019
The Household Debt Service Burden
The rapid rise in China’s household debt has become a major concern for markets and policymakers. While most analysis looks at the household debt-to-GDP ratio, in this report Ernan calculates the household debt service ratio for a better angle on the problem. She finds that the debt burden on household budgets will keep increasing in 2019.
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Gavekal Research
Anatole Kaletsky
May 22nd 2019
May's Last Stand
When something unexpected happens and the market moves against you, it is usually best to cut your losses. But sometimes it is worth indulging the contrarian instinct. This month most of the pound's gains in the first quarter have been given up and sterling’s position looks dicey. But sterling bulls should not cut their losses. In fact, they should consider doubling down.
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Gavekal Research
Charles Gave
May 21st 2019
The Trouble Unseen
The world and its dog are suddenly worried that the growing US-China trade war may be the event that sparks the next panic. Might I suggest that the looming iceberg that could yet sink the good ship Global Growth may not lie in the obvious spot where spy glasses are focused.The real menace may still lie in the European banking system.
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Gavekal Dragonomics
Dan Wang
May 21st 2019
The Fate Of Huawei
The US government has China’s most prominent technology firm in a stranglehold. The question now is whether the US government continues to strangle Huawei until it goes out of business, or chooses to eventually stop squeezing and allow a weakened Huawei to keep operating under some limitations. In this report, Dan explores the possible scenarios.
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Gavekal Research
Cedric Gemehl
May 21st 2019
Everything You Wanted To Know About EU Politics
This week EU voters will elect representatives to a legislature that has often been dubbed a snooze fest. That has changed as populist-nationalist parties challenge the established organs of government. Cedric gives a detailed explanation of how politics works at a supra-national level in Europe, and how current tensions are changing the key institutions.
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Gavekal Research
Arthur Kroeber
May 20th 2019
Trump's Trade War Calculus
Keeping track of all the pieces of the US-China confrontation has become a full-time job. But the chaos and uncertainty of the past couple of weeks has begun to resolve itself into fairly clear patterns, even if the outcomes remain in doubt. Three main conclusions emerge from last week’s activity, and none of them are particularly reassuring.
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Gavekal Research
Tom Holland
May 17th 2019
Oil Market 1, Commentariat 0
As if the macroeconomic impact of a full-blown US-China trade war weren’t enough to worry about, over the last couple of weeks investors have also had to contemplate the risk of a real shooting war between the US and Iran, the effect it would have on the price of oil and the threat that would pose to a fragile global economy and jittery world markets.
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Gavekal Dragonomics
Long Chen
May 17th 2019
Video: How Much Downside For The Renminbi?
Since the US slapped fresh tariffs on Chinese exports a week ago, the renminbi has fallen, but by less than when the first round of tariffs were imposed last year. In this video interview, Chen Long discusses why that is, and how far China’s currency is likely to fall if things get worse.
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Gavekal Dragonomics
Andrew Batson
May 16th 2019
Stabilization At Risk
China’s economic data for April came in rather worse than the too-good-to-be-true indicators for March. As Andrew explains in this report, the April figures do not actually show a serious deterioration, and property is still holding up. But the stabilization in growth is now under threat from a more protracted trade conflict with the US.
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Gavekal Research
Nick Andrews
May 16th 2019
One Reduction Of Risk At The Margin
By putting off for six months its decision whether or not to impose a 25% tariff on all imports of passenger cars and car parts on national security grounds, the US administration bowed to expedience on Wednesday. In theory, the threat of auto tariffs remains on the table. In practice, the six month delay has robbed the proposal of much of its credibility.
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Gavekal Research
Udith Sikand, Edward Hookey
May 16th 2019
A Less Than Bonza Outlook
Australian politics has been a psychodrama for more than a decade, but for investors it barely mattered. The country has grown rich on selling ever more rocks to China and following smart, evidenced-based policy at home. That, however, looks to be changing as this weekend voters go to the polls after an election campaign that may come to be seen as a watershed.
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Gavekal Research
Charles Gave
May 15th 2019
Monopsonies, Protectionism And ROIC
It is extremely unfashionable to say so, but Donald Trump’s campaign to bring manufacturing industries back to the US by slapping tariffs on goods imports may not be quite the act of economic illiteracy most professional practitioners of the dismal science would have you believe. On the contrary, it could well be positive for US growth, living standards, and market outperformance.
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Gavekal Research
Louis Gave
May 15th 2019
The Case Of The Missing Inflation: The Changing Demographic Picture
Demography, it is said, is destiny. If so, then the finger of destiny may be pointing at a more inflationary future for the world economy. Louis reviews the slow shifts in demographic profile which govern trends in consumption and savings, and so propel the forces of inflation and deflation over the very long term.
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Gavekal Research
Long Chen
May 14th 2019
Beijing's Most Effective Trade Tool
In response to the escalation of the US-China trade war, Chinese policymakers are likely to step up their easing measures. This should help support domestic demand. But as Chen Long argues in this piece, the effect of policy easing, coupled with the impact of increased tariffs on China’s exports, will add to downward pressure on the renminbi.
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Gavekal Research
Arthur Kroeber
May 13th 2019
The Trade War Story Lines Harden
The US-China trade war has three potential outcomes. First, we could see a step back from brinksmanship and a deal in the next few weeks. Second, the two sides could dig in for more protracted negotiations. Third, the talks could break down and the trade war become permanent. With the probability of each outcome less than 50%, the only certainty is continued uncertainty.
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Gavekal Research
Anatole Kaletsky
May 13th 2019
Goldilocks And The Ten Bears (2019)
Anatole returns to the framework he set out in November 2017, examining the 10 key risks that could threaten global markets over the next 18 months and which investors should monitor closely—and he comes to some surprising conclusions about the central locus of global dangers.
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Gavekal Research
Louis Gave
May 10th 2019
The Motivation Behind Trump's Tweets
Since becoming president, Donald Trump has made it clear that he sees the S&P 500 as the real-time judge of his White House performance. Why, then, did Trump on Sunday send a tweet alleging that China had backed off from agreed positions in the US-China trade talks, and in so doing rattle a market priced for Goldilocks?
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Gavekal Research
Nick Andrews
May 10th 2019
Video: Is The Worst Over For The Eurozone?
Eurozone economic growth was modest in the first quarter of 2019, but it was still stronger than most economists had expected, with Germany avoiding a recession and Italy returning to growth. Meanwhile eurozone equity markets are up a respectable 13% over the year to date. Does this mean Europe is emerging from its economic soft patch?
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Gavekal Research
Tan Kai Xian
May 09th 2019
A Better Time For A Trade War
For equity investors, there is a never a good time to have a trade war. Nevertheless, if there must be one, the US stock market is now better placed to ride out a US-China tariff conflict than it was a year ago. That’s just as well. Chinese negotiator Liu He is set to arrive in Washington on Thursday for the latest round of trade talks which are going down to the wire.
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Gavekal Dragonomics
Lance Noble
May 09th 2019
Where Can Industrial Policy Work?
The Trump administration’s trade war has targeted China’s ambitious industrial policy, which China clearly has no intention to abandon. But will that industrial policy work? In this report, Lance explains his eight-point system for evaluating industrial policy’s odds of success, and tests it on electric vehicles, airplanes and pharmaceuticals.
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