Gavekal Research

Udith Sikand

Feb 18th 2021

Since the global recovery trade got going at the beginning of November, Japanese equities have performed respectably, returning some 24% in US dollar terms. But they have not outperformed. This is disappointing. With high operating leverage—the ratio of fixed to variable costs—and more than half their revenues generated overseas, Japanese corporates should be a clear play on global recovery. Indeed, the consensus-beating 3% QoQ rise in Japan’s...

Gavekal Research

Vincent Tsui

Feb 15th 2021

Across Europe and the US, car plants are getting shuttered because of a shortage of microchips from Asia. This storm is centered on Taiwan, which for decades has been an unsung contract supplier of electronics and chemicals. For those who had not noticed, its firms now dominate high-end global chip production and current industry dynamics mean this grip is only likely to intensify.

Gavekal Research

Arthur Kroeber

Feb 11th 2021

Despite volumes of new information and the lightning creation of vaccines promising a path out of the pandemic, uncertainty remains. Almost daily we are bombarded with a mix of good news (the vaccines work really well!) and bad (new mutations resist vaccines!) that make it hard to know whether we should rejoice or despair. This note provides a framework for assessing these persistent uncertainties.

Gavekal Research

Charles Gave, Didier Darcet, Louis Gave

Feb 05th 2021

Charles has sought to codify his many investment rules into a rigorous portfolio construction framework, which includes identifying periods when returns stop being normally distributed and move into the "tails". Right now markets could be going through a phase change, and in this webinar, he explained why. He was joined by Didier, who who heads the quant team in Paris, and Louis.

Gavekal Research

Udith Sikand

Feb 04th 2021

Until hit by a wobble in late January, emerging markets enjoyed heavy portfolio inflows over the last several months, and there are signs the risk aversion wobble is fading. Although the macro picture favors the currencies of Asia’s manufacturers, other less prominent forces could cause the currencies of non-Asian, commodity-exporting emerging markets to outperform.

Gavekal Research

Arthur Kroeber

Feb 01st 2021

It is looking likely that most countries will miss their Covid-19 vaccination targets for 2021. This creates a risk of slower than expected economic growth, especially in Europe which take half a year to emerge from its double-dip recession. Moreover, any activity dependent on international travel or large-scale gatherings will remain severely depressed until well into 2022.

Gavekal Research

Anatole Kaletsky

Jan 22nd 2021

In December, Anatole outlined 10 disparate risks that could derail the bull market in 2021. That was before the Democrats won full control of the US government, paving the way for approval of Joe Biden’s new super-size stimulus package. In light of the developments over the last month, Anatole reassesses his 10 risks.

Gavekal Research

Udith Sikand

Jan 21st 2021

US president Joe Biden’s planned US$1.9trn fiscal support package for the American economy may provide a metaphorical shot in the arm for at least some emerging markets, partially offsetting the negative economic effects caused by the delayed rollout of actual coronavirus inoculations. Udith assesses the conflicting forces affecting emerging economies.

Gavekal Research

Tom Miller

Jan 19th 2021

Indian cows tend to be scrawny beasts, but India’s equity bulls have rarely looked fatter. Stocks scaled record highs last week after a 10-week binge on easy foreign money. The feeding frenzy has faded since Friday, but local benchmarks remain up 25% in US dollar terms since the start of November, and foreign investors’ appetite for Indian assets does not yet look sated. While the vigorous rebound in India’s economy from last summer’s slump may...