CoreMacro

Special Report

Within the EM equity space, country effects still significantly overwhelm sector impact. In turn, the importance of country selection within advanced countries has dropped. Macro analysis is still very pertinent with respect to adding alpha when investing in EM stocks. At this moment, the macro outlook does not warrant a bullish stance on EM.

There are no indicators that consistently lead share prices or can differentiate cyclical bull markets from short-term oversold rebounds. Investors who are right on the big-picture view will be rewarded, and vice versa. From a big-picture perspective, our bias remains that EM/China growth will not pick up sustainably, and that EM EPS will not recover materially in the next 12 months. Therefore, we recommend fading this rally.

The Fed's decision to scale back intended interest rate hikes reflects economic reality.

While the FOMC was more dovish than expected, rising inflation may cause the Fed to escalate hawkish rhetoric. The bounce in oil should help high-beta stocks. Underweight U.S. equities versus Europe, Japan and H-shares. We estimate U.S. equities will deliver returns of 4%, ann. over the next 10 years, vis-à-vis 9% for the euro area and Japan, and 14% for H-shares. Central banks have more options to combat any possible debt-deflation spiral in Europe/Japan/China than is often recognized.

Special Report

Most of the economic arguments in favor of the U.K. leaving the EU do not carry much weight, as we discuss in this collaboration between BCA's Geopolitical Strategy and European Investment Strategy. However, the probability is a coin toss - much higher than investors tend to think. We review the geopolitical and investment implications of the "Leave" and "Remain" scenarios.

If the EM rally is sustained, the Fed will once again become resolute in its commitment to hiking interest rates. This in turn will spur another relapse in EM risk assets. Chinese policymakers are attempting to juggle contradictory objectives without a clear and realistic plan of action to resolve existing problems.

A Chinese reflationary cycle is unfolding. Capital spending is showing signs of regained vigor, driven by both housing and infrastructure. Chinese PPI deflation will ease further. This will help reduce balance sheet stress of materials producers and boost overall industrial profits. Remain positive on Chinese investable stocks.

Bearish sentiment, higher oil prices and Chinese policy stimulus leave room for a continued bounce in stock prices. But this rally is unlikely to prove sustainable.

Special Report

This week we are publishing a speech given by Chinese finance minister Lou Jiwei, which is highly relevant and informative in understanding the economic logic of Chinese leadership.

Cutting through the hype that will surround policy initiatives today, the ECB is caught between a rock and a hard place. We explain why, and what it means for investors.