Japanese Election Result Should Boost the Economy and Ultimately the Japanese Yen
Overall, we see the election outcome as positive for the Japanese economy and, by extension, the yen.
Authored by: Aaron Costello
VantagePoint: Asian Equities Revisited
While Asia has demonstrated resilience to economic and geopolitical challenges, risks remain, and we expect economic growth and equity beta prospects to moderate as the region faces headwinds from slowing export growth and cooling consumption.
2026 Outlook: Portfolio-Wide Views
In 2026, investors should rebalance portfolios to embrace greater diversification, thoughtfully navigate opportunities in artificial intelligence, and prioritize investments across the electricity transmission value chain. With heightened equity risks and a weakening US dollar, a disciplined, multi-asset approach will help strengthen portfolio resilience and capture emerging growth themes.
A US-China Trade Deal Would Show Desire for Gradual Strategic De-risking, Not Abrupt Decoupling
Global markets rallied on October 26 following news that the United States and China have reached a “preliminary consensus” on several key issues. Although a formal agreement has not yet been announced, both sides are clearly working to de-escalate trade tensions that intensified in early October.
VantagePoint: What to Do About the US Dollar?
In this edition of VantagePoint, we examine the historical context of the dollar, outline why we believe the recent decline is likely part of a multi-year bear market, and discuss strategies investors can use to reduce their dollar exposure.
Market Response to US-Iran Escalation Limited So Far
Given the fluidity of the situation in the Middle East and the uncertainty surrounding how events may unfold, we believe most investors should not make changes to portfolios in response to this event.
Asia Insights: Managing Risk Through Diversification
Asian and global market volatility surged in early 2025 as US tariffs triggered global growth fears. Given the export-oriented nature of most Asian economies and their sensitivity to global growth and demand, the region may bear the brunt of US tariffs. As such, Asia market volatility is likely to persist in the near term, particularly since US trade policy can shift abruptly.
Tariff Standoff Intensifies Near-Term Risks in Asia
Global equities tumbled nearly last week following the announcement of US tariffs on April 2, with the rout continuing into Monday, April 7.
2025 Outlook: Public Equities
We expect developed markets value and small-cap equities to outperform, given our economic views and their steep valuation discounts. Regionally, we believe US equity performance will not match the level set in 2024, allowing European, Japanese, and emerging markets equities to perform more in line with broader developed markets. Within emerging markets, strong Indian equity gains should moderate, while we doubt Chinese equities will collapse. At the same time, we expect long/short equity strategies will perform better than typical.
2025 Outlook: Currencies
We expect the US dollar rally will ultimately cool, with early strength giving way to modest weakening. Meanwhile, gold returns are likely to moderate in 2025 after a surge in 2024. Emerging markets’ use of stablecoins should support positive crypto returns, driving blockchain innovations and investment opportunities.