Asia Insights: Seeking Stable Returns
With the global economy showing signs of cooling and Chinese economic momentum remaining weak, the outlook for Asian markets is increasingly mixed.
Equities
Should Investors Diversify Away From Mega-Cap Tech Stocks?
Yes, investors should diversify in a risk-controlled manner, as mega-cap tech stocks have delivered exceptional fundamentals but are expensive and represent an outsized share of the equity markets.
The Fed Cuts Aggressively, but Remains Cautious About Future Cuts
The Federal Reserve has reduced the target range for the federal funds rate by 50 basis points (bps) to 4.75%–5.00%, the first reduction in over four years.
US Election Anxiety: Keeping Calm Amid Political Uncertainty
Markets have been jittery as the US presidential election approaches. The macro backdrop is shifting, with slowing economic growth and ebbing inflation meaning a cycle of monetary easing beckons. At the same time, elevated valuations for a variety of assets are causing investors to reconsider narratives around themes, such as AI investment, and consider asset allocation tweaks. Investors should resist positioning portfolios for any one political outcome and remember that increased market volatility around elections is common. In the following report, we discuss our views on five common election-related narratives in the marketplace today.
VantagePoint: As the Narratives Turn
In this edition of VantagePoint, we find that consumers, corporations, and the banking sector remain in good shape, and while US/global economic growth is likely to slow in the second half of 2024 relative to the first, we expect it will remain positive. Although market concentration risk is elevated, given its focus on highly profitable AI-related tech stocks, we would seek to be measured about diversifying such risks.
Market Matters: August 31, 2024
Fixed income outperformed equities, driven by declining yields as markets became more convinced that major central banks would continue to ease monetary policies.
US Manager Universe Statistics: Second Quarter 2024
This publication presents manager performance for 37 asset classes and substrategies, showing the median, mean, and key percentiles of return. Relevant indexes for each asset class are also included to provide market context.
Will Federal Reserve Rate Cuts Trigger Outperformance for Chinese Equities?
No, Federal Reserve rate cuts alone are unlikely to trigger sustained outperformance for Chinese equities.
Do Emerging Markets Equities Deserve a Place in Public Equity Portfolios?
Yes. Emerging markets equities provide a fitting reminder that relative performance among asset classes varies over time, suggesting that investors maintain well-diversified portfolios to weather shifts in performance cycles.
Should Investors Alter Portfolios Considering the Equity Market Rout?
No, not right now. We continue to believe investors should: (1) keep equity allocations aligned with broad policy targets; (2) maintain modest overweights in less expensive areas within equities, such as developed markets value and small caps; and (3) maintain a modest overweight in long US Treasury securities within bond portfolios.