US

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.