Investment Outlook
February A monthly round-up of global markets and trends 2017
In this issue: Investment review Trump’s controversial first few weeks in office and Brexit developments have been the main focus for the new year
Market highlights Equities, fixed income, and FX and commodities
Market returns Asset class by asset class
Agricultural Bulletin | Winter 2012 2 Investment review Trump’s controversial first few weeks in office and Brexit developments have been the main focus for the new year.
• Donald Trump’s first few weeks in office have been the • In the UK, Brexit has very much been the focus at the start main focus for markets at start of 2017. The post-election of the New Year. Theresa May has outlined her strategy with exuberance has lost a little momentum but markets appear the government seeking a clean break from the EU as she to still be giving the expected Trump economic boost the pledged the UK would quit the single market. She has won benefit of the doubt. Closer to home, Brexit is back on the the support of MPs in the commons and the government radar for markets with the government likely to trigger now looks on course to officially trigger Article 50 before Article 50 and officially begin divorce proceedings with the the end of March. The UK government goes into Brexit European Union (EU) in the coming months. The improving negotiations with the economy on a firmer footing. The first economic backdrop in the Eurozone has proven a welcome estimate of Q4 GDP came in marginally above expectation distraction for what’s likely to be a challenging political at 0.6%, meaning growth in 2016 of 2.2%. 2017 consensus period for the region in the first half of 2017. Politics are forecasts have ticked higher but growth is still expected to likely to remain a key focus for markets globally in the come in at just 1.2%. Inflationary pressures have continued near-term. Given the potential for further twists and turns, to build in the UK as a result of the weaker sterling driving we expect market volatility to pick up from the current up the price of imports. Inflation is expected to rise to low levels. around 2.5% this year and market interest rate expectations have crept higher in recent months. However, we continue • As expected the start of Trump’s Presidency has not been to believe the Bank of England will look through the near- without controversy, but the real focus for markets is term spike in inflation for the time being and keep interest on the scale and timing of his proposed fiscal stimulus rates low. Particularly with inflation likely to outpace the measures, aimed at boosting the US economy. Early signs growth in wages, eroding disposable incomes and acting as have been encouraging with Trump quickly signing off on a headwind for UK consumption in 2017. a two high profile infrastructure projects in the energy sector. But given that markets have already priced in the • Having been one of the main (and surprise) beneficiaries prospect of higher growth and inflation, and US equity of Trump’s election victory, Japanese equities have lost market valuations have moved back to elevated levels; momentum at the start of the year. The equity market there is scope for disappointment if the overall scale of has a strong negative correlation with the yen (as the yen the fiscal stimulus underwhelms. Possibly the greatest risk weakens, the market generally moves higher) and Japanese is that the tax cuts do not get signed off by congress until stocks have suffered from the yen strengthening against the latter end of the year meaning they won’t impact the the dollar. Although we remain generally positive on the economy until 2018. In the meantime, tighter financial Japanese market, the currency plays a significant role in conditions (a stronger dollar and higher interest rates) direction of the market. As a result, much will depend could act as a drag on the US economy going into the on the dollar strengthening against the yen once again second quarter of the year. We remain cautiously optimistic from here. that Trump can deliver policies that will lead to higher growth. However, unless we see details of his plans soon, markets could rapidly begin to lose patience. • The economic landscape in the Eurozone has continued to look brighter in recent months. GDP growth picked up to 1.8% in 2016 and more forward-looking indicators (such as Purchasing Managers’ Indices and consumer confidence surveys) are pointing to a further pick-up in activity in this year. Indeed analysts have begun to upgrade their earnings forecasts for this year in response. An improving economic climate, combined with relatively attractive equity valuations and abundance of internationally-focused companies, means we are warming to the Eurozone market. However, the region also faces a potentially disruptive election timetable including key elections in the Netherlands (March) and France (May). The latter will be of particular interest for markets if the polls show the anti-Euro Marine Le Pen is gaining traction. While we acknowledge the increasingly unpredictable nature of the political landscape, we have started the process of gradually increasing our exposure to European equities.
*For the definitions of these terms, see the glossary on the back page. Agricultural Bulletin | Winter 2012 3 HouseMarket view highlights
Equity markets
Since the start of the year the FTSE 250 has outperformed 12 month forward Price Earnings atios 18 the larger (and more internationally exposed) FTSE 17 100. Much of this is down to signs of a more resilient UK 16 economy and a pick-up in sterling in recent weeks. Both 15 the FTSE 100 and 250 have seen their price-earnings ratios (a valuation measure) decline with both markets now on 14 attractive valuations compared to the US. But clearly the 13 UK economy is facing enormous uncertainty as the Brexit 12 negotiations unfold and as a result we remain cautious 11 on the more domestically-focused FTSE 250 index. Our 10 preference remains for the FTSE 100, particularly if 9 8 sterling remains within a likely trading range of around Jan-12 Jul-12 Jan-13 Jul-13 Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 1.20-1.27 versus the dollar. If sterling remains relatively S&P 500 FTSE 100 FTSE 250 weak we have greater faith in the earnings growth outlook for the FTSE 100 index due to the currency translation Source: Thomson Reuters Datastream/Smith & Williamson impact (over 70% of FTSE 100 revenues come from overseas). Another positive is that with a large proportion of FTSE 100 companies paying their dividends in dollars, this could provide an ‘extra kicker’ to the value of investment income.
Fixed income