FX Strategist

Greg Gibbs

Fundamental analysis of topical themes in FX

Amplifying Global FX Capital

Amplifying Global FX Capital was founded in 2015 and is fully owned by Greg Gibbs. It is a registered company both in Australia and Colorado, USA and is a licensed in Australia to provide financial services.

We are producing a regular trading view orientated macroeconomic analysis of topical themes in global financial markets, with a particular focus on foreign exchange. We invite you to view an “executive summary” of these reports in “AmpGFX Reports” under our “Research” menu.

These reports are drawn from the analysis of Greg Gibbs and inform the capital management he undertakes on behalf of the company. The trading performance is posted periodically on our website. We aim to build our company into both a research and capital management business. We are currently in the planning phase for managing capital for wholesale customers.

Greg Gibbs has spent his working life of more than 26 years in financial markets, beginning in 1989 at the Reserve Bank of Australia, after completing a Bachelor of Economics Degree (Honours) at the Australian National University. He has been a CFA Charterholder since 2005. He has worked in Sydney, Singapore, New York and London for major global banks and presented on foreign exchange markets to major financial institutions and companies around the world, and maintained a high profile in the financial media.

Before Amplifying Global FX Capital, Greg was the Head of Asia Pacific Market Strategy at the Royal Bank of Scotland based Singapore. He now resides in Breckenridge Colorado.

Macroeconomics

Domestic Australian factors are being overshadowed by global developments.  These global drivers account for both its rapid rebound over the last month and its significant correction in recent days.  Throughout this move we have been skeptical that the AUD can sustain its rally with significant local political and economic uncertainty.  These risks remain and continue to make it difficult to hold long AUD positions.  On the other hand, political and economic uncertainty in many alternative currencies are equally troubling. In Australia, economic momentum picked up in 2015, but has been more mixed in 2016.  The housing market is starting to ebb from strong levels, political risks remain elevated, bank equity performance has been weak, potentially a drag on confidence.  However, Global drivers remain in control, and while uncertainty is elevated in Australia, it is not clear that it will be sufficient to throw the Australian economy off course.  The RBA Statement continued to express a steady policy outlook albeit with an easing bias.

Domestic Australian factors are being overshadowed by global developments.  These global drivers account for both its rapid rebound over the last month and its significant correction in recent days.  Throughout this move we have been skeptical that the AUD can sustain its rally with significant local political and economic uncertainty.  These risks remain and continue to make it difficult to hold long AUD positions.  On the other hand, political and economic uncertainty in many alternative currencies are equally troubling. In Australia, economic momentum picked up in 2015, but has been more mixed in 2016.  The housing market is starting to ebb from strong levels, political risks remain elevated, bank equity performance has been weak, potentially a drag on confidence.  However, Global drivers remain in control, and while uncertainty is elevated in Australia, it is not clear that it will be sufficient to throw the Australian economy off course.  The RBA Statement continued to express a steady policy outlook albeit with an easing bias.

AmpGFX - AUD in No Man's Land, Political and Economic Risks Remain Elevated

Founder Evidente. Top rated quantitative analyst, Evidente

Sam Ferraro

Founder Evidente. Top rated quantitative analyst

Evidente

Evidente is an independent financial education firm that delivers innovative financial advice to wholesale investors, including active long only funds, hedge funds, pension funds, and sovereign wealth funds, in Australia and globally.  Drawing on academic research in asset pricing, behavioural finance and portfolio construction, Evidente provides wholesale investors with commercial solutions to stock selection and asset allocation decisions across equities and other asset classes.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>In the past week, two bottom up developments have dominated the financial market news flow in Australia: the belated announcement of CEO succession at Woolworths and renewed concerns that Australian banks represent a 'big short' thanks to rumours of the imminent collapse of residential house prices. </li><li>The losses announced by Woolworths in its home improvement division this week and decision to exit the business altogether serves as a timely and powerful signal to other companies about the dangers associated with investing for growth in the current environment of deficient demand.  Corporate Australia has already taken heed, with the economy on the precipice of a capex cliff.  The recently released ABS survey of capex intentions points to a 20% slide in business investment in the current financial year, which would represent the largest annual decline in over 25 years.</li><li>Any bubble talk around housing discounts the important role that dwelling investment and household consumption still has to play to support the outlook while the economy is on the precipice of a capex cliff.  Against the backdrop that interest rates will remain low for an extended period (and likely move lower from here), if there is a bubble in Australian housing it might well persist.  To take a cue from John Maynard Keynes, hedge funds seeking to capitalise on Australia's 'big short' will probably need an abundance of patience (and capital).</li></ul>

In the past week, two bottom up developments have dominated the financial market news flow in Australia: the belated announcement of CEO succession at Woolworths and renewed concerns that Australian banks represent a 'big short' thanks to rumours of the imminent collapse of residential house prices. The losses announced by Woolworths in its home improvement division this week and decision to exit the business altogether serves as a timely and powerful signal to other companies about the dangers associated with investing for growth in the current environment of deficient demand.  Corporate Australia has already taken heed, with the economy on the precipice of a capex cliff.  The recently released ABS survey of capex intentions points to a 20% slide in business investment in the current financial year, which would represent the largest annual decline in over 25 years.Any bubble talk around housing discounts the important role that dwelling investment and household consumption still has to play to support the outlook while the economy is on the precipice of a capex cliff.  Against the backdrop that interest rates will remain low for an extended period (and likely move lower from here), if there is a bubble in Australian housing it might well persist.  To take a cue from John Maynard Keynes, hedge funds seeking to capitalise on Australia's 'big short' will probably need an abundance of patience (and capital).

What the Capex Cliff Means for Australia's 'Big Short'

<ul><li>The key company announcement during the week in Australia came from Woodside Petroleum, that it had provided Oil Search a confidential, all scrip, non-binding proposal to merge.&nbsp;</li><li>I recommend that investors avoid Woodside for four reasons: Mergers &amp; Acquisitions 101 says that acquirers that make all scrip bids typically perform poorly, it is not clear that Woodside can extract synergies from managing Oil Search's assets, integration of the target's assets will further lift Woodside's complexity and agency costs, and analysts continue to downgrade the stock's future growth prospects.</li><li>The sharp drop in consumer sentiment highlights that the elevated level of financial market volatility in recent months has adversely affected the psychology of the household sector.&nbsp; Nonetheless, a number of macro tailwinds are expected to support the outlook for discretionary retail spending.</li></ul>

The key company announcement during the week in Australia came from Woodside Petroleum, that it had provided Oil Search a confidential, all scrip, non-binding proposal to merge.&nbsp;I recommend that investors avoid Woodside for four reasons: Mergers &amp; Acquisitions 101 says that acquirers that make all scrip bids typically perform poorly, it is not clear that Woodside can extract synergies from managing Oil Search's assets, integration of the target's assets will further lift Woodside's complexity and agency costs, and analysts continue to downgrade the stock's future growth prospects.The sharp drop in consumer sentiment highlights that the elevated level of financial market volatility in recent months has adversely affected the psychology of the household sector.&nbsp; Nonetheless, a number of macro tailwinds are expected to support the outlook for discretionary retail spending.

Two months ago, Evidente published a report which suggested that contrary to the RBA's view that the currency remained over-valued, the Australian dollar was trading below fair value. &nbsp;After what had been a strong period of out-performance from US dollar earners, I concluded that without the tailwind of A$ over-valuation - which prevailed through most of 2014 - their returns in the near term would be capped. In this post, I show that recent currency appreciation has eliminated the modest under-valuation and been associated with under-performance from US$ earners. The basket is trading on a median 12 mth forward PE of 20x, which represents a 25% premium to the median estimate for the ASX100, slightly higher than historical norms. The premium reflects the fact that offshore earners have strong growth expectations and low betas, thanks to their defensive business models. I highlight that the stocks suffering from the highest level of analyst bearishness remain Cochlear, Treasury Wine Estates and Westfield, which each attract less than 20% of buy recommendations from analysts.&nbsp;

Two months ago, Evidente published a report which suggested that contrary to the RBA's view that the currency remained over-valued, the Australian dollar was trading below fair value. &nbsp;After what had been a strong period of out-performance from US dollar earners, I concluded that without the tailwind of A$ over-valuation - which prevailed through most of 2014 - their returns in the near term would be capped. In this post, I show that recent currency appreciation has eliminated the modest under-valuation and been associated with under-performance from US$ earners. The basket is trading on a median 12 mth forward PE of 20x, which represents a 25% premium to the median estimate for the ASX100, slightly higher than historical norms. The premium reflects the fact that offshore earners have strong growth expectations and low betas, thanks to their defensive business models. I highlight that the stocks suffering from the highest level of analyst bearishness remain Cochlear, Treasury Wine Estates and Westfield, which each attract less than 20% of buy recommendations from analysts.&nbsp;

A new narrative for the Australian dollar (update)

In a wide ranging speech delivered overnight in New York,&nbsp;Glenn Stevens, provided more colour on his prior communications in which he has bemoaned the low level of entrepreneurial risk taking across Australia's corporate sector and implored businesses to invest for future growth prospects.&nbsp; Mr Stevens has acknowledged that lower returns on safe assets have not&nbsp;pulled down the cost of capital because there has been an offsetting rise in the equity risk premium.&nbsp;&nbsp; The risk free rate is low due to factors that are restraining corporate investment: low expected earnings growth and a high expected risk premium.&nbsp; I show that the lower risk free rate and lift in the risk premium have contributed to the relative rise in multiples of defensive stocks, and expect their lofty valuations to persist as long as animal spirits remain dormant.

In a wide ranging speech delivered overnight in New York,&nbsp;Glenn Stevens, provided more colour on his prior communications in which he has bemoaned the low level of entrepreneurial risk taking across Australia's corporate sector and implored businesses to invest for future growth prospects.&nbsp; Mr Stevens has acknowledged that lower returns on safe assets have not&nbsp;pulled down the cost of capital because there has been an offsetting rise in the equity risk premium.&nbsp;&nbsp; The risk free rate is low due to factors that are restraining corporate investment: low expected earnings growth and a high expected risk premium.&nbsp; I show that the lower risk free rate and lift in the risk premium have contributed to the relative rise in multiples of defensive stocks, and expect their lofty valuations to persist as long as animal spirits remain dormant.

Australia

AUB Group Limited provides financial services. The Company offers equity-based risk management, insurance broking, and specialist underwriting agencies, as well as focuses on risk solutions for clients and strengthening our partners risk advisory capabilities.

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AUB Group Limited (AUB AU)

AmpGFX - AUD in No Man's Land, Political and Economic Risks Remain Elevated

Domestic Australian factors are being overshadowed by global developments. These global drivers account for both its rapid rebound over the last...

Greg Gibbs

What the Capex Cliff Means for Australia's 'Big Short'

In the past week, two bottom up developments have dominated the financial market news flow in Australia: the belated announcement of CEO...

Sam Ferraro

Weekly Impressions

The key company announcement during the week in Australia came from Woodside Petroleum, that it had provided Oil Search a confidential, all scrip,...

Sam Ferraro

A new narrative for the Australian dollar (update)

Two months ago, Evidente published a report which suggested that contrary to the RBA's view that the currency remained over-valued, the Australian...

Sam Ferraro

Beware of bubble talk, for now

In a wide ranging speech delivered overnight in New York, Glenn Stevens, provided more colour on his prior communications in which he has bemoaned...

Sam Ferraro

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