Global Asset Allocation, Politics & Governance, Ecstrat

John-Paul Smith

Global Asset Allocation, Politics & Governance

Ecstrat

Ecstrat is a consultancy advising on asset allocation between global equity markets, with a focus on the intersection of governments, geopolitics, governance and markets.
 
Over the past few years and more especially since the Great Financial Crisis (GFC), investors have become more focused on short-term market movements and real-time returns and have consequently neglected the analysis of the underlying structural themes that underpin longer term performance.
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More specifically we believe that the evolution of governance-based relationships between investors, controlling shareholders, labour and the state is one of the primary determinants of both relative and absolute performance between individual equity markets.
 
We will endeavour to provide investors with some of the context surrounding governance-related issues which encompass many different disciplines including history, economics and political science, as well as the financial metrics which are the most obvious manifestation of the structural characteristics of each market.
 
We will pay particular attention to the shifts and potential inflection points for governance in individual markets as these are often the best lead indicators for both economic and market performance.

Cross Asset Strategy

This report examines the underlying governance factors that have driven EM underperformance over the last five years.Brazil, Russia, Malaysia and Turkey appear to have entered a vicious circle whereby lower growth leads to currency devaluation leading to policies, which are negative for both equity investors and economies and so the whole process starts up again (we still believe that of the four Turkey has the best prospects of escaping from this vortex).Most disturbingly, we believe that China as well as Indonesia may be on the verge of joining this not very select group.While sentiment towards EM has the hallmark of a short term bottom with plenty of space for bear market rallies and short squeezes, there is little sign of the positive inflection in policies, which might mark a secular turning point in individual markets or in the broader asset class.

This report examines the underlying governance factors that have driven EM underperformance over the last five years.Brazil, Russia, Malaysia and Turkey appear to have entered a vicious circle whereby lower growth leads to currency devaluation leading to policies, which are negative for both equity investors and economies and so the whole process starts up again (we still believe that of the four Turkey has the best prospects of escaping from this vortex).Most disturbingly, we believe that China as well as Indonesia may be on the verge of joining this not very select group.While sentiment towards EM has the hallmark of a short term bottom with plenty of space for bear market rallies and short squeezes, there is little sign of the positive inflection in policies, which might mark a secular turning point in individual markets or in the broader asset class.

Many (un)happy returns in EM; governance and the vicious circle

Leading Independent Investment Research, Morningstar, Inc.

Morningstar

Leading Independent Investment Research

Morningstar, Inc.

Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment research in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. We offer an extensive line of products and services for individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers, and retirement plan providers and sponsors. 

Morningstar provides data on more than 500,000 investment offerings, including stocks, mutual funds, and similar vehicles, along with real-time global market data on more than 16 million equities, indexes, futures, options, commodities, and precious metals, in addition to foreign exchange and Treasury markets. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its investment advisory subsidiaries, with more than $180 billion in assets under advisement or management as of June 30, 2015. We have operations in 27 countries.

Download the Morningstar Fact Sheet : http://corporate.morningstar.com/US/documents/MarketingFactSheets/AboutMorningstarFactsheet.pdf

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Growth in the second quarter was revised up from 3.7% to 3.9%, beating the consensus estimate of 3.7% growth.It was what economists like to call a high-quality revision as the contribution from inventory expansion was now just 0.2% instead of 0.4%, meaning fewer goods were piling up on shelves.More than offsetting the downward inventory calculation was a large revision to consumer spending, primarily the services-related category.Consumer spending grew at a 3.6% rate in the second quarter, one of the best performances of this recovery and constituting almost two thirds of total GDP growth.Most of the construction-related categories were also revised higher.Analysts: Robert Johnson CFA &amp; Roland CzerniawskiFull report below the fold...&nbsp;

Growth in the second quarter was revised up from 3.7% to 3.9%, beating the consensus estimate of 3.7% growth.It was what economists like to call a high-quality revision as the contribution from inventory expansion was now just 0.2% instead of 0.4%, meaning fewer goods were piling up on shelves.More than offsetting the downward inventory calculation was a large revision to consumer spending, primarily the services-related category.Consumer spending grew at a 3.6% rate in the second quarter, one of the best performances of this recovery and constituting almost two thirds of total GDP growth.Most of the construction-related categories were also revised higher.Analysts: Robert Johnson CFA &amp; Roland CzerniawskiFull report below the fold...&nbsp;

U.S. Economy Picks up the Pace: We're bumping up our 2015 GDP forecast

Semiconductors, Memory and SSDs Specialist, Objective Analysis

Jim Handy

Semiconductors, Memory and SSDs Specialist

Objective Analysis

Objective Analysis offers third-party independent market research and data for the semiconductor industry and investors in the semiconductor industry.

Semiconductors, Memory and SSDs

<ul>
<li>The SIA commented today on the impact to US semiconductor makers of sanctions against Russia</li>
<li>Russia accounts for negligible consumption of technology products, so embargos should not materially impact chip sales</li>
<li>The SIA believes that there are sufficient alternate sources of supply that the absence of Russian raw materials should not pose an immediate risk</li>
</ul>


The SIA commented today on the impact to US semiconductor makers of sanctions against Russia
Russia accounts for negligible consumption of technology products, so embargos should not materially impact chip sales
The SIA believes that there are sufficient alternate sources of supply that the absence of Russian raw materials should not pose an immediate risk


Taiwan

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. manufactures and markets integrated circuits. The Company provides the following services: wafer manufacturing, wafer probing, assembly and testing, mask production, and design services. TSMC's ICs are used in computer, communication, consumer electronics, automotive, and industrial equipment industries.

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Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) (2330 TT)

Many (un)happy returns in EM; governance and the vicious circle

This report examines the underlying governance factors that have driven EM underperformance over the last five years.Brazil, Russia, Malaysia and...

John-Paul Smith

U.S. Economy Picks up the Pace: We're bumping up our 2015 GDP forecast

Growth in the second quarter was revised up from 3.7% to 3.9%, beating the consensus estimate of 3.7% growth.It was what economists like to call a...

Morningstar, Inc.

Ukraine Invasion's Semiconductor Impact

How will the chip market be impacted by sanctions against Russia? The SIA expects a negligible demand decrease and no short-term impact tot he...

Jim Handy

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