Global Economic Recovery, Political Risk and Commodities by Didier Saint-Georges, Managing Director and Member of the Investment Committee, Carmignac
A global economic recovery is underway. Growth has picked up across global markets for about a year, although during that same period markets have also had to contend with bouts of short-term volatility, with political risk driving much of that volatility. The Macron victory in the French presidential election, who campaigned on a pro-European platform, should now drastically diminish political risk on that continent and allow investors to focus on its economic fundamentals instead. As political risk dissipates, eyes are now also on central banks in the US and in Europe and on what they will do to navigate their economies through the different cycles of the recovery. Deflation is no longer the most potent threat facing the global economy. Instead, inflation is likely to take center stage and keep policymakers on their toes in the near future.
The cycle should become more than ever the key feature to assess. Financial markets are currently experiencing a synchronized growth, favourable for risky assets. Europe and EM are reaping the benefits of an economic upturn with a delay, whereas the US economy is more exposed to the risk of a deceleration in growth momentum, partly induced by political noise.
Emerging markets, which are export-dominant economies, are best positioned to keep benefiting from a recovery in the global economy. Their economic fundamentals, too, are improving for emerging markets, making them an appealing investment destination. In addition, corporate earnings have historically moved in lockstep with international trade, so it is reasonable to expect a growth in corporate earnings as international trade continues to increase.
In Latin America, where many structural economic changes are underway in countries like Brazil, Argentina and Colombia, and after a lackluster growth trend during recent periods, the conditions are set to take advantage of this global positive cycle. However, investors have to keep several risks in mind. One of the risks could come from Trump administration’s protectionist agenda that could still directly impact economies like Mexico, which are highly dependent on US trade. Another risk could come from China, which has been a major source of foreign direct investment for Latin American countries like Peru. Indeed, the ongoing pressure of capital outflows, coupled with its rising debt to GDP ratio point to an unsteady growth basis for China. This is a threat to Latin American countries that must not be ignored.
On the commodity front, it has been a volatile start of the year. Short term oil price tends to be a function of market expectations, news flow, and variation in inventories. Over the short term, there is a strong case for oil prices rising through the next few months as US inventories draw down, OPEC discipline is maintained, and global demand continues to grow at a solid pace. However, over the longer term, the risk of US shale producers to start producing and exporting more, based on increasing capacity, could create a lingering risk of a disruption to the demand- supply balance.
Besides our positive short term view on oil, we are also positive on the near term outlook for mining and materials names, as long as the momentum in Chinese infrastructure spending continues. We favor base metals miners, while we also see some meaningful upside coming from metallurgical coal production for export to China, given the Chinese restriction on coal mining activity and environmental focus which looks set to provide a continuing boost for the seaborne coal market. In the long term, Chinese excess credit creation remains a risk, but for the time being, we do not see the credit impulse running into the ground.
