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Overweight industrial metals and underweight energy
ETF Securities Portfolio Insights: Overweight industrial metals and underweight energy
Highlights
- For the third quarter 2017, our equity model suggests increasing allocation in US large caps and French equities while underweighting emerging market stocks mainly.
- The bond model proposes keeping the weights unchanged compared to the benchmark while our contrarian model on commodities underweights energy, overweighting industrial metals, precious metals and livestock.
- Our tactical portfolio outperformed the strategic and the 60/40 benchmarks by 0.9% and 0.5% per year respectively, improving the Sharpe by 36% on average.
Political uncertainties around the world have started to fade. However, centres of tension remain as criticisms over the Trump presidency are growing and as the US economic growth may be near peak. While the French and Dutch elections have defeated the risk of a populist victory, the Brexit negotiations remain full of uncertainties. The UK is unlikely to find in the US the trade partner it is seeking for. The country went through a tough test in early June as the Conservative party lost its majority during the general election. While market volatility is still at its lowest level ever, inflation is gradually rising in the US, EU and UK, increasing the risk of central bank policy errors.
Q3 2017 positioning
In Q2 2017, the market volatility index (VIX) fell below its lower band (-1x standard deviation), indicating that the level of risk on the equity market is low and that investors can have a higher allocation to equities (55%) compared to bonds (35%) similar to the strategic benchmark. For Q3 2017, volatility rose above its lower band making the tactical portfolio switch back to a more balanced split at 45% each. Commodities remain at 10% in both strategic and tactical portfolios.
Within the equity space, we have amended our model as we found, in our note Momentum for short-term tactical play, CAPE for the longer run, that the mean reversion strategy underneath the traditional CAPE (Cyclically Adjusted Price to Earning) valuation model based on 10 years earnings period works best when the investment horizon is longer than 4 years. For shorter investment horizons, such as in the tactical portfolio, a momentum strategy using a version of the CAPE indicator based on a shorter earning period of 5 years instead of 10 provides better results. For Q3, the model therefore suggests overweighting US large caps, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark as valuations of these countries remain elevated compared to the 5-year medians of their real earnings. Valuations peaked in mid-2014 and abated until early 2016, before rising again. At the other end of the spectrum, the model reduces its allocation in Brazil, Russia, Italy, South Africa and Mexico. Italy shows the largest differential between its CAPE ratio and its 5-year median, reflecting its troublesome banking sectors and political instability with a potential new election next year. The domestic equity market is likely to remain undervalued as long as these risks remain unsettled.
The below table highlights how our tactical positions have changed for the past three quarters compared to the strategic benchmark and our new positions for this quarter.
(click to enlarge)
For Q3 2017, the bond model suggests to remain neutral in all categories. This contrasts with the second quarter where the model was overweighting all of them as inflation expectations and interest rate expectations in the US and the EU were signalling a turning point. The CDS (Credit Default Swap) of each bond continues to hover around its historical average.
Our commodity contrarian model, for Q3, is reducing the weight of all energy commodities except WTI crude and is taking a short exposure to Brent and gasoline. This is in line with our view that oil will continue to trade range between US$40/bbl. and US$55/bbl. as the attempt from the OPEC and non-OPEC agreement to restrain the increase in global oil production continues. On the other hand, the model is increasing its allocation in copper, zinc and lead, and is taking a short exposure to aluminium and tin. Fundamentals should remain price supportive as copper is likely to end this year in deficit for the ninth consecutive year. The model is also shifting from underweight all precious metals except palladium in Q2 to overweight palladium only in Q3, taking a short exposure to palladium at the same time as we see the price rally was overdone. Lastly, the model is increasing the weight of live cattle and is taking a short exposure to corn and lean hogs.
Portfolio performance
The tactical portfolio has the lowest level of volatility compared to the balanced 60/40 portfolio, and the strategic benchmark, improving the Sharpe ratio to 0.61 compared to 0.51 for the 60/40 and 0.40 for the strategic portfolio.
(click to enlarge)
The tactical portfolio outperforms the 60/40 and the strategic benchmarks by 0.5% and 0.9% per year since January 2005.
(click to enlarge)
Each asset class in the tactical portfolio also outperforms its equivalent in the 60/40 and strategic benchmarks. The bond component outperforms by 0.5% on average, the equity by 0.3% and the commodity by 4.5%, illustrating the efficiency of our fundamental-based models in improving the risk/return profile of the asset class as well as the tactical portfolio.
In addition, the tactical portfolio provides higher protection from the downside risk with a maximum drawdown of -25.4% compared to -33% for the 60/40 and -37% for the strategic benchmark.
Finally, the portfolio recovers faster to its previous peak (2 years versus around 3 years for both benchmarks).
Portfolio methodologies
Our strategic benchmark follows a long-only strategy with 60 investments across three asset classes: commodities (25), equities (28) and bonds (7). As illustrated below, the initial weights are based on the weighting methodology of:
• The Bloomberg Commodity Index for commodities
• The MSCI AC World Index for equities
• The Barclays bond indices for bonds
(click to enlarge)
For more information contact:
ETF Securities Research team
ETF Securities (UK) Limited
T +44 (0) 207 448 4336
E info@etfsecurities.com
Important Information
This communication has been issued and approved for the purpose of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 by ETF Securities (UK) Limited (“ETFS UK”) which is authorised and regulated by the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA”).
2024 was a landmark year for bitcoin, solidifying its role as a fully institutionalised asset class.
Institutional inflows into physical bitcoin exchange-traded products (ETPs) reached nearly $35 billion globally, signalling a major shift in how traditional investors view crypto. As bitcoin continued to enhance portfolios’ risk-return profiles, more institutional investors followed suit, reshaping the financial landscape.
Looking ahead, 2025 promises to bring exciting developments across the crypto ecosystem. Here are the top five crypto trends to watch.
Fear of being left behind
The era of bitcoin as a niche investment is over. Institutional adoption is creating a ripple effect, forcing hesitant players to reconsider. Portfolios with bitcoin allocations are consistently outperforming those without, highlighting its growing importance.
Figure 1: Bitcoin in a multi-asset portfolio
| 60/40 Global Portfolio | 1% Bitcoin Portfolio | 3% Bitcoin Portfolio | 5% Bitcoin Portfolio | 10% Bitcoin Portfolio | MSCI AC World | Bloomberg Multiverse | Bitcoin | |
| Annualised Return | 5.77% | 6.46% | 7.83% | 9.20% | 12.57% | 9.07% | 0.56% | 56.24% |
| Volatility | 8.79% | 8.86% | 9.14% | 9.62% | 11.42% | 13.94% | 5.05% | 67.28% |
| Sharpe Ratio | 0.48 | 0.55 | 0.68 | 0.79 | 0.96 | 0.54 | -0.20 | 0.81 |
| Information Ratio | 1.01 | 1.01 | 1.01 | 1.00 | ||||
| Beta | 70% | 71% | 73% | 75% | 81% | 100% | 24% | 181% |
Source: Bloomberg, WisdomTree. From 31 December 2013 to 30 November 2024. In USD. Based on daily returns. The 60/40 Global Portfolio is composed of 60% MSCI All Country World and 40% Bloomberg Multiverse. You cannot invest directly in an index. Historical performance is not an indication of future performance and any investment may go down in value.
With bitcoin’s ability to noticeably improve portfolios’ risk-return profiles, asset managers face a clear choice: integrate bitcoin into multi-asset portfolios or risk falling behind in a rapidly evolving financial landscape. In 2025, expect the competition to heat up as clients demand exposure to this powerhouse cryptocurrency.
Expanding crypto investment options
In 2024, regulatory breakthroughs opened the doors for physical bitcoin and ether ETPs in key developed markets. This marked a critical step towards making cryptocurrencies mainstream, providing seamless access to institutional and retail investors alike.
Figure 2: Global physical crypto ETP assets under management (AUM) and 2024 net flows
Source: Bloomberg, WisdomTree. 02 January 2025. Historical performance is not an indication of future performance and any investment may go down in value.
In 2025, this momentum is expected to accelerate as the crypto regulatory environment becomes more friendly in the United States and as key developed markets follow Europe’s lead and approve ETPs for altcoins such as Solana and XRP. With their clear utility and growing adoption, these altcoins are strong candidates for institutional investment vehicles.
This next wave of altcoin ETPs will expand the diversity of crypto investment opportunities and further integrate cryptocurrencies into the global financial system.
The maturing of Ethereum’s layer-2 ecosystem
Ethereum’s role as the backbone of decentralised finance (DeFi), non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and Web3 is unmatched, but its scalability challenges remain a hurdle. Layer-2 solutions—technologies such as Arbitrum and Optimism—are transforming Ethereum’s scalability and usability by enabling faster, cheaper transactions.
In 2025, Ethereum’s recent upgrades, such as Proto-Danksharding (introduced in the ‘Dencun’ upgrade), will drive layer-2 adoption even further. Innovations like Visa’s layer-2 payment platform leveraging Ethereum for instant cross-border transactions will underscore the platform’s evolution.
Expect Ethereum’s layer-2 ecosystem to power real-world use cases ranging from tokenized assets to decentralised gaming, positioning it as the infrastructure of a truly scalable digital economy.
Stablecoins: bridging finance and blockchain
Stablecoins are becoming indispensable to the global financial system, offering the stability of traditional assets with the efficiency of blockchain. Platforms such as Ethereum dominate the stablecoin landscape, hosting stablecoin giants Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC), which facilitate billions in daily transactions.
Figure 3: Key stablecoin chains
Source: Artemis Terminal, WisdomTree. 05 January 2025. Historical performance is not an indication of future performance and any investment may go down in value.
As we move into 2025, stablecoins will increasingly interact with blockchain ecosystems such as Solana and XRP. Solana’s high-speed, low-cost infrastructure makes it ideal for stablecoin payments and remittances, while XRP Ledger’s focus on cross-border efficiency positions it as a leader in global settlements. With institutional adoption rising and DeFi applications booming, stablecoins will serve as the backbone of a seamless, interconnected financial ecosystem.
Tokenization: redefining ownership and revolutionising finance
Tokenization is set to redefine how we think about ownership and value. By converting tangible assets like real estate, commodities, stocks, and art into digital tokens, tokenization breaks down barriers to entry and creates unprecedented liquidity.
In 2025, tokenization will expand dramatically, empowering investors to own fractions of high-value assets. Platforms such as Paxos Gold and AspenCoin are already showcasing how tokenization can revolutionize markets for gold and luxury real estate. The integration of tokenized assets into DeFi will unlock new financial opportunities, such as using tokenized real estate as collateral for loans. As tokenization matures, it will transform industries ranging from private equity to venture capital, creating a more inclusive and efficient financial system.
For the avoidance of any doubt, tokenization complements crypto by expanding the use cases of blockchain to include real-world applications.
Looking ahead
2025 is set to be a defining year for crypto, as innovation, regulation, and adoption converge. Whether it is bitcoin cementing its position as a portfolio staple, Ethereum scaling for mainstream use, or tokenization unlocking liquidity in untapped markets, the crypto ecosystem is poised for explosive growth. For investors and institutions alike, the opportunities have never been clearer or more compelling.
This material is prepared by WisdomTree and its affiliates and is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice, and is not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy. The opinions expressed are as of the date of production and may change as subsequent conditions vary. The information and opinions contained in this material are derived from proprietary and non-proprietary sources. As such, no warranty of accuracy or reliability is given and no responsibility arising in any other way for errors and omissions (including responsibility to any person by reason of negligence) is accepted by WisdomTree, nor any affiliate, nor any of their officers, employees or agents. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the reader. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
On January 20, 2025, bitcoin (BTC) reached a new all-time high, surpassing $109,000, and this milestone coincided with Donald Trump’s inauguration for his second term as U.S. President.
Historical trends show that BTC has performed exceptionally well in the 12 months following the past three U.S. elections. If history repeats, this could signal another bullish phase. With Trump’s pro-BTC stance and a U.S. Congress aligned on favorable digital regulation, the outlook for the coming months appears highly promising.
Source: Hashdex Research with data from Messari (from November 6, 2012 to January 19, 2025).
MARKET HIGHLIGHTS | Jan 13 2025 – Jan 19 2025
Bitcoin-backed loans enabled on Coinbase’s L2
• Now customers can borrow USDC in the new base’s lending protocol by using bitcoin as collateral.
• This underscores the importance of onchain innovations as the pillar for future adoption of blockchain technology, in this case enhancing personal finance to be more decentralized and intuitive in a permissionless etho..
ETF filings reiterate bullish regulatory tailwinds
• As Donald Trump’s inauguration approaches, several asset managers have filed applications for new crypto ETF products, including those focused on assets like LTC and XRP.
• This reflects optimism for 2025’s crypto regulations and their potential to transform the regulated products landscape.
Trump to make crypto top priority in US agenda
• U.S. President-elect Donald Trump allegedly plans to issue an executive order making crypto a national policy priority and establishing an advisory council.
• The announcement signals that crypto has gained political importance. Even if not all promises are met, crypto has already crossed the chasm.
MARKET METRICS
The Nasdaq Crypto Index™
This week saw a significant rise in digital assets as the market awaits Trump’s inauguration, with the NCI™ (+15.3%) outperforming all traditional asset classes. The NCI™ (+13.2%) also outperformed BTC (+12.1%), highlighting the value of diversification in a volatile market. The performance was positively impacted by SOL’s strong 46.3% gain, while ETH’s underwhelming 3.0% growth had a dampening effect.
Source: Hashdex Research with data from CF Benchmarks and Bloomberg (from December 31, 2024 to January 19, 2025).
It was a strong week for the NCI™ , with SOL leading the pack (among others, like XRP and LINK), surging 46.3%, while BTC (12.1%) and ETH (3.0%) lagged behind. This price action seems driven by excitement around Trump’s inauguration and the crypto-friendly environment his promises suggest.
Source: Hashdex Research with data from Messari (from January 12, 2025 to January 19, 2025).
Indices tracked by Hashdex
Source: Hashdex Research with data from CF Benchmarks and Vinter (from January 19, 2024 to January 19, 2025).
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