Investment Insights

 

2023 Asian rates and FX outlook

Most Asian countries are expected to grow at a slower pace in 2023 than they did in 2022, and fiscal stimulus will no longer be a dominant factor driving growth in the region. We expect monetary policy outlook to persist as the primary driver of rates in 2023 with focus on the potential end to the tightening cycle.

2023 Global Fixed Income outlook

We present our 2023 outlook for core markets, emerging markets and global credit.

2023 Asian credit outlook

We believe that the benign macro backdrop should remain supportive for credit fundamentals in 2023. The fiscal deficits of Asian economies are expected to gradually narrow as the need for pandemic support decreases.

Japan’s “show me the money” corporate governance: 3Q, another record high

The just-released 3Q CY22 data on aggregate corporate profits in Japan was very positive, with the overall corporate recurring pre-tax profit margin hitting a record high on a four quarter average.

The case for China bonds

China’s bond market is exhibiting low correlation to other asset classes, displaying historically lower volatility, enjoying continued internationalisation of the renminbi and benefitting from the country being included in globally recognised indices.

This month, Fed Chair Powell seemed hellbent on quashing any last hope of a pivot or at least slowing the pace of rate hikes sometime soon. But this crushing blow to hope helped sow the seeds of an eyewatering rally when one inflation print showed some promise—hence, the manic cycle continues.

We are inclined towards Singapore and South Korean government bonds, given their relatively higher sensitivities to stabilising US Treasury yields. In currencies, we see the Singapore dollar continuing to outperform its regional peers.

The ASEAN region fared better on the whole in October thanks to gains by the Philippines and Malaysia; Hong Kong and Taiwan stocks were volatile while the China market continued sliding.

New Zealand Equity Monthly – October 2022

A notable feature of global equities this year has been the significant divergence seen among indices. New Zealand’s S&P/NZX 50 Index has provided an example of this by following a different track to the overall global trend so far.

New Zealand Fixed Income Monthly – October 2022

As in the rest of the world, consumers in New Zealand are facing significant headwinds as the cost of living rises. The consensus was for inflation to decline rapidly after peaking, but the data now show that New Zealand’s inflation is becoming significantly entrenched, broad based, and domestically driven.