Italy is a worry – but 3 reasons not to be concerned about an Itexit

Italy is a worry – but 3 reasons not to be concerned about an Itexit Key points A populist coalition government in Italy is negative for Italian assets. Lingering uncertainty about a push for Italy to exit the Euro is likely a negative for the Euro too, though an Itexit and a Euro break up remain unlikely. Eurozone shares are likely to be relative outperformers globally thanks to more attractive valuations than the US, easier …

The pullback in shares – seven reasons not to be too concerned

09 February 2018 The pullback in shares – seven reasons not to be too concerned Key points The current pullback in shares has been triggered by worries around US inflation, the Fed and rising bond yields but made worse by an unwinding of bets that volatility would continue to fall. We may have seen the worst, but it’s too early to say for sure. However, our view remains that it’s just another correction. Key things …

Correction time for shares?

Correction time for shares? Key points The US share market is long overdue a decent correction. This now appears to be unfolding and may have further to go as higher inflation, a slightly more aggressive Fed and higher bond yields are factored in. This will impact most share markets including Australian shares. However, in the absence of an aggressive 1994 style back-up in bond yields or a US recession – neither of which we expect …

The risk shares and bonds will no longer correlate

19 January 2018 The risk shares and bonds will no longer correlate There is an old saying that “diversification is the only free lunch in finance”. While this adage is often wrongly attributed to Harry Markowitz, it does a great job of articulating the essential insight in his Nobel Prize winning research. What people who’ve followed Markowitz’s know is the attractiveness of an asset in a portfolio doesn’t just depend on its own expected return …