Economies

Russia: more illusion than opportunity

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Russia has always gripped the western public’s imagination. Take investors’ dreams of fabulous riches or moviegoers’ anticipation of another Russian villain’s demise at the hands of James Bond. Ironically, the current situation in the Kremlin seems to be taken straight out of an Ian Fleming book with a former secret-service… Read More »


Europe: the scene is set for an(other) historic year

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The rise of the populist vote will continue to dominate the political agenda in 2017 elections across Europe. The risks and uncertainty involved in these elections is far more material than it has been in recent cycles. 2016 will be remembered as the year when the populist vote triumphed. While… Read More »


Asia might not be too worried about US protectionism

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Trump’s decision to remove the US from the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) was a formality given that Congress was unlikely to ratify the deal during Obama’s final months. Additionally, his disapproval for the TPP was evident throughout the campaign, suggesting that withdrawal was not only well advertised but also fully… Read More »


Japan, a country still too far from investors

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Talking about Japanese equities, 2016 can be divided in two timeframes. Firstly, there was the period from the start of 2016 until roughly July during which financials heavily underperformed, exacerbated by the Bank of Japan’s Negative Interest Rate Policy. Then there was the sudden trend, which began in the summer,… Read More »


What are the risks and the best investment opportunities in investing the Chinese equity market now?

Fullgoal Asset Management -

The current valuation of A-shares is determined by 3 driving forces: …. 1). short-term economic stabilization, improved earnings of enterprises 2). marginal tightening of liquidity though overall volume is relatively loose 3). progress in domestic supply side reforms and state-owned enterprise reforms reinstate risk appetite to a certain extent. The… Read More »



Adding to Indian equities as one of our preferred emerging market asset classes

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Emerging market equities are Candriam’s strongest regional overweight conviction, …. … as (a) they have the highest re-rating potential (with a still-attractive relative valuation), (b) economic growth is stabilising and (c) the scope of USD appreciation is limited. However, central bank uncertainties and a less supportive commodity environment than at… Read More »



Indonesia is a stand-out market on the world stage

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A strong domestic economy and a government hungry for market reform makes Indonesia a stand-out market on the global stage. With developed markets battling deflation and Chinese growth decelerating due to past investment and excesses, Indonesia stands out as a strong economy supported by domestic factors. While many developed economies… Read More »


Focus turns to reforms after Brazil votes to impeach Rousseff

Craig Botham -

The impeachment of Dilma Rousseff had been widely expected. The prospects for Brazilian assets now rest on economic fundamentals and muchneeded reforms. With a greater-than-expected majority, Brazil’s Senate voted to impeach President Dilma Rousseff, removing her from office after her suspension in May. Rousseff is replaced as president by Michel… Read More »