ClockWise Asset allocation perspectives from Fidelity Solutions 1 Policy Divergence Opportunities June 2014 Fidelity Solutions manages $47.7 billion of assets* in a wide range of multi asset and multi manager funds for retail and institutional clients. This month’s contributor: Trevor Greetham Head of Tactical Asset Allocation and Portfolio Manager Eugene Philalithis Portfolio Manager in Fidelity Solutions A dovish Fed press conference saw VIX volatility close at 10.7, the lowest level since February 2007 just prior to the subprime crisis and not far off half the June average since 1990. Low volatility isn't in itself a sell signal for equities and a continued melt up in prices is possible. However, volatility usually rises from its seasonal lows between now and October and possible triggers include deeper unrest in the middle east or slower US growth going into Q3. We would most likely buy a dip given our constructive longer term views. *As of 31 May 2014 Our global growth scorecard has been positive for eighteen months. We are in a disinflationary and desynchronised global recovery with steady expansion in the US driving above trend global growth while the slowdown in China keeps commodity prices and inflation under control. This backdrop allows G7 central banks to keep policy loose but with different economies at different points in the business cycle monetary policy divergences will create opportunities. We are overweight sterling versus the euro and swiss franc. In this month’s Time Out, we look at infrastructure as an asset class suited to income strategies. Investment Clock Neutral Our big picture view of the world is one in which growth stays strong but inflation remains muted, like it was in the 1990’s. This backdrop is good for developed market equities as it allows G7 central banks to keep policy loose even when growth is improving, as the ECB’s recent move illustrates. However, at present growth indicators are mixed and inflation pressures have risen on the back of a higher oil price. The Investment Clock model that guides our asset allocation is the closest to neutral that we can remember. We took some profit in equities earlier in the year as growth indicators weakened. We are hopeful the growth picture will resolve in a positive way after the summer. A seasonal rise in volatility may provide the opportunity to rebuild a larger overweight in equities. Monetary Policy Diverges Create FX Opportunities A strong, housing-led UK recovery is leading the Bank of England to warn of possible base rate rises later this year. Meanwhile, the ECB has embarked on a new phase of easing to head off deflationary forces. The prospect of further liquidity injections is helping sovereign bond spreads over Germany to tighten further but the best of this trade is behind us. The best way to play divergent ECB policy is in the currency markets. A widening spread between UK and German rates suggests a new and long- lasting trend of euro weakness. We are overweight sterling versus the euro and swiss franc. Time Out: Investing in Infrastructure in a Multi-Asset Income Strategy Infrastructure is a key part of the allocation to growth assets within our multi-asset income strategies. Infrastructure provides an attractive source of yield and the asset class can offer diversification benefits and favourable risk-adjusted returns. Infrastructure can also be a hedge against unanticipated inflation. The Clockwise Blog For up to date asset allocation thoughts from Fidelity Solutions please visit the Clockwise Blog where you can click ‘Subscribe’ for live updates. See page 6 for a list of recent posts. Focus Chart: The Seasonality of Equity Market Volatility – VIX Averages by Calendar Month 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Source: Datastream, Seasonality of VIX volatility index, Feb 1990 to June 2014.
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ClockWise Asset allocation perspectives from Fidelity Solutions
1
Policy Divergence Opportunities
June 2014
Fidelity Solutions manages
$47.7 billion of assets* in a
wide range of multi asset and
multi manager funds for retail
and institutional clients.
This month’s contributor:
Trevor Greetham
Head of Tactical Asset
Allocation and Portfolio
Manager
Eugene Philalithis Portfolio
Manager in Fidelity
Solutions
A dovish Fed press conference saw
VIX volatility close at 10.7, the
lowest level since February 2007
just prior to the subprime crisis and
not far off half the June average
since 1990. Low volatility isn't in
itself a sell signal for equities and a
continued melt up in prices is
possible. However, volatility usually
rises from its seasonal lows
between now and October and
possible triggers include deeper
unrest in the middle east or slower
US growth going into Q3. We would
most likely buy a dip given our
constructive longer term views.
*As of 31 May 2014
Our global growth scorecard has been positive for eighteen months. We are in a disinflationary
and desynchronised global recovery with steady expansion in the US driving above trend
global growth while the slowdown in China keeps commodity prices and inflation under
control. This backdrop allows G7 central banks to keep policy loose but with different
economies at different points in the business cycle monetary policy divergences will create
opportunities. We are overweight sterling versus the euro and swiss franc. In this month’s Time
Out, we look at infrastructure as an asset class suited to income strategies.
Investment Clock Neutral
Our big picture view of the world is one in which growth stays strong but inflation remains muted, like it
was in the 1990’s. This backdrop is good for developed market equities as it allows G7 central banks
to keep policy loose even when growth is improving, as the ECB’s recent move illustrates. However, at
present growth indicators are mixed and inflation pressures have risen on the back of a higher oil
price. The Investment Clock model that guides our asset allocation is the closest to neutral that we can
remember. We took some profit in equities earlier in the year as growth indicators weakened. We are
hopeful the growth picture will resolve in a positive way after the summer. A seasonal rise in volatility
may provide the opportunity to rebuild a larger overweight in equities.
Monetary Policy Diverges Create FX Opportunities
A strong, housing-led UK recovery is leading the Bank of England to warn of possible base rate rises
later this year. Meanwhile, the ECB has embarked on a new phase of easing to head off deflationary
forces. The prospect of further liquidity injections is helping sovereign bond spreads over Germany to
tighten further but the best of this trade is behind us. The best way to play divergent ECB policy is in
the currency markets. A widening spread between UK and German rates suggests a new and long-
lasting trend of euro weakness. We are overweight sterling versus the euro and swiss franc.
Time Out: Investing in Infrastructure in a Multi-Asset Income Strategy
Infrastructure is a key part of the allocation to growth assets within our multi-asset income strategies.
Infrastructure provides an attractive source of yield and the asset class can offer diversification
benefits and favourable risk-adjusted returns. Infrastructure can also be a hedge against unanticipated
inflation.
The Clockwise Blog
For up to date asset allocation thoughts from Fidelity Solutions please visit the Clockwise Blog where
you can click ‘Subscribe’ for live updates. See page 6 for a list of recent posts.
Focus Chart: The Seasonality of Equity Market Volatility – VIX Averages by Calendar Month
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Source: Datastream, Seasonality of VIX volatility index, Feb 1990 to June 2014.
Source: Fidelity, this represents the opinion of Fidelity Solutions. Positions for principal multi asset institutional and retail funds are as of June 2014. Individual fund positions may vary.
Multi Asset: Small Overweight in Equities
We have been overweight equities since 2012 on the back of recovery with loose policy and muted inflation. We took profits on a softening in growth lead indicators. Summer volatility may present an opportunity to rebuild positions.
We remain underweight commodities. Excess capacity, dollar strength and slower growth in China are headwinds.
We are underweight government bonds. Yields should gradually move higher as central banks normalise policy. We prefer Investment Grade and especially High Yield.
Property fundamentals are positive but higher rates could put pressure on REIT valuations, leaving us neutral.
Equity Regions: Overweight USA
We have been overweight US equities since early 2011 on the back of pro-growth policy and structural improvements. Earnings revisions are improving relative to other regions.
We traded out of our overweight in Japan in the spring time on concerns April’s sales tax rise will hurt the recovery. However, Japan is the best play on a US-led global upturn.
Asia Pacific ex Japan and the Emerging Markets are our main underweight areas. Commodity price weakness and a return of capital to the US will weigh on these markets.
We are broadly neutral in Europe where we see muted recovery and latent political risk should growth slow. We are underweight the UK where a housing-led recovery is best played through mid cap exposure and sterling.
Healthcare is our largest sector overweight. We expect the strong product pipeline of the pharmaceutical majors to lead to a gradual upward re-rating.
We also like the Technology and Consumer Discretionary, sectors given their exposure to the on-going US recovery.
We are underweight the interest rate sensitive Utilities and Consumer Staples sectors, consistent with our cautious view on bonds.
We are also underweight the commodity sensitive Materials and Energy sectors.
Currencies: Overweight US Dollar & Pound
We are overweight the US dollar. Sustained recovery is inconsistent with a zero Fed Funds rate. The markets will focus on the risk of rate hikes as QE comes to an end.
We are overweight sterling on similar grounds. Strong data will drive expectations for higher interest rates, even though macro-prudential measures to cool housing will be tried first.
We are underweight the Japanese yen and particularly the Swiss franc. The central banks stand ready to print money to avoid unwelcome currency strength in both cases.
We are modestly underweight the commodity-sensitive Canadian and Australian dollar with the latter at risk of a correction if volatility rises and carry trades are taken off.
Our global growth scorecard has been positive for the last eighteen months making this the longest upswing in economic activity since
the two year expansion of 1996-7. As in that period, the US economy is driving above trend global growth while a slowdown in
emerging economies is putting downward pressure on commodity prices and inflation. This backdrop allows G7 central banks to keep
policy loose, easing whenever they deem it necessary to sustain growth as the ECB’s latest move illustrates. This is an equity-friendly
backdrop, though we took some profits in recent months as growth indicators weakened.
Chart 1: Global Growth Scorecard Turning Up?
Chart 2: Global Inflation Scorecard Slightly Positive
Source: Datastream. GDP % to Q1.2014, scorecard pushed forwards six months. Source: Datastream. CPI% to Apr 2014, scorecard pushed forward six months.
Our growth scorecard has risen recently though this is largely due to the bounce back in economic data in the US after bad weather in
Q1 and we are not yet convinced this mini cycle has troughed. Elsewhere in the world the outlook is mixed. The Chinese residential
construction sector remains weak but other economic data has stabilised. Japan’s sales tax rise is triggering a temporary recession
and a decline in aggregate real incomes could limit the strength of a bounce back. The UK economy is strong but activity is cooling off
somewhat in Germany according to the ZEW survey. In short, the world economy is increasingly desynchronised and we would need to
see more evidence of improvement before positioning for a sustained reacceleration in global growth.
Chart 3: Clock Indicator Trail Spot On Neutral Chart 4: The Investment Clock Diagram
0%
50%
100%
0% 50% 100%
Rolling 12 months Latest
REFLATION STAGFLATION
OVERHEATRECOVERY
INFLATION MOMENTUM RISING
GR
OW
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MO
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NT
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RIS
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Inflation Rises
Inflation Falls
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wth
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s A
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Tre
nd
Gro
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s B
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Overheat
StagflationReflation
Recovery
INDUSTRIAL METALS
PRECIOUS METALS
ENERGYSOFTS
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BONDSHIGH YIELD
BONDS
INFLATION-
LINKED
BONDS
Chart 3 plots the Investment Clock model probability that we are moving into an environment of rising global inflation against the probability that global growth is moving above trend.
Source: Fidelity, this represents the opinion of Fidelity Solutions. For illustrative purposes only.
Ample spare capacity should keep inflation low but commodity prices are up year to date. Mixed growth and inflation indicators mean
the Investment Clock model that guides our asset allocation is the closest to neutral that we can remember. We are hopeful the growth
picture will resolve in a positive way and we do not expect commodity price strength to persist, however. With the Clock likely to move
back towards the Recovery phase summer volatility may provide an opportunity to rebuild a larger overweight in equities.
ClockWise: Tactical Views
4
Hawkish Bank of England is Bullish Sterling
Chart 5: UK RICS House Price Survey and GDP Growth
The world economy is desynchronised and policy
divergences could create investment opportunities.
The UK is experiencing a strong, housing-led
recovery with the RICS house price survey at a
level consistent with 4% GDP growth. Bank of
England governor Mark Carney used a recent
speech to bring forward rate hike expectations but
it is clear that he intends to apply Canada-style
macroprudential measures targeting the housing
sector in the first instance.
Source: Datastream, June 2014.
Chart 6: Sterling dollar and Relative GDP Growth of UK vs the US
We are sceptical that restrictions on mortgage
supply will slow the housing market or the
economy in the near term. The longer base rate
rises are put off, the higher rates will probably
have to go. In the meantime, a continued period of
strong UK growth is positive for sterling.
Source: Datastream, June 2014.
Chart 7: UK Equities vs. the World and $/£ exchange rate (inverted)
Sterling strength is bad news for the globally
exposed UK stock market, however, and it has
underperformed the world by about 15% in local
terms since the exchange rate troughed a year
ago. There is a clear inverse relationship at work.
We have been underweight UK equities but
overweight sterling in our asset allocation and we
expect current trends to continue.
Source: Datastream, June 2014. Note: left hand scale rebased to 100, right hand scale inverted..
ClockWise: Tactical Views
5
ECB Easing Phase is Bearish Euro, Swiss
Chart 8: Germany, Spain, Italy and Greece CPI
Things are very different across the English
Channel where the ECB has embarked on a new
phase of monetary easing in an attempt to head off
deflationary forces. A broad range of non-standard
measures are coming into play with the negative
deposit rate the most headline-grabbing element.
ECB action is intended to increase the
effectiveness of monetary policy in the periphery in
particular where deflationary forces are strongest.
Source: Datastream, May 2014.
Chart 9: Euro Area sovereign bond spreads over Germany
Those who missed the late 1990s convergence
trade would never have believed it would happen
all over again seventeen years later. We think
sovereign bond spreads over Germany have
further to come in but we are not going to see a
return to the complacent stability of the ten years
from 1998 and the best of this trade is clearly
behind us.
Source: Datastream, June 2014.
Chart 10: Euro dollar and 10 year bond yield differential US vs. Germany
The best way to play the divergence in ECB policy
relative to the Fed and Bank of England is in the
currency markets. Euro strength over 2012-14
reflected a drop in the risk of a euro breakup but in
normal circumstances the exchange rate tends to
follow bond yield differentials. The prospect of
rising US and UK rates relative to Germany
suggest a new and long-lasting trend of euro
weakness. We are long sterling and the dollar but
we prefer to short the overvalued swiss franc
where there is the potential for substantial
weakness over time but where the upside versus
the euro is limited by the SNB’s 1.20 exchange
rate cap.
Source: Datastream, June2014.
ClockWise: The Blog
6
Asset allocation perspectives from Fidelity Solutions
For up to date asset allocation thoughts from Fidelity Solutions please visit the
Clockwise Blog where you can click ‘Subscribe’ for live updates.
See below for a list of the most recent posts. Click on the heading to go straight to the
article in question.
Subscribe to receive the latest
Clockwise blog posts as they
are published.
Could the BoE raise rates sooner?
Trevor Greetham 13 June 2014
Bank of England Governor Mark Carney struck a hawkish tone in his Mansion House speech, raising the prospect of a base rate rise later this year and promising macroprudential measures to target housing.
Consequence of unrest in Iraq
Trevor Greetham 13 June 2014
The conflict in Iraq has the power to force oil and gold prices higher and it could lead to a more pronounced sell off in overly-exuberant global stock markets. It may be an opportunity for long term investors to get out of gold and to buy stocks at more attractive valuations.
ECB ease underpins positive backdrop for stocks
Trevor Greetham 06 June 2014
The ECB has fired its last shot on interest rates, while also unveiling a wide range of non-standard measures aimed at sustaining the recovery and raiding inflation. Trevor Greetham sees these latest easing moves as part of the positive growth and liquidity backdrop which should continue to support developed equities.
Time to buy China? Ayesha Akbar 03 June 2014
China has been left behind during the recent emerging market rally. With valuations looking cheap compared to history and other countries, could you be at risk of missing the boat if you don’t buy in now?
Interview with Bloomberg TV
Trevor Greetham 03 June 2014
In this interview with Bloomberg TV I discuss the disinflationary backdrop and why this means we think equity valuations should go higher.
Fading US demand for Europe?
Nick Peters 28 May 2014
US investors have provided strong support for European equities, but buying activity is slowing. With valuations stretched and growth subdued, Nick Peters sees limited scope for further outperformance. So which markets offer the best prospects from here?
Clockwise: A summer lull
Trevor Greetham 03 June 2014
Although recent weak data suggests that equity markets could lose some steam over the summer, the team at Fidelity Solutions are confident that a soft patch will not become a sustained slowdown. Find out why they believe equities will win out long-term.
South Africa 328 0.9% -1 9 3 11 -1 6 2 9 -4 -2 8.44 30 36 5.50 0 50
Global Sectors
Energy 3,817 10.0% 5 12 5 13
Materials 2,259 5.9% 1 4 2 4
Industrials 4,023 10.6% 3 4 3 3
Consumer Discretionary 4,319 11.4% 4 1 4 1
Consumer Staples 3,611 9.5% 1 6 1 6
Health Care 3,949 10.4% 3 10 3 10
Financials 8,084 21.3% 3 4 4 4
Information Technology 4,807 12.6% 6 8 6 8
Telecommunication 1,453 3.8% 1 2 1 2
Utilities 1,253 3.3% 4 14 4 14
Property (REITS) 1 11 - -
Commodities 0 7
Energy 5 11
Agricultural -6 8
Industrial Metals 1 1
Precious Metals -1 5
Source: FTSE International; JP Morgan; Datastream, Dow Jones UBS total returns and MSCI AC World for Global Sectors
Bond yields Interest Rates
Mkt Cap
Gov Bond Returns
USD % Local %USD % Local %
Equity Returns FX Rates (x/$)
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ClockWise: Market Returns
10
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