Investment Desk, Bank Degroof Petercam │ Fears of a slowdown are more pronounced. We are seeing a slight reduction in trade tensions since President Trump announced a partial delay in the imposition of new tariffs on Chinese products. The tariffs on approximately half of the 300,000 goods subject to the measures will be introduced from 15 December instead of September.
Christian Gattiker, Head of Research, Julius Baer │It is about time: central bankers present their take on the current mess at the Jackson Hole meeting, the prime plat-form for this. The more concerned they are the better. We think concerted central bank action will still avoid a global recession. Warming up to fiscal easing, as in Germany, is the icing on the cake.
Keith Wade, chief economist at Schroders │ The yield curve has been a reliable element in the prediction of US recessions over the last four decades. With only one exception, every time the curve has inverted, the US economy has entered into recession within 18 months.
Magdalene Teo, Fixed Income Research Asia, Eric Mak, Equity Research Analyst Asia, Julius Baer │China has opted for interest rate reform (to be more market-oriented) instead of announcing a benchmark rate cut, so liquidity flow is more targeted to the segments that need it.
Renta 4 | The September meetings of the Federal Reserve and ECB will be key in economic and market developments in the Autumn. The market discounts with 58% probability an ECB cut in the deposit rate to -0.6%.
DWS | Although gold is considered a hedge against inflation, what is true that, over the last decade, it has closely followed the evolution of real interest rates: when those fall, the price of gold tends to rise.
Andressa Tezine (Fidelity) | The sharp fall in Argentina´s bonds and international shares, after President Macri´s surprise defeat in Argentine primary elections, could spread to other Latin American and emerging markets while investors look to re-balance their positions.
Shaun Riordan │ The Hong Kong protests have now entered their tenth week. Over the weekend protestors are reported to have fought running battles with the police in the Metro system. The police have had recourse to batons and tear gas. The dangers for Hong Kong´s political and economic future are clear. But the dangers are much broader than Hong Kong. Markets should be watching carefully.
JP Marin-Arrese │ Trump’s volatile mood is wreaking carnage on investors’ confidence. It is a fact that the White House tenant longs to trigger huge uncertainty, even panic, among investors. Yet, by brushing away any hope to strike a truce with China he has outdone himself.
Miguel Navascués | Central banks announcements are better than nothing, but may not be enough. In my opinion, the central message of Keynes is that, for those taking investment decisions, the future cannot be reduced to a risk calculus formula, because there is always a zone of uncertainty (by definition incalculable) which influences spending decisions: consumption, but, above all, productive investment.