While a global recession may be avoided, we are likely to see growth deceleration and high inflation (higher cost of living) along with regional divergences. Thus, investors should consider moving to a more cautious stance on equities particularly in Europe, but retain preference for US and for China, although to a lower extent on China.
In FI, government bonds are becoming more appealing but investors should stay active and in credit there is a need to focus on high quality debt and on liquidity risks. Overall, this is a time to keep a cautious view, and stay vigilant and well diversified.
The origins of inflation are not always well understood. While some economists had warned of impending inflation as early as last year, few had anticipated the dramatic shift in spending from services to goods and the effects of such a shift. The fact that inflation expectations remain subdued is likely due to rational inattention. In the absence of monetary tightening, we believe that inflation expectations would inevitably get de-anchored.
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