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UBS House View Monthly Base August 2017 Chief Investment Office WM Published Jul 20 2017 This report was prepared by UBS AG. Please see the important disclaimer at the end of the document. This document is a snapshot view. We update the tactical asset allocation as changes occur and resend it to subscribers. For all other forecasts and information, we advise you to check the Investment Views section in your EBanking or in Quotes. 1 Financial Market Outlook – short term (6 months) Global Tactical Asset Allocation Global earnings recovery supports equities Level in USD • 500 28 450 27 400 26 350 25 300 24 250 23 Asset allocation Global government bond yields rose after central bank statements appeared to become more hawkish, but ultimately most yields remained within their respective ranges for the year. Our view is that central banks will tighten policy only very gradually. We expect the ECB to announce in September an exit from its quantitative easing program next year, and the Fed to raise rates once more later this year. We maintain our risk-on stance, with an overweight position on global equities against high grade (HG) bonds, and an overweight on Eurozone stocks against UK equities. Global economic growth remains on a solid path, earnings trends are positive in all regions, while financial conditions remain easy and valuations are not yet overly expensive. • Equities We maintain our overweight position on Eurozone equities against UK stocks. We believe consensus expectations for UK corporate earnings growth of about 20% this year are too high. The benefit from a weak pound should disappear by 4Q17, while the UK equity market is less sensitive to global economic growth. We expect earnings growth of Eurozone companies to catch up with UK peers, supporting stock prices in the region. We maintain an overweight position on global equities (and US high grade bonds) against euro high yield bonds (see below). 200 22 Jan-12 Sep-12 May-13 Jan-14 Sep-14 May-15 Jan-16 Sep-16 May-17 MSCI AC World (in USD, lhs) MSCI AC World, 12m trailing EPS (rhs) Source: Thomson Reuters, UBS, as of July 2017 • We are closing our overweight on USD high yield (HY) bonds against HG bonds, as valuations have tightened and the upside for HY is limited after the strong rally since early 2016. We think equities provide better risk-adjusted returns than credit at this stage of the business cycle. Euro HY spreads remain at tight levels, and the yield-to-maturity is unappealing at 3.4%. We think the asset class is expensive, with an average price of EUR 105 limiting price upside, and we see better value in a mix of global equities and HG bonds. Real EUR index rate is still very subdued BIS trade-weighted exchange rate indices, Eurozone, rebased (Jan-1999=100) • 120 115 110 105 100 95 90 85 80 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Nominal Effective Exchange Rate Index, Broad Real Effective Exchange Rate Index, Broad Bonds Foreign exchange We are opening an overweight on the euro against the Swiss franc (CHF). The CHF is overvalued considering deeply negative interest rates and rising expectations of ECB normalizing monetary policy. We are overweight on the Swedish krona (SEK) against the CHF; the euro against the US dollar; and the Canadian dollar against the Australian dollar. Sweden's Riksbank should become more hawkish due to strong growth and firming inflation. The euro's appreciation against the USD has further room to go, given the euro's undervaluation and the "catch up" potential of Eurozone economic growth and monetary policy. The Bank of Canada is likely to become more hawkish this year, while the Reserve Bank of Australia should remain on hold given the ongoing rebalancing of the economy. Source: Macrobond, UBS, as of July 2017 Head CIO Global Asset Allocation Andreas J Koester, [email protected] or CIO asset class specialist Philipp Schöttler, [email protected] 2 Cross-asset preferences Most preferred Equities Bonds Foreign exchange Hedge Funds • • • • • Global equities • • Corporate hybrids • • • • Model portfolios (EUR & USD) Least preferred • Risk Parity Liquidity 2% 5% UK equities Eurozone equities High grade bonds 13% Hedge Funds 18% Eurozone value opportunities US TIPS 2% US share buybacks and dividends US smart beta US leveraged loans SEK EUR ( CAD • • • • • • • ) Developed market high grade bonds ( Replacing "well-worn" bonds ) EUR Equities US 12% High yield bonds 3% EM bonds 4% Euro high yield CHF ( USD AUD The peak of the USD cycle Equities others 5% Equities EM 4% Equities Europe 24% ) Hedge Funds 18% Risk Parity Liquidity 2% 5% High grade bonds 11% Navigating rising US rates with hedge funds US TIPS 4% Precious Metals & Commodities USD Equities US 21% Recent upgrades Inv. grade corporate bonds 8% Recent downgrades Equities Europe 13% Inv. grade corporate bonds 8% High yield bonds 3% EM bonds 4% Equities others 6% Equities EM 5% As of 20 July 2017 Note: Portfolio weightings are for a EUR and a USD model portfolio, with a balanced risk profile (including TAA). We expect the EUR balanced portfolio (excluding TAA) to have an average total return of 3.8% p.a. and a volatility of 8.2% p.a. over the next seven years. We expect the USD balanced portfolio (excl. TAA) to have an average total return of 5.4% p.a. and a volatility of 8.1% p.a. over the next seven years. 3 Global tactical asset allocation Tactical asset allocation deviations from benchmark* underweight neutral Currency allocation overweight underweight Liquidity Equities total neutral overweight USD Global US EUR Eurozone UK GBP Switzerland JPY Japan EM CHF Others Bonds total SEK High grade bonds Corporate bonds (IG) NOK High yield bonds** EM sovereign bonds (USD) CAD EM corporate bonds (USD) NZD US TIPS Duration overlay (USD) AUD Precious Metals & Commodities new old Source: UBS, as of 20 July 2017 new old *Please note that the bar charts show total portfolio preferences, which can be interpreted as the recommended deviation from the relevant portfolio benchmark for any given asset class and sub-asset class. **Position includes an underweight in EUR HY. 4 CIO themes in focus Equities • Eurozone in style – Value opportunities Solid economic growth and a moderate rise in inflation provide a suitable background for Eurozone "value" stocks to outperform the wider market, in our view. This is because value has a cyclical sector bias, with a heavy weighting in financials. The relative performance of value tends to move in tandem with bond yields. We expect bond yields to move higher, driven by rising US interest rates and the prospect of the European Central Bank tapering its bond purchases early next year. • Profit from US share buybacks and dividends US companies are generally in good shape: they generate high free cash flow, have plenty of cash on their balance sheets and enjoy low financing costs. The stock market should reward investors in companies that return capital through dividends and share buybacks. These companies offer attractive yields in the current low-interest-rate environment. On average, S&P 500 companies returning cash to shareholders via dividends and/or share repurchases offer investors a total yield of about 5% (share buybacks plus dividend yields). Around two-thirds of this yield come from share buybacks. Good free cash flow generation is a key factor for this theme, and more favorable corporate tax and cash repatriation rules under US President Trump may boost cash returns to shareholders this year. As buybacks depend on management's discretion, we recommend investing in a diversified basket of stocks. • US smart beta Certain stock characteristics (momentum, quality, small capitalization, risk-weighting, value, and yield) have been shown to deliver long-term investment outperformance relative to a market capitalization-weighted index. Combining these characteristics, known in the industry as smart beta, makes the investment less cyclical and creates a "passive-plus" solution. Smart beta's compelling value proposition has resulted in a phenomenal growth in assets. Smart beta ETF assets have increased to over half a trillion USD and are growing at more than 25% a year. Bonds • Replacing well-worn bonds Risk-free yields in many major developed markets are near or below zero. Even if rates remain unchanged, many short- to medium-term bonds would deliver negative total returns. Investors who avoid negative yields and instead add longer-dated paper at a slightly positive yield often take an even greater risk, as seen in the recent correction. We think investors can preserve wealth by taking profits on assets that will deliver negative total returns (exceeding the costs of switching out) in most likely scenarios. More attractive alternatives can be found on CIO's bond recommendation lists. • US loans – Attractive floating yield US senior loans are an attractive alternative to more traditional fixed income segments, in our view. Loans provide exposure to the most senior part of a company's capital structure and are often secured by the company's assets, leading to higher recovery rates than for bonds. Also, loans offer a floating coupon rate, which benefits from an increase in US short-term interest rates. The current yield (to a three-year takeout) of roughly 5.5% is attractive. The 12-month trailing default rate is 1.5%, which we expect to trend sideways over the next 12 months. We think US loans present an attractive investment opportunity for qualified investors who are comfortable holding less liquid asset classes. • Yield pickup with corporate hybrids Corporate hybrids are a niche segment in the corporate bond market. At current spread levels, they compensate investors with a suitable reward for assuming the risks associated with them. We expect mid-single-digit percentage returns on selected instruments over 12 months. 5 CIO themes in focus Liquidity & Foreign exchange • The peak of the USD cycle In recent years, the USD has been highly overvalued. US monetary policy was normalizing while ultra-expansionary measures in many other countries were still being introduced. The tide is about to turn, in our view, as the laggard countries pick up the economic pace and close the gap with the US. A re-thinking and eventual tapering of ultra-loose policies in the Eurozone, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK should help their currencies regain lost ground against the USD. Oil-producing nations' currencies depreciated markedly in 2014 and 2015, but with the Canadian and the Norwegian economies reviving, we expect the CAD and the NOK to rise against the USD. Alternative investments • Navigating rising US rates with hedge funds The US Federal Reserve has started to hike interest rates. Based on historical data, we find that most hedge fund strategies are resilient to rising interest rates, while high grade bonds have performed poorly. Investors looking for an alternative to their high grade bond exposure should consider a diversified hedge fund portfolio characterized by low directional exposure to both fixed income and equities. This selection of themes is a subset of a larger theme universe. It represents the highest conviction themes of the UBS Chief Investment Office WM, taking into account the current market environment and risk-return characteristics. 6 CIO longer term investment themes in focus Equities • Automation and robotics Smart automation is powering the ongoing industrial revolution, combining the innovation capabilities of industrial and IT processes to fuel global manufacturing productivity gains. Rising wages and challenging demographic developments will push up the costs of emerging market manufacturing companies, driving automation investment, in our view. Artificial intelligence employed in machines should take automation to the next level. The smart automation industry's total annual revenue stands around USD 156bn today. We believe that over the cycle, the sector can grow by mid-to-high single digits, with industrial software, robots and new trends – 3D printing market, artificial intelligence and drones – the clear outperformers. • Digital data Due to increased urbanization, the global digital universe is expected to expand 50-fold between 2010 and 2020. Rising global internet penetration from 44% in 2015 to around 66% in 2025 and strong data growth in emerging markets are key drivers. From an investment perspective, the theme offers solid long-term growth opportunities, as significant investment will be required to manage and take advantage of the surge in data. Investors can participate by investing in either data enablers or data infrastructure companies. • Energy efficiency Energy efficiency covers wide-ranging issues with numerous characteristics and starting points for promising investment opportunities. Energy efficiency is gaining in importance around the world thanks to government initiatives, while rising environmental pollution has led to greater worldwide awareness. The International Energy Agency expects the demand for energyefficient products to grow by 7–8% annually. Investment could reach USD 530bn in 20 years, up from USD 130bn in 2013. • Security and safety Security and safety touch lives everywhere, from governments securing infrastructure to enterprises protecting data and consumers trusting products as varied as baby food and fire alarms. Several long-term drivers support the theme, such as urbanization, tighter regulation and growing consumer awareness about product quality, data security, environmental protection and social responsibility. We think the addressable market is a defensive one that offers attractive growth rates in the mid- to high-single-digits over the next 5–10 years. We estimate its overall size at around USD 560bn in 2016, and think it will exceed USD 700bn by 2020. • Emerging market infrastructure Spending on emerging market infrastructure will likely grow to USD 5.5trn by 2025 from USD 3trn today, bringing its share of global spending to two-thirds from half currently. Inadequate urban and nationwide infrastructure acts as a bottleneck to economic growth, making infrastructure investment a national priority. A benign macroeconomic outlook for emerging markets and stable to higher commodity prices will likely further support this spending. In the longer term, income growth driven by urbanization should raise demand for transportation infrastructure through the consumption of goods (e.g. cars) and services (e.g. aviation) and the expansion of megacities. This selection of themes is a subset of a larger theme universe. It represents the highest conviction themes of the UBS Chief Investment Office WM, taking into account the current market environment and risk-return characteristics. The Longer Term Investment (LTI) theme series focuses on inevitable global trends, such as population growth, aging and urbanization, that create a variety of opportunities, with certain companies and sub-sectors experiencing a higher-than-GDP rate of revenue growth. Here, we include a subset of a larger universe of LTI themes expected to offer good entry points for theme-oriented investors in the coming months and highlight our preference for a diversified approach to themes. UBS Chief Investment Office WM considers the highlighted themes as fitting the sustainability framework. 7 Key financial market driver 1 - Central bank policy Key points • Coordinated comments from members of the US Federal Reserve suggest that there is a very strong likelihood that the Fed will start to reduce the size of its balance sheet (passive quantitative tightening) and increase interest rates once more before the end of 2017. • The European Central Bank is expected to signal (cautiously) a desire to scale back its bond buying program, with incremental changes in language hinting at that policy shift. • The Bank of Canada has joined the list of central banks that are tightening policy. The Bank of England has been divided over whether or not to raise interest rates this year. Within the G7, the Bank of Japan remains the sole voice of unambiguous policy accommodation. Policies tighten gradually CIO view (Probability: 75%*) • Members of the Federal Reserve have been relatively "on message" about near-term tightening. A further rate increase seems likely in 2H17. The Fed has set out its intention to reduce the size of its balance sheet by not reinvesting all of the proceeds of maturing bond holdings. This should begin in 2H17. Comments by Fed Chair Yellen have raised questions over the longer term course of monetary policy (where the "neutral" interest rate lies), and this may be more of a focus for policy debate. • The ECB continues to pursue its predetermined quantitative policy path, with bond buying staying at EUR 60bn. There has been a subtle shift in the language of the ECB statement, and an announcement at the September ECB meeting that bond purchases will taper in 2018 seems likely. • The BoE is expected to leave policy unchanged, although disagreements within the monetary policy committee are likely to continue. Other central banks have been more inclined to discuss policy with a bias to tightening rather than easing; this coincidence of views more likely reflects the general improvement in global growth data rather than any overt coordination. Real policy interest rates Central bank policy rates less headline CPI measures Source: Haver, UBS, as of 13 July 2017 The Fed prepares markets for further quantitative tightening Federal Reserve balance sheet, as % US GDP Worsening macro backdrop Positive scenario (Probability: 10%*) • The Fed falls further behind the curve as inflation surprises higher, with real interest rates slipping more rapidly. The ECB launches additional policy easing, reversing the language of recent public announcements and signaling a stronger emphasis on the potential to ease policy further. The BoJ comes under pressure to engineer currency depreciation. Macro risks fade Negative scenario (Probability: 15%*) • The inflation effect of a tighter US labor market leads to a stronger Fed response and a combination of tight monetary policy and loose fiscal policy. Increased labor market costs and some commodity price pressures lead to higher European inflation, generating early signs of a more rapid tapering of ECB quantitative easing. *Scenario probabilities are based on qualitative assessment. Key dates Jul 26 Aug 3 Aug 18 US Federal Reserve policy meeting Bank of England meeting and inflation report US Federal Reserve meeting minutes Source: Haver, UBS, as of 13 July 2017 US economist Brian Rose, [email protected], European economist Ricardo Garcia, [email protected] or UBS WM Global Chief Economist Paul Donovan, [email protected] 8 Key financial market driver 2 - Political risks Key points • Political uncertainty continues to be a feature in the media, with the focus on the US administration (and its legislative agenda) and the stability of the British minority government as it negotiates with the European Union. Declining approval rates for the Japanese government and the prospect of Italian elections in the coming months also attract interest. • International politics is adding to the uncertainty, with Syria (and its broader implications) and North Korea both focal points. The situation with Qatar is also of interest given its importance in energy markets. Markets are not especially focused on any of these risks at the moment, however. • Domestic investors tend to understand local politics better than foreign investors. Market reactions to political risk will therefore depend on the domestic-foreign mix of investors. The higher the foreign ownership, the greater the risk of overreaction to political noise. The dollar's reaction to US political risk is an example of this. CIO view (Probability: 70%*) • Political uncertainty still has a high profile in the media, but still has relatively limited impact on financial markets. Only very significant events with the potential to change the medium term outlook are likely to impact asset prices in a meaningful way. • Investor focus in the US is less on legal debate about the Russian question, and more on the potential for legislation to be delayed by the political distraction that the issue creates. President Trump's political capital (and ability to pursue the administration's legislative agenda) is also in focus. • The economic causes of anti-establishment politics remain. The market may turn complacent about the economic drivers of inequality. Local elections in Tokyo reminded investors that anti-establishment politics remains a feature of the global political scene. • Syria, Qatar and North Korea remain the key international political risks for the near term. North Korea has assumed greater prominence, but markets are unlikely to attribute any meaningful probability to disaster scenarios. Interest in political events Google Trends, index of global search request for three key political issues Source: Google Trends, UBS, as of 17 July 2017 Markets tend not to react too much to political noise North Korea and the South Korean KOSPI equity index Positive scenario (Probability: 10%*) • The sharp improvement in labor market conditions for low-skilled workers leads to wage increases that either are accompanied by better credit access or compensate for the loss of credit access since 2008; this eases income and consumption inequality. Governments and economists successfully communicate the net economic benefits of global trade and diversity. Negative scenario (Probability: 20%*) • Nationalist tendencies are encouraged by single-issue politics and social media. Traditional party structures fail to address the demands of large sections of the electorate, encouraging populism. Political outcomes are increasingly unpredictable as opinion polls offer less and less guidance. Established parties adopt populist policies, raising uncertainty about mainstream policy programs. Lower income groups' standards of living are hurt by populist policies and rising food and energy prices, fueling further demands for radical and unpredictable change. *Scenario probabilities are based on qualitative assessment. Key dates Sep 24 Oct 1 German federal election Proposed Catalan independence vote Source: Bloomberg, press reports, UBS, as of April 2017 Global Chief Economist, UBS WM Paul Donovan, [email protected] 9 Key financial market driver 3 - Solid US earnings growth Key points • US earnings growth remains solid • The Trump administration's policies may boost EPS further. • High profit margins are likely to be sustained. 15% 0% -5% S&P 500 *Scenario probabilities are based on qualitative assessment. Key dates Jul 26 2Q17E S&P 500 ex energy Source: FactSet, UBS, as of 13 July 2017 Easier lending standards point to continued earnings growth S&P 500 EPS growth vs. bank lending standards for commercial & industrial loans (advanced 9 months) 60% -90 Credit standards easing 40% -60 20% Trump's policies boost earnings more than expected Positive scenario (Probability: 20%*) • The Trump administration's policies, especially corporate tax reform, generate faster profit growth. Higher interest rates and deregulation further boost financial sector earnings. Investment spending picks up. Downturn in sentiment Negative scenario (Probability: 20%*) • Trade and geopolitical tensions flare up as a result of the Trump administration's policy priorities, depressing business and consumer sentiment. Wage pressures, without improving consumer and business demand, may hurt profit margins and earnings growth rates. Persistently low short-term interest rates and renewed declines in long-term interest rates may pressure financial sector earnings. 1Q17 4Q16 3Q16 2Q16 1Q16 4Q15 3Q15 -10% 2Q15 slower pace for the rest of the year. For 2Q17, we expect growth of 9–10%. The healthy profit environment is underpinned by solid US consumer spending, a rebound in US manufacturing activity as energy investment spending and emerging market demand bottom out, and a more favorable environment for financials. Leading indicators of profit growth, such as bank lending standards, remain supportive. • The Trump administration's policies may further boost earnings growth through lower taxes (corporate, individual, and the repatriation of overseas cash), infrastructure spending, less regulation, and a steeper yield curve (which benefits banks). However, many details have yet to be worked out, and we do not expect any tax reform legislation until 4Q, at the earliest. Overall, these policies could boost earnings by 5–15% over the next few years, with the bulk of the benefits stemming from corporate tax reform (~10%). • We estimate S&P 500 EPS of USD 132.50 (11% growth) for 2017, and USD 145 (9% growth) for 2018. These estimates include USD 2.50 (for 2017) and USD 5 (for 2018) in tax reform benefits. The prospects for tax reform remain uncertain. Therefore, our estimates include roughly half of the expected benefits from tax reform. If tax reform succeeds, EPS should reach USD 150 by 2018. • Fears that high profit margins will decline in the near term appear overblown. Margins are not higher than normal, excluding the tech sector. Also, margins typically only decline when the economy enters a recession. Finally, the recent pickup in wages is unlikely to crimp profitability. Labor costs do not have a strong correlation with profit margins. 5% 1Q15 • After rising at the fastest pace in six years in 1Q17 (+15%), earnings growth should remain strong, although at a slightly 10% 4Q14 Earnings growth reaches "cruising altitude"; Trump policies may provide a further boost 3Q14 CIO view (Probability: 60%*) Earnings growth remains healthy, but is moderating from 1Q17 S&P 500 earnings per share growth -30 0% 0 -20% -40% 30 60 Credit standards tightening -60% 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 90 2020 S&P 500 EPS y/y (left) Senior loan officer survey (right, inverted) Source: Bloomberg, UBS, as of 13 July 2017 peak of 2Q17 earnings season CIO strategists Jeremy Zirin, [email protected], David Lefkowitz, [email protected] or Edmund Tran, [email protected]. 10 Global economic outlook - Summary Key points • Global growth remains around trend, with data generally being revised higher after initial release. Sentiment is more positive than economic reality would warrant, in our view, but we see evidence of sentiment data starting to converge with reality. • Inflation data has largely completed the oil-induced reversion to long-term trends. Movements in inflation around these long-term norms now tend to reflect local, technical factors. • The Fed will likely raise interest rates once more this year following the two earlier rate increases, and start to reduce its balance sheet in the second half. We expect the ECB to announce it will taper its balance sheet in 2018. Global growth remains around trend CIO view (Probability: 70%*) • The global economic cycle remains around trend. Strong labor markets support household incomes and spending, although the data must be interpreted with care. (Because of how they are calculated, average earnings could fall even if everyone employed had a pay increase.) • Improving global trade signals broad-based growth in demand, and we would view any moderation in sentiment as a normalization from excessive levels, not a sign of economic deterioration. • Inflation rates are now more visibly being influenced by local, largely technical factors. Central banks are likely to look through this noise to focus on medium-term inflation trends, hence the more hawkish language from the Fed and the Bank of England, and the increase in interest rates in Canada. • We expect the Fed to raise interest rates once more this year. Real rates, adjusted for consumer price inflation, are unchanged from early 2016. We also expect the Fed to begin to reduce its balance sheet. The ECB is likely to continue its current pace of asset-buying (EUR 60bn a month) and negative interest rate policy, though it may use its September policy meeting to signal that further quantitative tightening will start next year. Positive scenario (Probability: 20%*) Trend-like growth, normal inflation Source: UBS, as of 13 July 2017 Forecasts and estimates are current only as of the date of this publication, and may change without notice. Global trade – another all time high Real global trade as % of real global GDP Growth exceeds expectations • European growth surprises positively, with better labor markets and a more stable banking system that is more willing to lend. Initial US economic growth data continue to be revised higher, and labor market shortages increase household incomes and consumer demand at a faster pace than expected. • Emerging markets see stable domestic demand, and higher commodity prices coupled with consumer demand in developed economies support export sectors. Protectionist threats from the US are narrowly focused as political reality overcomes campaign rhetoric. Political damage to growth Negative scenario (Probability: 10%*) • US consumers suffer lower real disposable incomes as domestic inflation pressures increase via the tax effect of trade protection. Eurozone growth weakens as bank lending reverses. • Credit growth suffers as capital flows are disrupted and uncertainty undermines normal bank lending. Source: UBS, as of 13 July 2017 *Scenario probabilities are based on qualitative assessment. Key dates Jul 26 Aug 4 Federal Open Market Committee meeting US employment report UBS WM Global Chief Economist Paul Donovan, [email protected] 11 US economy - Moderate growth in the US Key points • We expect the US economy to grow at a moderate pace over the next 12 months. • Inflation should gradually trend higher as the recovery continues. • We expect the Fed to gradually raise rates and to begin shrinking its balance sheet. PMIs consistent with moderate growth Purchasing managers' indices (PMIs) 60 50 Moderate expansion CIO view (Probability: 70%*) • We expect the US economy to grow at a moderate pace over the next 12 months. The labor market is still improving, with the unemployment rate at 4.4% and signs that labor shortages are becoming more widespread. Rising household income should enable robust consumer spending. • Housing starts and home prices should remain on an upward trend, contributing modestly to overall economic growth. • Energy sector fixed investment has bottomed and the manufacturing sector has shown improvement in recent months. Overall investment should grow at a moderate pace. • The most recent data shows inflation slowing, but we expect a gradual upward trend in the quarters ahead. A tight labor market and rising producer prices will eventually feed through into consumer price inflation. • Political uncertainty is high and is threatening to become a drag on growth. We expect a fierce fight over the FY18 budget this fall. Deregulation should provide some benefit over time. We do not expect the Trump administration to cause any severe disruptions to trade. • The Fed hiked by 25 basis points on 14 June and we expect another 25bps of tightening by the end of this year. The Fed will also begin gradually shrinking its balance sheet. Strong expansion Positive scenario (Probability: 15%*) • US real GDP growth moves above 2.5%, propelled by accommodative monetary policy, looser fiscal policy, strong household spending, and subsiding risks overseas. Inflation hits the Fed's 2% target earlier than expected, leading the central bank to raise rates at a faster pace. Growth recession Negative scenario (Probability: 15%*) • US growth stumbles. Political uncertainty and tighter financial conditions weigh on business investment and consumer spending. The Fed stays on hold. *Scenario probabilities are based on qualitative assessment. Key dates Jul 26 Jul 28 Jul 28 Aug 4 40 30 2007 2009 Manufacturing 2011 2013 Non-manufacturing 2015 2017 Source: Bloomberg, UBS, as of 13 July 2017 Inflation slowdown should be temporary US headline and core PCE price index, year-on-year in % 5 4 3 2 1 0 (1) (2) 2007 2009 2011 PCE price index y/y 2013 2015 2017 Core PCE price index y/y Source: Bloomberg, UBS, as of 13 July 2017 PCE = personal consumption expenditures FOMC rate decision GDP for 2Q17 Employment Cost Index for 2Q17 Labor report for July US economist Brian Rose, [email protected] 12 Eurozone economy - Short-term tailwinds to abate Key points • We expect economic growth to remain resilient, but to lose momentum during the year. • Inflation should consolidate for the remainder of the year. • The ECB is expected to reduce QE bond purchases from January 2018 onwards. Eurozone growth expected to top out Better-than-expected growth Positive scenario (Probability: 25%*) • The global economy reaccelerates and the euro weakens more than expected. Eurozone loan demand and the economy recover faster than envisaged. Political risks fade. Disinflationary setback Negative scenario (Probability: 15%*) • The Eurozone suffers a disinflationary setback as Greece leaves the Eurozone, Brexit talks fail, markets fear a Five Star Movementled government in Italy, the Ukraine conflict escalates, or the Chinese economy suffers a severe downturn. *Scenario probabilities are based on qualitative assessment. Key dates Jul 24 Jul 27 Jul 31 Jul 31 PMI for July M3 money supply for June Unemployment rate for June CPI for July 5 110 3 100 1 90 -1 80 -3 70 -5 60 -7 97 99 01 03 05 07 09 11 13 15 17 Consumer Confidence index (lhs, re-scaled) Economic Confidence index (lhs) Real GDP (rhs, y/y growth in %) Source: Haver Analytics, UBS, as of June 2017 ECB balance sheet boosted by QE and TLTROs Total assets in national currency (index: 2007=100) 800 Index (Jan 2007=100) Short-term tailwinds to abate CIO view (Probability: 60%*) • We expect economic growth of close to 2%, and inflation to consolidate and average at 1.5% for 2017. However, the economy is likely to lose some steam over the course of the year as the euro strengthens, the anticipated rise in oil prices bites into consumption, and the effectiveness of monetary policy diminishes. We expect the ECB to announce in September its intention to wind down the QE program over 6–9 months starting January 2018. • In Germany, fundamentals such as consumer confidence, construction, and capital-expenditure planning remain robust, but the anticipated rise of the euro should limit this year's economic growth potential. We see a 60% chance for a grand coalition, and a 75% chance of Merkel retaining the Chancellery. In France, a healthier construction sector and more corporate investment, given a business-friendly government, should help accelerate economic growth this year. • Italian economic growth should consolidate at low rates, supported by a stabilizing construction sector. We expect a general election in early 2018. Spain is still posting strong growth, but the momentum is likely to moderate. 120 600 400 200 0 07 09 ECB 11 Fed 13 BoJ 15 SNB 17 Source: Haver Analytics, UBS, as of June 2017 (SNB as of May 2017) CIO European economist Ricardo Garcia, [email protected] 13 Chinese economy - The balancing act continues Key points • China continues to strike a balance between stability and deleveraging. • Monetary policy is more flexible than claimed, in our view, and fiscal policy remains supportive. • CPI inflation is likely to stay below 2%, and PPI inflation should moderate further in 2H17. June new loans rebounded as tightening policy moderated 3,500 3,000 Smooth 1H but challenging 2H CIO view (Probability: 90%*) • Growth momentum moderated in 2Q after peaking in 1Q. The economy will likely face more challenges in 2H17 as the property market cools and infrastructure investment moderates. • Regulatory tightening has eased since the central bank increased liquidity via open market operations and the lending facility in May, and after the banking regulator granted banks a longer period for self-check and improvement. As a result, liquidity stabilized, market rates moderated, and credit recovered. We expect tightening to continue but at a milder pace, and policy coordination to be emphasized. • Fiscal policy is likely to remain supportive this year. Local government infrastructure spending remains an important buffer to maintain economic stability, and public-private partnerships are likely to remain an important investment vehicle in 2017, but at a slower pace. • We expect consumer price inflation to remain below 2% and producer price inflation to moderate further in 2H17. Consumer inflation stayed subdued at 1.5% in June, while PPI inflation stood at 5.5% as commodity prices fell and manufacturing activity moderated. • Fixed-asset investment growth in the January–May period slipped to 8.6% year-on-year from 8.9% in January–April, dragged by slowing property and infrastructure investment. Retail sales growth remained resilient at 10.7% year-on-year in May. • We expect Chinese exports to rebound to a single-digit growth rate this year as global growth recovers. Exports rose 8.5% in 1H17 after falling 7.7% in 2016. • China's international reserves are likely to end the year around USD 3trn. Concerns about large capital outflows have eased as reserves have risen every month since February. Growth acceleration Positive scenario (Probability: 5%*) • Chinese GDP growth exceeds 7% this year thanks to government stimulus packages and/or a major pick-up in external demand. Marked growth downturn Negative scenario (Probability: 5%*) • A marked growth downturn, defined as sub-6% real GDP growth for more than two quarters, stems from plunging investment accompanied by widespread credit defaults. * Scenario probabilities are based on qualitative assessments. Key dates Jul 27 Jul 31 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 03/15 06/15 09/15 12/15 03/16 New household loans (CNY bn) 06/16 09/16 12/16 03/17 06/17 New non-financial corporation (CNY bn) New social financing (CNY bn) Source: CEIC, UBS, as of 13 July 2017 Market rates stabilized after liquidity injection by PBoC 5.0 3.7 4.5 3.6 4.0 3.5 3.5 3.4 3.0 3.3 2.5 3.2 2.0 01/17 3.1 02/17 03/17 04/17 05/17 06/17 7-day repo rate (%, LHS) 10-year government bond yield (%, RHS) 07/17 Source: Bloomberg, UBS, as of 13 July 2017 Industrial profits for June Manufacturing and non-manufacturing PMIs for July CIO China economist Yifan Hu, [email protected] or CIO analyst Kathy Li, [email protected] 14 Swiss economy - Hard data does not (yet) live up to soft data Key points • Swiss GDP growth may accelerate slightly this year compared to 2016. A more broad-based growth across sectors will help the labor market recover. We expect GDP to return to trend growth in 2018. • Uncertainty stemming from US politics and Italian elections remain a risk, but overall risks have clearly diminished after the election of Emmanuel Macron as the new French president. • After the French elections, pressure on the Swiss franc eased significantly, and the SNB was able to reduce its FX interventions. Nonetheless, a rate hike is not in the cards until mid-2018, in our view. Soft data outpacing hard data Swiss manufacturing PMI and GDP growth y/y (in %) 6% 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% Moderate recovery CIO view (Probability: 60%*) • The manufacturing PMI jumped above 60 in June, pointing to a healthy pick-up in economic activity. • However, Swiss hard data does not (yet) live up to the strong soft data from sentiment indicators or to the upbeat European data points. GDP grew only 0.3% in 1Q17. • We foresee GDP growth of 1.4% in 2017. The recovery may broaden, but it is not likely to accelerate strongly. We expect GDP growth to return to trend (1.6%) only in 2018. • Employment grew slightly in 1Q17 and unemployment fell further in May. As the recovery broadens in the coming quarters, the unemployment rate is likely to fall to 3.2% in 2017 from 3.3% last year. • CPI inflation rose by 0.2% year-on-year in June as the base effect from oil prices fades out. However, we expect inflation to average 0.4% in 2017, supported by a weaker franc in the second half of the year. • Before the French presidential elections, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) intervened heavily in currency markets to prevent a strong appreciation of the CHF. It has since reduced its interventions as Emmanuel Macron's victory tempered risk aversion and in turn stopped further inflows into Switzerland. Nonetheless, a rate hike is not in the cards until mid-2018, in our view. We think the SNB will not raise rates before the ECB slows down its bond purchases. 0% -1% -2% -3% -4% 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 Real GDP growth y/y Forecast for real growth y/y based on 3m average of Swiss PMI Source: procure.ch, UBS, as of 13 July 2017 SNB FX interventions eased after Macron's election Weekly change in sight deposits of banks at the SNB in CHF m 7 6 Eurozone growth boosts Swiss growth Positive scenario (Probability: 25%*) • A further drop in Eurozone unemployment fuels positive sentiment in the region, in turn supporting Swiss exports. Compared with upbeat European growth, Switzerland exhibits some catch-up potential. Downturn of Swiss economy Negative scenario (Probability: 15%*) • Protectionist measures from the new US administration trigger a slowing of global trade, hurting Swiss exports. Political risks in Italy, where elections are pending, remain in place. * Scenario probabilities are based on qualitative assessment. Key dates Aug 1 Aug 2 Aug 7 Aug 8 5 4 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 PMI manufacturing for July SECO consumer confidence for 3Q CPI for July Unemployment for July -3 Jan-16 Brexit Apr-16 Jul-16 US elections Oct-16 Jan-17 French elections Apr-17 Jul-17 Source: SNB, UBS, as of 13 July 2017 CIO Swiss economists Alessandro Bee, [email protected] or Sibille Duss, [email protected]. 15 Contact List Global Chief Investment Officer WM Mark Haefele [email protected] UBS CIO WM Global Investment Office Global Asset Allocation Andreas Koester [email protected] UHNW & Alternatives IO Simon Smiles [email protected] Investment Themes Philippe G. 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