The markets seem to slowly leave behind the massive focus on fiscal impulse following the US presidential election, and the inordinate amount of stress and optimism about the US dollar rally. This is already reflected at least in terms of asset price behaviours, if not media and analysts focus yet.
Cross asset macro drivers for 2017 YTD (based on first factors extracted from principle component analysis for each asset class) looks much like H1 of 2016, which saw a cautious rally in risk assets following the early stress period - albeit now it comes with reduced influence of oil prices and volatility on risk asset prices. This stands markedly different from the H2 of either 2015 or 2016 - which saw a pick up cross asset correlation (with very different outcome, a risk-off move in H2 2015 and a risk-on rally in H2 2016). The MST charts below captures this dynamics pictorially.
Among the risk assets, DM equity factor shows increased positive sentiments to rates (i.e. increased yields leading to rally). Inflation has become more important for DM equities as well, while FX has virtually no influence. For EM equities, the latest trends has been a slight de-sensitization to rates and FX movement, although they remain significant. The credit factor also picked up its correlation to rates (and FX, which is mostly influenced by EM credits part), while retaining correlation to inflation.
This makes the rates and inflation path the most important determinants for risk assets at present - at least from Developed Markets equity investors' point of view. Markets will always react (or over-react) to tax cuts expectations and presidential elections. But we are now, it appears, back to the basics.
On this fundamental note, we have seen some recent encouragement in global inflation space. The left chart below shows GDP weighted CPI inflation (global top 20 economies as well as Developed Markets within that). Since the recent bottoming out at start of 2016, we have seen a secular rise in inflation, which is more pronounced for the DM case. However, the core inflation scenario (not presented here) is far from running hot. Core inflation in the US and China have improved from 2015 lows, but much less dramatically. Only in the case of Euro area this has been solid (from very low levels). One the other hand, global credit growth (right chart below) appears to have topped out in a secular manner. On the positive sides, the wage growth in the US (not shown here) has been encouraging and sustained.
If we consider these points, in the context of extraordinary monetary accommodation that exists across the globe today, we should be more hesitant to conclude we are heading towards a definite normalization anytime soon, in spite of strong sentiments. The rates market seems to agree. We have seen inflation recoveries in 2011 (remember the ECB hike mistakes) and also in early 2014. It was a misfire in both cases. A weakening credit impulse and barely normal inflation in the face of extraordinary monetary stimulus represents a global demand which is far from recovered. This makes the case for removal of these extraordinary monetary measures very difficult - most policy makers are still biased to err on the upside inflation naturally. That is unless we see the whites in the eyes of inflation - in which case, it either may be too late, or have to be too harsh and steep. For now, the forward looking inflation measures (both market based like break-even inflation and model based like Cleveland Fed now-cast) remain stable without any sign of worrisome upward pressure. This means the risk assets will largely avoid negative reaction by a possible June Fed hike (market probability of 67% as of date priced in). The key risk in this regard remains any (mis-)communication or premature taper on the central bank balance sheets.
All data from St Louis Fred Database
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