New article from Tatton Investment Management: End points and new beginnings
8 January 2021
The fact that capital markets continued trading in the upbeat mode they closed the last year with, tells us there are enough positive prospects on the horizon to make the negative news of the week fade in relevance. For the UK, there has been a sobering realisation that ‘the deal’ that replaces European Union membership terms for its main trade relationships is relatively thin and, in particular, does not cover services exports, which matters more for the UK economy than trade in goods, even if it is less tangible than empty shelves in supermarkets and price rises on cars. The muted response of currency markets is testimony that reaching this agreement was very much expected and priced-in, while the relatively more positive reaction of UK stock markets is only partially to do with the end of four years of trade uncertainty, and quite aligned with the global recovery rotation of business sectors that are highly geared to global economic activity levels, of which UK indices are full of in terms of energy, resource and bank stocks. We are covering the opportunities and challenges that arise from the final closing of the Brexit chapter in a separate article this week.
The shocking hostilities in Washington D.C. over the passing of power from one US president to the next left the stock markets in New York City largely unaffected. Indeed, overall they rose on the day, because the events on Capitol Hill overwhelmed the more important piece of political news for markets, which was that against all odds and expectations, president-elect Biden’s Democrats won both US Senate run-off elections in Georgia. This provides his incoming administration with the slimmest of majorities (a tied vote in the Senate means the Vice-President has the casting vote) and thereby turns the whole Congress (House of Representatives and Senate) in favour of the Democrats. Biden will have far greater legislative power to execute much of his structural renewal plans around infrastructure and green agenda. As we commented last year, this part of the Democrats’ post-pandemic recovery stimulus programme had been seen by economists and markets as a more sustainable and lasting growth impetus than Trump’s package of handouts and tax cuts. Given the slim majority, the jury is out on the increased probabilities of tax rises and anti-trust regulation bearing down on US tech giants. Judging by the initial market reaction, concerns over such headwinds remain very contained.
If both Brexit uncertainty and the Trump’s volatile administration are nearing their natural end points, with positive prospects on the horizon, then the return of severe activity restriction in the wake of exponentially rising rates of COVID infections seem to paint a very different picture for the shorter term. And yet, despite the economic hardship these will inevitable – and often arbitrarily – bring for different parts of the economy, the medium-term outlook of markets is far more driven by the ramping up of the vaccination campaigns than the short-term pressures on the economy. Compared to the 2020 lockdowns, governments are once again making considerable efforts to prevent the worst for their respective economies, while the vaccines should lessen the need for the most stringent restriction over the coming months, and thereby support improvements in earnings expectations.
So, even though the start to 2021 currently feels very frustratingly similar to where 2020 ended, thanks to the arrival of numerous efficacious vaccines, the medium-term outlook this time round is characterised by much higher economic visibility than the mere hopes which held up sentiment last year. This is beginning to find its reflection in capital markets, where we have experienced a significant increase in the longest-term government bonds’ yields. Market jargon refers to such rises as a bear steepening of the yield curve (between cash and long maturity bond yields). It is driven by improving growth expectations, and not just for the next couple of years, which undermines the value of bonds in circulation (hence bear, rather than bull steepening).
While this collective wisdom of capital markets bodes well for the 2021 economic development of corporate earnings growth in particular, rising long-dated bond yields can also quickly become a headwind for stock market valuation levels. As we explore in more detail in our December markets review article below, ultra-low bond yields in 2020 allowed historically exuberant valuation levels of equities to be broadly viewed as rational rather than irrational (i.e. in bubble territory). However, recovering bond yields put pressure on such valuation metrics and interpretations, because unless earnings begin to underpin valuations to the same extent as rising yields undermine their sustainability, then there is the risk that valuations drift toward irrationality. We will naturally monitor such developments closely, but for most of 2021 we firmly expect that earnings will indeed improve and – just as importantly – that when push comes to shove, central banks will keep a lid on bullish upward yield pressures through more quantitative easing (QE). Why? Because, just as in March 2020, central banks understand more than anybody that unless financial markets remain stable, the economy lacks the breathing space to recover to its previous potential. Unfortunately, this brings with it the undesired side effect of asset bubbles forming in certain speculative areas. QE in the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis led to such bubbles in commodities and some forms of property. This time, we already can see crypto currencies and certain tech market darlings such as Tesla distinctly in bubble territory. Ongoing ‘bubble watch’ will therefore be very much part and parcel of investment managers’ ongoing duties during 2021 and, most likely, beyond.
News Archive
18 December 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Goodbye to all that
14 December 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Outlook 2021 - no deal Brexit?
4 December 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: December concerns over baubles and bubbles
27 November 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Fiscal floundering
20 November 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: More tunnel before the light
18 November 2020
Interim Results For The Six Month Period Ended 30 September 2020
13 November 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Change is in the air
6 November 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Looking beyond the obvious
4 November 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: US Election Update
2 November 2020
New video from Tatton Investment Management: US election, the response to the pandemic and Brexit
30 October 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Unsettled week ahead - or behind
26 October 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Sunlit uplands or COVID gorge?
19 October 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Watching and waiting
12 October 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Baffling market optimism
2 October 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: A question of time horizons
25 September 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: A recovery on hold
18 September 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Taking a step back to look forward
14 September 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Frictions and contradictions
7 September 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Market dynamic of a K-shaped recovery
1 September 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Big tech gets bigger while the Fed takes the easy opt
24 August 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Fed leaves bond investors with that sinking feeling
17 August 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: COVID II the sequel - as scary as the original?
10 August 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: July brings consolidation
2 August 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Sunshine and shadows
27 July 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: PPE = Politics, Pressure and Economics
20 July 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Discomfort of disappearing safety nets
13 July 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Fast and freewheeling
3 July 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: H1 2020 offers meaningful lessons
29 June 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Support balances increasing strains - for how long?
22 June 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Equity valuations follow bond valuations' lead
15 June 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Stock markets suffer altitude sickness
8 June 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Markets are enjoying an uncomfortably benign pandemic
1 June 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Optimistic markets despite second wave lockdown threa
26 May 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Just as the sun comes out, clouds appear in the East
22 May 2020
New video from Tatton Investment Management
18 May 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Us-China cold war: Threat or blessing?
11 May 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Most welcome, if feeble, signs of pulling together
4 May 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Opening-up will be slower than locking down
27 April 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: V or U-shaped recovery scenarios - the jury is out
20 April 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Lifting lockdown remains a delicate balancing act
20 April 2020
New video from Tatton Investment Management: Stock markets between hope and despair
15 April 2020
New video from Tatton Investment Management: Is now the time to invest?
13 April 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Fading threat of financial crisis re-opens old divide
6 April 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Unprecedented quarter or calm before the storm?
30 March 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Extraordinary: bear and bull market all in one
24 March 2020
New video from Tatton Investment Management: Why have stock markets appeared to rally on the lock-do
23 March 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Government ordered recession
19 March 2020
New video from Tatton Investment Management: Confusion reigns in Capital Markets
18 March 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Why aren't you doing something?
17 March 2020
New video from Tatton Investment Management: From euphoric recovery to depressed tumble
16 March 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Notes on a crash: the short, the medium and long term
13 March 2020
New video from Tatton Investment Management: Panic equity selling or panic raising of precautionar
12 March 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Forced sellers and other distractions
9 March 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Dark times or glimpse of light at the end of the tunn
6 March 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: News of a reverse oil price shock rattles markets bey
2 March 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Coronavirus - hitting too close to home
28 February 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: This week's market correction requires perspective
26 February 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: COVID-19 and the reaction of markets to pandemic fear
24 February 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: US markets hit new all-time highs and a 'bump'
17 February 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: V-shaped recovery for Valentine
10 February 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Markets show no fear - should they?
3 February 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Looking through the noise of the week
27 January 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Short break to Goldilocks?
20 January 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Parallels and differences to January 2018
14 January 2020
13 January 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: So far so good
8 January 2020
Tatton: Woodford & M&G suspensions have driven IFAs to us
6 January 2020
New article from Tatton Investment Management: 2020 starts with a Trump card
23 December 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Goodbye 2019 - welcome 2020 and a new decade!
16 December 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Brightening horizons - 2020 Outlook
8 December 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Can Trump derail the 2020 economic upturn?
2 December 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Markets are driving the markets
25 November 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Markets pause for reality check
18 November 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Swilling cash eases the market mood music
11 November 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Recession concerns retreat
11 November 2019
Interim Results for the six months ended 30 September 2019
4 November 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Crucial October period safely behind
28 October 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Slowly turning
21 October 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Brexit breakthrough versus Brexit fatigue
17 October 2019
17 October 2019
Acquisition of Sinfonia Asset Management Limited (SAM)
14 October 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Market sentiment rebound
7 October 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Stall speed economy fears spreading
30 September 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Ominous US-Dollar strength
23 September 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Diverging economic trends - catalyst for trade war re
16 September 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Market sentiment rebound
9 September 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Choppy water but no storm, yet...
2 September 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Fattening 'tails'
27 August 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Populism politics reversing austerity?
19 August 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Market spat between bond and equity markets
11 August 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Bond markets unnerve equity markets - again
5 August 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: The Elephant and the Little Old Lady
29 July 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: The quick and the not-so-quick
22 July 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: ...'Twere well it were done quickly
15 July 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Positioning for a summer of wait and see
8 July 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Liquidity drives stock markets to new highs
1 July 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: The middle of the year - a tipping point?
24 June 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Battle of the ‘doves’
17 June 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Mixed messages
10 June 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: The return of the central bank put?
3 June 2019
3 June 2019
Appointment by Frenkel Topping
3 June 2019
Preliminary Results For the year ended 31 March 2019
3 June 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Bond rally musings
27 May 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: It is getting warmer
20 May 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Market support for Trump or unwarranted equanimity?
13 May 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Geopolitics re-enter market stage
7 May 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Central banks disappoint expectations
29 April 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Waning market stimuli put stock markets on notice
23 April 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Spring time from here?
16 April 2019
Trading Statement for 12 months ending 31 March 2019
15 April 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Brexit in-limbo aside sentiment is improving
8 April 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Happy 10th birthday, choppy bull market
1 April 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management:29 March 2019 – quarter end
25 March 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Brinkmanship and extensions
18 March 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Bits & Pieces
11 March 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: ECB stimulus U-turn leaves markets unimpressed
4 March 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: £-Sterling ‘applauds’ prospect of Brexit delay
25 February 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Progress?
18 February 2019
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Investment perspectives for different Brexit outcomes
15 November 2018
Interim Results for the six months ended 30 September 2018
15 October 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Autopsy of a stock market sell-off
1 October 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Poor politics containing bond market risks?
27 September 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Brexit clamour vs. real market new
7 September 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Interesting times ahead
31 August 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: “Not the end of the world”
24 August 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Steady markets vs. noisy politics
17 August 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Political strongman tactics come home to roost
10 August 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Summer heat wave makes way for return of political he
3 August 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: A gentle deceleration?
27 July 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Hot air for a hot summer?
20 July 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management:Earnings are growing, why worry?
13 July 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Hard Brexit demonstration potential?
6 July 2018
Notice of Annual General Meeting
6 July 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: It is getting hot
29 June 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Digesting or consolidating?
27 June 2018
Preliminary Results for the year ended 31 March 2018
22 June 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Fragile recovery
15 June 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: No surprises
8 June 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Delicate equilibrium
1 June 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Ignore politics at your peril
25 May 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: GDPR? No - far more interesting news!
18 May 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: What's the economic reality of this week's news?
11 May 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Batten-down-the-hatches?
4 May 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Past the peak?
27 April 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Confusing signals?
20 April 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: A mixture of messages
6 April 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Could do better
6 April 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Peaking, plateauing or dimming – and how about that
29 March 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: End of a stormy quarter
23 March 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Now we know it's risky!
16 March 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Back to Normal?
9 March 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Tariffs to growth
2 March 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Time to take some profits
23 February 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Change of direction or gradual normalisation?
16 February 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Breathing easier for the moment
9 February 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Meteoric stock markets crash bac
6 February 2018
Tatton Investment Management's Stock Market Correction Assessment
2 February 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Good news turns bad news - again!
26 January 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Surprises
19 January 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: US$ weakness versus Bitcoin and Carillion
12 January 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Bullish sentiment rings alarm bells
5 January 2018
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Encouraging kick-off
15 December 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: 2017 - taking stock
8 December 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Progress versus Bitcoin
5 December 2017
Interim results for the six months ended 30 September 2017
1 December 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Sudden, but not entirely unexpected
24 November 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Invincible markets?
17 November 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Yield-curve flattening: a bad omen?
10 November 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Nervous investors herald more volatile markets
3 November 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: UK rate rise: ‘one and done’ or beginning of rate
27 October 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Trick or treat season
13 October 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: All-time highs and Q3 results outlook: Reasons to be
6 October 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Bad news – good news
29 September 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Movements
22 September 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: QT to reverse QE and 2-year transition period to soft
15 September 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: BoE guides for year-end rate hike - Bluff or real?
8 September 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: ‘Back to school’ amidst hurricanes, earthquakes
1 September 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Bad news, Good news
25 August 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Summer low or summer lull?
18 August 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: More sellers than buyers
11 August 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Stocks take note of North Korea crisis - or do they?
4 August 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Consolidated base but momentum dwindling
28 July 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Summer thoughts about the ‘longer term’
21 July 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Summer lull - delayed
14 July 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Pre summer-holiday investment check
7 July 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Global growth ploughs on while markets take a breathe
23 June 2017
New article from Tatton Investment Management: Quo Vadis Britain?