Category: Quarterly Review

A look back at markets in Q2 when shares rebounded as economies started to re-open, while governments and central banks continued to provide support.

• The easing of Covid-19 lockdowns and early signs of economic recovery saw risk appetite return rapidly in Q2, supporting equity and credit markets.
• US equities rebounded in Q2 and outperformed other major equity markets. Improving jobs and retail sales data provided cause for optimism.
• Eurozone shares posted strong gains in Q2 as lockdown restrictions were eased. Another source of support was news of EU plans for post-Covid-19 recovery with the European Commission proposing a €750 billion fund.
• UK equities rose over the period. Having contained the first wave of Covid-19, national lockdown measures were eased. Meanwhile, economic indicators suggested the downturn had past its worst point.
• Japanese shares gained, supported by the improved global picture. Stocks sensitive to the economic cycle tended to fare best while domestic-focused stocks underperformed.
• Emerging market (EM) equities advanced amid global monetary and fiscal stimulus. However, there was an acceleration in the number of new daily cases of Covid-19 in some EM countries.
• In government bonds, US and German 10-year yields saw little change in the quarter. Corporate bonds outperformed government bonds.
• In commodities, the energy component rallied as oil-producing countries agreed temporary production cuts.

Please note any past performance mentioned is not a guide to future performance and may not be repeated. The sectors, securities, regions and countries shown are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be considered a recommendation to buy or sell.

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US

US equities rebounded in Q2 and outperformed other major equity markets. At the beginning of the quarter, data confirmed the severe economic impact of lockdown measures. However, the subsequent easing of lockdown restrictions, ongoing loose monetary policy from the Federal Reserve (Fed) and early indications of a recovery led to widespread equity market gains. Weekly claims for unemployment insurance slowed substantially and retail sales rebounded strongly from April to May. As yet, the Federal Reserve (Fed) is “…not even thinking about thinking about raising rates”, according to Jerome Powell, chairman of the US central bank.

However, investor optimism was tempered by a subsequent rise in Covid-19 cases that has prompted some states to rethink or reversing the easing of lockdown measures. US-wide, the trend of new cases accelerated rapidly into the end of June. The states of Texas, Florida, California and Arizona saw notable increases in cases and hospitalisations.

The improvement in retail sales was supportive of consumer discretionary stocks, which outperformed, along with information technology, which has been consistently resilient through the crisis. Energy and materials also made strong gains. More defensive areas such as utilities and consumer staples lagged behind.

Eurozone

Eurozone equities posted strong gains in Q2 as countries began to lift lockdown restrictions. The Baltic countries and Austria were among the first to loosen their lockdowns in April due to their relative success in containing Covid-19. Worse affected countries such as Spain, France and Italy waited until later in the quarter before relaxing measures.

Another source of support for shares was news of the EU’s plans for post-Covid-19 recovery. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen called for the power to borrow €750 billion for a recovery fund to support the worst affected EU regions. This would be in addition to a €540 billion rescue package agreed in April. The European Central Bank also offered support, expanding its pandemic emergency purchase programme to €1.35 trillion.

Data showed the eurozone economy shrank by 3.6% in the first quarter, compared to the final three months of 2019, as lockdown measures were widely introduced in March. However, surveys of economic activity showed marked improvement through the spring. The flash eurozone composite purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for June rose to 47.5, compared to 31.9 in May and 13.6 in April. (50 is the level that separates expansion from contraction. The PMI surveys are based on responses from companies in the manufacturing and services sectors).

All sectors posted a positive return in the quarter. Information technology saw some of the strongest gains along with industrials, materials and financials, as news of lockdowns lifting buoyed economically-sensitive sectors. The energy sector was the main underperformer.

UK

UK equities rose over the period. Having contained the first wave of Covid-19, national lockdown measures were eased. Meanwhile, economic indicators suggested the downturn had passed its worst point. A number of economically sensitive areas of the market outperformed amid a general improvement in investor sentiment, largely driven by global considerations. The mining sector, for instance, performed very well, in part due to the ongoing recovery in Chinese economic activity and new stimulus measures.

The latest monthly estimates revealed that the UK economy contracted by 20.4% in April (the first full month of the UK national lockdown). However, Google mobility data suggests that the fall in travel to work also bottomed out that month. This supports the view that GDP could have returned to positive growth in May.

The government began to ease lockdown measures with people encouraged to return to work where necessary and a phased reopening of schools and various industry sectors confirmed. This occurred as the cost of the government programmes announced in Q1 to cushion the blow from unemployment and the loss of income as a result of the lockdowns became apparent in borrowing figures released in Q2.

The government confirmed a phased end to the furlough scheme and the Bank of England (BoE) expanded its quantitative easing programme. The BoE’s governor told parliamentarians that negative rates were under “active review” while the Debt Management Office reported it had sold negative yielding gilts for the first time. However, negative base rates are seen as unlikely. Brexit returned to the agenda as the deadline passed for an extension of the transition period, which expires on 31 December 2020.

Japan

After weakness in early April, the Japanese equity market recovered to record a total return of 11.3%. Although there was some short term currency volatility in June, the yen remained in a fairly stable range throughout the three months.

As the quarter unfolded, investors reacted positively to signs of a peak in virus cases globally, rather than specific news on Japan itself. As a result, economically sensitive and global stocks, together with pharmaceuticals, tended to lead the market recovery. Domestic-focused stocks such as transportation, insurance and utilities typically lagged behind the overall market rise. Airlines continued to weaken as concerns mounted over their inability to restart profitable services in the medium term, even when lockdowns began to ease. Smaller companies were very weak relative to the overall market in first few days of April but gradually recouped this decline and actually outperformed large caps over the quarter as a whole.

Compared to other developed countries, Japan continued to experience a rather different trajectory of recorded virus cases and mortality over the last three months. A state of emergency was declared by the central government across seven prefectures, including Tokyo, on 7 April, which was later extended nationwide. Even so, the practical restrictions on social and business activities remained far less restrictive than those seen in Europe. Prime Minister Abe was then able to announce a staged lifting of the state of emergency, starting from 14 May for some prefectures and culminating on 25 May for Tokyo.

The Japanese government also continued to step up its fiscal response to the crisis and drew up a second supplementary budget, as expected, in May. Following the increase in its pace of exchange-traded fund (ETF) purchases from March onwards, the Bank of Japan also announced additional monetary policy initiatives.

Asia (ex Japan)

Asia ex Japan equities recorded a strong return in Q2 – albeit advancing by slightly less than the MSCI All-Country World Index. Markets were buoyed by fresh stimulus from major central banks, ongoing normalisation within the region and the reopening of economies across the world, which began to exit Covid-19 lockdowns.

The export-oriented markets of Indonesia, Thailand and Taiwan outperformed the regional index on hopes of a recovery in global demand in the second half of 2020. Indonesia also benefited from strong currency appreciation. India and Korea both outperformed too. India’s central bank provided additional support in April which was followed by the announcement of a major fiscal stimulus package in May. The country also benefited from lower oil prices. Meanwhile, a better-than-expected earnings season boosted the Korean market, as did the announcement of additional economic support from the government. 

By contrast, Hong Kong SAR underperformed amid increased geopolitical tensions. China announced the imposition of a national security law in Hong Kong SAR, which came into effect on 30 June. Singapore and, to a lesser extent, Malaysia underperformed. China slightly underperformed, after strong outperformance in Q1. During the second quarter, economic activity continued to recover, with manufacturing PMI improved to 51.2 in June, though exports fell by 3.3% year-on-year in May after expanding in April. Meanwhile the government announced further fiscal support at the National People’s Congress in May. However, geopolitical concerns increased as the US-China confrontation expanded beyond trade and technology issues. In terms of sectors, healthcare, materials and energy were among the top performers, while utilities, financials and industrials advanced the least.

Emerging markets

Emerging market (EM) equities rallied, recording their strongest quarterly return in over a decade, with US dollar weakness amplifying returns. This was despite an acceleration in the number of new daily cases of Covid-19 in some EM countries. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index increased in value but slightly underperformed the MSCI World Index.

EM countries with high foreign financing needs outperformed, notably Argentina, which was the best-performing market in the MSCI EM index, as well as South Africa and Indonesia. In South Africa, after initially announcing a strict lockdown, the government started to reopen the economy, and economic activity started to recover, as evidenced by June manufacturing PMI which showed marked improvement. The exporter markets of Thailand and Taiwan outperformed on hopes of a recovery in global demand in the second half of 2020. Brazil recorded a strong gain despite a headwind from currency weakness

By contrast, Egypt and Qatar were the weakest index markets, though both still posted solid gains. Mexico underperformed as the government remained reluctant to provide more meaningful fiscal support. China also underperformed, having outperformed by a wide margin in Q1. Economic activity continued to normalise and additional stimulus was announced at the National People’s Congress in May. However, US-China tensions increased, extending beyond trade and technology issues. China proposed a new security law for Hong Kong which was implemented at the end of June. In addition, tensions with India increased, amid skirmishes on the disputed Himalayan border.

Global bonds

The quarter saw a forceful rebound in investor sentiment and riskier assets as the rate of new Covid-19 cases started to slow and countries began easing lockdown measures. Economic data confirmed a sharp contraction in activity, but several measures significantly exceeded very low expectations. Central banks continued to strongly affirm their intention to support economies and markets through asset purchases and other measures.

Broadly, government bond yields saw a degree of divergence over the quarter. The US and Germany’s 10-year yields were little changed, but those more sensitive to risk sentiment declined (meaning prices rose). The US 10-year yield remained in a narrow range, and finished one basis point lower. It sold off in early June following a stronger-than-expected US labour market data release, though the move reversed later in the month.

In Europe, the more noteworthy development was a decline in the Italian 10-year yield of over 22 basis points (bps) to 1.26%. Italian bonds benefited from hopes of moves toward more coordinated support measures in the eurozone.

With Brexit back in focus, the UK 10-year bond yield was 18bps lower at 0.17%. The UK two-year yield dropped below zero for the first time, finishing at -0.08%, as the central bank discussed the possibility of negative interest rates.

Corporate bonds performed strongly, outpacing government bonds, as they benefited from stronger risk appetite. High yield performed particularly well with total returns (local currency) of 11%, led by the European market. Investment grade returned 7.9%. The US energy sector performed well across investment grade and high yield. Investment grade bonds are the highest quality bonds as determined by a credit ratings agency; high yield bonds are more speculative, with a credit rating below investment grade.

Emerging market (EM) bonds also rebounded to produce strong gains. Hard currency government, quasi-sovereign and corporate bonds returned over 11%. Local currency bonds were up nearly 10%. EM currency performance was mixed, broadly lagging behind other risk assets, as concerns over Covid-19 remained heightened, notably in Brazil.

Global stock markets had a strong second quarter with the MSCI World index gaining 19.4%. Convertible bonds, as measured by the Thomson Reuters Global Focus index, showed a remarkable participation in the gains, with the index finishing the second quarter up 15%. The convertible primary market showed activity not recorded since 2007 and the record volume of new issues kept valuations low.

Commodities

The S&P GSCI (Commodities) Index rallied strongly in Q2, recovering some of the ground lost in Q1 and aided by US dollar weakness. The energy component posted a sharp gain, as OPEC (the Organisation of Petroleum-Exporting Countries) and Russia agreed to make temporary production cuts. This masked volatility in April caused by oversupply and storage concerns.

The industrial metals component recorded a positive return, led by iron ore and copper. Precious metals advanced too, with silver the standout performer. The agriculture sector posted a negative return, with coffee and wheat prices notably weak.  

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The value of investments and the income from them may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the amounts originally invested.

A look back at markets in Q1 2020 when the spread of coronavirus across the world saw stock markets fall sharply.

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• The spread of Covid-19 profoundly affected global markets in the first quarter. Equities suffered steep declines and government bond yields fell (prices rose) as investors favoured their perceived safety.
• Shares fell across developed markets as coronavirus spread and countries went into lockdown to try to contain the outbreak. Governments and central banks announced measures to support businesses and households and reduce borrowing costs.
• Emerging market (EM) equities also tumbled, slightly underperforming developed markets as a strong US dollar proved to be an additional headwind.
• Government bonds saw yields fall (meaning prices rose) as investors sought out assets perceived to be lower risk. Corporate bonds underperformed government bonds.
• In commodities, oil prices plunged as the spread of coronavirus weakened the outlook for demand, at the same time as there was a breakdown of an agreement between oil producers to constrain supply.

Please note any past performance mentioned is not a guide to future performance and may not be repeated. The sectors, securities, regions and countries shown are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be considered a recommendation to buy or sell.

US

US equities declined significantly over the quarter as the coronavirus outbreak spread. Confirmed US cases of Covid-19 rose from 150 to over 100,000 between 4 March and 27 March, and the economic impact grew clearer. Jobless claims rocketed by over three million in the last week of March and economic indicators suggest more pain will follow.

The Federal Reserve (Fed) cut interest rates twice in March for the first time since the global financial crisis and announced unlimited quantitative easing (buying bonds). US interest rates now stand at 0-0.25%. The US Senate also passed a $2 trillion stimulus package. The proposed package includes $250 billion worth of direct payments to households, $500 billion for loans to distressed companies and $350 billion for small business loans.

All sectors saw significant declines. Energy stocks were hit hard, with the addition of the oil price war weighing heavily. Financials and industrials also fell sharply. The information technology and healthcare sectors held up better, albeit with what would be considered steep falls in any other quarter.

Eurozone

Eurozone equities experienced a sharp fall in Q1 due to the spread of coronavirus. Italy and Spain became some of the most severely affected countries. Nations across Europe took steps to restrict the movement of people and shut down parts of the economy in an effort to slow the spread of the virus. Growth in Europe was already fragile – the eurozone economy grew by just 0.1% in Q4 2019, with Germany registering zero growth. A sharp economic downturn is expected.

Forward-looking indicators showed how economic activity has collapsed. The flash Markit composite purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for March fell to a record low of 31.4, compared to 51.6 in February. The PMI survey covers companies in both the services and manufacturing sectors, and an index reading below 50 indicates economic contraction.

All sectors fell over the quarter. Defensive areas of the market such as healthcare and utilities held up best. Financials and industrials were among the worst hit sectors. Regulators have pushed for banks across Europe to suspend dividends and share buybacks until at least the autumn. This would help increase their capacity to manage rising non-performing loans as borrowers struggle to make repayments.

The European Central Bank announced the Pandemic Emergency Purchase Programme (PEPP) – a €750 billion scheme. The PEPP will fund the purchase of government and corporate bonds until the end of the Covid-19 crisis. Governments across Europe also announced spending packages to help businesses and households bridge the gap between the loss of income during this period of disruption and the expenditures required to survive.

UK

UK equities tumbled as efforts to deal with the coronavirus pandemic hit economic activity indiscriminately and simultaneously. Prior to these events, domestic politics and Brexit had dominated the narrative around UK assets and the economy for much of the quarter. At the height of the market sell-off, all assets (including government bonds) fell amid fears around the stability of the financial system.

Against this backdrop, sterling hit multi-decade lows versus the US dollar as investors sought safety in cash, particularly US dollars. In line with other central banks, the Bank of England materially reduced interest rates, cutting by 65 basis points to 0.10%. This response was co-ordinated with the UK government, which unveiled an unprecedented series of fiscal support measures, in line with initiatives by many other developed nations.

Oil and gas was the worst performing industry groups over the period, selling off on concerns about falling demand in the wake of the virus, as well as the failure of negotiations between OPEC (the Organisation of the Petroleum-Exporting Countries) and Russia to control the global supply of oil. The consumer services sector also performed very poorly as investors sought to calibrate the effect of a sharp fall in consumer demand as the UK and other governments introduced lockdown measures.

Japan

After a relatively stable start to the year, the Japanese market fell steeply in late February and early March before recovering some ground to end the quarter with a total return of -17.5%. Even allowing for the exceptional environment, the yen was extraordinarily volatile through this period but, if anything, has probably remained slightly weaker than one might otherwise expect.

Market dynamics were fairly chaotic, especially during the mid-March rebound, with some days marked by a strong recovery of those stocks and sectors seen as most heavily oversold, while other days seem to represent a more genuine willingness by investors to take on risk in larger cap cyclical sectors (i.e. those that are most sensitive to the economic cycle). Smaller companies have been significantly weaker than the main indices across the quarter, despite some relative recovery in the second half of March. Style influences were also prevalent, as value stocks underperformed across the quarter, with particular weakness in the first half of March. Value stocks are those that tend to trade at a lower price relative to their fundamentals, such as dividends, earnings and sales.

The initial estimate of Q4 GDP growth released on 17 February was much weaker than consensus expectations. Even allowing for the consumption tax increase and the major typhoon, which hit Japan in October, this was a poor data point.

In terms of the actual virus spread, Japan has so far been on a very different trajectory to most other developed nations with a slower spread and lower mortality rate. This has resulted in a slightly less stringent response from the authorities so far. From late March, however, there have been more forceful requests from both central and local governments to curtail social activities and it is possible that more severe restrictions on movements will be imposed on Tokyo in the near future.

The highest profile impact for Japan has been the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics for one year to July 2021. Although this is not particularly significant in economic terms, with maybe 0.2% of GDP shifted from this year to next, there could be political implications as the Games are now planned just before the end of Mr Abe’s term as Prime Minister in October 2021.

Asia (ex Japan)

Asia ex Japan equities declined sharply in the first quarter, as Covid-19 became a pandemic and the prospect of a global recession loomed. US dollar strength was a drag on returns. The MSCI Asia ex Japan Index decreased in value but outperformed the MSCI World Index.

ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) markets were notably weak and all underperformed the MSCI Asia ex Japan Index. India also finished behind the index as the number of Covid-19 cases began to increase, and the government announced a national lockdown for at least three weeks. South Korea also lagged behind. Although the country’s response to the crisis appeared to be progressing, the weaker outlook for global trade and growth weighed on the market. 

China and Hong Kong were the only markets to outperform the index. China, seen as ahead of the curve as it was the first country to record cases of Covid-19, took measures to lock down the city of Wuhan. Its measures to contain the spread were deemed a success as the number of active cases of Covid-19 in mainland China appeared to peak in February, and subsequently fell sharply. Meanwhile, the spread of the virus appeared to be relatively contained in Hong Kong.

Emerging markets

Emerging market (EM) equities fell heavily in Q1, negatively impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The spread of the virus beyond China led to lockdowns globally and resulted in sharp falls in economic activity. A global recession is now expected this year. Against this backdrop, a stronger US dollar was a further headwind for EM. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index decreased in value and underperformed the MSCI World Index.

Brazil was the weakest market in the index, with currency weakness amplifying negative returns. The central bank cut its headline interest rate by a total of 75bps to 3.75%. It announced measures including reserve requirement reductions for banks and agreed a foreign exchange swap line with the Fed. The government also took fiscal measures to help households and businesses. Colombia was another underperformer as it was additionally impacted by the fall in crude oil prices following the failure of talks to limit oil production. Greece, South Africa and Pakistan all underperformed.

By contrast, China recorded a negative return but outperformed the MSCI Emerging Markets Index as the number of Covid-19 cases declined, and economic activity began to resume. The initial response to the virus outbreak led the authorities to effectively quarantine the city of Wuhan, and the wider province of Hubei. These measures only began to be eased at the end of the quarter. A mixture of interest rate cuts and fiscal (tax and spending) measures were also announced during the quarter.

Global bonds

Government bond yields declined over the quarter, meaning bond prices rose, as higher risk assets such as shares saw heavy declines amid rising fears over the Covid-19 pandemic. Investors favoured the perceived safety of government bonds due to the growing likelihood of a deep global recession. The moves largely occurred in late-February and March as numerous countries went into lockdown in response to the pandemic, seriously depressing economic activity. This resulted in severe declines and extreme daily swings in assets prices on a scale comparable to the crises of 2008 and 2011.

Markets saw extreme declines and volatility in March. US stock market trading was temporarily suspended on a number of occasions due to the size of daily moves and, for several days, companies were unable to issue bonds. Government bond yields and prices were volatile, first reaching extreme lows on heightened fear, but then rising, as panicked investors sold liquid assets indiscriminately in order to raise cash.

As the crisis unfolded, governments and central banks announced unprecedented support programmes for businesses, households and the financial system, helping to stabilise markets later in the month.

The US 10-year yield dropped from 1.92% to 0.63% over the quarter, while the two-year yield dropped from 1.57% to 0.23%. The German 10-year yield fell from -0.19% to -0.49%, France’s from 0.12% to 0%. The Italian 10-year yield rose from 1.41% to 1.57%. Spain’s increased from 0.47% to 0.71%. The UK 10-year yield fell from 0.82% to 0.32%.

Corporate bonds, and emerging market debt and currencies declined significantly, mainly in March, and underperformed government bonds, with moves exacerbated by a sharp tightening in liquidity. For several days, companies were unable to issue bonds although this improved later in the month. US investment grade bonds ultimately saw a record month of issuance in March, as the Federal Reserve announced it would buy corporate bonds. Investment grade bonds are the highest quality bonds, as determined by a credit ratings agency, while high yield bonds are more speculative, with a credit rating below investment grade.

High yield credit was hit hard given the heightened risk aversion. The sell-off was sharper in more vulnerable sectors related to travel and retailing, as well as in energy as the oil price plummeted.

In emerging markets, local currency bonds saw the heaviest falls. Currencies more sensitive to growth and oil prices, and also those with more liquidity, saw double-digit declines, in some cases of around 20%. 

The overall MSCI World Index lost -21.1% in Q1. Convertible bonds, as measured by the Thomson Reuters Global Focus Index, effectively protected investors from losses and finished the quarter with a loss of -8.6% in US dollar terms. In any equity market sell-off (and especially in a vicious sell-off with the speed and extent witnessed in March) the valuation of convertibles comes under pressure. Convertibles have become cheaper in all regions but the traditionally rather efficient US market has seen a sharp 4% drop in valuations.

Commodities

The S&P GSCI Spot Index experienced a major fall over the quarter. US dollar strength weighed negatively, so too the energy component. Crude oil prices fell heavily as talks between OPEC and other oil producers including Russia failed to agree on extensions to production cuts. This impact was exacerbated by a weaker demand outlook for oil stemming from the impact of Covid-19. Industrial metals also fell, led by copper, as the demand outlook deteriorated. The agriculture component posted a negative return with cotton and sugar prices falling heavily. Conversely, precious metals generated a small gain, aided by an increase in gold prices.