Insights

Investment Insights by our experts and thought leaders
We continue to believe that Asia's local government bonds are positioned to perform decently, supported by accommodative central banks amid an environment of benign inflation and moderating growth.

FOMC: projections highlight heightened uncertainty in rate outlook

The Fed maintained interest rates at its June meeting, signalling a slightly more positive economic outlook. Despite easing of some risks, uncertainties remain elevated, with inflation still a key concern. FOMC members' varied rate projections reflect heightened uncertainty in the economic outlook.
Markets, while volatile, have continued to recover, and we are now seeing an easing of trade tensions. However, in these uncertain times, one thing remains clear—uncertainty itself. The situation remains fluid, and against such a background we expect Chinese policy support to stimulate consumption and business activities.

Japan plays the long game to keep structural recovery intact

Japanese equities have not been immune to tariff worries. However, it is worth remembering that Japan is playing the long game: the country is undergoing structural reflation driven by factors unlikely to be reversed by market volatility or bad news on US trade.

Navigating Japan Equities: Monthly Insights From Tokyo (June 2025)

We discuss how growing calls to reduce Japan's consumption tax rate provide a chance to focus on how consumption can be stimulated, potentially triggering a secular change in spending behaviour; we also assess the recent surge in super-long JGB yields and its possible implications for monetary and fiscal policy.
In this month's Balancing Act we review Q1 corporate earnings, which have been more resilient than expected; from a defensive standpoint we also discuss our cautious view on gold.
Against a more challenging but still benign macroeconomic backdrop, we expect Asian corporate and bank credit fundamentals to stay resilient, aside from a few sectors and specific credits which may be affected by tariff threats or geopolitical dynamics.
We can expect more aggressive policy support from Chinese authorities over the next several months for consumption and business activities, prompted by the still uncertain global trade situation. Despite the ongoing volatility and uncertainty surrounding US-China tariff policies, there are encouraging signs that the situation may improve.

We are all Bayesians now: why the US bond market is pivotal

Moody's downgrade of the US offers a chance to assess the relationship between the US administration and the bond market and examine the implications of persistent budget deficits, market reactions, trade tensions and policy decisions.

Global Equity Quarterly (Q1 2025)

We firmly believe that markets remain inefficient, and the last few months are testament to that. Hence we face today's uncertainty level headed, attentive to where risks lie while also inquisitive about the potential opportunities.