27 May 2018 Financial markets have celebrated the selection of Cyril Ramaphosa as leader of the ANC in December 2017, and his subsequent election as the Republic's president. The beleaguered Rand (ZAR), for example, has rallied over 20% in the past four months. Even the rating agencies have jumped on the band wagon. Both Fitch [...]
15 March 2018 Turkey has a history of "boom-bust" economic cycles. And, while Turkey enjoyed an impressive 7% GDP gain in 2017, the telltale signs of overheating again have emerged. In February 2018, for instance, inflation stood at 10.3% (granted, a bit lower than previous months), double the central bank's (CBRT) 5% target. And, core [...]
1 March 2018 Emerging Market investing is a lot more complicated than it used to be -- and not just because it is difficult to replicate last year's stellar performance. Prior to the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), EM's superior growth prospects garnered investors' attention. In addition, EM growth and inflation cycles tended to be in [...]
4 February 2018 In the wake of the Global Financial Crisis followed by Europe's Sovereign Debt Crisis, the Swiss franc (CHF) appreciated sharply (see top Chart), reflecting its traditional role as a safe haven. Confronting considerable deflationary risks the Swiss National Bank (SNB) abandoned its policy aimed at setting a floor for the exchange rate [...]