Covid Second Wave: Bracing For a Long Winter

22 October 2020 The long-anticipated Covid second wave is here (third wave in the USA). Experts project, correctly I suspect, that as winter arrives and activity heads indoors, the rate of infection will accelerate significantly further. In the United States, for example, I would not be surprised if daily new cases rise from 50,000 to [...]

Global Strategy: 2020 Vision

11 November 2019 Easy monetary conditions have fueled the global equity index to an all-time high. Looking forward, key market risks centre on the likelihood of a 2020 global recession, the possibilty of a trade deal between the United States and China, and political risks, especially as US and UK voters go to the polls. [...]

Kick the Tires: Forecast Update

17 April 2019 In our 2019 Global Strategy blog entitled "Turning (Even More) Defensive" (published in September 2018), we outlined the broad macro themes we expected to drive financial markets. Given the sharp market swings that have occurred since last Autumn, I thought it would be worthwhile to review these themes in light of subsequent [...]

Mexico & Brazil: Populism’s First 100 Days

5 April 2019 In elections last year, voters in both Brazil and Mexico opted overwhelmingly for populist candidates. To be sure, Latin American populism takes many shapes. In Mexico, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's version  (AMLO) promised significantly higher spending on social programs and infrastructure. Brazil's new President Jair Bolsonaro has pledged assertive efforts to clamp [...]