On Wednesday, Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) (BofA) shared insights on the potential impact of the U.S. elections on emerging markets (EM), suggesting that the initial market reaction has room to evolve, depending on the final election results. The firm indicated that a trade war scenario, which markets had not fully anticipated, could lead to significant emerging market fund outflows in the near term.
According to BofA, client discussions revealed low levels of risk-taking, with no clear positioning for a trade war outcome. Despite a common strategy of selling U.S. dollar (USD) rallies and buying dips in emerging markets since September, investor positions have largely remained unchanged. BofA highlighted the importance of considering the implications of increased tariffs on emerging market fundamentals, which could lead to major shifts in EM foreign exchange (FX) equilibrium exchange rates.
The analysis suggested that with growth already weak in Europe and North Asia, and limited fiscal space for stimulus, exchange rates might become the primary adjustment mechanism in emerging markets. Particularly vulnerable are countries with significant fiscal challenges, such as Brazil, where a stronger USD and higher interest rates could cause disruptions. Frontier markets with unresolved sustainability issues could also face increased funding constraints.
BofA anticipates that the USD/EM exchange rate has further potential to rise, which would put pressure on rates and external debt (EXD) spreads. This pressure is expected to compound the effects of U.S. rate movements, with trade-exposed markets likely to underperform. However, the firm predicts that rates will eventually decrease as the impact on growth becomes more dominant than the FX pass-through. BofA is looking to eventually receive rates in markets with strong fiscal positions and inflation credibility. In EXD, the firm has identified certain credits that are expected to outperform in the event of a Trump presidency.
In other recent news, Citi analysts anticipate a trend toward lower inflation and policy rates in Europe, following Donald Trump's second presidential term. This prediction comes as Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) revises its forecast for 30-year conforming mortgage rates to 6% for 2024 and 6.05% for 2025, following a Federal Reserve rate cut. Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) and Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) have analyzed this significant rate cut, predicting further reductions despite a strong labor market.
Recent developments also include a surge in the Secure Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR), indicating a tightening in short-term funding markets. Tellimer and LPL Financial (NASDAQ:LPLA) are monitoring escalating tensions in the Middle East, which have prompted a shift towards safe-haven assets, potentially impacting oil prices and market stability.
Investors are preparing for the upcoming release of labor market data, which could influence the prevailing sentiment of the U.S. economy's potential for a 'soft landing'. Morgan Stanley has forecasted additional rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, projecting a 25 basis point reduction in both November and December.
InvestingPro Insights
To provide additional context to the article's discussion on emerging markets and potential impacts of U.S. elections, let's look at some relevant data for the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY (NYSE:SPY)), which serves as a benchmark for the U.S. stock market and can influence global market trends.
According to InvestingPro data, SPY has shown strong performance with a 34.15% total return over the past year and is currently trading near its 52-week high, with its price at 98.39% of the high. This robust performance underscores the strength of the U.S. market, which could have implications for emerging markets as discussed in the article.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that SPY has raised its dividend for 14 consecutive years and has maintained dividend payments for 32 consecutive years. This consistency in dividend growth could be attractive to investors seeking stability, potentially influencing capital flows between developed and emerging markets.
Another relevant InvestingPro Tip notes that the stock generally trades with low price volatility. This characteristic might be particularly interesting in the context of potential market reactions to election outcomes and trade war scenarios mentioned in the article.
For investors looking to delve deeper into market analysis, InvestingPro offers 7 additional tips for SPY, providing a more comprehensive view of the ETF's performance and potential.
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