Head of Macroeconomic Research
Summary: Our 'Macro Chartmania' series collects Macrobond data and focuses on a single chart chosen for its relevance.
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Just when we gave up on the idea of a V-shaped recovery, China posted GDP growth close to pre-Covid levels, thus confirming it may be the only major economy to experience a swift recovery. In Q3, China’s economy expanded 4.9%, missing expectations (consensus was out at 5.5%), but it is still regaining most ground lost in the first half of the year due to the outbreak. The other statistics released this morning attest the improvement in the economy. Fixed-asset investment rose 0.8% YoY in the first nine months of the year and industrial output and retail sales beat consensus, reaching 6.9% YoY and 3.3% YoY in September, respectively. One of our favorite coincident indicators to track the real-time evolution of the Chinese economy during the pandemic also validates the V-shape scenario. Air passenger traffic, which has been hit the hardest by the virus, is almost back to be pre-Covid time with domestic passengers numbers representing roughly 98% of 2019’s levels, at 47.75 mln in September. While the virus has first originated in China, the country was also the first one to implement very strict lockdown measures that have successfully managed to contain the pandemic, thus enabling a lasting reopening of the economy. Better virus containment in China is likely to accelerate China’s economic catch-up with the United States, as it has previously happened with the 2008 crisis. However, we are skeptical that China’s sound economic activity will be enough to carry the world. Contrary to the immediate post-GFC crisis, China has refrained from opening too much the credit tap. We use broad money supply growth as a proxy to assess China’s willingness to save the rest of world. While the increase in money supply growth reached almost 30% in 2010, it has barely moved upward during the pandemic, standing at around 10%. In our view, it proves this time China won’t do whatever it takes to save the global economy and will not continue to inflate asset bubbles at home. For investors, the performance of the Chinese economy represents an opportunity for portfolio diversification. As China is likely to continue to experience robust recovery in contrast to the rest of the world, Chinese equities will probably continue to be among the best performing markets this year.
AI: The good, the bad, and the bubble
While a deep recession may not be iminent thanks to central bank policy, interest rates will have to stay high for longer, and this will be accompanied by volatility risk from the unwinding of bubbles, especially within AI.
Steen Jakobsen,
Chief Investment Officer
The emergence of advanced AI systems is by far the most surprising event this year, turning everything upside down, while risks and benefits are debated. AI will also become an arms race between the US and China.
Peter Garnry,
Head of Equity Strategy
As China navigates global fragmentation, its cycle of technology application, productivity enhancement, and growth is threatened by US breakthroughs in generative AI, limited computing power, and geopolitical tensions.
Redmond Wong,
Market Strategist
Japan’s expertise in semiconductors and robotic integration could be the foundation of AI dominance. Combining two of this year's themes, Japanese equities and artificial intelligence, brings a wave of opportunities.
Charu Chanana,
Market Strategist
The AI fever has turned the technology into a darling, pushing crypto further into no-man’s-land. There are striking similarities between AI and crypto, and if these are to come full circle, AI won't be spared for bubbles.
Mads Eberhardt,
Cryptocurrency Analyst
Stocks related to artificial intelligence (AI) have appeared on investors' radars. Expectations are high, but it may be necessary to consider how to get exposure to AI in a diversified way.
Hans Oudshoorn,
Trainer Academy
The USD is on its back foot as markets celebrate an eventual Fed rate peak and steady long US yields. The stakes are even higher for the Japanese yen if longer major sovereign yield curves have to price in economic acceleration.
John J. Hardy,
Head of FX Strategy
While commodities, broadly speaking, have faced some tough months, a partial reversal during June could signal that the asset class is getting back on its feet with energy holding up and precious metals with upside potential.
Ole S. Hansen,
Head of Commodity Strategy
As inflation remains high central banks face hard decisions about whether they should keep hiking interest rates or stop. Meanwhile, the rise of AI creates bubble-like conditions that only make the decision harder.
Althea Spinozzi,
Senior Fixed Income Strategist
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