Aon Retirement and Investment Blog

Weekly Update - 03 July 2017

July 03, 2017

NEW INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL

• Non-Profit Key Topics. This paper authored in the US identifies and provides context on six key topics expected to be important for non-profit fiduciaries in 2017.

• FundFire Webcast: Investment Databases - Manager Strategies for Success. Aon Hewitt colleague Meredith Jones co-presented at this webinar, discussing how to help ensure managers are well-positioned for success in databases that clients and consultants often rely upon in the manager search and due diligence process. A recent FundFire article also addressed this topic: Want to Stand Out in Database Searches? Ditch the 'Vanilla.' (Note: A FundFire account access may be needed to review the content. By clicking on these links, you will leave AHIC’s site and be re-directed to a FundFire hosted website.)  

• Global equities ended lower in a volatile trading week amid comments from major central banks which triggered market jitters over an end to ultra-loose monetary policies. Technology stocks also experienced a sell-off over the week.  The MSCI World Index fell by 0.4% over the week, outperforming S&P 500 which fell 0.6% over the same period. On a year to date basis, the MSCI World index has outperformed S&P 500 index (11.0% vs. 9.3%).

• US Small Cap stocks outperformed Large Cap stocks as the Russell 2000 index rose by 0.1% whereas the S&P 500 index fell by 0.6% over the week. On a year to date basis, the S&P 500 index has outperformed the Russell 2000 index (9.3% vs. 5.0%). Value stocks outperformed Growth stocks last week (0.1% vs. -1.3%) as measured by MSCI USA indices. On a year-to-date basis, Growth stocks have outperformed Value stocks (13.8% vs. 5.5%).

• The 10 year US Treasury yield rose by 16bps and the 30 year US Treasury yield rose by 12bps to 2.30% and 2.83% over the week respectively. Yields rose as the US Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen’s comments over rising asset prices further solidified the case for a higher interest rate environment.
• The 20 year TIPS yield rose by 13bps to 0.69% over the week. 20 year Breakeven inflation rose by 3bps to 1.70%.
• The Barclays Capital Long Credit Index spread over treasury yields fell by 5bps to 157bps over the week. The spread on the Merrill Lynch US Corporate Index fell by 3bps to 115bps. The US high yield bond spread over US treasury yields fell by 9bps to 377bps. The spread of USD denominated EM debt over US treasury yields finished the week 3bps lower at 310bps.

• The S&P GSCI rebounded following two weeks of negative returns, rising by 5.3% in USD terms over the week. The energy sector rose by 6.5% as the price of WTI crude oil increased by 7.4% to $46/BBL. Industrial metals rose by 2.6% as copper prices increased by 2.5% to $5,927/MT. Agricultural prices rose by 5.9% whilst gold prices fell by 1.0% to $1,243/ounce.

• The US dollar depreciated against major currencies with exception of the yen over the week. The US dollar depreciated by 2.0% against sterling, ending the week at $1.30/£. US dollar weakened by 1.8% against the euro, finishing the week at $1.14/€. The Japanese yen depreciated by 1.0% against the US dollar, ending the week at ¥112.36/$. 

• Economic data was broadly positive in the US last week. First quarter GDP growth was revised up to 1.4% from 1.2% as a result of stronger than expected consumer expenditure and export growth; Q1 personal consumption grew by 1.1%, nearly double initial estimates. The improved GDP figures followed an unexpected uptick in consumer confidence, as measured by the Conference Board index which edged higher to 118.9 from 117.6, above consensus forecasts of a decline to 116. Meanwhile, the core rate on Personal Consumption Expenditure (the US Federal Reserve's preferred measure for inflation) met expectations of a 1.4% increase in the year to May but was below the forecast of 1.5%. Durable goods orders, a proxy for business investment, fell for a second straight month, falling by 1.1% in May which was also below expectations of a 0.6% decline.
• Eurozone releases over the week were largely positive. The economic confidence reading for June advanced to 111.1 from 109.2 in May which was above the 109.5 expected. The consumer sentiment index was confirmed at -1.3 for June, in line with estimates and improving from -3.3 in May, reflecting a more positive economic outlook by consumers. However, Eurozone consumer price inflation (CPI) for June fell to 1.3% from 1.4% in May; though in Germany, predicted consumer price inflation was higher than expected, rising to 0.2%. There was further good news in Germany as the IFO business climate reading for June was up 0.5 points to 115.1 (vs 114.5 expected). Retails sales figures for Germany also grew over May, supporting expectations that private consumption will help propel growth in Europe's largest economy this year.
• Japanese economic data was mixed over the week. Headline CPI was unchanged at 0.4% in the year to May. The jobless rate unexpectedly increased to 3.1% (the highest rate in six months) from 2.8%, whilst the job-to-applicant ratio continued on an upward trend to 1.49. Retail sales fell by 1.6% in May, more than the 1.0% forecasted decline, as sales fell at supermarket and department stores. The provisional release for annual industrial production growth improved from 5.7% to 6.8% over the year to May, slightly behind the estimated 6.9% increase.
• China's manufacturing sector confounded analyst forecasts of a slowdown, as the official manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose from 51.2 to 51.7 against expectations that it would move lower to 51.0. A pick up in global demand helped industrial profits to increase by 16.7% in the year to May; up from 14.0% profit growth recorded in April. Finalised trade figures showed a slight narrowing of the current account surplus from US$19.0bn to US$18.4bn.

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