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JP très positif à MT
The punch line: the possibility that we get a deployable vaccine by mid-2021 (and that it works, and people take it) doesn’t appear to be broadly appreciated by markets.
So what happens when we do get a vaccine?
With a deployable vaccine solution, infection curves have a greater chance of falling consistently, economic lockdowns and social distancing policies grow less necessary, and by extension, economic activity and growth have a clearer road ahead. With that also comes the possibility of stronger corporate earnings and a steeper
yield curve as investors grow more confident in the future.
Given fixed income markets aren’t pricing in much vaccine optimism, investors positioned for future steepening in the
yield curve could see compelling risk-adjusted returns. Both cyclical stocks (companies most exposed to the business cycle) and some value stocks (companies that are trading lower than their fundamentals might suggest) stand to benefit as COVID-19 challenges dissipate and the picture for growth clears. In this vein, we think such companies could experience sharper rebounds in earnings expectations and improved valuations as investor optimism for these areas bounces back. We’ve grown incrementally more constructive on industrials, for example.
But what if it takes a lot longer than expected? Does the market need a vaccine to keep rallying?
Let’s
put it this way: life can’t fully return to normal until a vaccine exists and is distributed to the masses. Until then, flare-ups and new waves are likely to crop up, and so too are associated policy measures such as localized social distancing rules and lockdown measures. With this comes limitations to economic activity and confidence in future growth. It seems to be
Consensus that for the economy to fully move on from the challenges that COVID-19 brings, a vaccine solution is vital.
Consensus feels like there is a speed limit on the recovery—it can only go so far and so fast without a vaccine.
However, we’d note a few important caveats that demonstrate why we think the speed limit for the economy is a bit higher than
Consensus. It is true that “high contact” sectors (such as hotels, transportation services, restaurants and office construction) will be hard-pressed to fully recover until we get a vaccine. However, those sectors are a small piece of the overall economic pie. And consumers have demonstrated enormous flexibility, largely due to their move to the digital economy. This has allowed for a high degree of “substitution”, or rotation and adaptation—consumers are spending more on vehicles, new homes and online retail (which, by the way, account for a larger part of the economy).
Further, there are also other clear “positives” contributing to the investment landscape, namely the likelihood of continued fiscal stimulus and lower for longer interest rates, not to mention reduced uncertainty around U.S. politics and
brexit come 2021.
That being said, we think current conditions (sans vaccine) are still supportive for further upside in risk assets in the near-to-medium term.
Summing up:
Our base case is for a deployable vaccine solution by mid-2021, and this doesn’t seem to be fully appreciated by markets
AT large. That being said, companies exposed to economic growth, or that have been beaten up despite stronger fundamentals, look poised to benefit the most as a vaccine is found and deployed.
Further, it’s important to note that our conviction in healthcare innovation as a megatrend driving growth in the years to come is not swayed by the timeline around a vaccine. We like healthcare for its innovation potential—from gene therapy to precision medicine—not necessarily because it could provide us with a medical solution to COVID-19 (though the sector could certainly see a boon once one comes to fruition).
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Commentaires Macro / Allocation d’actifs de Kepler-Cheuvreux :
Pour l’heure, malgré un moral en berne, le consommateur américain résiste grâce à l’épargne forcée qu’il a accumulée durant le printemps, et grâce aussi à la faiblesse des prix de l’essence.
En Chine, les derniers chiffres macro ont une fois de plus confirmé une croissance robuste. La Chine devrait être ainsi le seul pays à retrouver son niveau d’activité pré-crise avant le tournant de l’année.
En Europe, on notera que les négociations ont repris sur
le brexit. Un accord pour éviter un hard
brexit semble finalement atteignable.
Le pétrole a quant à lui lourdement chuté en raison des incertitudes entourant la prochaine réunion de l’OPEP+ en novembre, un ralentissement des importations chinoises et le retour du brut libyen sur le marché.
Nous revenons aussi dans cette édition sur le bilan du T3. Les actions européennes ont une nouvelle fois fortement sous-performé les actions US en raison de leur biais Value. Une solution est de se concentrer sur les poches de croissance en Europe : la Tech, les Mid caps, la Qualité et la transition écologique.
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A noter :
Je dis ça je dis rien mais je lis souvent sur les forums, les anticipations ça sert à rien, toutes les news sont dans les cours et autres fadaises. C'est archi faux bien sûr : du niveau de prétendre 2+2 = 3. Ce qui est dans les cours, ce sont le passé, le présent et les anticipations. Ce qui fait bouger les cours, ce sont les changements par rapport aux anticipations. Le Marché anticipe la victoire de Trump, Trump est élu, il ne se passe rien. Un mauvais sondage pour lui sort ou Biden est élu, ça bouge. Et comme ça tout au long des séances avec toutes sortes de news micro et macro.
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C’est curieux comment naît une vocation, dit un homme. Quand j’étais petit, mes parents m’avaient acheté un yoyo. Des heures durant, j’ai actionné ce jeu : ça montait, ça descendait, ça montait, ça descendait … Si bien que, lorsque j’ai été en âge de travailler, je n’ai pas hésité une seconde : je suis devenu courtier en bourse.