The Week in Markets: To ride the momentum, or not?
The US equity market defied expectations of September seasonal weakness, with the S&P 500 index gaining 4% this month. With the exception of India, many global markets have also seen gains, with US, Hong Kong and Japan up 30% in USD terms since April , Europe up 20%, Korea and Taiwan up 50%. In this episode of The Week in Markets, Richard Tang, Head of Research Hong Kong at Julius Baer, considers if we should ride this momentum in the Chinese equity markets. He examines investor flows and positioning, asset re-allocation trends from domestic retail investors, and recent market pullbacks in the tech and pharmaceutical sectors. He also looks ahead at key fourth quarter events and catalysts to watch – such as the meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping at the APEC summit, and the Fourth Plenum of the Chinese Communist Party. Richard also highlights Julius Baer’s latest views on Singapore equities, which we have recently upgraded to Overweight. Please also check out our recent episode on the Singapore dollar and equities at the following links:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/singapore-dollar-small-but-mighty/id1552236298?i=1000728312662Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0Io10QxFwEkbNQzJNDUpbM?si=rwR9CLdoQISPC79v8SKAGQ
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Singapore dollar – Small but mighty
When one thinks of safe haven currencies, the Swiss franc, Japanese yen, and US dollar typically come to mind. But with capital flows diversifying away from the US dollar, interest in alternative safe havens is increasing. The Singapore dollar, one of Asia’s most stable and best-performing currencies, stands out as one such potential candidate. In this episode, we explore the unique characteristics of the Singapore dollar, its central role in Singapore’s monetary policy, and how investors can position themselves to benefit from the Singapore dollar’s strength. This episode is presented by Yaw Shin Wong, Equity Specialist and Jen-Ai Chua, Equity Research Analyst at Julius Baer.
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The Week in Markets: Looking beyond the expected Fed rate cut
The US Federal Reserve resumed its rate cut cycle last week with a widely expected 25bp rate cut. Julius Baer expects four further rate cuts through March 2026, pausing at 3.25%, while the markets are pricing in slightly more aggressive easing. Against a backdrop of rapidly falling short-term rates and rising re-investment risk, 5-7 year bonds emerge as the sweet spot – offering a balance of yield and volatility amid a steepening curve. In credit markets, the tight spreads between corporates and Treasuries aren’t just a sign of strong corporate demand, but also reflect weakening Treasury appeal. When benchmarked against swaps, the implied corporate credit spreads appear more normal, supporting continued inflows into investment-grade corporate bonds. In equities, the rally in lower-quality and non-profitable tech stocks suggests that the market has been expecting and pricing in looser monetary policy conditions. However, a reversal may be due, and it may be time for quality stocks to outperform again. Notably, despite strong gains, valuations of the Magnificent 7 stocks remain below prior bubble peaks. This episode is presented by Richard Tang, Head of Research Hong Kong at Julius Baer.
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The Week in Markets: History is on the stock market’s side
The 10-year treasury yield is breaking down as it anticipates rate cuts. This is mostly due to a tightening job market, especially for entry-level candidates and young people. We look for a series of rate cuts, starting this week and ending next March. An interesting statistic to note: in the 20 other times since 1980 when the Fed cut at, or near an all-time high in the S&P 500 index, the index was up a year later in every case.Meanwhile, global fund manager interest in China is high, but it’s been so long they’ve looked at that market, that they need time to do their homework before investing. Additionally, a weighted average basket of emerging market currencies recently broke a 14-year downward resistance channel.
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Market Outlook Year-End 2025 – All eyes on policy responses
As we head towards the end of the year, financial markets are caught between fading growth and expectations regarding monetary policy. How should investors navigate financial markets in the final months of 2025, and where do we see the sweet spots?In this episode of the Beyond Markets podcast, Christian Gattiker, Julius Baer’s Head of Research, and Mark Matthews, Head of Research Asia, talk to Bernadette Anderko about the macroeconomic developments since Liberation Day, what they expect from the Fed and the ECB for the rest of the year, and the current global opportunities for investors, particularly, but not only, in the equity and fixed income space.(00:32) - Introduction of topic and speakers
(01:12) - Macroeconomic developments since Liberation Day
(02:10) - Asia’s macroeconomic picture
(05:05) - Year-end headline research calls
(05:39) - Developed-market equity preferences
(06:09) - Breaking away from the ‘US only’ mindset
(06:42) - Emerging market equity sweet spots
(08:26) - Where to find value in fixed income
(09:10) - Commodities outlook
(11:06) - US dollar set to weaken?
(11:46) - Dealing with tariff news
(12:45) - Summary and closing remarks
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“Beyond Markets” by Julius Baer is a series featuring conversations with experts to share recent market developments, key insights, and strategic inputs from around the globe. In each episode, we cut through the noise to offer practical advice and macro research on today’s shifting economic and market landscape.
The information contained in this podcast is marketing material. Opinions expressed do not constitute independent financial/investment research, investment advice, or an offer to buy or sell securities by Julius Baer. Please refer to www.juliusbaer.com/legal/podcasts for important legal information prior to listening to this podcast.
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