SPONSORED FEATURE: Regional spotlight: US equities

This autumn’s sell-off (which erased the S&P 500’s YTD gains) hasn’t dampened enthusiasm for US equities. They’ve proven overwhelmingly popular since the beginning of the year with investors desperate for signs of economic growth. Their dominance in terms of ETF flows year-to-date remains little short of astonishing. And, with the results from the mid-terms largely what the polls predicted, that dominance could endure for a while yet. After all, a split Congress has, historically at least, often been bullish for equities.

By October 23, they’d gathered YTD ETF inflows of nearly €20 billion in Europe* – that’s nearly four times as much as global equities and far more than any other major individual market. Nor have these flows been limited to traditional large-cap exposures – as the economic cycle has aged, investors have become more selective in their allocations with sector ETFs and, latterly, small- and mid-cap ETFs gaining traction.

Life in the old bull yet
The sell-off was, in our view, excessive and we remain confident the stress is temporary and that there is more upside to come, even at this late stage of the cycle. The fundamental picture has not changed and, even though it may have lost some of its momentum, Trump’s fiscal stimulus should still foster more inflation at a time the economy is running at or above full capacity. That said, he is likely to find his room for manoeuvre more limited from here. Any additional tax cuts between now and 2020 will be much harder to push through. Strong top-line revenues and margin expansion (as well as share buybacks) have bolstered the earnings-per-share outlook for corporates, while recovering capex and the associated upturn in productivity could help mitigate the negative effects of rising wages on profit margins.

So, for now at least, we’re not put off by seemingly stretched valuations, although they may limit long-term upside potential. We, like many others, have said that before however and the bulls have kept on running…

After reaching a cyclical high in August, the US ISM manufacturing survey has stalled but is still indicative of strong economic expansion. The job market is also robust, with the rate of wage growth about to pass the 3% threshold for the first time since 2009.

Outside the US, business survey results in emerging countries and Europe have dipped on the trade tensions, but continue to point to economic expansion. That could change should the trade war escalate or become more global in nature but we still think a negotiated settlement is more likely.

In truth, a move from sporadic, temporary sell-offs into a lasting bear market requires a more meaningful, cyclical turn down – something we don’t foresee just yet.

Choosing your vehicle
So how should you invest? Choosing the right investment vehicle in most markets is often challenging – except in the US, where active managers really do struggle to beat conventional benchmarks.

At the end of Q3 2018, fewer than one in six large-cap managers (16%) were giving investors what they paid for in Europe. At least that’s better than the 10% that have delivered over the last decade. Small-cap managers fared a little better but, with just one in four having outperformed by the end of Q3 this year, the pattern is clear – at least among the broad benchmarks*. But which passive vehicle should you choose?

Sophisticated investors tend to believe futures are more liquid options than ETFs and cost less overall but the results don’t in our view stack up as often as they’d have you believe. Taking three major US equity markets as our examples, we can see that ETFs were more effective for a broad S&P 500 exposure as well as small-caps via the Russell 2000. In contrast, for the NASDAQ 100, futures contracts still win out. When choosing a passively managed investment, you still need to be selective wherever possible.**

You are here
Although every business cycle is different, they do tend to follow a similar pattern. As an economy progresses through the cycle, some sectors naturally perform better than others and vice versa.

Convention has it that when an economic recovery matures, the energy and materials sectors – which are closely tied to raw material prices – tend to do well because inflationary pressures are building and demand is still solid. On the other hand, IT and consumer discretionary stocks tend to suffer because profit margins are being eroded and investors are more wary of luxury spending. We’re seeing some of this today in the US with the recovery now entering its dotage, but there are specific issues at play helping some sectors defy convention.

Of sectors, sizes and styles
Q3 earnings results were positive overall, with nine out of 11 sectors beating expectations. However, the positive results were overshadowed by weakening prospects; with some companies warning that a higher US dollar and rising input costs may dent profit margins in the coming quarters. So where are the opportunities today?

When assessing US equity allocations right now, it’s important to be selective. Even with the push petering out, we still favour those sectors – like Financials and Technology – that have most enjoyed its support, regardless of their seemingly stretched valuations. Financials will also benefit from the higher rate environment. Quite naturally, we also favour some more conventional late-cycle calls, including Energy and Healthcare. Energy in particular appeals to us because of its improved corporate fundamentals and the oil price recovery.

There are some areas we’d rather avoid too. We’re wary of the Consumer Discretionary sector given company-specific risks and problematic valuations, particularly in e-retailing. We’re also keeping a watchful eye on the most defensive sectors – especially those more sensitive to interest rate rises including Telecoms, Utilities and Consumer Staples.

Meanwhile, Trump’s tax cuts still have enough energy left to stimulate additional profit growth for smaller companies, many of which benefit from a domestic bias to their business – making them slightly less vulnerable to the ongoing trade disputes.

Choose your index wisely
Precision and selectivity then are the watchwords at this late stage of the cycle. Look to lower-cost exposures to make the most of whatever upside remains, tilt towards tech or bet on the specific issues boosting banks with indices like the Morningstar US Large-Mid Cap, the NASDAQ 100 or the S&P 500 Banks. Alternatively, seek to add some resilience to your portfolio with quality income or minimum variance strategies, which have outperformed broad indices recently.

Why Lyxor for US equities?
If you still see the US as a land of opportunity, look no further. Our US equity range opens up 14 possible routes to travel, across mainstream and more specific indices from just 0.04%. And, because we’ve been managing ETFs in the region for over 17 years, and run over €9bn*** in assets, we may just be the guide you need.

Visit www.lyxoretf.com to download our full US equity spotlight for our latest outlook for the US equity market, a look at active vs passive performance, key ETF flows and the main indices available to investors.

* Source: Morningstar & Bloomberg, data from 31/12/2007 to 29/06/ 2018. Full report and methodology available at www.lyxoretf.com
**Source: Lyxor International Asset Management, as at August 2018. Detailed methodology and assumptions made available on request. Market conditions may change and have an impact on performance of ETFs and futures. Past performance is no guide to future returns.
*** Source: Lyxor International Asset Management. Data as at end August 2018. TERs correct as at 29/10/2018

DISCLAIMERS:
This document is for the exclusive use of investors acting on their own account and categorised either as “Eligible Counterparties” or “Professional Clients” within the meaning of Markets in Financial Instruments Directive 2014/65/EU. These products comply with the UCITS Directive (2009/65/EC). Société Générale and Lyxor International Asset Management recommend that investors read carefully the “investment risks” section of the product’s documentation (prospectus and KIID). The prospectus and KIID are available free of charge on www.lyxoretf.com, and upon request to [email protected].
Prior to investing in these products, investors should seek independent financial, tax, accounting and legal advice. It is each investor’s responsibility to ascertain that it is authorised to subscribe, or invest into these products. This document is of a commercial nature and not of a regulatory nature. This document does not constitute an offer, or an invitation to make an offer, from Société Générale, Lyxor Asset Management (together with its affiliates, Lyxor AM) or any of their respective subsidiaries to purchase or sell the product referred to herein.
Lyxor International Asset Management, société par actions simplifiée having its registered office at Tours Société Générale, 17 cours Valmy, 92800 Puteaux (France), 418 862 215 RCS Nanterre, is authorized and regulated by the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) under the UCITS Directive (2009/65/EU) and the AIFM Directive (2011/31/EU). LIAM is represented in the UK by Lyxor Asset Management UK LLP, which is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK under Registration Number 435658. Société Générale is a French credit institution (bank) authorised by the Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution (the French Prudential Control Authority).
All views & opinion are sourced Lyxor Cross Asset & Lyxor ETF Research teams as at 29 October 2018 unless otherwise stated. Past performance is no guide to future returns.
Conflict of interest: This research contains the views, opinions and recommendations of Lyxor International Asset Management (“LIAM”) Cross Asset and ETF research analysts and/or strategists. To the extent that this research contains trade ideas based on macro views of economic market conditions or relative value, it may differ from the fundamental Cross Asset and ETF Research opinions and recommendations contained in Cross Asset and ETF Research sector or company research reports and from the views and opinions of other departments of LIAM and its affiliates. Lyxor Cross Asset and ETF research analysts and/or strategists routinely consult with LIAM sales and portfolio management personnel regarding market information including, but not limited to, pricing, spread levels and trading activity of ETFs tracking equity, fixed income and commodity indices. Trading desks may trade, or have traded, as principal on the basis of the research analyst(s) views and reports. Lyxor has mandatory research policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to (i) ensure that purported facts in research reports are based on reliable information and (ii) to prevent improper selective or tiered dissemination of research reports. In addition, research analysts receive compensation based, in part, on the quality and accuracy of their analysis, client feedback, competitive factors and LIAM’s total revenues including revenues from management fees and investment advisory fees and distribution fees.

©2018 funds europe

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