Investment Outlook 2018 Personal Financial Services

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Investment Outlook 2018 Personal Financial Services
Investment Outlook 2018
Personal Financial Services
Investment Outlook 2018 Personal Financial Services
Investment Outlook 2018 Personal Financial Services
UOB Investment Outlook 2018

Nature does not hurry, yet
everything is accomplished.
—Lao Tze
Investment Outlook 2018 Personal Financial Services
Contents
           4
5

                                   Editorial			                       				     06

                                   Our Macro Outlook 					                     08
                                   Our Roadmap
                                   Macro Outlook

                                   Risk and 2018 Key Events			                 16
                                   Key Risks and Calendar
                                   Key Events Around the World

                                   Investment Flow Trends 				                 22
                                   and Asset Classes
                                   Themes and Ideas
                                   Asset Class Focus
                                   Fixed Income
                                   Equities
                                   Foreign Exchange

                                   Country Focus						                         36
                                   Singapore
                                   Malaysia
                                   Thailand
                                   Indonesia
                                   China

Editorial Team                                         Regional
Chung Shaw Bee       Calvin Nico Herlambang
                                                       Contributors
Singapore and        CFA
Regional Head,       Singapore and                     Leong Wei Ji
Deposits and         Regional Head,                    Malaysia
Wealth Management    Investment Strategy
                     and Communications                Kitiwat Nanthawatsiri
Joyce Lim                                              Thailand
CFA, CAIA, CFP       Grace Qu
Regional Head,       CFA                               Erricky Soh
Funds and Advisory   Investment Strategist             Indonesia

Abel Lim             Nicole Tsai                       Lily Huang
Singapore Head,      Investment                        China
Wealth Management    Research Associate
Advisory
Editorial
Editorial                                                                                      06

            We entered 2017 hoping for strength        Earth, an important medium of growth,
            in the investment world after exiting      is associated with the macro backdrop
            a very bumpy and challenging 2016          for investments. Despite diverging
            fraught with fears that China’s economy    monetary policies across central banks,
            could be headed for a hard landing,        we see growth in developed markets
            and uncertainties surrounding Brexit       to continue albeit moderating, while
            and the US presidential election.          growth in emerging markets likely
                                                       to accelerate in 2018 led by continued
            Hence the theme 山重水复疑无路,                   structural reforms and a recovery
            柳暗花明又一村。(After endless                     in exports.
            mountains and rivers that leave doubt
            whether there is a path out, suddenly      Metal, like earth’s minerals, is akin
            one encounters the shade of a willow,      to the fundamentals that support the
            bright flowers and a lovely village.)      macro backdrop. We expect inflation
                                                       to remain benign, and consumer and
            Our strategy in 2017 was to focus          business sentiments to improve, thus
            on equities, and here we identified        providing the catalysts for higher capital
            opportunities in Asia ex-Japan, Europe,    expenditures that would fuel economic
            the healthcare sector and global quality   growth further.
            stocks. For fixed income, the focus
            was on short-duration high-yield bonds.    Fire, which can be associated with
                                                       danger, is like investment risk. However,
            Not only 2017 did not disappoint,          proper handling allows us to mitigate
            the year surprised investors on multiple   this risk. An understanding of key events
            fronts: S&P500 +20.4%*, Euro Stoxx         that may impact one’s investments
            600 +10.4%*, MSCI Asia ex-Japan            allows investors to position their
            +38.3%*, Barclays global-aggregate         portfolio well without taking excessive
            bonds +7.0%* and Global High Yield         risks. There could be continued
            bonds +9.9%*. Investors who have           headwinds from central banks’ policies,
            invested and remained invested would       as well as geopolitical events in 2018.
            have reaped the benefits of the buoyant
            global markets.                            Different types of wood grow differently
                                                       under the same conditions. Some may
            Entering 2018                              flourish while some may not. Hence, we
            As we deliberated the investment           associate wood with opportunities from
            themes for 2018 after an exuberant         different asset classes. It is important
            2017, we took inspiration from             to know the potential returns of each
            nature and the parallels between           asset class in the given environment.
            the interactions of the five natural       Equities remain our preferred asset
            elements—Earth, Metal, Fire, Wood,         class even though returns are expected
            Water—and our investment strategies.       to moderate compared to 2017.

            *As of end November 2017
Investment Outlook 2018                                                                                     07

                          Finally, water. Water takes the shape       At UOB we remain right by you, taking
                          of the vessel that holds it and naturally   a risk-first approach when tailoring
                          flows from higher level to lower level.     investment advice and solutions for you.
                          Similarly, investor sentiments and fund     Thank you for your business and trust
                          flows that are more fluid in nature will    in us all these years. We hope you enjoy
                          flow out from investments with higher       our tongue-in-cheek analogy of our 2018
                          valuations to those at more attractive      outlook as much as we enjoyed putting
                          levels. Investors can consider rotating     it together for you.
                          out of US equities, where valuations
                          are higher, into Europe, Japan or           Chung Shaw Bee
                          emerging markets.                           Personal Financial Services
                                                                      Singapore and Regional Head,
                          We believe 2018 is the year to be more      Deposits and Wealth Management
                          selective in our investment strategy.
08

Earth and Metal

A tower of nine storeys
begins with a heap of earth.
—Lao Tze
09

Our Macro
Outlook
Identifying the fundamental drivers and
understanding the macro environment
are essential. This knowledge helps us
ground our investment views and forms
the basis of our strategies.
Our Macro Outlook                                                                           10

Our
                                                            Resilient so far
                                                            The economy took recent
                                                            hikes in its stride. At the

Roadmap
                                                            same time, diminishing
                                                            output gaps and heightened
                                                            asset valuations are causing
The macro environment                                       concern among central banks.
will shift in 2018. Conditions
could be more challenging        Monetary Policy
                                 Central banks are moving
than before and the winners      away from QE, with the
are unlikely to be the same.     Fed leading the way.

                                                                Further reduction
                                                                  in output gap

                                 Economy                    Rising sentiments
                                 Synchronised growth        Robust growth is prompting
                                 expected to continue       a rise in both consumer
                                 and broaden. Political     and business sentiments,
                                 headwinds dissipated       particularly in DM.
                                 in DM while EM reforms
                                 are coming to fruition.

                                 Markets
                                 A strong rally in
                                 markets have created
                                 richer valuations
                                 across bond and
                                 equity markets.
                                                            Risk assets surge
                                                            Investors, confident in the
                                                            durability of the cycle, reach
                                                            for higher returns. Valuation
                                                            concerns become prevalent.
Investment Outlook 2018                                            11

         Continued tightening
         Central banks are likely to
         continue tightening, especially
         when inflation comes through.

          Inflationary pressure

           Demand support for
           commodities prices

         Continued growth
         Improving sentiments
         are precursors for higher
                                           Rotation
         spending and investments,         A reflationary
         which are important               environment is likely
         for sustaining growth.            to benefit equities
                                           over bonds while rich
                                           valuations are likely
                                           to drive a rotation
                                           between countries
                                           and sectors.

         Refocus on laggards
         Cheaper laggards, some
         of which actually have
         good fundamentals, finally
         appear on investors’ radars.
Macro Outlook
 Our Macro Outlook                                                                                                            12

                                     for 2018

                                     Growth: another
                                     good year
Key takeaways                        Synchronicity and low dispersion               consumption, higher corporate
Global growth is likely to remain    of growth were the hallmarks of                CapEx and stimulating fiscal policies.
resilient in 2018. In DM, growth     2017. Not only did overall economic
is expected to remain positive       expansion accelerate, both developed           Job markets remain relatively tight,
though momentum may moderate.        markets (DM) and emerging markets              as unemployment rates in the US,
In EM, growth could accelerate       (EM) registered higher growth for              Europe and Japan fell to post-crisis
as structural reforms in key         the first time since 2010. Improved            lows. With consumer confidence and
economies bear fruit.                consumer and corporate confidence              household incomes increasing at a
                                     in DM helped spur domestic                     healthy pace, domestic consumption
Monetary policy is likely to         consumption and private investments.           is expected to stay robust and form
tighten especially if inflation      Meanwhile, a resurgence in global              the support for continued DM growth.
picks up. However, central           trade and stability in China provided          Corporate CapEx has been subdued
banks are expected to act            a constructive backdrop for EM                 until recently. Higher profit margins
gradually and therefore sudden       equities and bonds to outperform               and improved business prospects
spikes in yields are unlikely.       the broader market.                            resulted in bigger CapEx investment
                                                                                    to increase production capacity and
Market valuations have become        Heading into 2018, our outlook for             drive productivity. Fiscal policies
rich. While economic fundamentals    global growth remains optimistic               such as the US tax reform can further
have been improving, fledging        and the global economy is expected             support growth in the US economy.
signs of exuberance in certain       to remain resilient. (Figure 01)               In Europe, improving current accounts
regions and sectors are starting                                                    are providing governments with room
to appear.                           DM growth remain positive                      for higher fiscal spending. Finally, in
                                     but could moderate                             Japan, Prime Minister Abe’s victory
Our strategy for 2018 centres        In DM, growth is expected to hold              in snap elections is breathing life
around the idea of rotation.         up, underpinned by robust domestic             back into Abenomics and anchors
We favour investments that benefit
from a reflationary environment
                                     Figure 01—Outlook for global growth                                   Emerging Economies
and those that have lagged against
                                     remains positive for 2018. EM are likely                              World Economy
the broader market but possess
                                     to lead growth.                                                       Developed Economies
strong fundamentals.

                                     2010      2011      2012      2013      2014       2015      2016      2017F     2018F

                                     Source: IMF World Economic Outlook October 2017, Bloomberg, 22 October 2017
Investment Outlook 2018                                                                                        13

                          expectations that easy monetary             to steer away from an accommodative
                          and fiscal conditions are likely to stay.   stance. Leading the pack is the Federal
                          While the growth outlook of DMs             Reserve (Fed), which began its Balance
                          remains positive in 2018, the momentum      Sheet Reduction (BSR) operations in
                          may not be as strong compared to 2017.      October 2017 and is projected to hike
                          Cyclical economic indicators, such as       interest rates in December 2017 for the
                          the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI)         third time since the crisis. The European
                          are registering elevated levels and are     Central Bank (ECB), although lagging
                          setting a ceiling for upside surprises.     the Fed in terms of policy normalisation,
                                                                      has announced its schedule for tapering
                          Structural reforms                          its quantitative easing (QE) program in
                          bearing fruit in EM                         2018. Though the Bank of Japan (BOJ)
                          On the other hand, EM growth                remains committed to accommodation,
                          rates are forecast to outpace growth        its ownership of more than 40% of the
                          in DM and further accelerate in 2018.       local bond market could limit the scope
                          The improvements are likely to be           for continued purchases. (Figure 02)
                          driven primarily by structural reforms
                          in key economies such as China,             Subdued inflation,
                          India and Brazil.                           but trending higher
                                                                      Inflation, or the lack thereof,
                          China is expected to continue the           has restrained central banks from
                          gradual and controlled process of           pursuing an aggressive tightening
                          rebalancing its economy. With President     policy. Although unemployment
                          Xi increasing his influence during the      has been trending lower, inflation
                          recent 19th Party Congress, the policy      continues to remain subdued. This
                          direction for China is likely to remain     is particularly so for the US, where
                          unchanged while the pace of reform          unemployment is low, at 4.1%, while
                          is likely to strengthen. India’s economic   inflation remains benign at 2%.
                          growth is projected to improve
                          significantly from 6.7% in 2017 to          Though mild, inflation has been
                          7.4% in 2018, according to projections      picking up and broadening across
                          by the International Monetary Fund          regions. In DMs, inflation is expected
                          (IMF). In 2017, the Indian economy          to rise from 1.5% in 2017 to 1.9%
                          was affected by demonetisation and          in 2018. Meanwhile, inflation in EMs
                          uncertainty related to the introduction     is projected to remain roughly stable
                          of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).        at 4.2% in 2017 and 4.4% in 2018.
                          However, GST is helping to unify            Stronger economic activities and
                          India’s vast domestic market and            commodity prices can eventually
                          set the grounds for stronger growth         drive higher inflationary pressure.
                          in 2018. Brazil is also expected to
                          see higher growth in 2018 due to the        Markets underpricing
                          implementation of key reforms to drive      rate outlook
                          fiscal sustainability and a gradual         Markets are currently pricing in low
                          restoration of confidence among             expectations for rate hikes, in particular
                          consumers and business spending.            the path of rate hikes from the Fed.

                                                                      Although the Fed undershot its own
                          Central banks:                              projections in the past, the economy
                          readier than ever                           has been on firmer footing and recent
                          A synchronised pickup in the global         communications seem to suggest a
                          economy prompted key central banks          lower dependency towards rate hike
Our Macro Outlook                                                                          14

                    Figure 02—A slow move towards the exit from QE

                                                   ECB
                            Fed                                        Milestones   BOJ

                           2008                    2015                 Start of    2011
                                                                          QE

                            2010                   2016                Expansion    2013
                                                                         of QE

                            2013                   2017                  Taper       ?
                                                                         talks

                            2014                   2018                 Tapering     ?

                            2015                     ?                   1st rate    ?
                                                                           hike

                            2016                                        2nd rate     ?
                                                     ?
                                                                          hike

                            2017                     ?                   3rd rate    ?
                                                                       hike & BSR

                    Source: UOB Investment Strategy, 22 October 2017
Investment Outlook 2018                                                                                        15

                          decisions on inflation data. Should         providing the perfect environment for
                          inflation show sustained growth, the        both equities and fixed income markets
                          Fed would have a stronger mandate           to perform. Strong investor sentiments
                          to continue its tightening. Subsequent      further drove markets higher, causing
                          re-pricing of expectations by markets       valuations to soar.
                          is likely to cause yields to drift.
                                                                      Expensive equities,
                          Higher interest rates over time             expensive bonds
                          While we have explained the reason          As of end November 2017, the
                          for higher interest rates in 2018, the      total return for US equity markets
                          pace of this increase, and by extension     was 20.5%, outperforming other
                          a growth in yields, is likely to remain     DMs such as Europe and the UK.
                          gradual. Barring an inflation overshoot,    As a result, valuations in US equities
                          the Fed is expected to remain cautious,     appeared to be stretched. In the
                          hiking rates slowly and conducting          fixed income markets, spreads
                          Balance Sheet Reduction (BSR)               continued to tighten on expectations
                          according to the announced schedule.        of positive growth and dovish central
                          The same should hold for European           bank policies.
                          Central Bank (ECB) when it tapers its
                          QE program over the course of 2018.         While economic fundamentals have
                          Based on projections from Bloomberg,        improved over the course of 2017
                          net purchases from key central banks        and earnings have been strong, there
                          should remain positive in 2018, thereby     are some fledging signs of exuberance.
                          reducing odds of market shocks and          According to surveys, a record-high
                          sharp spikes in yields.                     percentage of investors see equities
                                                                      as overvalued yet cash levels are
                                                                      simultaneously falling. Meanwhile,
                          Markets: high                               high yield spreads globally are hovering
                          valuations to                               at post-crisis lows, around the same
                          continue climbing                           levels as late-2005.
                          Although 2017 started on a tepid note,
                          initial headwinds, mainly political, soon
                          faded. Growth accelerated while key
                          central banks remained relatively dovish,

                            2018 strategy: Rotation
                            Entering 2018, our key strategy is built around the idea
                            of rotation. With reflation in the global economy picking up,
                            equities are likely to be favored over fixed income. Heightened
                            valuations in the US markets could drive a switch into ex-US
                            markets which are earlier in the economic cycle and have
                            improving fundamentals. A lot of the focus this year has been
                            on the technology sector. Going forward, we expect other
                            cyclical sectors, such as financials, which could benefit from
                            a reflationary environment to receive more attention.
16

Fire

The flame that burns twice
as bright burns half as long.
—Lao Tze
17

Key Events and
Risks for 2018
Anticipating key events as well as identifying
potential sources of risk are paramount to
strategic investment positioning.
Key Events and Risks for 2018                                                                                        18

                                                                                 January
Key Events
                                                                                 1st Quarter
                                                                                 22—23 Jan
                                                                                 BOJ Meeting

Calendar                                                                         30—31 Jan
                                                                                 FOMC Meeting
Knowing the timeline of events for 2018
                                                                                 25 Jan
helps guide our positioning through the                                          ECB Meeting
year. Attention in the first half of the year
is likely to be focused on central bank                                          ECB scheduled to reduce monthly
decisions. Political events, however, are                                        asset purchases
spread throughout the year and dates                                             Starting from January, the ECB is
                                                                                 scheduled to reduce its monthly asset
remain fluid.                                                                    purchases from EUR 60 billion to EUR
                                                                                 30 billion. The asset purchase program
                                                                                 will end in September 2018. Decisions
                                                                                 regarding future monetary actions are
                                                                                 likely to be data dependent.

April                             May                                            June
2nd Quarter
26 Apr                            1—2 May                                        12—13 Jun
ECB Meeting                       FOMC Meeting                                   FOMC Meeting

26—27 Apr                         20 May                                         14 Jun
BOJ Meeting                       Deadline for Italy General Election            ECB Meeting
End of term for BOJ Governor      The populist party, Five Star Movement
Kuroda                            (M5S), has been running neck-and-neck          14—15 Jun
                                  with the ruling party. However, the populist   BOJ Meeting
TBC                               stance of M5S has recently moderated.
IMF World Economy Outlook

                                                                                 October
                                                                                 4th Quarter
Central Banks                                                                    15 Oct
                                                                                 ECB Meeting
Political Events
                                                                                 18 Oct
Economic Events                                                                  Brazil General Election
Investment Outlook 2018                                                                                      19

February                                 March
3 Feb                                    8 Mar                               18 Mar
New Fed chair                            ECB Meeting                         Russia Presidential Elections
Powell is expected to be the
new Fed Chair after Yellen’s term        8—9 Mar                             20—21 Mar
expires in February 2018. Powell’s       BOJ Meeting                         FOMC Meeting
appointment likely means continuity
to the Fed’s policies. The Fed is        3—15 Mar
projected to hike rates three times      China National People’s Congress
in 2018.                                 and Chinese People’s Political
                                         Consultative Conference
                                         Confirmation of positions for new
                                         members of the Politburo Standing
                                         Committee. Successor to PBOC
                                         Governor Zhou Xiaochuan could
                                         be appointed during the meeting.

July                                     August                              September
3rd Quarter
1 Jul                                    24 Aug                              13 Sep
Mexico General Election                  Deadline for Malaysia               ECB Meeting
                                         General Election
26 Jul                                                                       18—19 Sep
ECB Meeting                                                                  BOJ Meeting

30—31 Jun                                                                    25—26 Sep
BOJ Meeting                                                                  FOMC Meeting

31 Jul—1 Aug
FOMC Meeting

November                                 December
6 Nov                                    TBC                                 13 Dec
US Mid-Term election                     UK parliamentary vote on            ECB Meeting
Given the low approval rates for         Brexit deal (around year-end)
Trump, the mid-term election is likely   UK is due to leave the European     18—19 Dec
to be rocky.                             Union in March 2019. If no deal     FOMC Meeting
                                         is reached, the UK economy may
7—8 Nov                                  face heightened uncertainty.        19—20 Dec
FOMC meeting                                                                 BOJ Meeting

TBC
Thailand general election
Risk Hotspots
 Key Events and Risks for 2018                                                                                20

                                   Identifying associated risks is necessary
                                   to make informed investment decisions.
                                   Risks can represent both upside and downside
                                   catalysts. However, as we enter the late period
                                   of the economic cycle, investors should exercise
                                   more caution as tail risks loom larger.

North America                      Europe                                Japan
   Wage inflation has been           The Italian general election,         JPY is viewed as a safe-haven
rising gradually but steadily.     due to be held by May 2018,           asset and hence it is sensitive
                                   could lead to political               to risk events. A strong yen could
  The Fed may tighten too          uncertainties.                        negatively affect the Japanese
aggressively and cause stress                                            equity market.
to the market and the economy.       German Chancellor Merkel
                                   continues to work out a
  US President Trump’s low         coalition with other parties.
approval rate may lead to a more
uncertain mid-term election.         Brexit talks are progressing
                                   slowly. If no deal is reached,
                                   the economic and political
                                   ramifications could be significant.

                                      ECB could normalise policies
                                   too quickly and kill the fragile
                                   economic recovery.
Investment Outlook 2018                                                                                              21

                                            Inflation overshoot                  Geopolitical
                                        The low unemployment rates             and political risks
                                        may indicate that the economy          Geopolitical risks remain
                                        is approaching full capacity.          heightened, particularly in
                                        This could soon translate to wage      North Korea and the Middle
                                        growth. Coupled with stablising        East. Although the probability
                                        commodity prices, inflation may        of conflict is low, it has been
                                        surprise on the upside. As markets     creeping up.
                                        have been underpricing inflation,
                                        inflation surprise could cause         Meanwhile, a number of elections
                                        yields to rise sharply and result      are scheduled to be held in the US,
                                        in a sell-off of risk assets.          Europe and some key emerging
                                                                               economies. The results could
                                        Data points: Wage growth,
                                                                               change the political landscape.
                                        global Consumer Price Index (CPI),
                                        personal consumption                   Data points: News flow,
                                                                               election polls
                                           Central bank missteps
                                        Key central banks are beginning          China’s hard landing
                                        to wind down their unprecedented       China concluded its 19th Party
                                        monetary experiments. Without          Congress and President Xi’s
                                        precedence to rely on, they run        influence was strengthened.
                                        a higher risk of misjudging the real   The country’s focus on stability
                                        impact on economy when they            and deleveraging is likely to
                                        unwind their policies.                 continue, but overly aggressive
                                                                               policies could raise default rates
                                        Data points: Central bank
                                                                               and hard landing concerns.
                                        meetings
                                                                               Data points: China Purchasing
                                                                               Managers Indices (PMIs),
                                                                               retail sales, monetary supply,
                                                                               property sales

Asia Pacific excluding                EM excluding Asia
Japan                                   Tensions have been rising
                                      between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
  China’s structural reforms
could cause short-term pains
                                         Russia is expected to hold
and spark hard-landing concerns.
                                      its presidential election in
                                      March 2018.
  North Korea is likely to continue
with its missile and nuclear tests.
                                         Mexico is expected to hold
                                      its general election in July 2018.
  Malaysia is expected to
hold its general election before
                                        Brazil is expected to hold its
24 August 2018.
                                      general election in October 2018.
  Thailand is expected to
hold its general election in
November 2018.
22

Water and Wood

All streams flow to the sea
because it is lower than
they are. Humility gives it
its power.
—Lao Tze
23

Asset Class
Outlook and
Strategy
In formulating our asset class outlook,
we consider the macro environment as well
as specific attributes of the particular asset
class. This helps us to construct our investment
strategies and select suitable opportunities.
Our Strategy
Asset Class Outlook                                                                                               24
and Strategy

                                  We expect 2018 to be dominated by a
                                  reflationary environment and heightened
                                  valuations. Hence, we prefer opportunities
                                  with attractive relative valuations and
                                  strong secular drivers that can benefit
                                  from reflationary environments.

                                                     01 Equities: Reflation
                      Theme

                                                        and rotation in DM
                                                          Heightened valuations and
                                                          reflationary impulses in DM
                                                          means it is timely to rotate out
                                                          of expensive, late-cycle markets
                                                          and interest rate-sensitive sectors.

                                   Sectorial play in the US                     Ex-US opportunities
                      Strategy

                                   Rich valuations and a hawkish                Focus on opportunities in
                                   Fed could limit the upside                   Europe and Japan. Their
                                   for equities. Focus on sectors               economies are at earlier
                                   that could benefit from a                    stages of economic recovery,
                                   reflationary environment.                    while monetary policy is
                                                                                likely to remain easy.

                                   US bank equities                             European equities
                      Solutions

                                   Higher rates help improve                    Attractive valuations compared
                                   interest margins for banks.                  to the US, while recovery
                                   Potential deregulation in the                is firm. Cyclicals sectors like
                                   financial sector could provide               Banks and Autos could benefit
                                   additional tailwinds.                        from the current environment.

                                                                                Japanese equities
                                                                                Attractive valuations compared
                                                                                to DM peers. The market has
                                                                                been under-loved by investors
                                                                                but fundamentals and an
                                                                                accommodative policy are
                                                                                in its favor.
Investment Outlook 2018                                                                                           25

02 Equities: Tap                      03 Equities: Secular                04 Fixed Income &
   into EM growth                        developments                        Foreign Exchange:
     Synchronised global                 Secular developments                Converging policies,
     growth provides a stable            could drive long-term               but still divergent
     backdrop for accessing              growth in specific industries,
                                                                             Key DM central banks
     higher growth opportunities         even in times of slower
                                                                             agree on the need to
     in EM economies.                    global expansion.
                                                                             reduce excessive monetary
                                                                             policy accommodation,
                                                                             but disagree on the pace.

     Limelight on reforms                Everyone needs                      Rates are important,
     and commodity plays                 healthcare                          but so are other factors
     Focus on regions where              The industry benefits from          Aside from rates, supply-
     past and ongoing reforms            rapidly aging populations           demand dynamics and foreign
     are coming to fruition.             in DM and rising income             exchange are also important
     Stable commodity prices             in EM, which could drive            contributors to absolute returns
     could also provide tailwinds.       sustained demand for                in fixed income products.
                                         its products and services.

     EM equities                         Global healthcare                   Local currency EM debt
     Structural reforms are setting      equities                            The asset class offers yield
     the stage for higher quality        The sector trades at an             pickup over DM debt. Better
     growth in Asia. Ex-Asia,            attractive discount to the          current account balances are
     commodity exporters could           broader market. Subsectors          supportive of currency strength.
     benefit from commodity price        with strong innovation
     recovery. For China, sectors        capabilities could continue         AUD bonds
     that benefit from economic          to see earnings growth.             A less hawkish Reserve Bank
     reforms could offer attractive                                          of Australia (RBA) and positive
     opportunities.                                                          commodity outlook bodes well
                                                                             for AUD and AUD bonds. The
                                                                             asset class also offers yield
                                                                             pickup over similar USD bonds.

                                                                             Asia IG
                                                                             Spreads are compressed,
                                                                             but yield pickup is still positive
                                                                             over DM debt. Reduced
                                                                             issuances coupled with robust
                                                                             demand should support prices.
Equities
 Asset Class Outlook                                                                                                      26
 and Strategy

                                      Equities remain our most preferred asset
                                      class. Returns could moderate but should
                                      remain positive in 2018. Being selective is
                                      the key.

Key takeaways
Within the DM space, we prefer
opportunities outside the US, such
as Europe and Japan. European
equities could play catch-up
with their US counterparts while
Japanese equities are supported
by valuation and strong earnings.
Although we are neutral on US
equities, we see opportunities
in the financial sector.

EM equities are likely to continue
their winning streak in 2018.
The cycle in EM equities is still
early and valuations are attractive
against DM equities.

Secular trends for healthcare
will continue and the sector is
trading at attractive discounts
to the broader market.                Overview
                                      2017 was a stellar year for equities       As such, equities remain as our
                                      and marks the ninth year of the equity     preferred asset class. Returns
                                      bull run. As of end-November, global       could moderate but should remain
                                      equities registered total returns of       positive in 2018. Given the relatively
                                      21%. While sentiments remain generally     full valuations, investors need to
                                      upbeat, investors are increasingly         be selective and be prepared for
                                      questioning how much more the aged         higher volatility in the markets.
                                      bull can advance. Indeed, the current      In the DM space, we prefer markets
                                      bull market is the second-longest bull     and sectors with relatively lower
                                      market on record, but a bull market        valuations that are earlier in the
                                      cycle is not determined by its duration.   economic cycle. Meanwhile, we
                                      Past bull markets were usually brought     continue to be constructive towards
                                      to an end by economic recessions           the growth story in EM.
                                      or external shocks.

                                      Looking ahead, although the 2017
                                      growth surge may be hard to replicate,
                                      recession risks remain low for 2018.
                                      The macro environment remains
                                      constructive. Synchronised global
                                      growth, rising corporate earnings and
                                      relatively accommodative monetary
                                      policies are all supportive drivers of
                                      equity outperformance. While external
                                      risks, such as geopolitical tensions,
                                      continue to be present, they are
                                      unlikely to derail markets.
Investment Outlook 2018                                                                                          27

                          Regional views
                          Neutral on US equities                       as interest margins widen with a pickup
                          with preference to financials                in yield and credit demand. Domestic
                          We maintain our neutral view on              economic recovery could translate to
                          US equities. Despite the positive            better sales for Autos. Valuations for
                          earnings momentum and possible               both sectors are undemanding while
                          tax cuts, the upside could be limited        prices on index levels are well below
                          by rich valuations. In addition, the         their cyclical highs.
                          Fed is poised to tighten further
                          with BSR and three rate hikes.               Some risks remain for the region.
                          The combination of rich valuations           Excessive euro strength could hurt
                          and the tightening policy could              earnings, but we take comfort that
                          cause valuation multiples to contract.       the currency’s strength is backed
                                                                       by improving economic conditions.
                          However, financials appear to be             Meanwhile, we remain cautious about
                          attractive and the sector trades at          political risks that could threaten the
                          an attractive discount to the overall        EU’s integrity. Finally, the European
                          US market. Furthermore, as the               debt issue could rear its ugly head
                          Fed tightens and rates move higher,          again next year when Greece’s bailout
                          banks could see their interest               program ends.
                          margins improve. The sector also
                          stands to benefit from potential             Upgraded Japanese equities
                          deregulation. Finally, if tax reforms        after snap election
                          are implemented, corporate tax rates         The recent victory of Prime Minister
                          may be reduced from 35% to between           Abe in the snap election removed
                          20% to 25%. This could translate             a crucial risk for Japanese equities.
                          to significant tax savings for financials,   With Abe’s party retaining its dominant
                          which currently have one of the highest      position, Abenomics is likely to continue
                          tax rates, at 33%.                           and BOJ is likely to remain highly
                                                                       accommodative. Meanwhile, the
                          Constructive on                              macro backdrop looks favourable,
                          European markets                             with GDP expanding for the seventh
                          In Europe, economic activities have          straight quarter in 2017 Q3.
                          firmed over the course of 2017 while
                          political headwinds have receded             Valuations for Japanese equities are
                          significantly. On the policy front,          very attractive relative to its DM peers,
                          ECB has stated that it would keep            even after the recent rally. In addition,
                          rates accommodative until well after         earnings could benefit from the weaker
                          its QE program ends.                         JPY, as policy divergence with other
                                                                       key central banks is likely to temper
                          Entering 2018, European equities             JPY strength even amid sporadic safe
                          could play catch-up with US equities,        haven trades. Fund inflows have picked
                          especially as markets seem to be             up strongly in recent months and look
                          underpricing economic growth in the          well supported. Finally, improvements
                          European region. Fund flows moderated        in corporate governance, spearheaded
                          in recent months but remain positive         by Abe, could encourage companies
                          and supported. On a sectorial basis,         to return cash to investors through
                          cyclical industries, for example Banks       dividends or share buybacks. This could
                          and Autos, are likely to outperform.         trigger a rerating of Japanese equities.
                          The former could see earnings improve
Asset Class Outlook                                                                                       28
and Strategy

                      Japanese equities could be vulnerable,      Potential headwinds for EM equities
                      if BOJ changes its policy stance and        include unexpected USD strength,
                      begins tapering in 2018. Geopolitical       especially if the Fed hikes interest
                      risk surrounding North Korea lingers        rates more aggressively than expected.
                      and could weigh on sentiments.              Commodity weakness could affect
                                                                  EM commodity exporters, while stability
                      Positive on EM equities                     of the Chinese economy continues
                      After years of soft performance,            to be a concern.
                      EM equities finally outpaced their DM
                      peers in 2017. A confluence of factors
                      contributed to the outperformance,          Structural
                      such as synchronised global growth,         opportunities
                      improving global trades, stabalisation      Global healthcare
                      of China economy and revival of             The secular story of healthcare
                      commodity prices.                           continues in the background. Rapidly
                                                                  aging populations in DM and rising
                      EM equities are likely to continue their    incomes in EM could drive the demand
                      winning streak in 2018. The cycle in        for healthcare products and services.
                      EM equities is still early and the growth   The sector has been trading at a
                      differential between EM and DM              discount to the broader market in the
                      is expected to widen further in 2018.       last two years, due to uncertainties
                      Meanwhile, valuations for EM equities       surround US healthcare policy.
                      are still attractive against DM equities.
                      Fund inflows have been strong and           While policy risks remain, investors
                      positive, in contrast to negative to        can focus on subsectors such as
                      flat flows in the last four years. Key      biopharma, which have strong
                      economies, namely China and India,          innovation capabilities that could
                      are undergoing structural reforms,          continue to propel earnings growth.
                      which could help set the stage for          The subsector has seen drastic
                      higher quality growth in the future.        increase in innovative drug approvals
                      A number of countries, for example          in 2017 and a strong pipeline could
                      Brazil, Thailand and Malaysia, are          drive earnings in 2018.
                      holding elections in 2018 and these
                      events could be catalysts for economic
                      reforms. For Chinese equities, the
                      sectors benefitting from economic
                      reforms, particularly large banks,
                      offer attractive opportunities.
Investment Outlook 2018                                                                            29

       Figure 03—In the DM space, European and Japanese equities have       Highest PER in five-year history
       more attractive valuations against US equities and their economies   Lowest PER in five-year history
       are earlier in the cycle                                             +1/–1 standard deviation range
                                                                            of five-year PER history
                                                                            Current PER
                                                                            Average PER
Valuation based on price-to-earnings ratio (PER)

                                                   Japan   Europe   US                     Economic cycle

       Source: UOB PFS Investment Strategy
Fixed Income
 Asset Class Outlook                                                                                                   30
 and Strategy

                                      Valuations are tight for the broad fixed income
                                      market. Monetary policy normalisation is the
                                      key development to monitor. Investors should
                                      focus on the basics of bond investment.

Key takeaways                                                                    yield, identifying issues with
Asian investment-grade bonds                                                     reasonable valuation, assessing
are supported by favourable                                                      the supply and demand mechanics,
supply-demand dynamics.                                                          and holding bonds in currencies
                                                                                 with appreciation potential.
AUD-denominated bonds could
benefit from a neutral central bank
policy and improving commodity                                                   USD-denominated
prices support the currency.                                                     bonds
                                                                                 Supply-demand dynamics
High real yield and underpriced
                                                                                 support Asian investment-
currencies help EM local currency
                                                                                 grade bonds
bonds stand out.
                                                                                 Despite the relatively tight valuation
                                                                                 of USD-denominated investment-grade
                                                                                 bonds, opportunities are still present.
                                                                                 Asian investment-grade bonds shine
                                                                                 among higher quality bonds, supported
                                                                                 by supply-demand dynamics. The
                                                                                 issue of Asian investment bonds has
                                                                                 been subdued, while local demand
                                                                                 remains strong as investors continue
                                      Overview                                   searching for yields. At the same
                                      Credit spreads for fixed income markets    time, default risks are kept low by the
                                      have tightened in 2017. Across the US,     positive economic outlook. Although
                                      Europe and Asia, credits spreads for       Asian investment-grade bonds are
                                      both investment-grade and high-yield       exposed to a Fed rate hike risk, their
                                      bonds have reached post-financial crisis   credit spreads have reflected low
                                      lows. Although the spread compression      correlations to rate hikes in previous
                                      was partially driven by improving          tightening cycles.
                                      fundamentals such as declining default
                                      rates and improving credit metrics, the
                                      extremely tight spreads offer a limited
                                                                                 Non-USD
                                      cushion in a rising-rate environment.      denominated bonds
                                                                                 AUD bonds supported by central
                                      2017 also marks the start of monetary      bank and global trades
                                      policy normalisation across major          In contrast to the Fed’s hawkish bias,
                                      central banks. The Fed has already         the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)
                                      embarked on rate hikes and balance         is well-positioned to be in a neutral
                                      sheet reduction plans. The ECB             state as inflation is relatively low.
                                      has announced plans to taper its           AUD-denominated bonds could have
                                      QE program, though any exit will           the potential for capital gain should
                                      remain gradual. Only BOJ is likely         yield decline. In addition, the yield
                                      to continue easing.                        for AUD-denominated bonds is still
                                                                                 relatively competitive compared to
                                      Against this backdrop, to achieve          USD-denominated bonds. AUD is
                                      positive total return, investors should    likely to appreciate against the USD,
                                      revert back to the basics of bond          supported by recovery in commodity
                                      investment. The factors investors          exports supported by recovery in
                                      should consider include finding the        commodity exports, stabilisation in
                                      right balance between quality and          China’s economy, and global growth.
Investment Outlook 2018                                                                                                   31

                          EM local currency bonds                          supportive to the inherent strength
                          with high real yield and                         of the currencies. While EM countries
                          underpriced currency                             have relatively higher inflation compared
                          Total returns of EM bonds are driven             to DMs, it is mitigated by the high level
                          by income yield and potential currency           of nominal yield. In India, Russia and
                          appreciation. EM currencies are well             Brazil, central banks may even have
                          positioned due to the improvements in            room to cut rates. A spike in USD
                          the countries’ current account balances          is the main risk. However, we believe
                          and a recovery in commodity prices.              that USD is likely to remain sideways
                          Higher global trade and rising foreign           as the currency is expensive.
                          direct investments have also been

                          Figure 04—Supply-demand dynamics, high real yields and potential
                          currency appreciation will be the main drivers of total returns for
                          fixed income

                                                                 High real yields

                                   Comparable
                                                                                                  Comparable
                                      yields to
                                                                                                 yields to USD-
                                     IG bonds
                                                                                                  denominated
                                  issued by US
                                                                                                    IG bonds
                                    corporates

                                                                          EM Local                        AUD IG
                                          Asian IG bonds                  currency bonds                  bonds

                            Favourable                      Potential                       Potential
                          supply-demand                      currency                        currency
                             dynamics                      appreciation                    appreciation
                                                                                                        Low inflation
                                                                                                      gives RBA more
                                                                                                         flexibility to
                                                                                                       remain neutral

                          Source: UOB PFS Investment Strategy
Foreign Exchange
 Asset Class Outlook                                                                                             32
 and Strategy

                                    Diverging returns among G10 and
                                    Asian currencies against USD in 2018.

Key takeaways
Commodity currencies are
likely to strengthen against USD.
AUD is supported by a recovery
in commodity prices. NZD
could see some upside, as the
currency is oversold and the
central bank’s guidance suggests
hawkish preference.

EUR is expected to be stable
against USD with supportive
economic fundamentals and
a gradual normalisation of
the ECB’s monetary policies.

Outlook for GBP and JPY
remains bearish. Dovish BOE
policy and Brexit talks could
weigh on GBP. JPY could
stay weak as BOJ continues its
accommodative monetary policy.      Overview
                                    At the start of 2017, many investors     normalising their monetary policies.
Asian currencies could see          expected a stronger USD. However,        Going into 2018, we hold a neutral
more mixed performances             it turned out to be a lacklustre year.   view on the dollar index. Instead
against USD in 2018 due             Though the Fed kept to its plan and      of a broad-based USD strength,
to idiosyncratic factors.           hiked rates three times, USD weakened    G10 and Asian currencies are expected
                                    against most G10 currencies. The         to deliver diverging returns against
                                    divergence has narrowed between the      USD, influenced by the stage of the
                                    Fed and other major central banks, as    monetary cycle and the currency’s
                                    synchronised global growth has steered   idiosyncratic risks.
                                    central banks such as the ECB to start
Investment Outlook 2018                                                                                    33

                          G10 currencies
                          against USD
                          AUD and NZD likely                         EUR to be stable
                          to strengthen                              with upside bias
                          AUD will likely be supported by            By the end of November 2017,
                          recovering oil and industrial metals       EUR strengthened 12% against USD
                          prices. With the Reserve Bank of           year-to-date with upside bias, and
                          Australia (RBA) widely expected            is expected to be stable in 2018.
                          to keep rates on hold, commodity           Fundamentally, economic recovery
                          prices are likely to be the key driver     has been broad-based in Europe,
                          for AUD movements.                         with PMIs and sentiments at a multi-
                                                                     year high. Current account balances
                          A recovery in commodities prices           have improved significantly since
                          is expected to continue into 2018.         2011, and have already turned positive
                          Demand for oil has improved as             in most countries. However, a
                          global growth picked up pace, and          consolidation is expected in 2018
                          supply is expected to be tight next        after the strong rally. Despite the
                          year with OPEC likely to extend its        ECB’s reduction of its monthly
                          supply cut beyond March 2018. Oil          purchases, the recent communication
                          inventory is forecasted to decrease        suggested a more gradual pace.
                          slowly, albeit steadily. For industrial    Yield differential between 10-year
                          metals, improving manufacturing            US Treasuries and 10-year German
                          activities, higher infrastructure          bunds has also decreased, putting
                          spending and supply-side reforms           downward pressure on EUR. In addition,
                          in China may drive prices higher.          the speculative net long positioning
                                                                     in EUR/USD looks stretched and
                          NZD has been volatile as a result          could be prone to reversion.
                          of a change in government in 2017.
                          After the general election in September,   GBP and JPY to weaken
                          the currency lost 5% against USD           Although the Bank of England (BOE)
                          within two months. However in 2018,        hiked rates by 25 bps in the November
                          NZD is expected to strengthen against      meeting, this does not necessarily
                          USD. Growth has been robust,               signal a new hiking cycle. The dovish
                          supported by strong global trade and       statement after the monetary decision
                          a tight job market. The Reserve Bank       hinted at only two hikes in the future:
                          of New Zealand (RBNZ) is to modify         one in late 2018 and another in 2020.
                          its mandates. As RBNZ has indicated        Uncertainties surrounding Brexit
                          in recent meetings that the market’s       negotiations and a weaker government
                          interpretation about its future policy     further adds downward pressure
                          path may be overly dovish. Although        on GBP.
                          political uncertainty could continue
                          weigh on NZD, at the current level,
                          NZD/USD is likely to see more upside.
Asset Class Outlook                                                                                       34
and Strategy

                      JPY is likely to stay weak against         RMB is likely to remain firm against
                      USD. PM Abe’s landslide victory            USD. Economic growth momentum
                      in the snap election ensures the           in China is expected to soften,
                      continuity of Abenomics and                but at a controlled pace. Improved
                      accommodative monetary policies.           foreign reserves could help keep
                      The core inflation in Japan is still       RMB anchored. SGD is expected
                      below 1% and BOJ has no pressure           to be stable against USD. Further
                      to normalise its policies any time soon.   tightening from the Fed could
                                                                 put downward pressure on SGD.
                                                                 However, the Monetary and Authority
                      Asian currencies                           of Singapore (MAS) is increasingly
                      against USD                                likely to hike rates during its April
                      A mixed bag                                2018 meeting as Singapore’s growth
                      Supported by improving global              and activity have gathered pace.
                      trades and a stable RMB, Asian
                      currencies have made decent gains          However, some Asian currencies
                      of 5% to 10% in 2017. Going into           could face downward pressure,
                      2018, Asian currencies could see           for instance IDR and INR. Due to
                      more mixed performances.                   lower inflation, central bank policies
                                                                 could remain relatively easy.
                      MYR could see further gains in 2018
                      as economic indicators are turning
                      increasingly positive for MYR. Bank
                      Negara Malaysia (BNM) turned more
                      hawkish and could hike rates by 25 bps
                      in early 2018. Improving economic
                      data, including better growth, higher
                      inflation, stable current surplus and
                      growing FX reserves, could provide
                      a constructive backdrop for MYR to
                      strengthen. Furthermore, the rising oil
                      price could benefit MYR, as Malaysia
                      remains a net oil exporter.
Investment Outlook 2018                                                                                       35

Figure 05—Focus on total returns when investing in bonds—
consider both yield and capital appreciation perspectives

     Strengthen against USD

     AUD
     Higher oil and metal prices,
     RBA on hold

     NZD
     Oversold, hawkish guidance         USD
     from RBNZ
                                        Diverging returns
     EUR                                for currency pairs
     Improving economic fundamentals,
     but dovish ECB guidance could      Neutral against USD
     limit the upside
                                        SGD
     MYR                                MAS to tighten but gradually
     Better economic data, higher
     oil prices, hawkish BNM            CNY                             Weaken against USD
                                        Growth momentum to slow down,
                                        but at a controlled pace.       IDR, INR
                                        Improved foreign reserves       Central banks likely to stay dovish
                                        stabalises currency
                                                                        GBP
                                                                        BOE dovish, Brexit risk

                                                                        JPY
                                                                        BOJ continues with easy policy

Source: UOB PFS Investment Strategy
36
37

Country
Focus

Singapore
Malaysia
Thailand
Indonesia
China
Singapore
 Country Focus                                                                                                         38

                                     Moderating but broadening growth
                                     points to a stable economic outlook

Key takeaways
Overall, growth is likely to be
more broad-based in Singapore,
although headline numbers are
likely to moderate. Domestic
sectors in Singapore are likely
to bottom out while a slowdown
in China could cause a drag on
global trade. A sustained pipeline
of public sector projects should
support economic growth.

Inflation has been picking up.
MAS could tighten its monetary
policy as early as April 2018.
However, the flexibility of its
policy tools allow for incremental
adjustments and its impact should
be limited.

                                     Private home sales grew 29%            For the services sector, better
                                     year-on-year in September 2017         sentiments and economic activities
                                     despite coinciding with the “hungry    are likely to continue to support
                                     ghost festival”. The optimism in the   its expansion. Finally, for the lagging
                                     housing sector underscores the same    construction sector, a sustained pipeline
                                     confidence in the broader economy.     of public sector projects should help to
                                     The manufacturing sector enjoyed       arrest any decline. Overall, Singapore’s
                                     double-digit growth, led by a surge    real GDP growth is expected to slow
                                     in global semiconductor demand.        from 3.3% in 2017 to 2.5% in 2018, and
                                     The services sector, accounting for    headline inflation is expected to pick up
                                     two-thirds of the economy, also        from 0.5% to 1.5% in 2018.
                                     witnessed notable improvements.
                                     It expanded 3% year-on-year in the     Monetary policy could be adjusted
                                     third quarter of 2017, the strongest   as early as April 2018, during the next
                                     showing since 2015.                    MAS meeting. SGD NEER has been
                                                                            trading above its midpoint for most
                                     Moving into 2018, we are likely to     of the time this year. However, given
                                     see growth converge between sectors.   the flexible nature of its policy tools,
                                     Growth in the manufacturing sector     we expect limited impact to the
                                     is likely to slow as semiconductor     economy as adjustments are likely
                                     sales moderate, due to the high        to be incremental.
                                     base effect and potential slowdown
                                     in China.
Investment Outlook 2018                                                                                                          39

Stocks                                       Bonds                                     Foreign Exchange
As with the global stock market,             Local rates are likely to drift higher,   SGD is likely to decline gradually
Singapore equities also enjoyed a stellar    led by the tightening cycle in the US.    against USD due to monetary policy
run in 2017. The environment, however,       Hence, investors are advised to avoid     divergence. MAS may adjust its stance
will be more challenging going into          taking up excessive duration in their     in April 2018, but changes are likely
2018. Interest rates are poised to rise      portfolios. Issuance has tapered since    to be incremental. Meanwhile, the
while growth could moderate in the           the series of commodity-led defaults      Fed is expected to continue tightening.
local economy. Banks could benefit           in 2016 while demand remains robust,      Singapore Interbank Offered Rate
from such an environemnt, as a steeper       leading to favorable demand-supply        (SIBOR) is likely to drift higher
yield curve could help improve net           dynamics for the local bond market.       alongside US London Interbank Offered
interest margins and support earnings.       The setup is likely to continue into      Rate (LIBOR), albeit to a lesser degree.
A benign environment will also support       2018, creating a supportive environment
business activities and loan growth.         for local bonds despite potentially
                                             higher rates.

Figure 06—The recent rebound in Singapore’s external sectors                                         Externally oriented industries
could spill over positively                                                                          Domestically driven industries

 Growth
 YoY %
          Dot-com bubble                                   Global financial crisis
 30

 25

 20

 15

 10

 5

 0

–5
                          –4.4%
–10

–15                                                                           –6%

–20
      2000          2002          2004          2006          2008              2010   2012          2014            2016

Source: CEIC, UOB GLobal Economics and Markets Research
Malaysia
 Country Focus                                                                                                           40

                                      Sound macro fundamentals
                                      provide a buffer against market volatility

Key takeaways
Malaysia’s compelling growth
in the first half of 2017 outpaced
regional performance, lifted by
private spending and exports.
Current growth momentum is
expected to sustain into 2018.

Outlook on Malaysian equities
remains positive, underpinned
by a strong economic backdrop,
better corporate earnings, rising
commodity prices, potential
China investments and election-
related spending.

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM)
continues to signal a neutral tone
on the direction of interest rates.
MYR is fundamentally undervalued
over the long-term.
                                      Malaysia’s economy is on firmer           The benchmark overnight policy
                                      footing after delivering remarkable       rate (OPR) is expected to remain
                                      GDP growth of 5.7% in the first half      status quo at 3% in 2018, but do
                                      of 2017 compared to 4% in the same        not rule out the possibility of a rate
                                      period last year. Following the data,     hike if strong GDP growth sustains
                                      Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) said           and wage pressures filter into higher
                                      growth in 2017 will be stronger than      inflation pressures.
                                      expected. The country’s growth in
                                      2018 is expected to be further fuelled    An undervalued ringgit, supported
                                      by domestic demand and robust             by positive fundamentals and higher
                                      exports. Domestic economic policies       Brent crude oil towards USD60/bbl,
                                      continue to be supportive, and its 2018   underpins our view that the ringgit
                                      budget is likely to be expansionary and   is in a better place to strengthen
                                      spur consumption growth.                  assuming modest USD gains.

                                      Headline inflation is expected to
                                      peak in 2017 at 3.9% year-on-year
                                      and moderate in 2018 to 2.5% year-
                                      on-year as global cost factors abate.
                                      Demand-led inflation will be sustained
                                      by more robust domestic demand
                                      but is expected to remain contained.
Investment Outlook 2018                                                                                                             41

Stocks                                       Bonds                                    Foreign Exchange
Malaysian equities have been a               We expect Malaysian yields to trend      MYR is likely to strengthen
laggard in 2017, compared with Asia          higher along with US Treasury yields,    moderately against USD, although
ex-Japan. We maintain a constructive         albeit at a moderate pace. Demand        some volatility is expected. The
view supported by domestic macros,           for bonds has remained resilient,        positive view is underpinned by
stronger foreign fund inflows and            supported by attractive real yields.     positive fundamentals, improving
the resumption of corporate earnings         With an improving macro backdrop         fiscal position and higher commodity
growth. Key investment themes include        and reserve adequacy ratio, the sharp    prices. It is currently trading at the
infrastructure spending, rising China        foreign selling of government bonds      bottom of its historic real effective
foreign direct investments, reforms          since November 2016 has abated and       exchange rate range.
among government-linked companies,           the foreign holdings of Malaysia bonds
a rebound in tourism and growth in           should largely remain stable.
commodity prices. Bottom-up stock
picking strategy and profit taking from
outperformers would be a prudent
approach in 2018. A key risk to look out
for is the country’s domestic elections.

Figure 07—Malaysia’s growth is underpinned by private consumption                                       GDP Growth (left)
and exports                                                                                             Private Consumption (left)
                                                                                                        Exports (right)

Growth                                                                                                                         YoY
YoY %                                                                                                                          %

10                                                                                                                             35

                                                                                                                               30

8                                                                                                                              25

                                                                                                                               20

6                                                                                                                              15

                                                                                                                               10

4                                                                                                                              5

                                                                                                                               0

2                                                                                                                              -5

                                                                                                                               -10
0                                                                                                                              0
      2011                2012             2013            2014              2015            2016               2017

Source: Bloomberg
Thailand
 Country Focus                                                                                                         42

                                      Moderately rising economic growth
                                      driven by investment and tourism

Key takeaways
The Thai economy enjoys a
healthy level of growth driven
by a combination of infrastructure
spending, private investments
and tourism.

However, rich valuations in
the local equity market could
put a ceiling on further upside,
especially since global rates could
rise. The bond market could also
be at risk due to reduced policy
accommodation, although low
foreign ownership in local bonds
could help limit hot money flows.
On the currency front, the THB
is likely to weaken against USD
as policy divergence widens.

                                      Key drivers for Thailand’s growth in       The overall economic outlook remains
                                      2018 include infrastructure spending,      positive for Thailand and is underscored
                                      private investments and tourism.           by the Bank of Thailand (BOT) revising
                                      Infrastructure spending could pick         its GDP growth target for 2018 from
                                      up as many of the previously delayed       3.7% to 3.8% in September. The target
                                      projects are expected to kick-start in     may look ambitious, but it is achievable
                                      2018. Higher level of utilisation in the   if the key growth drivers hold up.
                                      manufacturing sector and Eastern
                                      Economic Corridor (EEC) should             Finally, in terms of monetary policy,
                                      incentivise private investments.           BOT is expected to keep its rate
                                      Meanwhile, Thailand remains one of         unchanged at least to the second half
                                      the top destinations for tourists and      of 2018 as slack remains in the economy
                                      the number of visitors is expected to      and inflation looks manageable.
                                      grow by 7% to 8% to reach 38 million
                                      in 2018, from the current year-end
                                      forecast of 36 million for 2017.

                                      Conversely, a growth in household
                                      consumption could slow in the lower-
                                      to-mid income space. This is due to
                                      a combination of a slowdown in farm
                                      incomes and continued deleveraging in
                                      households due to tighter credit card
                                      and personal loan regulations. Exports
                                      are likely to continue growing modestly,
                                      but are unlikely to be a growth driver.
Investment Outlook 2018                                                                                                                      43

Stocks                                        Bonds                                        Foreign Exchange
Valuations in the Thai equity market          A steady supply of shot-term bills           Monetary divergence between the
are elevated. The setup reduces upside        and BOT’s stable monetary policy             Fed and BOT, reduction in Thailand’s
potential and leaves little room for          outlook should keep short-term yields        current account surplus and potential
error. Selective sectors could offer          relatively anchored in the local market.     tax reform in the US are likely to cause
opportunities. For example, the banking       Low levels of foreign holdings help limit    THB to weaken in 2018. We expect
sector has seen NPLs stabilised and it        volatility. As such, bonds with shorter      the currency to remain in the range
is also likely to benefit from increased      terms are preferred, though investors        of 33.50 to 34.50 in 2018.
public and private investments. The           could consider taking tactical positions
commerce sector, meanwhile, could             in longer term bonds if long-term
enjoy support from tourism growth, and        yields spike.
investors can consider buying on dips.

Figure 08—Tourism in Thailand continues to provide support for growth                                      12-month rolling average
                                                                                                           of monthly visitor arrivals
                                                                                                           Monthly visitor arrivals

Monthly
visitor arrivals

3.0M

2.5M

2.0M

1.5M

1.0M

0.5M

        2003       2004   2005   2006      2007   2008    2009     2010    2011     2012    2013    2014       2015      2016         2017

Source: Bloomberg
Indonesia
 Country Focus                                                                                                         44

                                       Resilient economy towards both
                                       internal and external pressures

Key takeaways
The economic outlook for
Indonesia remains positive,
however, it is clouded by
potential risks such as rising
trade protectionism, weakening
commodity prices and an
escalation in geopolitical tensions.

The 2018 regional election and
2019 presidential election may
raise the domestic political risk.

The recent reduction of corporate
tax for small-medium enterprises
(SMEs) from 1% to 0.25% is likely
to increase domestic investment
from more than 56 million SMEs
in the country, which accounts for
60% of GDP.
                                       Indonesia’s 2018 GDP growth is             to 2.92% of GDP, the government
                                       expected to improve to 5.4% from           forecasts the budget deficit in 2018 to
                                       5.2% in 2017 as set in the 2018 State      improve to 2.19% of GDP, this is with
                                       Budget approved by the Indonesian          the assumption that the tax ratio is
                                       Parliament. Social spending is expected    increased from the existing 10.3% to
                                       to pick up as Indonesia is entering into   10.9% in coming year. The country’s
                                       a year of elections. This tends to have    recent upgrade by Standard & Poor’s
                                       positive impact on private consumption,    to an investment-grade rating and
                                       which accounts for more than half          continued reform efforts by the
                                       of the country’s GDP. Indonesia’s          government has helped accelerate
                                       expansionary fiscal policy remains the     capital inflows, including private
                                       key focus and is expected to support       investment. With inflation slowing down,
                                       growth through budget reallocations        the Central Bank is keeping an easing-
                                       in providing larger spending ceiling       bias with a 50 bps rate cut this year.
                                       for public infrastructure, health and      The lower rate aims to further boost
                                       education. Although the budget             credit growth to double-digits in 2018.
                                       deficit in 2017 widened from 2.41%
Investment Outlook 2018                                                                                                            45

Stocks                                     Bonds                                         Foreign Exchange
Infrastructure and structural              Indonesia’s government bonds                  IDR is expected to experience
reforms remain key priorities for the      offer one of the most attractive inflation-   downward pressure because the
government. Ease of doing business         adjusted returns. Monetary policy             central bank’s view diverges from
and the low cost of funding after rate     continues to be accommodative, with           that of the Fed. The pause in policy
cuts of 200 bps since beginning of         the government aiming to keep inflation       easing signals and record-high foreign
2016 are expected to attract more          below 4%. Short-medium local currency         reserves allow the Central Bank to
investments from both domestic and         government bonds are preferred over           maintain the currency within the
foreign investors. Higher domestic         long-term ones due to a divergence in         target set by the government.
holdings in local equities may reduce      central bank views toward monetary
external shock should regional or global   policy, which places downward pressure
uncertainties escalate. Investment in      on IDR. Considering the hawkish stance
the stock market, particularly in the      from the Fed, short duration USD
consumer staples, construction and         Indonesian government bonds are the
banking sectors, remain attractive as      preferred asset class as Indonesia’s
consumer sentiment rises, infrastructure   sovereign rating has just been raised
spending continues and merger and          and has a positive outlook.
acquisition activities pick up in the
banking sector.

Figure 09—Bank of Indonesia is expected to remain accommodating                                         Yield curve as of 31 Dec 2016
                                                                                                        Yield curve as of 11 Oct 2017

Indonesia Interest
Rate %

8.0

7.5

7.0

6.5

6.0

5.5

5.0

4.5

4.0

      1 Day 1 Week        1 Month                       3 Months                          6 Months                             1 Year

                                                                                                                               Tenor

Source: Bloomberg
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