There is a long “worry list” being thrown up in regards to the outlook for shares and other growth oriented assets: indebted consumers, inflation off the back of ballooning budget deficits and central banks pumping money, worrying demographic trends, etc.
However, while most of these cannot be ignored, and some will likely constrain returns over the medium term in mainstream global equity markets such as the US, they are not as worrying as they appear.
The AMP’s chief economist, Dr Shane Oliver runs his slide rule over these and gives us his opinion.
Shares have just wrapped up two consecutive years of big losses. After such a slump the list of worries is long and the outlook is viewed with some trepidation.
The temptation is to assume more of the same. This note looks at why the worry list might not be so worrying.
The “worry list” for investors
As everything was pushed to extremes in the past year – the worst financial crisis since the 1930s, one of the worst bear markets ever, worst global recession since the 1930s, biggest fiscal and monetary easing since WW2 – and add to this less favourable demographic trends, it is possible to paint an endless list of problems.
While it is wrong to ignore the risks, there is a danger in getting carried away. Addressing the main worries in turn:
“Reluctance by households to take on more debt and by banks to lend will prevent any economic recovery”
This is the most common worry. However, there are several points to note.
Firstly, consumers do appear to be responding to fiscal stimulus and lower interest rates.
This is certainly evident in Australia where retail sales are up 7% year on year, car sales appear to have turned the corner and various housing indicators have improved dramatically; these trends suggest that consumers have not lost the inclination to consume.
In the US, retail sales have not collapsed despite the rise in unemployment, car sales are showing signs of recovering and consumer sentiment has started to improve.
While a more cautious attitude towards debt will likely constrain the recovery in consumer spending, so far there is nothing to suggest consumers are just focused on debt reduction.
Secondly, some indicators such as car sales and housing starts have fallen below the level consistent with underlying demand suggesting that sooner or later there will be a spring back.
In fact, the number of US new houses for sale has collapsed and housing starts at record lows may soon lead to a housing shortage if construction doesn’t pick up soon.
Secondly, the experience in the early 1990s indicates debt de-leveraging won’t necessarily stop a recovery.
E.g., the fall in private debt in the US in the early 1990s didn’t prevent an economic and share market recovery.
In fact, private sector credit normally lags an economic recovery.
This was evident in Australia in the early 1990s.
“The blow-out in budget deficits is a major concern”
Right now the increase in budget deficits globally is appropriate because without it we would be having a worse recession.
Also, this is unlikely to be boosting interest rates yet as higher public borrowing is being offset by less private sector borrowing.
So it is not a major issue right now.
That said, in several years time once recovery has occurred governments will have to unwind their borrowing and this could cause increased economic volatility.
“Easy money means the US will be the next Zimbabwe”
Many worry that quantitative monetary easing will create inflation.
The first point to note is comparisons with Zimbabwe are ridiculous – it got 250 million per cent inflation because it wiped out its productive potential and the Government turned to printing money to finance spending and pay public servants.
Simply put: no goods plus lots of money meant prices surged.
Right now the main concern in the US and elsewhere is actually deflation as the global recession is resulting in idle factories and rising unemployment queues putting downwards pressure on prices.
In fact, consumer prices are already falling in the US, Japan and Europe where inflation is below zero and in Australia inflation is just 2.1%.
While narrow money supply measures have surged this is because central bank easing has boosted bank reserves.
Only when this feeds through to a broader increase in credit and economic activity returns to more normal levels will inflation be a serious risk.
But given the amount of excess capacity that has to be worked off, this is likely to be 2 or 3 years away at least.
Once we get there, the inflationary impact will depend on how quickly central banks soak up the extra money, however that is an issue for several years down the track.
It is also doubtful independent inflation targeting central banks will simply acquiesce to permitting higher inflation as a means to reduce public debt burdens.
“Expect a double dip recession”
Worries about a double dip are common towards the end of most recessions. This recession is no different.
The main fear is that once the policy stimulus wears off growth will collapse anew.
Our view is that it is too early to talk about a double dip because we haven’t emerged from this recession yet.
And given the impact of fiscal stimulus still to occur, particularly via infra
