The word from the manager: Union Bancaire Privée

"Now it is the stocks that manage data centres that are to be followed"

"Among these to be noted are Schneider Electric and Johnson Controls. Relx, on the other hand, is interesting among professional services companies."

3' min read

3' min read

On the corporate side, clarity in balance sheets and solid business are the two main characteristics to evaluate in the equity segment, while on the macro side, the easing of central banks will give a boost to GDP. Bettina Baur, senior portfolio manager at Union Bancaire Privée, starts from these convictions.

How will the Fed's and ECB's easing of monetary policies translate in the markets?

Monetary easing should stimulate lending and investment, supporting economic growth. This environment, combined with still resilient labour markets, should be more favourable to consumption, which continues to drive GDP growth in most developed economies.

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Does the US see a soft landing possible?

A soft landing in the US is increasingly likely, as the Fed's efforts aim to balance slowing inflation with supporting growth. However, policy calibration is needed.

IL TITOLO IN BORSA

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The US elections are just around the corner. What scenarios can be expected for stock markets?

A Republican victory is expected to lead to deregulation and tax cuts, which have traditionally favoured sectors such as energy and finance. A Democratic victory could shift the focus to infrastructure and renewable energy, while fears of higher corporate taxes and regulatory tightening could impact the technology and financial sectors.

And on emerging markets and Europe?

Emerging markets could benefit from a weaker dollar that would improve export competitiveness and ease dollar-denominated debt burdens. Changes in US trade policies and regulatory differences are two of the main risks affecting European and emerging markets. Although they would potentially be more pronounced with a Republican administration, we do not expect a Democratic government to deviate substantially from its current policies.

I COMPARABLES

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The Eurozone economy is still struggling a bit. Is there a recession in sight?

Eurozone economic indicators remained weak in the third quarter, leading to a slight downward revision of earnings growth expectations for 2024. However, the consensus still sees EPS growth estimates at 10% for 2025, which does not suggest a recession on the horizon.

In global equities, we have seen the collapse of US tech stocks followed by a broadening recovery or the recent rally in Chinese stock markets aided by government stimulus measures. What is your view and what is the outlook between now and 2025?

Despite a strong rally in the first half of 2024, global equities have faced volatility since mid-July, influenced by economic data, policy changes and geopolitical events, increasing downside risks to earnings growth expectations. Although global earnings growth estimates of 10% in 2024 and 14% in 2025 remain quite optimistic, we are confident that growth contributions will expand beyond technology stocks, which should favour active and diversified investment strategies. Further global rate reductions should favour long duration stocks.

IL CONFRONTO

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The most promising sectors and geographical areas?

Our sector and geographic allocations remain driven by the potential for value creation, as expressed by Cash Flow Return on Investment (Cfroi) relative to the respective cost of capital. Earnings growth and attractive valuation levels should support the high-value creative software segment in 2025. Healthcare is also expected to experience a significant acceleration in earnings growth in the coming year. From a geographic perspective, we continue to favour Swiss equities that benefit from a stable domestic environment, resilient and visible earnings growth expectations for 2024 and 2025 and favourable valuations.

What approach to take when exposing yourself to equities and what risks should you bear in mind?

As equity market drivers are expected to extend beyond the technology sector, investors should look for well-diversified, actively managed strategies focused on selective alpha-generating opportunities. Given the current disconnect between macroeconomic indicators and earnings growth expectations, we would prioritise quality companies with clear earnings growth trajectories and strong balance sheets.

The most interesting titles?

As companies and governments rush to build artificial intelligence infrastructure, we find companies active in building and operating data centres, such as Schneider Electric and Johnson Controls, attractive. We tend to have a significant overweight in the financials sector, although overall it has never been a sustainable value creator; we have some positions on the Nasdaq and S&P Global, with very attractive Cfroi levels supported by high recurring revenue bases, and with significant growth opportunities from data monetisation. Relx, a professional services company that provides analytical and decision-making tools for companies and academia, benefits from high business continuity and offers attractive Cfroi.

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