brazil - Blain's Morning Porridge

Long Covid and Political Risk

Markets anticipate the end of pandemic, but the news flow from India highlights ongoing global crisis and Covid is here for the long-term. The risk of political instability from failed Covid policies is high. In the UK, political instability could ratchet higher on the rising tide of Tory sleaze and Dominic Cummings taking his revenge cold.

Markets Rally, but what about COVID?

Markets look set to rally strongly into Q2, but are they over-exuberant? The rise in deaths and new strains in Brazil hints the Covid war isn’t won yet, there are rising political risks in Europe, and widening wealth inequality is apparent everywhere. Just how solid are our expectations of stability, renewed global travel and recovery if Covid is here for the long-term?

Recent Porridge

Higher for Longer – Markets Could Struggle With the New Reality
September 22, 2023
The Bank and The Fed have served notice they will remain vigilant – higher for longer! Markets would be wrong to expect early easing. Wage Inflation and Energy remain very real threats over the medium term – it may trigger volatility as markets understand the new reality.Read More »
Debt is Not The Problem – Economic Management Is.
September 21, 2023
Many market participants fear the rising quantum of Government Debt spells crisis across the globe. Tush and Nonsense. Debt is not the problem – markets exist to price risk. The crisis lies in economic management, and Political Risk!Read More »
U-Turn on Net-Zero Raises Serious UK Market Risks
September 20, 2023
Rishi Sunak’s U-Turn on Net Zero is politically expedient, but raises serious long-term questions about the investibility of the UK economy and its place in the world, but… hey, it might just win them some votes (just don’t let your kids know!)Read More »
The Market has no Memory when it comes to Bank Capital
September 19, 2023
It’s International Talk Like A Pirate Day, which will make it interesting for UBS trying to persuade once-bitten, twice-shy investors to buy new AT1 CoCo Bond after what happened to Credit Suisse investors.. “Arrr… You know it makes sense, young Jim-me-lad… Shiver-me-timbers… “Read More »
Why the UK? Things are going to Get Interesting
September 18, 2023
It’s been a “meh” year for the UK markets, but they’re marginally up on the year. The outlook for a rusted economy, crashing discretionary spending, and an imminent housing collapse looks bad. As the UK electoral cycle kicks into high gear.. markets are in favour of change.Read More »