Financial Assets@2015

Wishing one & all a very happy new year 2015……

The year 2014 has been a great year on expected lines for the financial assets. With the strong govt.  at centre the investor confidence (domestic as well as global) has turned into positive. However, investors are more than a little concerned that, going into the new year, markets are showing signs of volatility. The slipping and sliding in the front-line indices have shrunk year-to-date returns to around 30%. Before the correction, it was a good 36%. As we head into the new year, long- and short-term investors alike should evaluate market conditions. And then attempt to pitch investments for a decent shot at improving run rates. Here are a few points that could prove useful to spruce up your investment portfolio next year. Where we stand Global headwinds are likely to increase volatility and the effect will be felt throughout the world. First of all, we have been repeating for some time now that following the end of quantitative easing (QE) program in the US, the international environment is changing. For the first time we are faced with the prospect of interest rates in the US inching up, probably towards late-2015. In this context, the inevitable strengthening of the dollar would affect global fund flows. India, however, is better placed to withstand global choppiness. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been factoring in the inevitability of QE coming to an end. Otherwise, we may have seen much lower interest rates today. This augurs well for India, as it can help tackle the tighter monetary policy, and a hike in rates in the West going into next year. Another advantage we have now is that commodity prices are significantly lower. Back in the market boom of 2007, commodity prices hit higher trajectories, creating problems for India later on. Now, oil has slipped below $60 a barrel and oil-guzzling countries, like ours, benefit through savings in foreign currency costs, along with helping contain inflation. Other base commodities are also at lower levels, and that helps reduce input costs for companies. So, India has become the best macro-country going into 2015. Infrastructure is one key area needs to be handed with care However, one hitch in our parade is the domestic capital expenditure (capex) cycle. The Indian economy only needs a little push,, which could begin with the government. India has yet to see the kind of investment in infrastructure that could revive the capex cycle. Many companies are sitting on under-utilized capacities and, therefore, are unlikely to increase capex in the immediate future. Hence, the onus to increase spending on infrastructure now lies with the government. We would be enthused if the government reduces the revenue deficit while letting the fiscal deficit remain a little loose, and in the process, opening its purse to spend on infrastructure. There is a need for the government to spearhead capex in the country, especially on infrastructure. Once the capex kicks in, the private sector will step in, turning it into a virtuous cycle. Lots of opportunities in the basket; It may be difficult for the Indian market’s performance in 2014 to persist into 2015. From that standpoint, We would encourage investors to enter equity markets with a horizon of at least three years or more. It is our belief that next year, there will be ample opportunities to accumulate equity assets for three years and more. Given the fundamentals of the economy, the macro-growth cycle has barely begun. In the past, it took four-six years for the growth cycle to take off. This time, with the added advantage of lower commodity prices, the Indian growth cycle has just started. Therefore, use the opportunities thrown up by corrections in the market to accumulate good assets as well as to look for underpriced equity assets. With the run-up, many sectors are well priced, but some names in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector do not offer much comfort. Public sector divestments should offer good opportunities to accumulate some equity assets at good prices next year. Again, 2015 should see the power sector recover within the next three-five years; and it now looks inexpensive. Over the shorter horizon of a year, the fixed income segment looks good, although upturn in debt had already begun in the past few months. With inflation cooling considerably, and oil prices drastically down, there is much room for the central bank to cut rates in the coming year. This should provide the requisite fillip to the debt market. A fixed income boom has to occur before growth in the economy shifts to a higher gear. The interest rate cycle has to turn for the leveraging cycle to begin; this would, in turn, boost the equity cycle.