November 2021 / INVESTMENT INSIGHTS
Global Asset Allocation Viewpoints
Our experts share perspective on market themes and regional trends, plus insights into current portfolio positioning.
Market Perspective
As of 31 October 2021
- While moderating, global growth to remain above trend as it continues to emerge from COVID. Supply chain disruptions and energy shortages in some regions could be near-term headwinds to growth.
- Global monetary policy broadly on path towards tightening, albeit unsynchronized, with many emerging markets having already acted in response to higher inflation and to defend their currencies, while most developed market counterparts are more cautiously advancing towards tightening.
- Global yield curves likely to face higher short-term rates on central bank tightening, while longer rates could be biased higher on near-term inflation concerns, although upside may be limited as growth expectations and inflation pressures moderate.
- Key risks to global markets include persistent elevated inflation, central bank missteps, slowing China growth, supply chain disruption, energy shortages, and increasing geopolitical concerns.
Portfolio Positioning
As of 31 October 2021
- We remain modestly underweight equities relative to bonds and cash given a less compelling risk/reward profile against a backdrop of elevated valuations with more moderate return expectations. Higher rates, rising input costs related to supply chain bottlenecks and fading monetary and fiscal policy could pose challenges to near-term earnings outlook.
- Within equities, we continue to favor value-oriented equities globally, U.S. small-caps, and emerging market stocks as we expect cyclically exposed companies to benefit from a supportive global growth profile, coupled with pent-up demand and inventory rebuilding as COVID concerns abate.
- Within fixed income, we continue to favor shorter duration and higher yielding sectors through overweights to high yield bonds and floating rate loans supported by our constructive credit outlook.
Market Themes
As of 31 October 2021
Running on Empty
Just as the global economy is finally gaining traction after delta variant setbacks, some economies are facing severe energy shortages, with energy prices up over 70% since last year. The impacts are being felt across Europe, which is facing shortages of natural gas, threatening to leave households without heat as winter approaches. Meanwhile China, which cut coal production to meet carbon emissions initiatives, has quickly reversed course as the cutbacks created shortages, leading to fears of moderating growth. In the U.S., although not seeing the same degree of supply concerns, fuel prices have more than doubled since last year amid stronger demand and lower production levels. What has also been exposed amid this energy crunch is the pace of the transition from traditional energy sources to renewables. While the push toward green initiatives continues, economies will need to balance decommissioning traditional sources of energy as they replace with renewables, otherwise economies could find themselves running on empty, particularly if faced with future shocks.
Commodity Prices 1,2
As of 31 October
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
1 Figures are shown in USD.
2 Prices are reprsented by the S&P GSCI Index. The S&P GSCI index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, a division of S&P Global, or its affiliates (“SPDJI”), and has been licensed for use by T. Rowe Price. Standard & Poor’s® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a division of S&P Global(“S&P”); Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”). This product is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted bySPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, their respective affiliates, and none of such parties make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such product(s) nor do they have any liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions of the S&P GSCI index.
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On Back Order
Supply chain concerns have reached a crescendo recently as skyrocketing demand is overwhelming already strained supply chains, threatening to introduce the difficult combination of high inflation and slowing economic growth. Companies are citing the supply chain bottlenecks at every link— including labor shortages, backlogs at ports, increased delivery times, and limited trucking availability—leading to increased input costs and concerns about impacts on corporate margins. While higher wages may help consumers offset costs and companies with pricing power may be able to push through higher input costs for now, it looks like consumers and companies will have to navigate inflationary pressures well into the middle of next year. Although some of the supply chain pressures have eased in recent weeks, with the price of shipping containers reaching a peak, the holidays are just around the corner and companies will likely still be struggling to get products on the shelves as consumers are faced with limited supply and higher prices.
Shipping Costs 1,3
As of 31 October
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
1 Figures are shown in USD.
2 Prices are reprsented by the S&P GSCI Index. The S&P GSCI index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, a division of S&P Global, or its affiliates (“SPDJI”), and has been licensed for use by T. Rowe Price. Standard & Poor’s® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a division of S&P Global(“S&P”); Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”). This product is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted bySPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, their respective affiliates, and none of such parties make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such product(s) nordo they have any liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions of the S&P GSCI index.
3 Cost are represented by the Baltic Dry Index (BDI).Source: Bloomberg Finance L.P.
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Regional Backdrop
As of 31 October 2021
| Positives | Negatives | |
|---|---|---|
| United States |
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| Europe |
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| Developed Asia/Pacific |
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| Emerging Markets |
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Asset Allocation Committee Positioning
As of 31 October 2021
1For pairwise decisions in style & market capitalization, positioning within boxes represent positioning in the first mentioned asset class relative to the second asset class.
The asset classes across the equity and fixed income markets shown are represented in our Multi-Asset portfolios. Certain style & market capitalization asset classes are represented as pairwise decisions as part of our tactical asset allocation framework. For a representation of how the overweight and underweight tactical decisions are implemented across our Target Allocation franchise, please see page 4.
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Portfolio Implementation
As of 31 October 2021
1 U.S. small-cap includes both small- and mid-cap allocations.
Source: T. Rowe Price. Unless otherwise stated, all market data are sourced from FactSet. Copyright 2021 FactSet. All Rights Reserved.These are subject to change without further notice. Figures may not total due to rounding.
Neutral equity portfolio weights representative of a U.S.-biased portfolio with a 70% U.S. and 30% international allocation; includes allocation to real assets equities.
Core fixed income allocation representative of U.S.-biased portfolio with 55% allocation to U.S. investment grade.
Source: MSCI. MSCI and its affiliates and third party sources and providers (collectively, “MSCI”) makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have noliability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indices or any securities orfinancial products. This report is not approved, reviewed, or produced by MSCI. Historical MSCI data and analysis should not be taken as an indication or guarantee of anyfuture performance analysis, forecast or prediction. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making)any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.
“Bloomberg®” and Bloomberg Global Aggregate Index are service marks of Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliates, including Bloomberg Index Services Limited(“BISL”), the administrator of the index (collectively, “Bloomberg”) and have been licensed for use for certain purposes by T. Rowe Price. Bloomberg is not affiliatedwith T. Rowe Price, and Bloomberg does not approve, endorse, review, or recommend Global Asset Allocation Viewpoints. Bloomberg does not guarantee the timeliness,accurateness, or completeness of any data or information relating to Global Asset Allocation Viewpoints.
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November 2021 / JAPAN EQUITIES
November 2021 / U.S. EQUITIES
