The days when Australia “rode on the sheep’s back” may be long gone, but agriculture remains a critical component of the economy, generating valuable export income. While overseas investors understand its importance, for most local institutions it’s still a bridge too far.
For several years, investors, from institutional to retail, couldn’t get enough of the tech stocks with all their promises of future growth. But now the market has spoken and it’s saying precisely this – valuations matter again.
Winning in a “K-Shaped” Recovery
The S&P 500 Index reached a historic high on February 19th of this year, only to break that record less than six months later. On its face this sounds reasonable, however when considering the unprecedented nature of the events that transpired in-between, this is downright shocking. Over this six-month period the S&P 500 realised its swiftest decline in history, contracting over 30% in less than 22 trading days, putting an end to the 11-year bull market, as 9.5 years of job gains were wiped away in less than a month. The US government passed a $2 trillion relief package, the largest stimulus in history as the Fed slashed interest rates near zero. In the meantime, the US economy shrank by an annualised 32.9% quarter-over-quarter on an annualised basis, the largest ever recorded contraction.
To read the full media release by QS Investors click here.
Michael LaBella, Head of Investment Strategy at QS Investors.
