Interest rate crystal-ball gazing has taken on a new twist, as the US seems headed in a different direction from the rest of the world
Many analysts see rate changes south of the border as imminent.
“Chances are they will go up in December or next year,” says Sergei Strigo, the head of emerging markets, debt and currency with Amundi Asset Management. “We are forecasting a gradual increase in the US of 25 basis points. But in the rest of the developed world, it is the opposite.”
While predicting a bump in American rates, Strigo told WP that interest rates elsewhere will be staying lower for a much longer time. When the US bump comes, don’t expect other G-10 members to follow suit anytime soon.
“The European Central Bank is talking about increasing their quantitative easing program beyond September of 2016,” says Strigo, “and the Bank of Japan will also have to do something similar, as their economy is not doing very well at the moment.”
While treasury rates may be headed in different directions, there should be a narrowing of what is now an historic differential between the US treasury and emerging market countries’ bonds.
“There are 400 basis points difference on an index spread between emerging market countries and the US treasury. These levels of spread are rather high compared to historical levels,” says Strigo, “so we think that going forward there is some room for these spreads to compress 100 basis points or even more.”
“Chances are they will go up in December or next year,” says Sergei Strigo, the head of emerging markets, debt and currency with Amundi Asset Management. “We are forecasting a gradual increase in the US of 25 basis points. But in the rest of the developed world, it is the opposite.”
While predicting a bump in American rates, Strigo told WP that interest rates elsewhere will be staying lower for a much longer time. When the US bump comes, don’t expect other G-10 members to follow suit anytime soon.
“The European Central Bank is talking about increasing their quantitative easing program beyond September of 2016,” says Strigo, “and the Bank of Japan will also have to do something similar, as their economy is not doing very well at the moment.”
While treasury rates may be headed in different directions, there should be a narrowing of what is now an historic differential between the US treasury and emerging market countries’ bonds.
“There are 400 basis points difference on an index spread between emerging market countries and the US treasury. These levels of spread are rather high compared to historical levels,” says Strigo, “so we think that going forward there is some room for these spreads to compress 100 basis points or even more.”
