De-dollarisation: More heat than light

The US–Europe relations prevailing since World War II are shifting.

In New York as well as other major metro areas, once-bustling corporate offices are now quieter, leading companies to adjust to a new reality: remote working is no longer a temporary solution but rather a structural shift. Consequently, corporates are actively reducing their office space footprints, significantly increasing vacancies in the sector.

The post-election fiscal tightening in 2024, coupled with persistent inflationary pressures, has cast a shadow over India’s economy.

The year started with volatility in rates, as the 10-year Treasury yield oscillates amid shifting market dynamics.

At the start of the year, markets dismissed the prospect of US tariffs as mere threats rather than economic realities. But the new Trump administration’s first decisive moves – targeting China, Canada, Mexico, and soon, Europe – have shattered that assumption.

Emerging market (EM) corporate bonds have faced considerable challenges in recent years, with rising geopolitical tensions, defaults in China’s real estate sector, and elevated global interest rates dampening investor appetite; however, the tide may be turning. A shift in the global interest rate environment – marked by a rate cut by the US Federal Reserve and a fresh economic stimulus package in China – offers an opportunity to revisit this often-overlooked asset class.

The statements in late 2024 from China’s central bank and the country’s Politburo sparked hopes of a ‘whatever it takes’ moment, only to see these dashed, as policy actions have fallen short of expectations.

Infrastructure assets provide essential services to communities, facilitating the transport of people, data, and energy.

Several central banks, including the Federal Reserve, Bank of England, and European Central Bank, have ushered in a new era of rate-cutting, signalling the end to their fight against inflation. But what does this easing cycle mean for asset classes?