Mid-Year Outlook 2019, Asia
Wealth Management Asia Urges Portfolio Health Checks, Outlines Opportunities as Global Growth Slows
BNP Paribas Wealth Management Asia hosted a series of mid-year investment outlook events in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Hong Kong in July, to outline house views on the state of global markets and actionable opportunities for private clients in the months to come.
Wealth Management Asia CEO Pierre Vrielinck in Hong Kong, and Head of SE Asia Wealth Management Arnaud Tellier in Southeast Asia, delivered opening remarks, positioning the Bank’s full-service investment platform and lead position with regards to sustainable investment solutions.
Around 600 clients in total gathered, across the locations, to tune into our award-winning investment team’s review of markets year-to-date and address questions on the pace and direction of US interest rates, likely scenarios for China-US trade tensions and the likelihood of a further slowdown, versus full-blown recession, in the global economy.
Get the insights: 2019 Mid-Year Outlook: Cash is Not King. Stay Diversified!
Prashant Bhayani, Asia, CIO
The picture painted, entertainingly, by our Chief Investment Officer, Asia, Prashant Bhayani was one of persisting uncertainty and volatility, depending on trade scenarios and central bank policy, but with no recession over the coming year.
“Against such a backdrop, we advocate a barbell approach to investing, with a focus on mega trends and defensive sector allocation,” Prashant told the audience.
Our Panel of Experts
The highlight for clients was a panel discussion, anchored by Prashant, on sector specific opportunities and a perceived need to run portfolio health checks to ensure safe and steady yields.
Structured products could be particularly effective in the current environment to enhance yield, diversify risk and adopt buffered exposure to shore up portfolios, according to Gabriel Chan, Head of Investment Services in Hong Kong.
Head of FX Asia, Shafali Sachdev urged clients to seriously consider gold as an inflation and portfolio hedge.
Meanwhile, our Director of Fixed Income Advisory Asia, Vincent Lam, highlighted the benefits of investing in short duration IG bonds, U.S. treasuries and emerging market local currency credit.
After enjoying delicious lunches at the likes of the Four Seasons in Hong Kong and St Regis in Singapore, some clients enthused over the impact of the panels, thanks to their clear and compelling investment ideas.