Previously on Global Forecast
- 18 Apr 2011
One more ECB rate rise due – but no euro surge - 16 Mar 2011
Japan economy strong enough to bounce back - 16 Feb 2011
UK rates will rise in first half - 27 Jan 2011
Interest rates on hold despite inflation fears
- 15 Dec 2010
Gloom for many in 2011 - 17 Nov 2010
Ireland's fall - no reason to regret cuts - 20 Oct 2010
Global currency war threat - 15 Sep 2010
Interest rate rises scrapped to late 2012 - 18 Aug 2010
Double dip only 30% likely but rates on hold till 2012 - 21 Jul 2010
Cuts will not spark recession - 16 Jun 2010
GDP will be hit by fiscal squeeze - 19 May 2010
UK will avoid Greek crisis - 14 Apr 2010
Economy too weak for sharp spending cuts - 18 Mar 2010
Rate rises pushed back to late 2011 - 17 Feb 2010
PIGS will not sink the euro - 20 Jan 2010
Bank tax will not pay off deficits - 21 Dec 2009
2010: Emerging Markets beat Western Europe - 24 Nov 2009
Jobless figures set to jump - 04 Nov 2009
UK: Sick man of Europe - 07 Sep 2009
Interest rate rises on the way - 27 Jul 2009
US growth: Up in 2010, down in 2011 - 30 Jun 2009
Economic recovery may grind to a halt - 29 Jun 2009
Economic crisis is deepening rapidly - 29 Jun 2009
Economy starting to bottom out - 16 Jun 2009
Economic recovery won't help Labour
Previously on Debates
- 11 Aug 2010
Risk management: Walking the wire - 27 Jul 2010
Brazil Unbound: How investors see Brazil and Brazil sees the world - 07 May 2010
Another election in months - 30 Apr 2010
Party leaders attack banks, bonuses and the City
- 23 Apr 2010
Markets should relax over hung parliament threat - 16 Apr 2010
Leadership debate: Spending cuts and immigration issues ducked - 09 Apr 2010
Election Countdown: Tax and spending divide widens - 01 Apr 2010
Election Countdown: Gilt markets face hung parliament threat - 30 Mar 2010
After Copenhagen: Business and climate change - 26 Mar 2010
Election Countdown: Major public spending cuts after the election - 19 Mar 2010
Election Countdown: Can the City escape tough regulation? - 12 Mar 2010
Election Countdown: Bank bonuses not an election issue - 11 Dec 2009
Managing virtual teams - 04 Dec 2009
Corporate relocations – the challenges of moving operations - 25 Sep 2008
The Credit Crunch - The corporate response
Previously on Health
- 16 Dec 2009
The future of ageing and social care - 22 Sep 2009
Better health in the developing world - 15 Sep 2009
Why American doctors back Health Reform - 23 Apr 2009
Preventive Medicine - nice idea, but not practical today?
Previously on News
- 29 Jan 2010
Davos: Ignoring geo-political risks 'complacent' - 28 Jan 2010
Davos: Danger of renewed economic slowdown - 02 Jul 2009
Iran - arrests will deter foreign investors - 29 Jun 2009
Economic gloom will lead to social unrest
- 29 Jun 2009
Swine Flu: An underestimated threat
Time to buy sterling?
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Chris Watling considers whether investors should be buying sterling at current levels. Will rising inflation and the fiscal deficit drag the currency down further or will the new policies of the coalition government increase the strength of the pound?
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For more macroeconomic analysis plus opinion on equity and commodity trends, watch The Longview.
- 03 Sep 2010
Equities - Cyclically attractive, structurally challenged - 16 Jul 2010
Copper supercycle intact - 08 Jul 2010
Summer equity rally expected - 17 Jun 2010
Time to buy sterling? - 10 Jun 2010
New bear market? - 11 May 2010
Buy equities: Three reasons - 15 Apr 2010
Why own gold? - 08 Apr 2010
Does the election matter to markets?
There is clearly a lot to worry about with respect to the UK economy. Inflation is very high and has been high for the last two or three years as evidenced by all the letters the Governor of the Bank of England has written to the Chancellor explaining this above target inflation. Our fiscal deficit is one of the largest in Europe at about 12 or 13 per cent of GDP. House prices have almost regained their peak from '07 in certain parts of the country where they're regarded as very much in bubble like territory. On top of that we face a prolonged difficult period of fiscal austerity.
So against that backdrop one has to wonder is GBP attractive or should we be once again short this currency. Well the answer to that, from our point of view, is the case for shorting has indeed passed and the case for buying is building. The reason we say the case for shorting has passed is because it's all in the price. If you look at GBP on a trade weighted index analysis, we're at the bottom of our 40, 50 year lows. We're as low as we were in the mid '70s after the IMF crisis and we really haven't been lower at any time over that period.
Indeed, if you look at GBP against USD we're a little above 1.40 and only once in that time period has it been below that level.
If you look at GBP/EUR, 12 months ago sterling was at record lows. Since then, there has been a bit of a rally, but it's still very low levels.
So the case for shorting has passed. The bad news is in the price and the case for buying is building and that's based on three things.
Firstly, we have a new government, that seems intent on dealing with our economic problems. Intent on moving us from being a government spending driven and government job creation driven economy, which we have been for the past 10 years, to one that is driven by the private sector, by investment innovation and private sector job creation.
Secondly, we have a government that believes in sound money, protecting the purchasing power of GBP, which means an end to quantitative easing, which means a more serious attempt to address above target inflation, which means on average, over the long-term, slightly higher interest rates, thereby supporting sterling.
And finally, we have a very dynamic and flexible economy in the UK. We've seen that with the way labour markets have behaved in this last recession. We've also seen that in the way innovation plays out in the UK economy. It's flexible. It's not rigid. Its ability to regenerate itself is strong, particularly when you compare it to our major trading partner Europe.
So despite the fiscal austerity that is coming to Britain on June 22nd when the Chancellor announces his budget, for all those reasons above, the case for shorting has passed. The currency is cheap and the case for buying sterling is growing and strong.
That was the Longview. You can download this programme from the iTunes store, from Cantos' or indeed from our website, www.longvieweconomics.com. Do get in touch if you have any questions. We hope you've enjoyed watching and look forward to seeing you next month. Goodbye.
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