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Portfolio Playbook: Continued uncertainty

In December, we still favor long-duration bonds and high quality US stocks. Optimize your portfolios with our monthly outlook and allocation guidance.

US white house

Despite US growth prospects, trade policy uncertainties have been a drag on global markets.

The US election drove positive sentiment about US growth prospects, but uncertainty about trade policies continues to exert a drag on global markets and market sentiment outside the US. Our global risk appetite barometer modestly improved in November but it’s not flagging a sufficient rebound and inflection point just yet. Global growth does remain broadly stable, however. We continue to monitor China — and Asia more broadly — looking for early signs of a rebound in earnings expectations relative to developed markets. It’s yet to materialize.

Our macro framework continues to indicate the global economy remains in a contraction regime of below-trend and decelerating growth. It started in July and has persisted since then.

We haven’t changed our portfolio positioning for December. In stocks, we’re overweight defensive sectors with quality and low volatility characteristics, tilting towards larger capitalizations at the expense of value and mid- and small-caps. For bonds, we’re underweight credit risk and overweight duration, favoring investment grade and sovereign fixed income over high yield.

Business cycle

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  • Recession doesn’t appear imminent.
  • Stable consumption and tight credit spreads aren’t consistent with significant activity deterioration.

Market sentiment

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  • Leading economic indicators suggest stable, below-trend growth.
  • Global risk appetite still decelerating as Chinese stimulus underwhelms.

Policy implications

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  • Inflation appears contained.
  • Forthcoming future rate cuts, but tempered expectations.

Business cycle

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  • Economy experiences “soft landing” as growth remains resilient and inflation contained.

Market sentiment

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  • Global economy climbs to above-trend rate and continues to improve.
  • Risk-on sentiment returns as investors look to reinvigorated economy.

Policy implications

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  • Inflation remains contained.
  • Fed eases policy amid a strong growth environment.

Business cycle

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  • Lagged effects of policy tightening more severe than expected.
  • Prolonged recession emerges.

Market sentiment

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  • Leading economic indicators meaningfully deteriorate.
  • Flight to quality as economy deteriorates.

Policy implications

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  • Fed lowers rates rapidly, below perceived neutral rate.

Asset allocations to consider:
In December, we’re still favoring long-duration bonds and high quality US stocks.

A challenge for tactical investors is preparing for the expected and anticipating the unexpected. The tactical asset allocation (TAA) framework from the Invesco Solutions team is designed to enhance a long-term strategic asset allocation (SAA) by making portfolio tilts based on near-term market views.

The tactical, dynamic factor rotation shown below is also utilized in the Invesco Russell 1000® Dynamic Multifactor ETF (OMFL).



About our allocations

  • The Invesco Solutions team develops portfolios for client-oriented outcomes over multiple time horizons. Our tactical asset allocation (TAA), regime-based framework dynamically adjusts exposures to asset classes, regions, sectors, and factors, to create multi-asset portfolios designed for the prevailing macroeconomic environment. Strategic asset allocation (SAA) positioning is derived from our rigorous investment process, which consists of long-term capital market assumptions (CMAs), portfolio optimization, and risk management.



About our allocations

  • The Invesco Solutions team develops portfolios for client-oriented outcomes over multiple time horizons. Our tactical asset allocation (TAA), regime-based framework dynamically adjusts exposures to asset classes, regions, sectors, and factors, to create multi-asset portfolios designed for the prevailing macroeconomic environment. Strategic asset allocation (SAA) positioning is derived from our rigorous investment process, which consists of long-term capital market assumptions (CMAs), portfolio optimization, and risk management.



About our allocations

  • The Invesco Solutions team develops portfolios for client-oriented outcomes over multiple time horizons. Our tactical asset allocation (TAA), regime-based framework dynamically adjusts exposures to asset classes, regions, sectors, and factors, to create multi-asset portfolios designed for the prevailing macroeconomic environment. Strategic asset allocation (SAA) positioning is derived from our rigorous investment process, which consists of long-term capital market assumptions (CMAs), portfolio optimization, and risk management.