One of the challenges of analysing the effect of political change on capital markets in emerging markets is the short history of the asset class. With at most thirty years of data, a country with a four-year electoral cycle will only have seven or eight electoral data points to consider, and these must also be taken in the context of economic and market drivers at both the national and global levels.
And this matters in 2018 with a fully-loaded electoral calendar (notwithstanding the unscheduled transitions in power we have seen this year in Peru and South Africa). In particular, the two large Latin American markets of Brazil and Mexico go to the polls in October and July respectively (Colombia also votes for its president, in May).
Since emerging market equity emerged in the late 1990s as an asset class, Brazil has seen seven presidential elections. The US dollar return of Brazilian equities in those calendar years (as measured by the MSCI Brazil index) has varied widely, from +63.8% in 1994 to -44.1% in 1998. Overall, the average USD return in an election year in Brazil is +8.7%, compared with an average of +9.4% in those same years for the MSCI Emerging Market index, suggesting a limited impact.
Where the Brazilian electoral experience gets more interesting is if we separate out the elections that returned generally centrist/conservative presidencies (1989, 1994 and 1998) from those that returned more left-wing/populist governments (2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014). The first set saw an average market return of +17.9% compared with +7.7% for the MSCI EM index in those same years, while the second set saw an average return of +1.8% compared with +10.7% for the MSCI EM index. It seems that the focus needs to be on the election result, rather than the simple fact of an election. This is further supported by the sharply negative short-term market performance around the 2002 and 2014 elections, which were finely balanced but ultimately decided in favour of the left-wing candidate.
A potentially similar pattern is also seen in the Mexican presidential elections (although these are held every six years, so there are even fewer data points). Mexico has elected presidents in 1988, 1994, 2000, 2006 and 2012. Despite a wide range of results (including the disastrous year of 1994 which saw a leading candidate assassinated in March and a sovereign debt default in December), the overall pattern is that the average market return in these years has been +15.2%, compared with +9.1% for the MSCI EM index. Significantly, in none of those five elections has the most left-wing candidate been victorious, suggesting a similar market dynamic to that seen in Brazil.
What of 2018, though? The Mexican election is likely to be won by a populist left-wing candidate, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (normally known as Amlo). This implies significant risk to Mexican equities in the run-up to the election, and, despite other attractive features to the market, we retain our neutral position because of political risk. We would note though, that as per the quote above, Amlo has sounded far more centrist in recent weeks, and significant weakness in Mexican assets around the election may offer an exciting buying opportunity, as was seen in Brazil in 2002 when Lula was first elected.
The Brazilian election is complicated. With Lula (the left-wing PT party’s preferred candidate) in jail for corruption, the leading candidate is abrasive far-right politician Jair Bolsanaro. If he is to be Brazil’s next president, the better comparison may be the present-day Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte. Since President Duterte assumed office in June 2016, the MSCI Philippines index has returned -10.6% in USD terms, compared with a return of +46.5% from the MSCI EM index. We consequently remain underweight Brazilian equities.
One of the challenges of analysing the effect of political change on capital markets in emerging markets is the short history of the asset class. With at most thirty years of data, a country with a four-year electoral cycle will only have seven or eight electoral data points to consider, and these must also be taken in the context of economic and market drivers at both the national and global levels.
And this matters in 2018 with a fully-loaded electoral calendar (notwithstanding the unscheduled transitions in power we have seen this year in Peru and South Africa). In particular, the two large Latin American markets of Brazil and Mexico go to the polls in October and July respectively (Colombia also votes for its president, in May).
Since emerging market equity emerged in the late 1990s as an asset class, Brazil has seen seven presidential elections. The US dollar return of Brazilian equities in those calendar years (as measured by the MSCI Brazil index) has varied widely, from +63.8% in 1994 to -44.1% in 1998. Overall, the average USD return in an election year in Brazil is +8.7%, compared with an average of +9.4% in those same years for the MSCI Emerging Market index, suggesting a limited impact.
Where the Brazilian electoral experience gets more interesting is if we separate out the elections that returned generally centrist/conservative presidencies (1989, 1994 and 1998) from those that returned more left-wing/populist governments (2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014). The first set saw an average market return of +17.9% compared with +7.7% for the MSCI EM index in those same years, while the second set saw an average return of +1.8% compared with +10.7% for the MSCI EM index. It seems that the focus needs to be on the election result, rather than the simple fact of an election. This is further supported by the sharply negative short-term market performance around the 2002 and 2014 elections, which were finely balanced but ultimately decided in favour of the left-wing candidate.
A potentially similar pattern is also seen in the Mexican presidential elections (although these are held every six years, so there are even fewer data points). Mexico has elected presidents in 1988, 1994, 2000, 2006 and 2012. Despite a wide range of results (including the disastrous year of 1994 which saw a leading candidate assassinated in March and a sovereign debt default in December), the overall pattern is that the average market return in these years has been +15.2%, compared with +9.1% for the MSCI EM index. Significantly, in none of those five elections has the most left-wing candidate been victorious, suggesting a similar market dynamic to that seen in Brazil.
What of 2018, though? The Mexican election is likely to be won by a populist left-wing candidate, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (normally known as Amlo). This implies significant risk to Mexican equities in the run-up to the election, and, despite other attractive features to the market, we retain our neutral position because of political risk. We would note though, that as per the quote above, Amlo has sounded far more centrist in recent weeks, and significant weakness in Mexican assets around the election may offer an exciting buying opportunity, as was seen in Brazil in 2002 when Lula was first elected.
The Brazilian election is complicated. With Lula (the left-wing PT party’s preferred candidate) in jail for corruption, the leading candidate is abrasive far-right politician Jair Bolsanaro. If he is to be Brazil’s next president, the better comparison may be the present-day Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte. Since President Duterte assumed office in June 2016, the MSCI Philippines index has returned -10.6% in USD terms, compared with a return of +46.5% from the MSCI EM index. We consequently remain underweight Brazilian equities.
Disclaimer
Data sourced from JOHCM/Bloomberg unless otherwise specified. Past performance is no guarantee of future performance. The value of investments and the income from them may go down as well as up and you may not get back your original investment. Investors should note that this Fund invests in emerging markets and such investments may carry risks with failed or delayed settlement and with registration and custody of securities. Companies in emerging markets may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards or be subject to the same level of government supervision and regulation as in more developed markets. The information contained herein including any expression of opinion is for information purposes only and is given on the understanding that it is not a recommendation. Government involvement in the economy may affect the value of investments and the risk of political instability may be high. The reliability of trading and settlement systems in some emerging markets may not be equal to that available in more developed markets which may result in problems in realising investments. Lack of liquidity and efficiency in certain of the stock markets or foreign exchange markets in certain emerging markets may mean that from time to time the Investment Manager may experience difficulty in purchasing or selling holdings of securities. Furthermore, due to local postal and banking systems, no guarantee can be given that all entitlements attaching to quoted and over-the-counter traded securities acquired by this Fund, including those related to dividends, can be realised. Issued and approved in the UK by J O Hambro Capital Management Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. JOHCM® is a registered trademark of J O Hambro Capital Management Ltd. J O Hambro® is a registered trademark of Barnham Broom Holdings Ltd. Registered in England and Wales under No: 2176004. Registered address: Ground Floor, Ryder Court, 14 Ryder Street, London SW1Y 6QB.
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