Russell Investments' 2015 Global Annual Outlook: Canada's international trade expected to be a key driver of growth

• Housing and commodity prices key risks to growth
• 2015 year-end target for S&P/TSX expected at 15,000; Canadian dollar expected to hover in $0.84 - $0.92 range; BoC expected to hold target rate for most of year
• Expectations for stronger growth in all the developed economies such as GDP growth of 3.0% in the U.S. and 1% to 1.5% in the Eurozone over 2015

TORONTO, Dec. 18, 2014 /CNW/ - International trade is expected to be the key driver of Canadian economic growth in 2015, as exports continue to receive a boost from a weak Canadian dollar, an accelerating U.S. economy and, to a lesser degree, an improving European economy, according to Russell Investments' ("Russell") 2015 Global Annual Outlook."While critical risks remain - primarily the direction of commodity prices, oil in particular, we believe a strengthening domestic economy coupled with stabilizing oil prices over a 12-month horizon should translate into modest returns for domestic equities in 2015," said Shailesh Kshatriya, associate director, client investment strategies at Russell Investments Canada Limited, who authored the Canada Market Perspective section of the global report.

The report notes the key risks to growth in 2015 in Canada will be housing and commodity prices - with the price of oil being the true wildcard. "There is no way to sugarcoat the fact that household debt levels are stretched and home prices elevated. However, we believe the Bank of Canada will be sidelined for much of 2015. In the absence of rate increases, the risk of a sharp decline in home prices may well be contained yet another year; nonetheless, it's a risk which cannot be ignored," according to Kshatriya.

Canadian Forecast Summary

• Canadian economic growth is expected to be 2.2%-2.5%. While respectable, the downside risks emanating from an overpriced housing market and lower oil prices in particular, cannot be overlooked.
• The Bank of Canada ("BoC") is expected to hold its target rate of 1.0% for most of 2015, with the potential for one rate hike towards the end of the year - preferring to wait for the Fed to commence increasing rates to assess how the U.S. economy responds to higher interest rates prior to initiating its own.
• Mid- to longer-term bond yields are expected to head higher in 2015 with Government of Canada 10-year bond yields expected to be in the 2.50%-2.75% range by year-end.
• A dovish central bank, coupled with contracting short-term yield spreads between Canada and the U.S., means the Canadian dollar has more downside than upside risks. The currency is therefore expected to hover in a range of $0.84 - $0.92 USD in 2015.
• Russell's year-end target for the S&P/TSX Composite Index is 15,000. With the caveat that oil price declines are not egregious, the combination of reasonable GDP growth and a favourable profit margin cycle should equate to modest returns from domestic equities in 2015.

Global Forecast Overview

From a global perspective, Russell's strategists explain how anticipated tightening from the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) and Bank of England, contrasted with expectations for easing from the European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of Japan, will play a leading role in shaping the global capital markets through 2015.

"After shaping global economic and market realities the past five years, the major central banks appear headed in divergent directions in 2015," said Russell's Global Head of Investment Strategy, Andrew Pease. "The key question for investors to watch in 2015 is the amount of spare capacity in the U.S. economy. This will determine the amount of inflation pressure, the extent of Fed tightening, profit margins and long-term interest rates."

In the report, the strategists also laid out their two main scenarios for the U.S. economy. Their favored outlook is a continuation of single-digit profit growth, further gradual declines in unemployment, and a Fed that commences gradual tightening in mid-2015 with clear communication. In this scenario, U.S. 10-year Treasury yields rise beyond 3% and credit performs well – relative to Treasuries – with a backdrop of low default rates and subdued volatility.

For 2015, the strategists remain optimistic, with expectations for stronger growth in all the developed economies, such as real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 3.0% in the U.S. and 1% to 1.5% in the Eurozone.

"The U.S. market sets the tone for the global outlook, and a key indicator to watch will be hourly earnings in monthly employment reports," added Pease. "This will provide the first evidence that labour market conditions are tightening enough to hurt margins, push up inflation, and make the Fed more hawkish. Conversely, subdued wage growth will be evidence that our favoured scenario is on track."

Russell's strategists used their "cycle, value, sentiment" investment strategy process, based on a set of qualitative and quantitative inputs, to determine the global outlook for 2015. Their current global market perspectives are as follows:

• Business Cycle: Cautious optimism in developed markets

U.S. economic growth is robust, with expectations in 2015 for average monthly payroll gains of 200,000 and U.S. inflation of 2.0%. Japan is already showing tentative signs of economic recovery and will further benefit from quantitative easing as well as the delay of next year's consumption tax increase. Growth indicators in the Eurozone are mixed, but recovering corporate profits and additional ECB stimulus contribute to an optimistic growth outlook. Emerging Markets, however, are challenged by falling commodity prices, financing pressure on countries with a current-account deficit
– such as Brazil and Turkey – from the rising U.S. dollar (USD), and expectations of Chinese GDP growing by only 7.0%.

• Valuation: U.S. is stretched while Japanese and European equities are neutral

U.S. equities are still the most expensive with a price-to-book value around 2.8 times and a cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings ratio of more than 21 times, per the U.S. large-cap Russell 1000® Index as of Dec. 12, 2014. Both Japanese and European equities are scored as neutral value. Equity valuations in the Emerging Markets are attractive, with the biggest price-to-book value discount relative to developed markets in 10 years.

• Sentiment: Developed markets maintain positive momentum, despite some contrarian signals

A large number of signals are in overbought territory, yet momentum still acts as a positive driver for equity markets. The U.S. in particular looks overbought on a range of short- and medium- term indicators, including measures of investor sentiment, some technical indicators, and positioning indicators. The Eurozone maintains positive price momentum even though short-term sentiment has increased. Sentiment in the major Asia-Pacific regional markets, perhaps with the exception of Australia, is upbeat, but prone to disappointment in the short term.

"As high valuations persist, especially in the U.S., and yields remain low, due to historically unorthodox easing policies from global central banks, investors are faced with a challenge to achieve their real goals in a low-return world, often squeezing many to riskier assets," said Jeff Hussey, Russell's global chief investment officer.

For more information, please see the "2015 Annual Global Outlook".

About Russell Investments

Russell Investments is a global asset manager and one of only a few firms that offers actively managed multi-asset portfolios and services that include advice, investments and implementation. Russell stands with institutional investors, financial advisors and individuals working with their advisors—using the firm's core capabilities that extend across capital market insights, manager research, portfolio construction, portfolio implementation and indexes to help each achieve their desired investment outcomes.

Russell has more than $307 billion (CAD) in assets under management (as of 9/30/2014) and works with over 2,500 institutional clients, independent distribution partners and individual investors globally. As a consultant to some of the largest pools of capital in the world, Russell has $2.4 trillion in assets under advisement (as of 6/30/2013). It has four decades of experience researching and selecting investment managers and meets annually with more than 2,200 managers around the world. Russell traded more than $1.6 trillion in 2013 through its implementation services business. Russell also calculates approximately 700,000 benchmarks daily covering 98% of the investable market globally, including more than 80 countries and more than 10,000 securities. Approximately $5.2 trillion in assets are benchmarked (as of 12/31/2013) to the Russell Indexes, which have provided investors with 30 years of smarter beta.

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SOURCE: Russell Investments Canada Limited

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