Forex Analysis & Reviews: 19.08.2022 - FTSE on verge of crash as...

19.08.2022 03:23 PM

FTSE on verge of crash as institutional interest in UK equities fades

The UK is now facing multiple problems: the cost-of-living crisis, political chaos, and labor strikes. Now, the country's blue-chip index and the only bright spot in the economy, the FTSE 100, is under threat as well.

The index gained about 1.6% since the beginning of 2022, beating a 13% drop for the Euro Stoxx 50 thanks to its big exposure to value segments such as energy, miners, and banks. These segments of the economy have advanced as the economy began to broadly move away from growth.

The FTSE 100 is also under threat from dimming prospects for commodities. The index rose by about 7% from its mid-July low, compared to gains of about 9% for the Euro Stoxx 50, 16% for the S&P 500 and 20% for the Nasdaq 100.

"We are beginning to see institutional interest in UK equities fade," said Daniel Gerard, senior multi asset strategist at State Street Global Markets. Gerard stated that the outlook for energy would likely fall, and that the tailwinds from rates to currency weakness from the first half of 2022 were unlikely to propel the index further.

The latest survey of fund managers by Bank of America Corp. shows a similar trend. Even though the UK stock market is the market of choice for European investors, allocation to British stocks among global fund managers dropped to a net 15% underweight in August from 4% in July.

For comparison, investors in the eurozone are a net 34% underweight. At the same time, fund managers have a net 10% overweight for US stocks.

Even though the index is still considered to be "attractively valued" Alan Dobbie, co-manager of the Rathbone Income Fund, said he sees a "clear market consensus expecting central banks to be forced into a pivot away from their aggressive tightening programmes." As a result, investors could shift to more longer-duration growth sectors such as technology. The FTSE 100 has very few such companies.

On the other hand, the UK market still enjoys support from several positive fundamental factors: market participants get more than two-thirds of sales from outside the UK. This shields them from the country's economic and political headwinds.

"Companies that are not exposed to the domestic UK economy – that have global presence – are good places to hide out from the storm," Swetha Ramachandran, an equities investment manager at GAM, said.

The UK's domestic stocks remain under pressure, however. The FTSE 250, the UK's midcap stocks index, could lose 14% in 2022. The weaker pound has added to surging costs, while spiraling inflation has fueled concerns that consumers will limit spending.

"While so far earnings have held up better than expected, the market is concerned this will get a lot worse," Tineke Frikkee, head of UK research at Waverton Investment Management, noted.

You have already liked this post today

*El análisis de mercado publicado aquí tiene la finalidad de incrementar su conocimiento, más no darle instrucciones para realizar una operación.

Para cualquier consulta sobre contenidos, póngase en contacto con editorial-board@instaforex.com

Fundamental analysis

Andrey Shevchenko,
Experto analítico de InstaForex
© 2007-2025

Más artículos por este autor

Suscripción por correo electrónico

EURUSD

Euro vs US Dollar

Seleccione el marco de tiempo

min

hora

horas

día

Iniciar comercio

Gana con los cambios en el valor de las criptomonedas con InstaForex.

Descarga MetaTrader 4 y abre tu primera operación.

Recommended Stories

El Bitcoin se convierte en víctima de estafadores

Análisis del par GBP/USD. El 19 de mayo. ¿Qué esperar de la inflación en EE. UU.?

Análisis del par EUR/USD. El 19 de mayo. La guerra comercial frena al dólar.

EUR/USD. En la trampa del rango lateral

Análisis del par GBP/USD. El 15 de mayo. El calvario del dólar continúa.

Análisis del par EUR/USD. 15 de mayo. La fe del mercado en el dólar está por el suelo.

Análisis del par GBP/USD. El 14 de mayo. Solo importa el tratado comercial.

Análisis del par EUR/USD. El 14 de mayo. La música no duró mucho.

Análisis del par GBP/USD. 13 de mayo. La libra esterlina recibió un golpe bajo

Análisis del par EUR/USD. El 13 de mayo. EE. UU. y China llegaron inesperadamente a un acuerdo.

Principales Análisis