Energy

In Section I, we note that the global growth outlook has modestly deteriorated over the past month, despite an improving 12-month outlook for Chinese domestic demand in response to the imminent end of the nation’s “dynamic zero-COVID” policy. Investors should remain conservatively positioned over the coming year, as we recommended in our Annual Outlook report. In Section II, we examine whether the structural risks facing global stocks are higher or lower today than they were prior to the global financial crisis, and what that implies for stock and bond risk premia.

Energy and metal supplies are becoming increasingly scarce. In such a market, we will re-establish our long commodity exposure via the COMT ETF after being stopped out with a -4% return this week. We remain long equity exposure to oil and gas producers, and metals miners via the XOP and XME ETFs, respectively. Our energy recommendations closed this year posted an average 18.4% gain.

We explore the eight major themes that will define economic and market trends for Europe next year.

Prefer government bonds over stocks, defensive sectors over cyclicals, and large caps over small caps. Favor North America over other markets. Favor emerging markets like Southeast Asia and Latin America over Greater China, Turkey, and emerging Europe. Stick with aerospace/defense stocks.

Prefer government bonds over stocks, defensive sectors over cyclicals, and large caps over small caps. Favor North America over other markets. Favor emerging markets like Southeast Asia and Latin America over Greater China, Turkey, and emerging Europe. Stick with aerospace/defense stocks.

In this <i>Strategy Outlook</i>, we present the major investment themes and views we see playing out next year and beyond.

European inflation will decline through 2023, which will greatly help households and consumption. But can European inflation remain low after that?

We are revising our 4Q22 Brent forecast to $90/bbl, expecting December front-line Brent to average $85/bbl. On the back of this early weakness, we are lowering our 2023 forecast slightly to $115/bbl, with an upside bias, anticipating a successful – if chaotic – re-opening in China beginning in 1Q23. Our expectations for copper trading above $4.00/lb in 1Q23 and above $4.50/lb in 2H23 stand.

Chinese social unrest will be suppressed first, then the government will relax policies to stabilize the economy. We are reducing our 4Q22 Brent forecast to $85/bbl as a result of the short-term negative news, but maintaining our $116/bbl forecast for next year.

Today, we are sending you the BCA annual outlook for 2023. The report is an edited transcript of our recent conversation with Mr. X and his daughter, Ms. X, who are long-time BCA clients with whom we discuss the economic and financial market outlook for the next twelve months toward the end of each year.