The economic outlook is once again cloudy as Fed officials have indicated they’re not keen to stop tightening until they’re sure that inflation won’t flare up again, even at the cost of some economic “pain,” according to Wei Li, global chief investment strategist at BlackRock Inc.Article content
“What we’ve seen at this juncture is a bear market rally and we don’t want to chase it,” Li said, referring to equities. “I don’t think we’re out of the woods with one month of inflation cooling. Bets of a dovish Fed pivot are premature and earnings don’t reflect the real risk of a U.S. recession next year.
And while investors in Bank of America Corp.’s latest global fund manager survey have turned less pessimistic about global growth, sentiment is still bearish. Inflows to stocks and bonds suggest “very few fear” the Fed, according to strategist Michael Hartnett. But he reckons the central bank is “nowhere near done” on tightening. Investors will be scouring for clues on that front at the Fed’s annual Jackson Hole gathering this week.