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LONDON, May 18 (Reuters) - Shell (SHEL.L) will likely face one of its most acrimonious annual meetings next week as it struggles to balance investor pressure to capture profits from oil and gas and a vocal minority saying it must move faster to tackle climate change. Big Oil firms posted record profits last year amid soaring energy prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. That resolution echoes a ruling by a Dutch court telling Shell to adjust its climate targets, which Shell has appealed. It also said it was pleased that proxy advisers ISS and Glass Lewis had recommended votes against the Follow This resolution. The measures, however, did not prevent climate activist participants from heckling and disrupting proceedings before being escorted out, some carried by security staff.

"We are looking into ways to express this (China recovery) theme in our portfolio rather than just say 'let's go long China equity'. "Given the higher risk premium of China stocks, the demand for 'shadowing' China will continue to be strong," Jefferies said. The relative cheapness of European stocks, at least at the start of this year, has also been important. Luxury stocks - less vulnerable to sanctions - have performed well, but geopolitical worries have bruised tech firms, and manufacturing difficulties have hurt commodity stocks. "What is doing extremely well this year is luxury; if you'd bought European miners hoping that China would stimulate, you'd have got it wrong."

☆ Wall St Week Ahead US. consumer price data to test feared stagflation scenario
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( David Randall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Some also believe the recent banking sector tumult will hurt lending and further constrain growth, forcing the Fed to cut rates before inflation is tamed. April’s survey of global fund managers from BoFA Global Research showed stagflation expectations near historical highs, with 86% saying it will be part of the macroeconomic backdrop in 2024. Next week’s consumer price data for April, due on Wednesday, May 10, could offer a clearer picture of whether the Fed’s interest rate increases are cooling inflation. Charlie McElligott, managing director of cross-asset macro strategy at Nomura Securities, pointed to the Atlanta Fed's GDPNow estimate, which is projecting a 2.7% growth rate in the second quarter, up from 1.8% on May 1. At the same time, expectations that the Fed is unlikely to raise rates much higher has created a better backdrop for investors, he said.

☆ European shares rise on smaller ECB rate hike, upbeat earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Shubham Batra | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SummarySummary Companies STOXX 600 index up 0.1%Adidas jumps on upbeat earningsEvotec drops on leaving MDAXMay 5 (Reuters) - European shares rose on Friday, as the European Central Bank's smaller rate hike, and market-beating results from Adidas and Apple boosted sentiment. The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) edged up 0.1%, but is on track for its second consecutive weekly loss. Energy (.SXEP) and utilities shares (.SXPP) led the gains on the index, rising 1.4% and 1.0% respectively, while food and beverage shares (.SX3P) slid 0.4%. "Inflation pressures worldwide help in driving equity markets although we don't like to pay higher prices, as consumers it eats into our pockets. The higher prices go to some company reaping the rewards of those higher prices," said Chi Chan, Portfolio Manager and Senior Research Analyst, Federated Hermes.

☆ Analysis: Debt ceiling worries bubble up in US stock options market
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Saqib Iqbal Ahmed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NEW YORK, April 26 (Reuters) - Worries over a debt ceiling showdown are creeping into U.S. options markets, as investors grow increasingly concerned that lawmakers will be unable to hammer out a deal in coming weeks, potentially sparking stock volatility as a key deadline nears. In the options market, however, worries are bubbling as some analysts warn the so-called X-date, after which the government is no longer able to pay all its bills, could come in the first half of June. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on Tuesday warned that failure by Congress to raise the government's debt ceiling - and the resulting default - would trigger an "economic catastrophe" that would send interest rates higher for years to come. AWKWARD TIMINGLegislative standoffs over debt limits this last decade have largely been resolved before they could ripple out into markets. "You are going to have all these fundamental pressures -- and then our friends in Washington aren't going to be able to agree on what to do with the debt ceiling," he said.

☆ Debt ceiling worries bubble up in US stock options market
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Saqib Iqbal Ahmed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

SummarySummary Companies Britain's house prices show weak rise in AprilBunelm gains on Stifel upgradeMedica Group surges on buyout dealFTSE 100 down 0.2%, FTSE 250 adds 0.2%April 24 (Reuters) - London's FTSE 100 fell on Monday as energy stocks and base metal miners lost ground on weak demand outlook, while caution set in ahead of a busy week of earnings. Oil giants BP (BP.L) and Shell (SHEL.L) lost 0.9% and 1.2%, respectively, as crude prices fell more than 1% on concerns about rising interest rates, global economic slowdown and fuel demand outlook. The FTSE 100 (.FTSE) fell 0.2%, while the mid-cap FTSE 250 (.FTMC) was up 0.2%, as of 0821 GMT. Growth companies, including Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), Google parent Alphabet Inc (GOOGL.O) and Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O), are scheduled to report their earnings this week. The FTSE 100 logged its fifth consecutive weekly rise on Friday, marking its longest streak of weekly gains in more than a year, buoyed by commodity stocks, even as weak global economic growth outlook keeps investor sentiment subdued.

If it is just a lagged statistical quirk, then the huge disparity in March inflation rates - of some 3-5 percentage points with western peers - should narrow sharply by yearend. With an election due next year, that may prove a big factor in any re-convergence of inflation rates if the cost of that is a much deeper economic downturn that rest. The question about Britain as an inflation outlier re-opens the age-old issue about just how that should be priced into sterling. For much of the past 10 years, G7 inflation rates were largely locked together in either their subdued pre-pandemic state or during the wild price spikes since. If UK inflation turns "idiosyncratic" among its peers during the much-vaunted normalization, then currency markets may need to rethink fundamental long-term assumptions about purchasing power, Gallo reckons.

☆ Analyst discusses U.S. bank earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailAnalyst discusses U.S. bank earningsFilippo Alloatti, head of financials at Federated Hermes, says there will eventually be a "bifurcation" between large and regional banks.

☆ Slowing US inflation shifts investor focus to earnings season
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( David Randall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Wednesday’s data showed consumer prices growing at a slower pace than expected last month, bolstering the argument that inflation is decelerating. Yet some investors believe markets may have already accounted for a mild inflation slowdown and say further gains in stocks could depend on whether upcoming corporate earnings - especially results from banks - can beat forecasts. Earnings per share for the six largest U.S. banks are expected to fall 10% from the same quarter last year, according to Refinitv data. Overall, analysts expect S&P 500 earnings to fall 5.2% in the first quarter of 2023 from the year-ago period, I/B/E/S data from Refinitiv as of April 7 showed. That weakness would come on the heels of a 3.2% earnings fall in the fourth quarter of 2022, a back-to-back decline known as an earnings recession which has not occurred since COVID-19 blasted corporate results in 2020.

☆ Credit is contracting and supply chain problems are easing, says Federated Hermes' Steve Auth
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCredit is contracting and supply chain problems are easing, says Federated Hermes' Steve AuthSteve Auth, Federated Hermes Equities CIO, joins 'The Exchange' to discuss leaning in to defensive stocks, retesting summer lows, and inflation numbers coming down.

☆ We forecast negative GDP growth in third and fourth quarters of '23: Federated Hermes' Orlando
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWe forecast negative GDP growth in third and fourth quarters of '23: Federated Hermes' OrlandoPhil Orlando, Federated Hermes’ chief equity market strategist, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss the disconnect between core and nominal CPI, the way banks are paring back on loans and more.

☆ Here are Tuesday's biggest analyst calls of the day: Apple, Amazon, UPS, Netflix, WW, Disney & more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

Morgan Stanley names UnitedHealth a top pick Morgan Stanley says the healthcare company is best positioned in a recession. Morgan Stanley reiterates Netflix as equal weight Morgan Stanley said Netflix is the "streaming winner" but that it's "priced as such." Morgan Stanley downgrades Nasdaq to equal weight from overweight Morgan Stanley said that it has growth concerns for the exchange operator. JPMorgan upgrades Federated Hermes to overweight from underweight JPMorgan said the rate environment makes the capital market company's stock more attractive. Morgan Stanley upgrades AstraZeneca to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley said the pharmaceutical company is "leading the race" to outsmart cancer.

☆ Explainer: How are money market funds preparing for a potential debt ceiling crisis?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( John Mccrank | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

HOW BIG ARE MONEY MARKET FUNDS? Assets under management in U.S. money market funds, which include Treasury-only funds, prime funds, and government funds, totaled a record $5.2 trillion as of March 29, Investment Company Institute data showed. WHY IS THE DEBT CEILING A CONCERN FOR MONEY MARKET FUNDS? Fitch Ratings warned in February that the potential for investor redemptions and volatility in Treasury-only money market funds – as opposed to prime and government money market funds, which have other sources of funding – would rise if investors believed the government were to default. Runs on money market funds have been rare.

By offloading some of the risk on their loans, the banks can significantly reduce how much capital they need to set aside to cover potential losses, according to law firm Clifford Chance. A bank can normally transfer risks of losses equivalent to around 7% to 12% of a loan portfolio, two market sources said. With synthetic structures, a bank transfers the risk via credit derivatives or guarantees but keeps holding the underlying exposures. The IFC sold BNP a $50 million guarantee on $1 billion of loans to emerging markets, they said, without disclosing terms. While Europe has been at the forefront for risk transfers, the stock of loans covered by SRTs is small relative to European banks' balance sheets.

Vahia is one among India’s young and aspirational 1.4 billion population, whose propensity for online spending has attracted global companies and digital platforms. And as private consumption underpins economic growth in India, financial investors are targetting new ways to tap into it. India's per capita consumption of food was at $314 in 2020 compared to $884 for China, while that of clothing stood at $53.9 versus $212.9 for China, data from CLSA showed. FOREIGN INVESTORS JUMP INWith private consumption accounting for 60% of India's $3.5 trillion GDP, foreign portfolio investors have been quick to latch on. To be sure, it has not been all smooth sailing for investors as they chased India's consumption boom.

LONDON, March 31 (Reuters) - Even after a bank shock that could well have changed the whole picture, investors appear reluctant to give up the ghost just yet. The tech-heavy, interest-rate sensitive Nasdaq (.IXIC) is up 14% and even broad European bank stock indices (.SX7P) are still up more than 4% for the year. Pull the lens out as far as it can go and MSCI's all-country index of world stocks (.MIWD00000PUS) is up more than 5%. That U-turn in thinking during the month saw wild swings in the bond and rates markets, where key volatility gauges (.MOVE) hit their highest since the 2008 crash. by Mike Dolan; Editing by Toby Chopra; Twitter: @reutersMikeDOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Watch CNBC's full interview with Federated Hermes' Phil Orlando
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWatch CNBC's full interview with Federated Hermes' Phil OrlandoPhil Orlando, chief equity market strategist at Federated Hermes, joins CNBC’s ‘Power Lunch’ to discuss why he expects the 10-year Treasury yield to return to 3 percent in 2023.

☆ Here's why Federated Hermes' Phil Orlando is concentrating on bonds
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailHere's why Federated Hermes' Phil Orlando is concentrating on bondsPhil Orlando, chief equity market strategist at Federated Hermes, joins 'CNBC’s ‘Power Lunch’ to discuss why he expects the 10-year Treasury yield to return to 3% in 2023 and more.

☆ Wall Street is confident high-yielding banks won't cut their dividends
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Scott Schnipper | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Atlanta's Truist Financial ($41 billion) now yields 6.2% while Minneapolis's U.S. Bancorp ($53 billion) pays 5.1% on its common stock. After all, high dividend yields are often a sign of financial or business distress, or a red flag that the payments so many mom-and-pop investors depend on are unsustainable. Wall Street just doesn't think most payouts will be cut — so long as any recession this year stays on the mild side. "Despite these lower dividend growth expectations, we believe these bank holdings still have attractive dividends," Peris added. A final straw in the wind: Wall Street has issued dozens of research reports since Silicon Valley Bank went under.

NEW YORK, March 21 (Reuters) - Worries over the banking crisis are boosting disparate assets, with traditional safe-havens such as gold, Treasuries and money markets seeing high demand along with more speculative instruments such as tech stocks and bitcoin. The gains have come alongside big moves in assets traditionally perceived as safe-havens during uncertain times. Yields on shorter-dated Treasuries, which move inversely to prices, saw a historic drop last week, while money market funds notched their biggest inflows since April 2020 in the week to March 15, Refinitiv Lipper data showed. Well, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield is down about 60 basis points from early March,” said Keith Lerner, chief market strategist at Truist Advisory Services, in a Monday report. Reporting by Lewis Krauskopf and David Randall; Editing by Ira Iosebashvili and Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The SFDR defines sustainable investment as contributing to "an environmental or social objective", assessed by indicators such as use of raw materials or production of waste. The people Reuters spoke to said discrepancies among fund portfolios reflected a lack of clarity from the Commission over what constitutes a sustainable investment. Reuters GraphicsReuters GraphicsTEMPERATURE GAUGEMSCI, the finance industry data provider, has developed a way of checking on investment funds' green credentials with its ESG Implied Temperature Rise tool. Among them, for example, are BlackRock's Sustainable Energy Fund, Nordea's Global Climate and Environment Fund and Pictet's Global Environmental Opportunities Fund. "The characterisation of what constitutes a sustainable investment under the SFDR is also a concept that needs further clarifications at European level."

Fund managers say they are fielding more queries from clients about the odds of an invasion of Taiwan by China. Russia's invasion of Ukraine early last year has also made investors more wary of war risk, analysts said. Goldman Sachs' Cross-Strait Risk Index, which gauges the intensity of geopolitical risk between Taiwan and mainland China, hit a record high last August after then-U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Taiwan. Jordan Stuart, client portfolio manager at Federated Hermes, says he cut China exposure last year while holding onto some small stocks that can "fly under the radar". The Taiwan Strait is a major route for ships transporting goods from East Asia to the United States and Europe.

/USThe dollar index fell 0.21% from one-month highs, while the Japanese yen gained 1.21% to 131.08 per dollar after unusually strong Japanese wage data. The Australian dollar bolted 1.02% higher after its central bank reiterated further increases would be needed. Asian stocks stabilized overnight after they, like most global share markets, suffered steep losses following that U.S jobs data. Oil prices climbed more than 3% after Powell eased market concerns over rate hikes, while recovering demand in China also boosted prices. Gold eked out gains, tracking a slight pullback in the dollar, as investors mulled comments by Powell and the outlook for the Fed's rate-hike policy.

☆ Supply-driven inflation will be stickier than expected, says Federated Hermes' DeNichilo
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSupply-driven inflation will be stickier than expected, says Federated Hermes' DeNichiloWilliam Lee, chief economist at the Milken Institute, and Stephen DeNichilo, Federated Hermes portfolio manager, join ‘Power Lunch’ to react to Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s question-and-answer session at The Economic Club of Washington, D.C., this afternoon.

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