Fixed Income and Currency Strategist

Gautam Jain, PhD, CFA

FX & Rates

The Brazilian real is the official currency of the Federative Republic of Brazil.  

<ul>
<li>With the Brazilian central bank approaching the end of its aggressive monetary tightening cycle, the rate curve has taken a unique shape that features a hump and a kink.</li>
<li>The hump should get more pronounced because the rate-cutting cycle should be deeper than currently priced because real rates are quite elevated and growth risks are high.</li>
<li>The kink should also get more prominent as the curve should steepen further out due to fiscal risks irrespective of who wins the upcoming presidential election.</li>
</ul>


With the Brazilian central bank approaching the end of its aggressive monetary tightening cycle, the rate curve has taken a unique shape that features a hump and a kink.
The hump should get more pronounced because the rate-cutting cycle should be deeper than currently priced because real rates are quite elevated and growth risks are high.
The kink should also get more prominent as the curve should steepen further out due to fiscal risks irrespective of who wins the upcoming presidential election.


The Hump and Kink in Brazil’s Yield Curve to Become More Pronounced

A vanila interest rate swap us an agreement between two counterparties to exchange cashflows (fixed vs floating) in the same currency. This agreement is often used by counterparties to change their fixed cashflows to floating or vice versa. The payments are made during the life of the swap in the frequency that is pre-established by the counterparties.

<ul>
<li>With US rates reaching the highest levels in a decade, it is not a surprise that the volatility is spilling over to emerging markets.</li>
<li>While South African local bonds had weathered the volatility in 2021 well, this time around, they have gone from outperforming against the rest of EM to underperforming.</li>
<li>Besides external drivers, domestic factors have turned negative as well – particularly rising inflation and worsening debt profile – indicating that rates in South Africa should continue to underperform.</li>
</ul>


With US rates reaching the highest levels in a decade, it is not a surprise that the volatility is spilling over to emerging markets.
While South African local bonds had weathered the volatility in 2021 well, this time around, they have gone from outperforming against the rest of EM to underperforming.
Besides external drivers, domestic factors have turned negative as well – particularly rising inflation and worsening debt profile – indicating that rates in South Africa should continue to underperform.


South African Bonds Switch from Outperformers to Underperformers

The Turkish lira is the official currency of the Republic of Turkey. 

<ul>
<li>The Turkish lira has become the worst-performing currency this year as the central bank is holding the policy rate steady despite sharply accelerating inflation, leading to highly negative real rates.</li>
<li>The lira is effectively in a vicious cycle: weakening currency adds to inflationary pressures, which with the central bank on hold means real rates become more negative, hurting the currency.</li>
<li>High inflation is also weighing on the economic outlook, which combined with worsening current account and fiscal deficits and depleting international reserves, is adding to the depreciation pressure.</li>
</ul>


The Turkish lira has become the worst-performing currency this year as the central bank is holding the policy rate steady despite sharply accelerating inflation, leading to highly negative real rates.
The lira is effectively in a vicious cycle: weakening currency adds to inflationary pressures, which with the central bank on hold means real rates become more negative, hurting the currency.
High inflation is also weighing on the economic outlook, which combined with worsening current account and fiscal deficits and depleting international reserves, is adding to the depreciation pressure.


Turkish Lira Takes the Helm as the Worst-Performing EM Currency

Overnight Indexed Swap (OIS) is a fixed/float interest rate swap where the floating leg is computed using a published overnight index rate. The index rate is typically the rate for overnight unsecured lending between banks, for example the Federal funds rate for US dollars, Eonia for Euros or Sonia for sterling

<ul>
<li>Even as the US 10y yield has come off the peak, rates in emerging markets – including in Asia – have been selling off as they remain under pressure.</li>
<li>Rates in Asia are vulnerable as they are expensive vis-à-vis the rest of EM, rising inflation should result in further rate hikes in the region, and debt profiles have deteriorated.</li>
<li>I thus expect rates in Asia to underperform and prefer selling bonds in the region paired with long bond positions in countries in other regions.</li>
</ul>


Even as the US 10y yield has come off the peak, rates in emerging markets – including in Asia – have been selling off as they remain under pressure.
Rates in Asia are vulnerable as they are expensive vis-à-vis the rest of EM, rising inflation should result in further rate hikes in the region, and debt profiles have deteriorated.
I thus expect rates in Asia to underperform and prefer selling bonds in the region paired with long bond positions in countries in other regions.


Yields in Asia Are Far from the Peak – Part II

The Hungarian forint is the official currency of the Republic of Hungary. The US Dollar is the official currency of Unites States of America.

<ul>
<li>The dollar has strengthened significantly since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has led to a broad risk-off environment. Among EM currencies, the worst performer has been the Hungarian forint. </li>
<li>Adding to the economic woes resulting from Russia's aggression, the forint has suffered as the central bank has signaled less aggressive monetary tightening even with inflation hitting a two-decade high.</li>
<li>PM Orban has worsened the situation with his pre-election spending and by going against the EU by resisting further sanctions on Russia. Relatedly, funding from the EU is at risk.</li>
</ul>


The dollar has strengthened significantly since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has led to a broad risk-off environment. Among EM currencies, the worst performer has been the Hungarian forint. 
Adding to the economic woes resulting from Russia's aggression, the forint has suffered as the central bank has signaled less aggressive monetary tightening even with inflation hitting a two-decade high.
PM Orban has worsened the situation with his pre-election spending and by going against the EU by resisting further sanctions on Russia. Relatedly, funding from the EU is at risk.


Which EM Currency Has Suffered the Most Since Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine?

Gautam Jain has over 25 years of experience covering global emerging fixed income and currency markets, both as a strategist and a portfolio manager. He has worked in buy-side and sell-side firms, including The Rohatyn Group (TRG Management), Barclays Capital, and Millennium Partners. He has helped manage emerging markets local-currency and hard-currency debt funds. The assets that he covers include currencies, interest rates, sovereign credits, and related derivatives. He specializes in portfolio construction, smart-beta index creation, and asset allocation. Mr. Jain holds a Ph.D. in Operations Research from Columbia University and is a CFA charter holder.