OPTIMIZE YOUR PORTFOLIOS

Portfolio Playbook: Staying defensive

Our macro framework remains in a contraction regime, although we’re not seeing signs of imminent recession risk. We’re favoring bonds and US stocks. Optimize your portfolios with our outlook and allocation guidance.

Office building view from bottom to top.

Latest market outlook

Following last month’s shift to a contraction regime, our macro framework points to further deceleration in economic activity and market expectations of future growth. Our global leading economic indicator continues to decelerate and moves further below its long-term trend. Recent negative momentum is coming predominantly from the US and China. Our global risk appetite framework also points to additional weakness in market sentiment and future growth expectations, confirming the inflection point identified last month. For our longer-term perspectives, read our 2024 Midyear Investment Outlook.

Where do we go from here?

We expect the lagged effects of monetary policy to be a drag in our leading economic indicators for a few quarters. Our barometer of global risk appetite is signaling a significant downshift in market sentiment. It’s likely reflecting a combination of softer global growth momentum and a peak in future growth expectations. As a result, our macro regime framework remains in a contraction regime for the second consecutive month, signaling an environment of below-trend and decelerating growth expectations across all major regions. In our opinion, this macro backdrop is consistent with an incoming deceleration but isn’t indicative of imminent recession risks. The cyclical peak in market sentiment, however, coupled with a low-growth environment warrants a defensive portfolio positioning.

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Economic cycle

  • Global growth remains below trend.
  • Broad-based deceleration in US leading economic indicators.
  • Stable consumption and tight credit spreads aren’t consistent with a recession.
Market sentiment

Market sentiment

  • Financial market risk sentiment has already discounted a cyclical rebound.
  • Global risk appetite to peak and revert towards its long-term average.
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Policy implications

  • Inflation appears contained.
  • Multiple rate cuts are likely imminent.

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Economic cycle

  • Global economy climbs to above-trend rate and continues to improve.
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Market sentiment

  • Risk-on sentiment returns as investors look ahead to reinvigorated economy.
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Policy implications

  • Inflation returns to the Fed’s “comfort zone.”
  • Fed eases policy amid strong growth environment.

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Economic cycle

  • Lagged effects of policy tightening more severe than expected.
  • Prolonged recession emerges.
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Market sentiment

  • Flight to quality as the economy deteriorates.
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Policy implications

  • Fed lowers rates rapidly and normalizes US Treasury yield curve.

Asset allocations to consider

A challenge for tactical investors is preparing for the expected and anticipating the unexpected. The tactical asset allocation (TAA) framework from the Invesco Solutions team is designed to enhance a long-term strategic asset allocation (SAA) by making portfolio tilts based on near-term market views. 

In August, we’re favoring long-duration bonds and high-quality US stocks. The tactical, dynamic factor rotation shown below is also utilized in the Invesco Russell 1000® Dynamic Multifactor ETF (OMFL).



About our allocations

  • The Invesco Solutions team develops portfolios for client-oriented outcomes over multiple time horizons. Our tactical asset allocation (TAA), regime-based framework dynamically adjusts exposures to asset classes, regions, sectors, and factors, to create multi-asset portfolios designed for the prevailing macroeconomic environment. Strategic asset allocation (SAA) positioning is derived from our rigorous investment process, which consists of long-term capital market assumptions (CMAs), portfolio optimization, and risk management.



About our allocations

  • The Invesco Solutions team develops portfolios for client-oriented outcomes over multiple time horizons. Our tactical asset allocation (TAA), regime-based framework dynamically adjusts exposures to asset classes, regions, sectors, and factors, to create multi-asset portfolios designed for the prevailing macroeconomic environment. Strategic asset allocation (SAA) positioning is derived from our rigorous investment process, which consists of long-term capital market assumptions (CMAs), portfolio optimization, and risk management.



About our allocations

  • The Invesco Solutions team develops portfolios for client-oriented outcomes over multiple time horizons. Our tactical asset allocation (TAA), regime-based framework dynamically adjusts exposures to asset classes, regions, sectors, and factors, to create multi-asset portfolios designed for the prevailing macroeconomic environment. Strategic asset allocation (SAA) positioning is derived from our rigorous investment process, which consists of long-term capital market assumptions (CMAs), portfolio optimization, and risk management.

How to approach alternatives

Allocations to alternatives like private credit, equity, real assets, listed real assets, commodities, digital assets, and hedge funds can help improve growth, potential income, and diversification.  

If you're looking to incorporate alternatives into your portfolios, we suggest considering a 7% allocation, regardless of market or economic regime. Consider using 4% from your equity allocation and 3% from your fixed income allocation to allocate to alternatives. Learn about a unique opportunity in private markets from Invesco Real Estate.

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Asset Manager of the Year for Portfolio Playbook

The 2023 MMI/Barron’s Industry Awards chose Invesco as Asset Manager of the Year - AUM of more than $100 billion. This category 
honors a larger asset manager that exemplifies innovation in delivering better outcomes for investors and financial professionals.