UK Focused Hedge Funds to Benefit from More QE and More Devaluation

This short opinion piece from SVM's Colin McLean was so brief and on-the-money I thought I should share it. The third paragraph in particular is worth absorbing.

"The summer stockmarket sell-off caught most investors by surprise.  Expectations changed sharply as a good company reporting season in July gave way to a vacuum in US and EU political leadership in August. There are now mixed signals on the global economy, pointing to new risks.  But the crisis is throwing up new opportunities as well as dangers.

While some data is contradictory, evidence is mounting that global growth will disappoint.  Expectations are changing most rapidly in Europe, but in all regions scope for further effective stimulation is limited. Governments cannot re-run the unprecedented stimulation of 2009.

However, the UK can still do more than most to tackle the slowdown.  It has currency flexibility and an independent monetary policy, allowing it to move more rapidly than the US or Europe. Before the year end, another round of quantitative easing seems likely in the UK, and a further devaluation of the Pound by around 10% is possible.  This will immediately benefit Britain’s exporters and other global businesses listed in London. Stimulation would be a catalyst for money on the sidelines to buy shares. Hedge funds generally have had poor returns this year and will be eager for a rally. Portfolios need to be positioned ahead of this."


Net market exposures are currently low, and cash levels very high amongst hedge funds. There is a potential for a partial re-run of the equity rally provoked by the last round of Q.E., though markets never repeat exactly.