As we embark on the second half of 2023, we find a market in conflict. Despite the continued (relative) hawkishness by the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee (FOMC) and its members, most risk assets have continued to perform well.
The second quarter of 2023 saw US equities climb higher powered by large cap growth companies leveraged to the AI (Artificial Intelligence) theme. A pickup in soft-landing expectations seemed to be among the more powerful tailwinds for equity markets.
In an ever-evolving investment landscape, the success of active managers extends beyond traditional fundamentals and analyst outlooks. Macro and geopolitical risks have taken center stage, transforming manager evaluation and portfolio construction.
The graveyard of once legendary business franchises has just added one more new member to its ignominious fraternity. The hastily arranged acquisition of Credit Suisse by its chief Swiss rival UBS in March 2023, ended the 166-year run of the global symbol of Swiss banking largesse. Credit Suisse was once the 15th largest bank in the world with offices in 50 countries and assets of over $1 trillion USD.
US equities were generally higher in the first quarter of 2023, but intra-quarter performance was mixed. The S&P 500 gained for a second straight quarter and got off to a strong start with over 6% returns in January, its best January since 2019.
We delve into this opportunity by dissecting the fundamental differences between large and small-cap indices to see if this appears to be a buying opportunity or a fair repricing given the current environment.