AT SOME stage in the next 12 months it will be dangerous to hold cash and high-yielding defensive stocks.
Over the course of the past five years, Australian investors have become more defensive than a Geoffrey Boycott innings. In 1967, the English batsman scored an unbeaten double century against India only to be dropped for being too defensive and boring.
The same fate awaits investors if they believe the share market has lost its ability to deliver capital gains.
No one can be certain when the Australian share market will snap out of the current low-return era. However, when it does happen, it will be earmarked by a robust rally that sustains rather than wilts like all of the rallies that have taken place since the market crashed in 2008. In previous bear markets, the first year of the new bull market has delivered significant returns.
When the Australian market bottomed in November 1992, after five years of a secular bear market, the benchmark All Ordinaries index rocketed 49.3 per cent by November 1993. Similarly, when the local bourse headed south from 1969 to September 1974, the following 12 months saw equities notch up a gain of 41 per cent.
Share market analyst Andrew McCauley of Veritas Securities has calculated that when the Australian share market has suffered a negative capital return over a seven-year period, the following three years delivered a positive 15.7 per cent compound per annum. For the seven years to June 30, 2012, the Australian share market delivered its first negative capital return since the 1970s. If history proves reliable and the Australian All Ordinaries index sticks to the average, it would be 6400 by June 2015, still 400 points below the all-time high set in November 2007.
So why do markets bounce so hard after a protracted period of under performance? First, the sellers have been exhausted. Second, there is a vast amount of money sitting in non-productive assets such as cash and bonds. In Australia's case, the bond market is underdeveloped and frightened money finds its way into high-yielding and defensive stock such as Telstra, the major banks, property trusts and health care stocks such as CSL and Ramsay.
More recently, stockbrokers have wised up to this trend and offered listed high-yielding debt corporate hybrids and have been swamped by famished investors. These stocks are quality but have become expensive and a crowded trade.
The funding mix for Australian banks has seen cash levels increase from below 40 per cent pre the global financial crisis to nearly 55 per cent currently. The 125 basis points cut in official interest rates by the RBA since late 2011 have not yet induced investors to withdraw their cash. At this stage, the RBA looks like it will only, at best, cut official interest rates by another 25 basis points before the end of the year. However, the competition for deposits will ease, seeing returns on cash slide. This could well prove the catalyst for a move into higher risk and more productive assets.
At the top of a multi-year bull run, many people claim the market cannot fall because there is simply too much cash around. Eventually, though, when the market does head south there is a realisation the money supporting the market is largely borrowed and the lender wants it back. The crash in 2008 being a prime example.
But at the bottom of bear markets there is genuinely mountains of cash hanging around looking for a home. This money is not borrowed and will switch from the safety to risk in relatively quick time. The market begins to rise and people start to climb over each other, eager not to miss out.
The naysayers, currently the majority, believe it is different this time. The Western world, led by the Americans and Europeans, cannot bounce back this time because of its mountains of debt. Meanwhile, China is structurally imbalanced and is on the verge of a major slowdown in economic activity.
All this may be true but the same negative attitude prevailed in the previous major secular bear markets in the 1930s and 1970s. The 1930s bear market came to an end in 1942 with a world war, when was no certainty about survival let alone economic prosperity. The 1970s bear market ended with the US Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker jacking up interest rates and putting the US back into a recession. The market took its medicine and marched higher.
It could well be we are entering the final stages of the five-year bear market. I believe the next six months will be highly volatile, with economic growth in the US, Europe and China all ratcheting down. The recent industrial production numbers in these economies are a concern for the short term. This should induce a dive by the market before a major recovery can take place. Such a decline should also be swift and take many by surprise.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
When does the article say it could become risky to hold cash and high‑yield defensive stocks?
The article warns that at some stage in the next 12 months it could be dangerous to keep large amounts in cash and high‑yield defensive stocks. It suggests falling returns on cash (after further small RBA cuts) and crowded defensive trades may push investors to shift into higher‑risk, more productive assets.
Why do markets often bounce strongly after a long period of underperformance?
According to the article, big bounces happen because sellers become exhausted and there is a mountain of money sitting in non‑productive assets (like cash and bonds) that eventually looks for a home. When that money moves into equities the market can rally sharply. Historical examples and an analyst’s study show the first years after a market bottom can deliver significant gains.
Which defensive stocks and sectors does the article identify as crowded or expensive?
The article points to Telstra, the major banks, listed property trusts and health care stocks such as CSL and Ramsay as high‑yielding defensive names that have become popular. It also notes listed high‑yielding debt corporate hybrids have been swamped by investors, making these once‑quality trades more expensive and crowded.
How might further RBA interest rate cuts influence investor behaviour, according to the article?
The article suggests the RBA may cut official rates by another modest amount (about 25 basis points), which would ease competition for deposits and drive returns on cash lower. That drop in cash returns could be the catalyst that encourages investors to move from safety (cash and defensive holdings) into higher‑risk, more productive assets.
What does the article say about historical returns after prolonged market weakness?
Citing analyst Andrew McCauley of Veritas Securities, the article says when the Australian share market suffered a negative capital return over a seven‑year period, the following three years delivered an average positive compound return of 15.7% per annum. It also gives historical examples (e.g. the All Ordinaries rallying about 49.3% in the year after the 1992 low).
Is the article suggesting the bear market is ending and what should everyday investors expect next?
The author believes we could be entering the final stages of a five‑year bear market but warns the next six months are likely to be highly volatile. The article expects economic growth in the US, Europe and China to slow in the short term, which could cause a swift market dip before any major recovery.
What difference does the article make between the money that fuels bull markets and the cash at the bottom of bear markets?
The article explains that at the top of multi‑year bull runs a lot of the money supporting the market is borrowed, which can amplify falls when lenders demand repayment (as in 2008). By contrast, at the bottom of bear markets there is a lot of genuinely idle cash (not borrowed) waiting to move into risk assets, and that clean cash can fuel quick recoveries.
What signs does the article highlight that everyday investors could watch to know when to shift from safety to risk?
Based on the article, useful signs include: noticeably lower returns on cash as interest rates fall, crowded and expensive defensive trades (like Telstra, major banks, property trusts, CSL and Ramsay), growing levels of cash sitting off the market, and exhaustion of sellers. These conditions, together with historical patterns after market bottoms, could signal a broader switch from safety into risk.
Call 1300 880 160
Start a chat
Schedule a call
