Industrials

Highlights Portfolio Strategy The trade-weighted U.S. dollar’s appreciation along with the still souring manufacturing data are weighing on SPX profit growth, at a time when heightened geopolitical uncertainty and a looming reversal in financial conditions has the potential to wreak havoc on stock prices. Stay cautious on the prospects of the broad equity market on a cyclical 9-12 month time horizon. Firming operating metrics, the resilient U.S. dollar, compelling valuations and depressed technicals, all signal that there is an exploitable tactical trading opportunity in a long S&P industrials/short S&P tech pair trade, irrespective of the trade war outcome. A tentative tick up in EM and China data along with improving relative operating metrics signal that the time is ripe to initiate a long machinery/short semis pair trade. Recent Changes Initiate a long S&P Industrials/short S&P Tech pair trade on a tactical three-to-six month time horizon, today. Initiate a long S&P Machinery/short S&P Semiconductors pair trade on a tactical three-to-six month time horizon, today. Follow The Profit Trail Follow The Profit Trail Feature The S&P 500 oscillated violently again last week, as the barrage of declining economic data, heightened trade war-related volatility and political upheaval dominated the news flow. While the Fed remains the backstop of last resort, we doubt additional interest rate cuts, which are already aggressively priced in the bond market, will boost lending and entice CEOs to invest in capital expenditure projects. Investors have to stay patient and disciplined, let this economic slowdown play out and allow for the natural healing of the economy. As a reminder, the ISM manufacturing index has been decelerating for twelve months and only been below the boom bust line for two. If history is an accurate guide, an additional three-to-six months of manufacturing pain are in store before a definitive bottom is in place (bottom panel, Chart 1). Such a macro backdrop, still warrants caution on the prospects of the broad equity market. Chart 1Allow Time For Economic Healing Allow Time For Economic Healing Allow Time For Economic Healing Beginning in August, a number of BCA publications became a tad more cautious on risk assets. Following our October editorial view meeting last week, this cautiousness was cemented with a tactical downgrade of global equities to neutral from previously overweight in the BCA House View matrix. While this marks a clear shift toward this publication’s less sanguine view of the U.S. equity market adopted during the summer, BCA's cyclical 12-month House View remains overweight global equities. Worryingly, the majority of the indicators we track continue to emit distress signals and warn that the SPX has further downside (Chart 2), especially absent profit growth. Importantly, we first correctly posited last May that the back half of the year global growth reacceleration was in jeopardy and would go on hiatus courtesy of rising policy uncertainty.1 Such a backdrop would boost the U.S. dollar and simultaneously take a bite out of SPX EPS.2 Chart 2Soft Data Red Flag Soft Data Red Flag Soft Data Red Flag Last week we highlighted that the U.S. dollar is the most important indicator to monitor given its global deflationary/reflationary properties. Were the greenback to maintain its year-to-date gains, it will continue to dent SPX profitability via P&L translation loss effects and likely sustain the profit recession into early 2020 (trade-weighted U.S. dollar shown inverted, bottom panel, Chart 3). Chart 3Greenback Weighing On Profits Greenback Weighing On Profits Greenback Weighing On Profits U.S. Equity Strategy’s S&P 500 four-factor macro EPS growth model remains downbeat (middle panel, Chart 4). Were we to isolate the U.S. dollar as a single variable and re-run the regression it is clear that additional greenback appreciation will further weigh on SPX profit growth (bottom panel, Chart 4). Meanwhile, the easing in financial conditions and drubbing of the 10-year Treasury yield since the Christmas Eve lows is already reflected in the 23% jump in the forward PE multiple, which explains over 90% of the SPX’s rise since the Dec 24, 2018 trough (top & middle panels, Chart 5). In other words, for multiples to expand anew, financial conditions would have to further ease, which in our view is a tall order (bottom panel, Chart 5). Chart 4EPS Model Warrants Caution EPS Model Warrants Caution EPS Model Warrants Caution Chart 5Financial Conditions Are The Forward P/E Financial Conditions Are The Forward P/E Financial Conditions Are The Forward P/E This week we are initiating two related pair trades to exploit the mispricing of the trade war within the deep cyclical sector universe.  Thus, we would lean against the narrative that easy financial conditions are not fully reflected into stocks. In contrast, our worry is that junk spreads are on the verge of a breakout and such a backdrop would tighten financial conditions and aggravate an SPX drawdown (junk OAS shown inverted, Chart 6). Adding it all up, the trade-weighted U.S. dollar’s appreciation along with the still souring manufacturing data are weighing on SPX profit growth, at a time when heightened geopolitical uncertainty and a looming reversal in financial conditions has the potential to wreak havoc on stock prices. Stay cautious on the prospects of the broad equity market on a cyclical 9-12 month time horizon. This week we are initiating two related pair trades to exploit the mispricing of the trade war within the deep cyclical sector universe. Chart 6Watch Junk Spreads Watch Junk Spreads Watch Junk Spreads Initiate A Long Industrials/Short Tech Pair Trade… Ever since the Sino-American trade war started in March 2018, the market has punished industrials, but tech has escaped unscathed. While the global growth soft patch preceded the U.S./China trade spat, courtesy of the Fed’s tightening cycle and Chinese policymakers’ slamming on the brakes, the trade war has served as a catalyst to aggressively shed deep cyclical equities except for tech stocks (Chart 7). We think this misalignment presents a playable opportunity to generate alpha by going long industrials/short tech, irrespective of the trade war’s outcome. In other words, this market neutral trade will be in the black either because the trade spat gets resolved or because there will effectively be no “real” deal including intellectual property and the tech sector. If the two sides manage to iron out their differences and strike a deal, industrials stocks should benefit from a greater catch-up phase because they have been depressed over the past two years, while tech stocks are near relative all-time highs. In contrast, a “no deal” scenario, should also re-concentrate investors’ minds and lead to a relative selling in tech stocks versus their already beaten-down deep cyclical peers: industrials. Chart 7Bifurcated Deep Cyclicals Market Bifurcated Deep Cyclicals Market Bifurcated Deep Cyclicals Market Chart 8Lots Of Bad Trade War News Reflected In Prices Lots Of Bad Trade War News Reflected In Prices Lots Of Bad Trade War News Reflected In Prices Chart 8 shows the drubbing in relative share prices as three key macro drivers have felt the trade war’s wrath. In more detail, were a deal to get struck, growth expectations will reverse course and a bond market sell-off will almost immediately reflect such an improvement in the global macro backdrop. Rising interest rates on the back of a reflationary/inflationary impulse are a boon for industrials and a bane for high growth tech stocks (top panel, Chart 8). Similarly, the middle panel of Chart 8 highlights that the ISM manufacturing survey should climb above the boom/bust line and outshine the San Francisco Fed’s Tech Pulse Index (that comprises “coincident indicators of activity in the U.S. information technology sector”3) on news of a successful deal. Finally, relative capital expenditure outlays should also veer in favor of industrials as previously mothballed infrastructure projects will come out of hibernation (bottom panel, Chart 8). In contrast, tech capex has been resilient of late with analytics, security and cloud computing being the most defensive capex corner, leaving little room for additional relative capex gains. Taking the opposite side i.e. a “no deal”, we doubt the metrics we depict in Chart 8 would sink that much further. If anything we believe that there is an element of exhaustion and relative share prices would jump on news of a breakdown in trade talks as tech sector fire sales would trump the sell-off in already depressed industrials. Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar and relative share prices have been steeply diverging recently and this gap will likely narrow via a catch-up phase in the latter (top & middle panels, Chart 9). According to Factset’s latest data the S&P industrials sector garners 37% of its sales from abroad, whereas the S&P information technology sector’s foreign exposure stands at 57% of total revenues.4 Therefore, given this 20% delta, a rising greenback should be beneficial to the more domestically geared industrials stocks (bottom panel, Chart 9). On the operating front, industrials also have the upper hand. The relative wage bill is sinking like a stone (shown inverted, middle panel, Chart 10) at a time when relative selling price inflation is holding its own (top panel, Chart 10). The upshot is that a relative profit margin jump is in store in the coming months which should boost the relative share price ratio (bottom panel, Chart 10). Chart 9Unsustainable Divergence Unsustainable Divergence Unsustainable Divergence Chart 10Industrials Have The Upper Hand Industrials Have The Upper Hand Industrials Have The Upper Hand U.S. Equity Strategy’s proprietary relative Cyclical Macro Indicators and relative profit growth models capture all these drivers and both signal that an industrials versus tech earnings-led outperformance phase looms into year end (Chart 11). Chart 12 shows that the relative earnings breadth and relative net earnings revisions are both deep in negative territory. In terms of technicals, the relative percentage of groups trading with a positive 52-week rate of change has hit the lowest level in the past two decades (second panel, Chart 12) and our composite relative technical indicator is roughly one standard deviation below the historical mean (bottom panel, Chart 11). Chart 11Profit Models And...  Profit Models And...  Profit Models And...  Chart 12...Washed Out Breadth Say Buy Industrials At The Expense Of Tech ...Washed Out Breadth Say Buy Industrials At The Expense Of Tech ...Washed Out Breadth Say Buy Industrials At The Expense Of Tech Finally, relative valuations are also bombed out. Our relative valuation indicator has been in a six-year uninterrupted drop, falling from two standard deviations above the mean to one standard deviation below the mean (fourth panel, Chart 11). Such entrenched bearishness in relative value is unwarranted. Bottom Line:  Firming operating metrics, the resilient U.S. dollar, compelling valuations and depressed technicals, all signal that there is an exploitable tactical trading opportunity in a long S&P industrials/short S&P tech pair trade, irrespective of the trade war outcome. …And A Long Machinery/Short Semis Pair Trade A more speculative and higher octane vehicle to explore this trade war-related mispricing is via a long S&P machinery/short S&P semiconductors pair trade. Most of the drivers mentioned above also hold true in this subsector market-neutral trade. However, in this section we will drill deeper in the China/EM drivers. The Emerging Asia leading economic indicator (EALEI) has plummeted to levels last hit around the 1998 LTCM bailout (top panel, Chart 13). While more pain is likely in the coming months as global trade has ground to a halt, we doubt the carnage in the EALEI can continue indefinitely. In fact, a tentative trough in the Emerging Markets (EM) manufacturing PMI heralds a brighter outlook for relative share prices (bottom panel, Chart 13). Chart 13Same Trade War Theme, Different Vehicles To Play It Same Trade War Theme, Different Vehicles To Play It Same Trade War Theme, Different Vehicles To Play It Chart 14China...  China...  China...  Encouragingly, China’s fiscal and credit impulse also signals that a bottom in relative share prices is likely already in place. If this leading indicator proves accurate in the coming months, then relative share prices can spike 20% near the late-2018 highs (Chart 14).   Chinese money supply growth is showing some signs of life and capital committed to infrastructure spending is coming out of hibernation. Goldman Sachs’ China current activity indicator is on a similar upward trajectory, underscoring that the path of least resistance is higher for relative share prices (Chart 15). Chart 15...Holds The Key ...Holds The Key ...Holds The Key Chart 16Firming Final Demand... Firming Final Demand... Firming Final Demand... On the operating front, relative new orders and relative shipment growth have both ticked higher (top & middle panels, Chart 16). Importantly, our relative demand proxy suggests that the relative end-demand backdrop is also firming. Using Caterpillar’s global sales to dealers data compared with global chip sales reveals that a wide gap has formed between relative share prices and our relative demand gauge (bottom panel, Chart 16). If our thesis pans out in the upcoming three-to-six months then machinery will trounce semis. Finally, relative pricing power corroborates that machinery demand has the upper hand versus semiconductor final demand. The Commodity Research Bureau’s raw industrials index is climbing relative to Asian DRAM prices. The upshot is that the compellingly valued relative share price ratio will gain steam in the months ahead (Chart 17). In sum, a tentative up-tick in EM and China data along with improving relative operating metrics signal that the time is ripe to initiate a long machinery/short semis pair trade. Bottom Line: Initiate a long S&P machinery/short S&P semiconductors pair trade today. The ticker symbols for the stocks in the S&P machinery and S&P semis indexes are: BLBG – S5MACH – CAT, DE, ITW, IR, CMI, PCAR, PH, SWK, FTV, DOV, XYL, IEX, WAB, SNA, PNR, FLS, and BLBG – S5SECO – INTC, TXN, NVDA, AVGO, QCOM, MU, ADI, AMD, XLNX, QRVO, MCHP, MXIM, SWKS, respectively. Chart 17...Is A Boon To Relative Pricing Power ...Is A Boon To Relative Pricing Power ...Is A Boon To Relative Pricing Power Key Risk To Monitor One important risk to both of our newly recommended market-neutral trades is China. We recently touched base with our ex-Chief Geopolitical Strategist and currently Chief Strategist at the Clocktower Group, Marko Papic. He warned us that all bets would be off because: “I think we will look back at the recession of 2020 and it will be known as the “China recession”. Basically, China just decided to stop playing, pick up its toys, and go home”. If Marko’s wise words were to ring true, then such a Chinese policy shift will truly be a game changer with negative global economic growth implications. With regard to our pair trades, they would both be offside.   Anastasios Avgeriou, U.S. Equity Strategist anastasios@bcaresearch.com   Footnotes 1      Please see BCA U.S. Equity Strategy Weekly Report, “Consolidation” dated May 21, 2019, available at uses.bcaresearch.com. 2      Please see BCA U.S. Equity Strategy Weekly Report, “On Edge” dated May 13, 2019, available at uses.bcaresearch.com. 3      https://www.frbsf.org/economic-research/indicators-data/tech-pulse/ 4      https://www.factset.com/hubfs/Resources%20Section/Research%20Desk/Earnings%20Insight/EarningsInsight_100419A.pdf Current Recommendations Current Trades Size And Style Views Stay neutral cyclicals over defensives   (downgrade alert) Favor value over growth Favor large over small caps (Stop 10%)

End Of The Line End Of The Line Underweight Transports have taken a beating recently with the heavyweight S&P railroads index leading the pack lower. Our underweight stance is paying handsome dividends and there are more gains in store in the coming months. The dour ISM manufacturing survey served as a catalyst this week to re-concentrate investors’ minds on the U.S. economy getting infected from international ails, and the trade war inflicting heavy wounds on transportation services including rail freight (second & third panels). The implication is that risk premia will continue to widen and relative railroad share prices will have to adjust lower. Tack on decelerating industry pricing power (bottom panel) and an earnings led selloff in the relative share price ratio is a rising probability outcome. Bottom Line: Continue to avoid the S&P railroads index. The ticker symbols for the stocks in this index are: BLBG: S5RAIL - UNP, CSX, NSC, KSU.​​​​​​​

In late-summer 2010, we published a Special Report overviewing long-term U.S. equity sector relative performance during deflationary periods. Since then, inflation – core PCE deflator to be more specific – only briefly flirted with the Federal Reserve’s 2% target in mid-2018, while long-term inflation expectations never managed to re-anchor higher. Worrisomely, there are now budding signs that inflation will weaken in the coming quarters rather than rear its ugly head. Pundits – us included – are still waiting for inflationary pressures to finally pass-through. Worrisomely, there are now budding signs that inflation will weaken in the coming quarters rather than rear its ugly head (Chart 1). The late-2018 tightening in financial conditions will exert downward pressure on year-over-year CPI growth, albeit with a slight lag (top panel, Chart 1). More broadly, the ongoing deceleration in the U.S. economy, as evidenced by the sharp decline in the ISM manufacturing PMI (and most of its subcomponents), represents a serious headwind for inflation (second panel, Chart 1). Given weak global growth, the appreciating U.S. dollar – a countercyclical currency – will also weigh on inflation going forward (not shown). Further, we don’t view the recent perky inflation prints as sustainable. In fact, core goods CPI – which accounts for 25% of core CPI and has been the main driver lately – is expected to roll over and contract over the next 18 months (third panel, Chart 1). Chart 1Still Looking For Inflation? Still Looking For Inflation? Still Looking For Inflation? U.S. Equity Strategy’s corporate pricing power proxy has also sharply sunk corroborating that the path of least resistance is lower for core inflation (bottom panel, Chart 1). In other words, if Marty McFly could ride the DeLorean to travel back in time once more, he would certainly approve of deflation/disinflation being a major equity theme at BCA, and would even ask us to delve deeper into our prior analysis. That is precisely what we do in this Special Report. We acknowledge the current disinflationary trend and provide more details on the historical relative performance of the different equity sectors in such periods. We introduce a simple trading rule based on these deflationary episodes, which we define as two or more consecutive quarters of negative corporate sector price deflator growth (Chart 2). We treat single quarters of positive growth within broader deflationary trends as outliers, which translate into the occasional quarterly rebounds within the shaded areas. Chart 2Deflationary Periods Deflationary Periods Deflationary Periods The next pages provide some more color on the sectors historical relative performance. Notably, we add a brief overview of the annualized returns realized by heeding the signals from two consecutive quarters of negative corporate sector price deflator growth. Since 1960, there have been 27 such signals, with a median duration of 15 months and the shortest one being six months. As such, we feel comfortable using 6-, 12- and 24-month horizons to go long (short) the sectors we identified did well during deflationary (inflationary) periods, whenever signaled. Table 1 summarizes the results of this empirical exercise. Table 1 Sector Relative Performance And Deflation (From 1960 To Present) Sector Performance In A Deflationary World: Back To The Future? Sector Performance In A Deflationary World: Back To The Future? Our hypothesis during disinflationary periods is that defensives outshine cyclicals. The results for the GICS11 relative sector performance are consistent with our hypothesis. Specifically, following our deflationary signal, defensives are up 1.4% on a 6-month horizon, while cyclicals are down 2.5%. We also note an inflection point around the 12-month mark as cyclicals start to recover their losses moving from -2.5% to just -0.21%, while defensives are giving up their gains moving from 1.38% to 0.76%. This finding is consistent with the median deflation period duration of 15 months, as highlighted earlier. Similarly, if we look 24 months out, we observe that cyclicals are outperforming the market by 0.5% (largely driven by tech), and defensives are lagging the market by -1.2% (dragged by telecom and utilities) signaling that the market has recovered. Diagram 1Performance Time Line Sector Performance In A Deflationary World: Back To The Future? Sector Performance In A Deflationary World: Back To The Future? Importantly, we are currently in a deflationary environment as defined by our two-quarter signal that commenced mid-2018, and U.S. Equity Strategy has been actively reducing cyclical exposure over the past six months and highlighting that investors should be cautious on the prospects of the broad equity market. Turning back to Table 1, we also see some divergences in the GICS1 sector performance vs. some of our expectations. Utilities should outperform during disinflation periods, owing to two factors: (1) steady cash flow growth, (2) falling interest rates boost the allure of high yielding competing assets. Another notable outlier is the S&P consumer discretionary index. Specifically, the roughly 2% underperformance in the six months following our deflationary signal took us by surprise, as discretionary spending should at the margin get a boost from declining interest rates. To conclude, we also present a time line that summarizes results from Table 1 as well as the sector specific comments. Importantly, the time line is a road map that should be only used “as a rule of thumb” guide to navigate a deflationary environment. Keep in mind, that even though the median duration for a deflationary period is 15 months, it can still last anywhere from just under a year to over four years. As always, context is key. Finally, stay tuned for an update on our traditional U.S. equity sector profit margin outlook report that is due in the upcoming months. What follows are additional details of our analysis on a per sector basis, along with charts on sector specific pricing power and revenue turnover.     Jeremie Peloso, Research Analyst JeremieP@bcaresearch.com   Arseniy Urazov, Research Associate ArseniyU@bcaresearch.com   Consumer Staples (Overweight) Consumer Staples Consumer Staples The S&P consumer staples index performs well during deflationary periods. Likely explanatory variables are the safe haven status of this index along with an ongoing industry consolidation. Our sector pricing power proxy reveals that staples have not experienced a contraction in pricing power since 2003. While relative share prices are staging a recovery, they are still one standard deviation below the historical time trend. Further gains are likely given impressive returns on a 6-, 12-, and 24-month time horizon following our deflationary signal. We remain overweight the S&P consumer staples index. Consumer Staples Consumer Staples Energy (Overweight) Energy Energy Among the cyclical sectors, S&P energy is the second largest underperformer, declining 3.4% on average in relative terms in the six months following our deflationary signal. The underperformance is also evident in our PP proxy. Energy companies’ PP declines right as the economy enters deflation, which is consistent with our expectations, as oil plays a key role in virtually any inflation/deflation measure. One caveat at the current juncture is the recent oil price spike that may serve as a catalyst to unlock excellent value in bombed out energy equities. As a result of the drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s production and refining facilities we expect geopolitical premia to get built into crude oil prices on a sustained basis. We are currently overweight the S&P energy index. Energy Energy Health Care (Overweight) Health Care Health Care During deflationary periods the S&P health care sector has outperformed the broad market, similar to its defensive sibling, the S&P consumer staples sector. On top of the safe haven nature of the health care industry, pricing power has never crossed below the zero line during the entire history of the data series. This remarkable feat also applies to the sector’s sales growth. We are currently overweight the S&P health care index. Health Care Health Care Industrials (Overweight) Industrials Industrials On the eve of deflation, industrials equities start wrestling with two opposing forces: cheapened raw materials versus slowing economic activity. In the end, economic softness wins the tug-of-war as this deep cyclical index underperforms the market on 6-, 12- and 24-month time horizon by -1.4%, -1.0% and -0.5%, respectively. The sector’s pricing power usually displays a sharp decline as we enter a deflationary zone weighing on industrials revenue prospects and thus relative performance. We are currently overweight the S&P industrials sector. Industrials Industrials Financials (Overweight) Financials Financials Being an early cyclical sector, it is not surprising that the S&P financials sector tends to underperform the broad market on 6-, 12- and 24-month horizon following our two-quarter deflation signal. The largest underperformance for financials comes late into the deflationary period. In fact, had we excluded utilities from our analysis, the S&P financials sector would have been the worst performing sector across the board on a 12- and 24-month time horizon. The heavyweight banks subgroup accounting for roughly 42% of the S&P financials market capitalization weight explains the underperformance. As a reminder banks underperform when the price of credit is falling owing to deflation/disinflation. Given that our fixed income strategists expect a selloff in the bond market, we remain overweight the S&P financials index. Financials Financials Technology (Neutral – Downgrade Alert) Technology Technology Back in 2010, we reiterated that tech equities were deflationary winners, a fact that has not changed since then. The frenetic pace of innovation in and of itself, has prepared the sector to cope with episodes of deflation. Within cyclicals, technology is by far the best performing sector in our Table 1, but the present-day geopolitical and trade tensions compel us to be neutral on the sector with a potential downgrade coming down the line via a software subgroup downgrade. Tech pricing power is resilient during deflationary episodes. However, tech sales growth, which appears to have peaked for the cycle, swings violently, warning of potential turbulence ahead if a down oscillation is looming. We are neutral the S&P technology sector, which is also on our downgrade watch list. Technology Technology Telecommunication Services (Neutral) Telecommunication Services Telecommunication Services Traditionally defensive telecom services stocks have been struggling recently, saddled with rising debt, fighting to remain relevant and avoid becoming a “dumb pipe”. The industry’s pricing power proxy also highlights the point as telecom companies never managed to regain their footing since the GFC. Another important point is that the index materially underperforms the market across all the time horizons we examined returning: -1.5%, -2.0% and -4.4%. Our hypothesis was that telecom carriers should outperform during deflationary periods owing to stable cash flow growth generation and a high dividend yield profile. But, empirical evidence shows the opposite. Likely, the four decades-long sustained underperformance of this now niche safe haven industry suggests that sector specific dynamics are at fault. We are currently neutral the S&P telecommunication services index. Telecommunication Services Telecommunication Services Materials (Underweight) Materials Materials Despite the massive demand from China and, more generally, from the EM complex for commodities over the past several years, the S&P materials sector never actually managed to break free from its structural downtrend. The sector is one of the major disinflationary losers as evident from the chart. Importantly, since the mid-70s, most of the periods when materials managed to outperform the broad market occurred outside the shaded areas and recessions. On average, materials sector pricing power also tends to decline sharply when global growth weakens, as is currently the case. And, with a slight delay, materials sector revenue growth will likely suffer a setback, warning that revenue growth has crested for the cycle. We reiterate our recent downgrade of the S&P materials sector to underweight. Materials Materials Consumer Discretionary (Underweight – Upgrade Alert) Consumer Discretionary Consumer Discretionary Contrary to our hypothesis, S&P consumer discretionary stocks underperform during disinflationary periods that weigh on interest rates. Likely decelerating economic activity trumps that fall in interest rates and consumers gravitate toward staple goods and services and away from discretionarfy purchases. Table 1 reveals that consumer discretionary stocks actually suffer the most early in a deflationary period (-2.0%), and then sharply recover 12 months out and turn marginally positive (0.1%). We are currently underweight the S&P consumer discretionary index, but have it on upgrade alert as a potential buying opportunity. Consumer Discretionary Consumer Discretionary Utilities (Underweight) Utilities Utilities As for the final sector of this Special Report, we had highlighted that the S&P utilities is a notable outlier in our analysis as it does not behave according to our expectations. Likely, some industry specific dynamics are at play as high-yielding safe haven utilities stocks severely underperform during deflationary periods. The sector returns -3.5%, -4.3%, and -4.5% versus the broad marekt on a 6-, 12, and 24-month time horizon, respectively. In theory, two factors should have pushed the relative share price higher: (1) steady cash flow growth and (2) falling interest rates, both of which boost the allure of high yielding competing assets. Neither one was sufficient to break away from the structural downtrend that has been haunting the sector over the years. We are currently underweight the S&P utilites index. Utilities Utilities   Footnotes 1    We are using GICS 2 Telecommunication Services index instead of the parent GICS 1 Communication Services index due to the lack of data as the index was only recently introduced.

Defense Fortress Defense Fortress The recent attacks on Saudi’s Aramco’s oil producing and refining assets caused a major disruption in the oil industry initially removing ~ 5.7mm b/d of KSA’s output. While energy stocks are the direct beneficiaries of the widening in geopolitical risk premia (please refer to this Monday’s Weekly Report), there is also an indirect industrials sub-index beneficiary: BCA’s S&P defense group. These pure-play defense stocks are must-haves in U.S. and global equity portfolios for three main reasons we have identified in our seminal piece on this sector, “Brothers In Arms”,1 right before President Trump’s election: global rearmament, global space race and cybersecurity threat. Now, the brewing Middle East tensions are likely to escalate further, boosting the geopolitical risk premia being built into asset markets. As a result, our first reason, global arms race, will escalate in the Middle East not only on the back of Saudi Arabia’s/U.S. potential retaliatory measures, but also Saudi Arabia’s bolstering of air defense missiles, in order to deter similar drone attacks in the near future.  Bottom Line: We reiterate our tactical high-conviction overweight, along with our cyclical and structural overweight calls on the BCA Defense index in light of the increasing geopolitical tensions and prospects of a further sizable lift to industry revenues. The ticker symbols for the stocks in the BCA Defense index are: LLL, LMT, NOC, GD and RTN. Footnotes 1      Please see BCA U.S. Equity Strategy Special Report, “Brothers In Arms” dated October 31, 2016, available at uses.bcaresearch.com.  

Cyclical Wounds Remain Open Cyclical Wounds Remain Open Neutral - Downgrade Alert The transportation industry is a bellwether for the economy as rising freight hauling services demand is synonymous with firming economic activity and vice versa. The recent FedEx earnings report raised red flags both for the wellbeing of the transport sector (second panel) and the U.S. economy, especially the highly cyclical manufacturing sector. The company blamed soft global macro conditions and significantly trimmed profit guidance for its fiscal year. FedEX also highlighted that the absence of a trade deal with China complicates the free movement of goods (bottom panel) and the longer the uncertainty between the U.S. and China remains in place, the longer it will take for global trade growth to heal. One saving grace for air freight stocks has been the industry’s pricing power rebound, but there are mushrooming signs that sector inflation will cool down in the coming months (third panel). We have been neutral on the S&P air freight & logistics index since removing it from our high-conviction overweight list following previous FedEx profit warning, and now we are putting this transportation subgroup and the overall transportation index on our downgrade watchlist. Bottom Line: We are neutral the S&P transportation index, but now have it on downgrade alert. Our barbell strategy within transports remains in place overweighting airlines, neutral on air freight & logistics (but it is now on downgrade alert) and underweighting rails. Stay tuned. ​​​​​​​

Energy Stocks Are Heading North Energy stocks are heading north Energy stocks are heading north Banks Clamoring For Higher Rates And A More Hawkish Fed Banks clamoring for higher rates and a more hawkish Fed Banks clamoring for higher rates and a more hawkish Fed Homebuilding Stocks Are Catching Up To Housing Starts Homebuilding stocks are catching up to housing starts. Homebuilding stocks are catching up to housing starts. Will Global Trade Get “Fed-Exed”? Will Global Trade Get "Fed-Exed"? Will Global Trade Get "Fed-Exed"? Do Not Try To Bottom Fish… ... in cyclicals vs. defensives. ... in cyclicals vs. defensives. ... In Cyclicals Vs. Defensives ... in cyclicals vs. defensives. ... in cyclicals vs. defensives. ​​​​​​​

Short Circuited Short Circuited Underweight BCA U.S. Equity Strategy’s electrical components & equipment (EC&E) three-factor earnings model did an excellent job in anticipating the recent breakdown in the S&P EC&E index (top & bottom panels). First, the trade-weighted dollar has broken out to fresh cyclical highs. Historically, relative share prices and the greenback are tightly inversely correlated and the current weak global growth message that the U.S. dollar is emitting is bearish for the S&P EC&E index (U.S. dollar shown inverted, second panel). This global growth soft patch is not only negative for new orders owing to deficient foreign demand, but the appreciating currency also makes EC&E exports less competitive in the global market place (U.S. dollar shown inverted, third panel). For details on the other two driver’s behind our bearish S&P EC&E index stance, please refer to our most recent Weekly Report. Bottom Line: We reiterate our underweight recommendation for the S&P EC&E index. The ticker symbols for the stocks in the index are: BLBG: S5ELCO – AME, EMR, ETN, ROK.   ​​​​​​​

Highlights Portfolio Strategy The sustained global growth slowdown, widening junk spreads, along with the risk of a U.S. recession becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy suggest that caution is still warranted in the broad equity market on a 3-12 month time horizon. Weakening consumer sentiment, softening hotel industry operating metrics that point to a margin squeeze, anemic relative outlays on lodging and a decelerating ISM non-manufacturing index, all signal that more pain lies ahead for the S&P hotels, resorts & cruise lines index.   Waning industry operating metrics, a bearish signal from our EPS growth model along with the mighty U.S. dollar warns against bottom fishing in the S&P electrical components & equipment (EC&E) index.  Recent Changes There are no changes to the portfolio this week. Table 1 Elusive Growth Elusive Growth Feature The S&P 500 traded in an uncharacteristically tight range last week before falling apart on Friday on the back of a re-escalation in the U.S./China trade war. Worries of recession also resurfaced. Not only did the MARKIT flash manufacturing PMI break below the 50 expansion/contraction line, but it also pulled down the MARKIT flash services PMI survey that barely held above the boom/bust line. Adding insult to injury, the 10/2 yield curve slope inverted anew last week further fanning these recession fears. Worrisomely, consumer sentiment took a hit recently according to the University of Michigan survey (top panel, Chart 1). Importantly, what caught our attention was the following commentary: “The main takeaway for consumers from the first cut in interest rates in a decade was to increase apprehensions about a possible recession. Consumers concluded, following the Fed’s lead, that they may need to reduce spending in anticipation of a potential recession.” While the consumer is the last and most significant pillar standing for the U.S. economy, reflexivity may spoil the party and a recession may become a self-fulfilling prophecy. This is the message the bond market is sending and it is warning that the path of least resistance is a lot lower for stocks (bottom panel, Chart 1). Chart 1“The First Cut Is The Deepest” “The First Cut Is The Deepest” “The First Cut Is The Deepest” Economists are also downgrading their U.S. real GDP growth estimates and that forecast now stands at 2.3% for the current year according to Bloomberg. While the recession alarm bells are not sounding off, these downward revisions bode ill for stocks (Chart 2)  Chart 2Watch Out Down Below Watch Out Down Below Watch Out Down Below Moving to another part of the fixed income market, stress is slowly building in the high yield market especially given the recent tick up in bankruptcies and the blind sides that cove-lite loans now pose to bond investors. As a reminder, the U.S. high yield option adjusted spread (OAS) troughed last September and continues to emit a distress signal for the broad equity market (junk OAS shown inverted, top panel, Chart 3). Chart 3Mind The Gaps Mind The Gaps Mind The Gaps With regard to global growth, it is still missing in action, and given that Dr. Copper is on the verge of a breakdown, a global growth recovery is a Q1/2020 story at the earliest. This week we update a consumer discretion­ary subindex and also highlight an industrials sector subgroup. Chart 4SPX: The Next Shoe To Drop? SPX: The Next Shoe To Drop? SPX: The Next Shoe To Drop? Chart 5Risk To View Risk To View Risk To View Other financial market variables concur that global growth is elusive. J.P. Morgan’s EM FX index has broken down and EM equities are also hanging from a thread. The EM high yield OAS has broken out signaling that the risk off phase has yet to fully run its course (EM junk OAS shown inverted, bottom panel, Chart 4). Finally, there is a short-term risk to our cautious equity market view. Indiscriminate buying in U.S. Treasurys has now pushed the 10-year yield down almost 180bps from last November’s peak deeply in overvalued territory. While such a move is not unprecedented, buying may be exhausted and in need of at least a short-term breather (Chart 5).     Netting it all out, the sustained global growth slowdown, widening junk spreads, along with the risk of a U.S. recession becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy suggest that caution is still warranted in the broad equity market on a 3-12 month time horizon. As a reminder, this is U.S. Equity Strategy’s view, which contrasts BCA’s sanguine equity market house view. This week we update a consumer discretionary subindex and also highlight an industrials sector subgroup. Empty Spaces When the consumer is worried about a possible recession as the latest survey revealed, the knee jerk reaction is to tighten the purse strings and marginally retrench. The latest University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey made for grim reading and such souring in confidence will continue to weigh on lodging equities (Chart 6). As a result, we remain underweight the niche S&P hotels, resorts & cruise lines consumer discretionary subgroup. When the consumer is worried about a possible recession as the latest survey revealed, the knee jerk reaction is to tighten the purse strings and marginally retrench. Chart 6Stay Checked Out Of Hotels Stay Checked Out Of Hotels Stay Checked Out Of Hotels   Already discretionary retail sales have taken the back seat and non-discretionary retail sales are in the driver’s seat. In fact, the top panel of Chart 7 shows that the relative retail sales backdrop has plunged to levels last seen during the GFC, warning that relative share prices have ample room to fall. Drilling deeper in the consumption data is instructive. Lodging outlays are decelerating and are also trailing overall PCE. The implication is that relative profits will likely underwhelm sustaining the 18-month long de-rating phase (middle & bottom panels, Chart 7). On the operating front the news is equally dour. While selling prices are expanding, the relentless construction binge will lead to a mean reversion sooner rather than later (bottom panel, Chart 8).   Chart 7De-rating Phase To Gain Steam De-rating Phase To Gain Steam De-rating Phase To Gain Steam Chart 8Margin Squeeze Looming Margin Squeeze Looming Margin Squeeze Looming   Tack on the ongoing assault from the new sharing economy unicorns like Airbnb, and industry pricing power will remain in check in coming quarters. Similarly, the ISM non-manufacturing price subcomponent is warning that a deflation scare is looming in the lodging industry (second panel, Chart 8). Not only are selling prices under attack, but also labor-related input costs are on fire. The sector’s wage inflation is climbing at a 3.9%/annum pace or roughly 120bps higher that the overall employment cost index (third panel, Chart 8). Taken together, there are high odds that a profit margin squeeze will weigh on profits and on relative share prices (top panel, Chart 8). Importantly, the overall ISM services survey best encapsulates the bearish backdrop of the S&P hotels, resorts & cruise lines index. Historically, relative share prices have been moving in tandem with the ISM non-manufacturing survey and the current message is that selling pressures on relative share prices will persist in the coming months (Chart 9). Chart 9Heed The Message From The ISM Services Survey Heed The Message From The ISM Services Survey Heed The Message From The ISM Services Survey In sum, weakening consumer sentiment, softening hotel industry operating metrics that point to a margin squeeze, anemic relative outlays on lodging and a decelerating ISM non-manufacturing index signal that more pain lies ahead for the S&P hotels, resorts & cruise lines index. Bottom Line: Continue to avoid the S&P hotels, resorts & cruise lines index. The ticker symbols for the stocks in this index are: BLBG: S5HOTL – MAR, HLT, RCL, CCL, NCLH. Short Circuited The S&P EC&E index broke down recently (top panel, Chart 10) and we reiterate our underweight recommendation in this industrials sector subgroup. While it is tempting to bottom fish here especially given oversold technical and bombed out valuations (bottom panel, Chart 11), a number of the indicators we track suggest that more losses are around the corner. Chart 10Sell The Weakness Sell The Weakness Sell The Weakness Chart 11Good Reasons For Valuation Discount Good Reasons For Valuation Discount Good Reasons For Valuation Discount   First the trade-weighted dollar has broken out to fresh cyclical highs despite the collapse in the 10-year yield. Historically, relative share prices and the greenback are tightly inversely correlated and the current weak global growth message the U.S. dollar is emitting is bearish for the S&P EC&E index (U.S. dollar shown inverted, middle panel, Chart 10). This global growth soft patch is not only negative for new orders owing to deficient foreign demand, but the appreciating currency also makes EC&E exports less competitive in the global market place (U.S. dollar shown inverted, bottom panel, Chart 10). Second, while industry new orders have been resilient, the massive inventory buildup dwarfs new order growth and warns that a deflationary liquidation phase is looming (middle panel, Chart 11). In fact, the recent drubbing in the ISM manufacturing prices paid subcomponent portends a deflationary industry phase (third panel, Chart 12). Adding it all up, waning industry operating metrics, a bearish signal from our EPS growth model along with the mighty U.S. dollar warns against bottom fishing in the S&P EC&E index. Other operating metrics are also warning that EC&E profits will underwhelm. Industry weekly hours worked have plunged and sell-side analysts have been aggressively cutting EPS estimates (bottom panel, Chart 13). On the productivity front, executives have not adjusted labor cost structures to lower running rates yet (second panel, Chart 13) and, thus, our EC&E productivity gauge (industrials production versus employment) is contracting which bodes ill for industry earnings (third panel, Chart 13). Chart 12Weak Profit Backdrop Weak Profit Backdrop Weak Profit Backdrop Chart 13Deteriorating Operating Metrics Deteriorating Operating Metrics Deteriorating Operating Metrics   Finally, our S&P EC&E EPS growth model does an excellent job in encapsulating all these moving parts and is signaling that the path of least resistance is lower for EPS growth in the coming months (bottom panel, Chart 12). Adding it all up, waning industry operating metrics, a bearish signal from our EPS growth model along with the mighty U.S. dollar warns against bottom fishing in the S&P EC&E index. Bottom Line: Stay underweight the S&P EC&E index. BLBG: S5ELCO – AME, EMR, ETN, ROK.     Anastasios Avgeriou, U.S. Equity Strategist anastasios@bcaresearch.com   Current Recommendations Current Trades Size And Style Views Favor value over growth Favor large over small caps

Highlights China’s infrastructure investment growth rate could rebound moderately from its current nominal 3% pace, but will remain well below the double-digit rate it has registered for most of the past decade.  A lack of funding for local governments and their financing vehicles will somewhat cap the upside in infrastructure fixed-asset investment (FAI) in the next six to nine months. Special bond issuance will be insufficient to ensuring a major recovery in infrastructure spending. Investors should tread cautiously on infrastructure plays in financial markets. Feature Chart I-1Chinese Infrastructure Investment: Double-Digit Growth Again? Chinese Infrastructure Investment: Double-Digit Growth Again? Chinese Infrastructure Investment: Double-Digit Growth Again? Nominal infrastructure investment growth in China has slowed from over 15% in 2017 to 3% currently (Chart I-1). This is the weakest growth rate since 2005 excluding the late 2011-early 2012 period. Over the past decade, each time the Chinese economy experienced a considerable slowdown, infrastructure construction was ramped up to revive growth. Infrastructure spending growth skyrocketed in 2009 and was also boosted in 2012. In 2015-2016, it was not allowed to decelerate with the issuance of nearly RMB 2 trillion of special infrastructure bonds. This time the government has also reacted. Since mid-2018, the Chinese authorities have dramatically raised local governments’ special bonds balance limits, prompted local governments to front-load their issuance this year, and also encouraged the private sector to participate in public-private partnership (PPP) infrastructure projects. Will Chinese infrastructure FAI growth accelerate over the next six to nine months from its current nominal 3% pace to double digits? The short answer is no. Chart I-2 We believe Chinese infrastructure investment growth could rebound moderately in the next six to nine months, but will still remain below the double-digit growth seen in the past and well below the 18% average growth of the past 15 years. For purposes of this report, the composition of “infrastructure” includes three categories – (1) Transport, Storage and Postal Service, (2) Water Conservancy, Environment & Utility Management, and (3) Electricity, Gas & Water Production and Supply. Chart I-2 presents the breakdown of the nominal infrastructure FAI by category. Funding Constraint Preceding both the 2011-2012 and 2018 infrastructure investment slumps, the Chinese central government increased its scrutiny on local government debt and tightened funding conditions for infrastructure projects. As a result, all three categories of infrastructure spending experienced a sharp deceleration (Chart I-3). Overall, financing and qualitative limitations that Beijing imposes on local government infrastructure spending hold the key to the outlook. We believe Chinese infrastructure investment growth could rebound moderately in the next six to nine months, but will still remain below the double-digit growth seen in the past and well below the 18% average growth of the past 15 years. Looking forward, without a considerable recovery in available financing, there will be no meaningful rebound in Chinese infrastructure investment and construction activity. For now, we are not very optimistic on financing. Chart I-4 shows the breakdown of the major funding sources of Chinese infrastructure investment. All of them are likely to face considerable funding constraints over the next six to nine months. Chart I-3Chinese Infrastructure Investment Growth Has Decelerated Across The Board Chinese Infrastructure Investment Growth Has Decelerated Across The Board Chinese Infrastructure Investment Growth Has Decelerated Across The Board Chart I-4   1. Self-Raised Funds Self-raised funds contribute nearly 60% of overall infrastructure funding. They include net local government special bond issuance, PPP financing and government-managed funds’ (GMFs) revenues excluding proceeds from special bond issuance. A. Local government special bond issuance, which is exclusively used to fund infrastructure projects, has been the major source of financing for local governments in the past 12 months. The authorities significantly boosted net local government bond issuance to RMB 1.2 trillion in the first six months of this year from only RMB 361 billion in the same period in 2018. However, the amount of special bond issuance in the second half of this year will unlikely be significant enough to boost infrastructure FAI greatly. First, the central government has not only set a limit on the aggregate local government special bond balance, but it also set limits for each of the 31 provinces/provincial-level cities.1 In the past three years, nearly all provinces did not use up their special bond issuance quotas. This resulted in an outstanding aggregate amount of special bonds of only about 85% of the limit.2 In both 2017 and 2018, local governments were left with RMB 1.1 trillion special bond issuance quota unused for that year. Second, based on the limit on outstanding amount special bonds set by the central government for the end of 2019, local governments could issue another RMB 0.8-1 trillion of special bonds in the second half of this year. In comparison, in 2018, the issuance was heavily concentrated in the second half of the year with RMB 1.6 trillion. Our estimate shows there will be only RMB 400-600 billion increase in net total special bond issuance in 2019 versus 2018.3 This will translate into a merely 2-3% growth in Chinese infrastructure investment. Third, net local government special bond issuance made up only 15% of overall infrastructure FAI over the past 12 months. Hence, there is still a huge financing gap to be filled (Chart I-5). B. Public-private partnerships (PPP) are unlikely to meet the financing shortage either. PPPs have become an important financing model for Chinese local governments to fund infrastructure investments since 2014. Nevertheless, to control rising local government debt risks, the central government has tightened regulations on PPP projects since early last year. A series of tightened rules have resulted in a sharp deceleration in both PPP investment and overall infrastructure investment growth. Consequently, PPPs contributions to total infrastructure FAI have plunged from over 30% in 2017 to 10% currently (Chart I-6). Chart I-5Special Bond Issuance Accounted For Only 15% Of Infrastructure FAI Special Bond Issuance Accounted For Only 15% Of Infrastructure FAI Special Bond Issuance Accounted For Only 15% Of Infrastructure FAI Chart I-6Public-Private Partnerships: Too Small To Meet The Financing Shortage Public-Private Partnerships: Too Small To Meet The Financing Shortage Public-Private Partnerships: Too Small To Meet The Financing Shortage   So far, the rules on PPP projects on local governments remain tight. In March, the central government tightened its rule on local government participation in PPP projects. The new rule states that, if a local government has already spent more than 5% of its overall general expenditures on PPP projects excluding sewage and waste disposal PPP projects, it will not be allowed to invest in any new PPP projects. Before March, the threshold was over 10%. In early July, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) demanded all PPP projects undertake a thorough feasibility study. The NDRC emphasized that PPP projects that do not follow standard procedures will not be allowed. Chart I-7Government-Managed Funds: Headwinds From Falling Land Sales Government-Managed Funds: Headwinds From Falling Land Sales Government-Managed Funds: Headwinds From Falling Land Sales C. Government-managed funds (GMF) excluding special bond issuance accounts, which contribute about 15% of overall infrastructure financing, are also facing constraints. According to the country’s Budget Law, the GMF budget refers to the budget for revenues and expenditures of the funds raised for specific developmental objectives. In brief, GMFs constitute de-facto off-balance-sheet government revenues and spending. Land sales by local governments are one major revenue source for GMFs. Contracting property floor space sold is likely to depress real estate developers’ land purchases, further reducing local governments’ revenues from selling land (Chart I-7). This will curb local governments’ ability to finance their infrastructure projects through GMFs. 2. Domestic Loans Domestic loans contribute to about 15% of overall infrastructure financing. Infrastructure projects are generally long term in nature. Presently, the impulse of non-household medium- and long-term (MLT) lending has stabilized but has not yet improved (Chart I-8). While not all of MLT loans are used for infrastructure, sluggish MLT lending reflects commercial banks’ reluctance to finance infrastructure projects. We believe a decelerating economy, mounting local government debt, and often-low returns on infrastructure projects will continue to constrain loan funding of infrastructure projects from both banks and the private sector. 3. General Government Budget The general government budget (which includes central and local governments) accounts for about 15% of overall infrastructure financing. The general budget is also facing headwinds from declining revenue due to recent tax cuts and lower corporate profit growth (Chart I-9). Chart I-8Sluggish Medium/Long-Term Bank Lending Sluggish Medium/Long-Term Bank Lending Sluggish Medium/Long-Term Bank Lending Chart I-9Government General Budget: Large Deficit Government General Budget: Large Deficit Government General Budget: Large Deficit   Bottom Line: Funding constraints will likely linger, making any recovery in Chinese infrastructure investment growth moderate over the next six to nine months. Local government special bonds will not be a game-changer. Their net issuance accounted for only 15% of overall infrastructure FAI over the past 12 months. While local governments could issue another RMB 0.8-1 trillion of special bonds in the second half of 2019, it would be well below the RMB 1.4 trillion of special bond issuance that was rolled out in the second half of 2018. FAI In Transportation: In Nominal Terms… The transportation sector accounts for about 31% of total Chinese infrastructure investment. It includes railway, highway, urban public transit, air and water transport. Table I-1 shows the 13th five-year (2016-2020) transportation investment plan released by the government in February 2017,4 which excludes urban public transit. Chart I- The authorities planned to invest RMB 15 trillion in the transportation sector over the five-year period between 2016 and 2020, with highways accounting for over half of the investment, followed by railways (23%), air transportation (4.3%) and water transportation (3.3%). The table also shows our calculation of the realized investment amount in these four sub-sectors for the period of January 2016 to June 2019. Local government special bonds will not be a game-changer. Their net issuance accounted for only 15% of overall infrastructure FAI over the past 12 months. Table I-1 suggests the remaining FAI for the transportation sector for the July 2019 to December 2020 period will be considerably smaller than the FAI amount over the past 18 months. This entails a major drag on infrastructure investment at least over the next 18 months. It is important to emphasize that this is conditional on the central planners in Beijing sticking to their five-year plan for infrastructure FAI. As of now, there has been no announcement of revisions to these five-year FAI targets. Bottom Line: China has already completed the overwhelming majority of its planned transportation FAI for 2016-2020. Consequently, without revisions to the targets and budgets by central planners in Beijing, transportation investment will likely contract year-on-year over the next 18 months. …And Real Terms Table I-2 summarizes the 2020 targets for major Chinese infrastructure development (urban rail transit, railway, highway and airport) in real terms. Chart I- Chart I-10Transportation 2020 Targets: Not Far Away Transportation 2020 Targets: Not Far Away Transportation 2020 Targets: Not Far Away In real terms, the annual growth of transportation infrastructure will likely be 4.2% in both 2019 and 2020. We illustrated in the previous section that the five-year budget plan had been front-loaded, leaving a very small budget for transportation investment over the next 18 months. This may suggest that without considerably exceeding the budget, transportation infrastructure will fail to achieve the 4.2% annual growth in real terms both this year and next. In brief, more funding should be dispatched/allowed by the central planners in Beijing for infrastructure FAI not to shrink. Second, urban rail transit, high-speed railways, highways and airports will reach their respective 2020 targets, while non-high-speed railway construction will likely be a little bit off its 2020 target. Third, based on the 2020 targets, urban rail transit will enjoy very fast growth over the next one and a half years. Fourth, the growth of high-speed railways and highways will be very low, at around 1-2% in real terms (Chart I-10). Finally, while the number of airports will increase at a faster pace, their contribution to overall infrastructure investment will remain insignificant as they only account for about 1.4% of overall infrastructure investment. Bottom Line: In real terms, transport infrastructure growth will likely be only about 4% over the next six to nine months. Future Infrastructure Investment Focus Urban rail transit, environmental management and public utility management will likely be the major driving forces for Chinese infrastructure investment over the next 18 months. Urban rail transit line length will likely register fast growth of around 10% over the next six to nine months. As the central government enforces increasingly stringent rules on environmental protection, investment in environmental management will likely experience continued growth acceleration (Chart I-11). China has already completed the overwhelming majority of its planned transportation FAI for 2016-2020. Consequently, without revisions to the targets and budgets by central planners in Beijing, transportation investment will likely contract year-on-year over the next 18 months. Meanwhile, as the country’s urbanization continues and more townships and city suburbs become urbanized,5 public utility management investment will also grow moderately. Public utility management investment, contributing a massive 45% of overall infrastructure investment, includes sewer systems, sewer treatment facilities, waste treatment and disposal, streetlights, city roads construction, parks, bridges and tunnels in the city. Investment Implications Investors should not hold their breath expecting a major upswing in infrastructure FAI and a major rally in related financial markets. Chinese steel demand is sensitive to construction of railways and urban rail transit lines (Chart I-12, top panel). In turn, mainland cement demand is dependent on highway construction (Chart I-12, bottom panel). Chart I-11Environment Management: Will Continue Booming Environment Management: Will Continue Booming Environment Management: Will Continue Booming Chart I-12Chinese Infrastructure Spending Will Moderately Boost Steel & Cement Demand... Chinese Infrastructure Spending Will Moderately Boost Steel & Cement Demand... Chinese Infrastructure Spending Will Moderately Boost Steel & Cement Demand...   Chart I-13...And Steel & Cement Prices At The Margin ...And Steel & Cement Prices At The Margin ...And Steel & Cement Prices At The Margin The infrastructure sector accounts for about 10-15% of total Chinese steel use, and about 30-40% of Chinese cement consumption. Nevertheless, given that we believe Chinese infrastructure spending will only have a moderate recovery, the positive effect on steel and cement prices will be muted as well (Chart I-13). The same holds true for spending on industrial machinery, equipment, chemicals and various materials. Notably, risks to this baseline scenario of a muted recovery are to the downside because of the lack of funding. Barring a substantial increase in the special bond issuance quota this year or a major credit binge, infrastructure FAI growth could in fact stall. Ellen JingYuan He, Associate Vice President ellenj@bcaresearch.com   Footnotes 1  Please note that the central government only set the special bond balance limit (not the quota) for local governments. The often-cited “quota” in the news is derived by calculating the difference between the current limit and the previous year’s limit. The “quota” used in this report is the difference between the current special bond balance limit and the actual special bond balance of the previous year end. 2  At the end of 2018, Chinese special bond balance was RMB 7.4 trillion, only 85.8% of the special bond balance limit of RMB 8.6 trillion. This ratio was 84.6% in 2017 and 85.5% in 2016. On average, the ratio was 85.3% in the past three years. 3  Given that the central government is aiming to somewhat stimulate infrastructure spending by increasing special bond issuance, we assume special bond balance at the end of 2019 to reach 88%-90% of the limit (RMB 10.8 trillion) that it has set for 2019. This will be higher than the 85% average of the past three years. In turn, this means that the special bond balance at the end of this year will likely be RMB 9.5-9.7 trillion. Since the balance at the end of last year was RMB 7.4 trillion, this results that net special bond issuance will be around RMB 2.1-2.3 trillion in 2019. Given the net special bond issuance last year was RMB 1.7 trillion, it follows that there will only be a RMB 400-600 billion increase in total special bond issuance in 2019 versus 2018. 4  Please see www.gov.cn/xinwen/2017-02/28/content_5171576.htm, published February 28, 2017, by the Chinese central government website. 5  Please see Emerging Markets Strategy/China Investment Strategy Special Report “Industrialization-Driven Urbanization In China Is Losing Steam,” dated January 2, 2019, available on ems.bcaresearch.com