HOW TO TRADE GEOPOLITICAL RISKS – TALKING POINTS
- The global economy is showing increasing weakness and fragility
- Eroding economic fortitude exposes markets to geopolitical risks
- Examples of political threats in Asia, Latin America and Europe
See our free guide to learn how to use economic news in your trading strategy[1]!
ANALYZING GEOPOLITICAL RISKS
As 2019 continues to unfold, political risks are growing increasingly relevant to watch as their capacity for inducing market-wide volatility is significantly expanding. Globally, liberal-oriented ideologies – that is, those favoring free trade and integrated capital markets – are being undermined by nationalist and populist movements. The result – though not always – is violent volatility stemming from uncertainty.
Against the backdrop of a slowing global economy and central banks pausing or reversing their rate-hike cycles, the introduction of additional uncertainty will likely create even more volatility. What makes political risk so dangerous and elusive is the limited ability investors have for pricing it in. Traders may therefore find themselves hot under the collar as the global political landscape continues to unpredictably shift.
Generally speaking, markets do not really care about political categorizations but are more concerned with the economic policies embedded in the agenda of whoever holds the reigns of the sovereign. Policies that stimulate economic growth typically acts as a magnet for investors looking to park capital where it will garner the highest yield.
These include the implementation of fiscal stimulus plans, fortifying property rights, allowing for goods and capital to flow freely and dissolving growth-sapping regulations. If these policies create
