H2 2017 poised to offer handsome returns as fundamentals look good

Tokyo

THE second half of this year may be a golden opportunity for investors to enjoy handsome returns from the most benign global economic backdrop since the financial crisis, before the story changes in 2018.

"Synchronous self-sustaining growth, contained inflation and well-telegraphed, gradual withdrawal of policy should drive more animal spirits" in the latter half of 2017 among both investors and companies, Morgan Stanley strategists including London-based Andrew Sheets wrote in a June 4 report. "2018 will be tougher," they wrote, reprising the old adage to "make hay while the sun shines".