US-China trade stoush stokes inflation fears

On one hand, slapping tariffs on China was aimed at narrowing the US's $200 billion trade deficit. But on the other, the trade war is a tacit bid to counter China's global leadership ambitions set down in its Made In China 2025 policy, according to Ross.

"China want to be a world technology leader [and also want to lead] in artificial intelligence, in 3G, in space exploration - all those key strategic industries.

"And that desire by China is diametrically opposed to the US's desire to be a world leader," she said.

Echoing other speakers at the conference, Ross believes China will not go down without a fight – a struggle that will stir further market volatility.

"Our view is that China won't back down, and why would they? They’re an emerging power. The conflict between the two countries will be prolonged and cause volatility and affect US consumers."

Magellan's Vihari Ross, second from right, addresses the Morningstar conference yesterday 

Ross's remarks came as stocks in Asia tumbled across the board in afternoon trade yesterday, following a plunge in US technology stocks. However, they reversed some of their losses overnight, as Microsoft's strong earnings helped Nasdaq-listed companies rebound from the tech-heavy index's worst decline since 2011.

The heightened risk of inflation was a chief concern voiced by Ross. She cast doubt on the Trump administration's tax cut – to 25 per cent, from 35 per cent – suggesting that stimulating the economy while it was going well was a "dangerous cocktail".

Those signs of inflation are in fact beginning to emerge, she said, exacerbated by a period of low interest rates and the US Federal Reserve's $1.5 trillion quantitative easing program.

"In the US, unemployment is 3.7 per cent, which is the lowest level since 1969. Walmart has put up their wages, Amazon has increased wages – these are all signs of inflation percolating in the US economy," Ross said.

"But adding stimulus now when things are going well is quite unprecedented, and creates this dangerous cocktail that could lead to inflation breaking out and that could force the Fed's hand. It could force the Fed to move rates up higher and faster than what the market expects."

Ross said there was a risk the US Federal Reserve would have to raise rates to 5 per cent, which she estimated could have a 20 to 30 per cent impact on bond valuations.

However, on the flipside, Ross said, for investors sitting on cash, "volatility is your friend".

"We don't want to be sitting on 20 per cent cash forever, but at the same time, you'd love to redeploy that cash into assets that look attractive."

Lex Hall is a Morningstar content editor, based in Sydney.

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