This result wasn’t on the cards but once again, opinion polls, bookmakers, analysts and experts alike have all called it wrong. Donald Trump’s ascendancy and the manner of the victory mirrors the sentiment expressed by UK voters in the June Brexit referendum to leave the EU. It appears that people are no longer happy with the status quo and are voting for change in overwhelming numbers.
It is difficult to predict how Donald Trump’s policies will impact the US and indeed global economies. What we can be more certain of however, is that uncertainty and change is the order of the day. This has implications for key European elections in France and Germany in 2017 as we consider the rise of anti-immigration, extreme left-wing and extreme right-wing parties in Europe. The fall-out and analysis of the US election is likely to continue for some time.
The financial market reaction so far has been relatively muted, especially when compared to the reaction to the Brexit result in June this year. It is possible that the market reaction may be complacent and investors have not yet fully come to appreciate the implications for global growth, geopolitics and in turn, asset prices.
It is very important that investors should avoid making knee-jerk reactions to events impacting financial markets in the short term. Investors committed to long term investment strategies, with a well-structured portfolio and the ability to ride out the periods of volatility should be rewarded in the long run. The MSCI Global Developed Market benchmark fell by 5% in a single day after the Brexit result on the 24th June 2016. The benchmark has since recovered its losses as at the US polling date of 8 November.
When the unexpected becomes normal, then it is time to rethink your investment strategies. You might consider investing in products that provide exposure to thematic and researched investment ideas, with capital protection barriers on the downside and the ability to generate positive returns in a variety of market conditions.
If you are considering changing your investment strategy, talk to your financial broker.