Markets Wrestle With Reflation Prospects: BIS Quarterly Review Date
01/03/2021
Prospects of a more robust economic recovery buoyed risky asset prices, with signs of exuberance reflected in the behaviour of retail investors.
Sovereign yield curves steepened as investors priced in higher inflation and fiscal support.
Sentiment towards emerging market assets remained favourable, in particular in East Asia.
The latest BIS Quarterly Review reports that risky assets strengthened further during the review period.1 This buoyancy was set against a backdrop of continued strong monetary accommodation, growing expectations of fiscal stimulus, and cautious but fluctuating optimism about recovering from the pandemic.
Elevated risk appetite was reflected in continued strong corporate debt issuance, especially by lower-rated firms. Many stock indices reached all-time highs in February with equity fund-raising reviving memories of the late 1990s tech boom as retail investors flexed the