Emerging-market currencies surged on the final trading day of the year’s first half, a period otherwise marked by unexpected election outcomes and persistent uncertainty over the Federal Reserve’s interest rate trajectory.
The South African rand and the Chilean peso led the charge on Friday, propelling an index of emerging-market currencies to a 0.2% gain after the core personal consumption expenditures price index in the US showed signs of slowing.
This development has bolstered hopes for potential rate cuts from the Fed in the coming months. Despite the gains, the index ended the first half of the year down by 1%, marking its weakest start since 2022.
Across the developing world, assets have endured significant pressure in recent months due to volatile election results.
Upcoming ballots in major economies, including France, the UK, and the United States, are expected to influence investor sentiment and capital flows in the latter half of the year.
Stock markets, however, have largely shrugged off these uncertainties, posting a 6% return over the past six months, marking the best first half since 2021, according to Bloomberg data.
The equities gauge closed higher on Friday, driven by strong performances in the information technology sector.
Rand Leads the Pack
The South African rand saw a remarkable rally, buoyed by optimism surrounding the formation of a broad coalition government. The currency gained as much as 1.8% against the dollar, its largest single-day gain this year.
Earlier on Friday, Bank of America Corp. strategists closed their bearish trade recommendation for the rand, anticipating that a coalition administration would soon be established by the African National Congress, which lost its parliamentary majority in the May elections, and the centrist Democratic Alliance.
“On confirmation of the cabinet announcement, we expect further gains in South African assets broadly,” said Razia Khan, chief economist for Standard Chartered Bank.
Mexican Peso and Indian Bonds
The Mexican peso also strengthened, rising by 0.7%, after the central bank indicated that policy would remain restrictive, even as some space for future interest rate cuts appeared to be emerging.
In India, government bonds were poised to attract billions of dollars in new inflows following their inclusion in JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s emerging market index.
This move is set to open up India’s $1.3 trillion bond market to a broader range of global investors.
The mixed performance of emerging-market assets highlights the complex interplay of global economic policies and regional political dynamics.
As investors navigate these turbulent waters, the upcoming elections and Fed decisions will likely continue to drive market sentiment and influence currency movements in the months ahead.