The GIC Weekly. What We Are Talking About

Transcription

1 GLOBAL INVESTMENT COMMITTEE SEPT. 8, 2014 The GIC Weekly What We Are Talking About LISA SHALETT Head of Investment & Portfolio Strategies Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Commodities Troughing? Not. Commodities unable to get traction as stronger US dollar and supply dynamics trump rising geopolitical risks; volatility and trendless trading likely to persist, which help US consumers and corporate profits; too early to overweight managed futures as portfolio insurance. Consider only selective exposure in base metals and energy futures while selling gold. Preferred equity exposure is US refiners. Finally, Draghi Surprise. QE-like program to purchase asset-backed securities atop rate cuts shows ECB s commitment to stimulus; actions could lift inflation expectations and create a bottom in German Bund yields, and US Treasuries, too. Consider revisiting fixed income exposures to prepare for higher rates. Upcoming Catalysts Sept. 8 US consumer credit Sept. 9 NFIB Index of Small Business Optimism Sept. 9 Johnson Redbook retail sales Sept. 9 August JOLTS job openings Sept. 10 China producer, consumer prices Sept. 12 Euro Zone industrial production Sept. 12 US retail sales Commodities Troughing? Not. Except for a first-quarter rally triggered by harsh winter weather, commodities are languishing. The Dow Jones-UBS Commodities Index is down 1% for the year to date and down 7% so far in the third quarter. This has been frustrating for investors who have attempted to use commodities to hedge and diversify risks to stocks and bonds that could result from the long list of geopolitical flare-ups and perceived threats of inflation. Furthermore, rather than seeing global central bank stimulus as leading to inflationary pressures, markets continue to focus on fear of deflation. With stocks hitting new highs and concerns about a possible correction, investors are asking whether to add to commodities or double down on existing positions. Although geopolitics have the potential to seriously disrupt commodity supply chains and central banks could overstimulate demand, the Global Investment Committee (GIC) remains cautious about broad-based commodity and managed futures exposure. Our reticence is for several reasons: First, we believe that the last decade s supercycle of high commodity prices has attracted enough new supply-side capacity to undermine the cycle. New mines, oil fields and farming acreage takes years to reach full production, so supply growth could outpace Please refer to important information, disclosures and qualifications at the end of this material.

2 demand growth for some time, putting downward pressure on prices. Just look at the energy sector: Better technology and lower costs have allowed the US to move rapidly toward energy independence. Better yet for the consumer, US pump prices are down 8% year-over-year to below $3.20 per gallon. In the agricultural commodities, experts are forecasting the largest-ever US harvest thanks to a combination of genetically modified seed, pestilence inhibitors and near-perfect growing conditions. Corn, wheat and soybean prices are down nearly double digits from a year ago. On the demand side, the mix is moving toward consumption-driven energy and agricultural commodities and away from infrastructure-heavy commodities such as copper and iron ore. Note that iron ore, the major beneficiary of the past decade s housing boom in China, is down 45% since mid In the immediate term, while the US PMI numbers continued to advance in August, those elsewhere showed slowing, so any upward pressure on prices is likely to be gradual. Next, the increased dispersion in global growth rates and central bank policies is leading to more volatility in currencies. To wit, the dollar has appreciated 3% versus a basket of tradeweighted currencies since the end of June. And the upward pressure on the dollar should continue given the historically wide spread in yields between the 10-year US Treasury and German Bund. Because most commodities are priced in dollars, a strengthening greenback could create a strong headwind. Finally, consider gold, which has been lackluster this year even in the face of geopolitical flare-ups and stepped up central bank activities. The GIC believes that gold is a highly liquid hedge for global volatility, a moderate hedge for changes in inflation expectations and most often, an expensive non-incomeproducing asset. Gold is apt to be anchored by higher US real rates, which we think will come about because the Fed s rate hikes are not likely to be accompanied by a material pickup in inflation. Strength in the US dollar, especially against the euro which just recently hit a one-year low of 1.30, is also a barrier. Furthermore, as we illustrate in this week s Chart of the Week (see page 3), gold has been strongly correlated with the equity risk premium. As the GIC anticipates that the equity risk premium will continue to drift downward in the next several years because of solid economic growth, we believe that gold is likely to remain range-bound. Bottom Line: The past quarter s weakness in commodities prices is not a buying opportunity on fundamentals or as a hedge to an equity correction. Rather, price performance of the asset class against a typically provocative backdrop signals more durable and noteworthy changes in trend. While select opportunities in base metals and energy may exist, well-behaved commodities prices are likely to be a big plus for US consumers and corporate profits. Investors fearing an equity market correction should hedge with short- and intermediate-term bonds. Watch currency and inflation trends for signs that this thesis is losing steam. Consider selective exposure to commodities preferring base metals and energy futures and selling gold. In equities, we prefer US oil refiners. Finally, Draghi Surprises Following the pattern of the last three years, investors expected European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi s rhetoric at the August s Jackson Hole conclave to be followed by weeks of jawboning but little action. From that perspective, the ECB s Sept 4 action cut all three policy rates; notably, it lowered to 0.05% from 0.15% the rate on the shortterm loans to banks, which was seen as bold by the markets. In addition, the ECB said it would begin buying asset-backed securities from banks next month in order to inject cash into banking system. This supplements the targeted long-term refinancing operation, which makes cheap loans to banks. The purchase program, a form of Quantitative Easing (QE), was a surprise and a relief to markets that have been struggling with disappointing leading indicators, slowing growth, recordhigh unemployment, declining inflation, rapidly falling sovereign bond rates and the prospect that Russian trade sanctions could further damage the economy. In response to the ECB, the euro immediately fell by 2%, pushing its dollar value to close to 1.30, a level that should bolster exports, especially for Ireland, Greece, Spain and Portugal, which have already lowered unit labor costs. While the consensus belief is that QE drives rates down, the US experience has been that in the intermediate term, rates actually rise, as inflationary expectations increase along with longer-run growth prospects (see Fixed Weekly Insight, page 5). Assuming history repeats, German Bunds have likely found their trough and with them, other global bonds anchored to them especially US Treasuries. Bottom Line: The ECB s announcement is a catalyst for higher not lower interest rates in the US. Every instance of QE during the past several years has resulted in higher rates in the US and abroad as it has a positive impact on inflation expectations. German Bund and US Treasury rates have likely marked their cycle troughs. Watch inflation expectations and the yield curve s slope as stimulus ultimately impacts longerterm growth prospects and long-term rates. Consider revisiting fixed income exposures to prepare for higher rates. Please refer to important information, disclosures and qualifications at the end of this material. Sept. 8,

3 Chart of the Week: Declining Risk Premium Could Create Headwind for Gold Investors often look to gold to hedge against risks arising from geopolitics, a rise in inflationary expectations or as a store of value when real rates of return decline or deflation seems imminent. Gold s low correlation with stocks suggests that it could still play that role in the event of a stock market correction. Still, holding gold can be an expensive solution as it produces no income. As a longer-term investment, the GlC believes that gold faces headwinds from a strengthening US dollar and rising real rates. Furthermore, as the US recovery gains steam, the GIC believes that the equity risk premium now roughly 100 to 150 basis points above the long-term average will decline and likely take gold with it. Gold hates a Goldilocks regime, and the low-growth/low-rates/lowvolatility environment could persist for some time. 700 Basis Points $ 1, S&P 500 Risk Premium, Three-Mo. Avg. (left axis) 300 Gold Spot Price, USD/Oz., Three-Mo. Avg. (right axis) Note: The equity risk premium is the 12-month forward earnings yield of the S&P 500 less the yield on the 10-year US Treasury note. Source: FactSet, Bloomberg, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management as of Aug. 29, ,700 1,600 1,500 1,400 1,300 1,200 1,100 1,000 Market Factor Data Points (for the week ending Sept. 5, 2014) Positives Negatives August US ISM manufacturing better than expected August nonfarm payroll gains of 144,000 versus US ISM nonmanufacturing seven-year high 220,000 consensus forecast; participation rate down to US construction spending improved 62.8% Fed Beige book solid in all regions, especially capital PMIs in China and Euro Zone weaker Global Growth investment August manufacturing in China a bit lower US auto sales top annualized rate of 17.5 million Chinese consumer confidence weak India, Indonesia leading indicators beat forecasts August German factory orders, industrial production up ECB surprise rate cuts and announce of asset-backed Rates securities purchase plan Inflation expectations improve in Euro Zone as euro Inflation falls to 1.30 to the dollar Oil and gasoline prices make one-year low Sentiment and Flows Russia/Ukraine suggest cease fire framework Investor Intelligence bull/bear ratio at high Source: Morgan Stanley Wealth Management GIC Morgan Stanley & Co. Forecasts (as of Sept. 5, 2014) Real GDP Growth (%) 10-Yr. Govt. Bond Yield (%) Headline Inflation (%) Currency Versus US Dollar E 2015E Q3 14E Q4 14E E 2015E Q3 14E 2014E 2015E Global US Euro Zone UK Japan Emerging Markets China Source: Morgan Stanley & Co. Please refer to important information, disclosures and qualifications at the end of this material. Sept. 8,

4 Asset Class Performance and Heat Map (as of Sept. 5, 2014) Asset Class Annualized Returns (%) Yield Valuation Volatility (%) Correlation to Global Equities Cash YTD 1-Yr. 3-Yr.* 5-Yr.* 7-Yr.* 10-Yr.* 20-Yr.* Current Current Avg. YTM YTM YTM 30 Days 20 Yrs.* 30 Days 20 Yrs.* 90-Day US Treasury Bills Global Equities Current Current Avg. Div. Yld. P/E* P/E** US Large-Cap Growth US Large-Cap Value US Mid-Cap Growth US Mid-Cap Value US Small-Cap Growth US Small-Cap Value Europe Japan Asia Pacific ex Japan Emerging Markets Global Fixed Current Current Avg. YTM Spread Spread** Short-Term Fixed US Fixed Fixed Inflation-Linked Securities High Yield Emerging Markets Fixed. Inc Alternative Investments Current Div. Yld. REITs Master Limited Partnerships*** Commodities ex Prec. Metals Precious Metals Hedged Strategies**** Managed Futures**** S&P *August 31, 2014 **20-year average as of August 31, ***Volatility and Correlation: June 30, Present. ****Hedged strategies consist of hedge funds and managed futures; returns as of July 31, 2014 Source: FactSet, Bloomberg Cheap Low Low Moderate High High Expensive S&P 500 Earnings Estimates MS & Co. S&P 500 Price Target for Mid-2015 EPS Landscape Scenario Probability 2014E 2015E 2H2015-1H2016 P/E Ratio Scenario Target Upside / Downside Consensus Morgan Stanley $133 Bull Case 20% , % $111 $120 $116 $123 Growth 11% 10% 10% Base Case 60% , % Growth 5% 6% 6% Bear Case 20% , % 2013A 2014E 2015E Source: FactSet, Thomson Reuters, Morgan Stanley & Co. Research as of Sept. 5, 2014 Growth -8% 0% 2% Current S&P 500 Price 2,008 Source: Thomson Reuters, Morgan Stanley & Co. Research as of Sept. 5, 2014 Please refer to important information, disclosures and qualifications at the end of this material. Sept. 8,

5 Fixed Weekly Insight: The ECB s Actions Suggest Higher US Treasury Yields Since 2009, when the first Quantitative Easing (QE) program was announced, the intermediate-term US Treasury rates have moved higher in response. This market dynamic is measured by the change in the 10-year US Treasury yield following the subsequent rounds of QE (see chart). Similarly, the bond market reacted to comments by European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi and the Bank of Japan. As such, we expect that the recent ECB rate cut and bond-buying program could send yields on US Treasuries higher. While the weaker-than-expected August jobs report may dampen the market s reaction, we believe the economy s uptrend remains intact. Thus, we reiterate our preference for high yield credit and shorter maturity bonds. 5 % QE1 10-Year US Treasury Yield QE2 Twist Draghi: "Whatever it takes" QE3 Taper BOJ Targets 2% Inflation ECB's "QE" Source: Bloomberg, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management as of Sept. 5, 2014 Government Debt Monitor (as of Sept. 5, 2014 ) US Global Yield (%) Total Return (%) Yield (%) Total Return (%)* Treasury Benchmark Current ΔWTD ΔYTD YTD 10-Year Govt. Bond Current ΔWTD ΔYTD YTD 3-Month France Year Germany Year Japan Year Spain Year UK Yr./10-Yr. Spread (bp) Month LIBOR Yr. TIPS Breakeven (bp) US Tax Exempt 10-Year AAA Muni Interest Rate Volatility** (bp) Yr. Muni/UST Ratio *Global total returns reflect Citigroup 7- to 10-year bond indexes and Muni total returns reflect Barclays Municipal Bond Index Total Return **Interest Rate Volatility measured by Merrill Lynch Option Volatility Estimate (MOVE) Index Source: Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters Municipal Market Data (MMD) as of Sept. 5, 2014 Fixed Spread Dashboard High Yield Investment Grade Benchmark Returns OAS Range** Duration Yield-to- OAS Total Returns (%) Past Two Years (bp) (Yrs.) Worst (%) (bp) Rich Cheap Index YTD MTD 2013 MBS* Barclays Aggregate AAA Barclays US MBS AA Barclays Municipal A Investment Grade BBB High Yield BB World Government Bonds (FX) B Emerging Markets US$ CCC ,094 Unless stated, indexes utilized are Citi Broad Investment Grade, Citi High Yield, and Citi Global Indexes *MBS distills high grade agency-rated mortgage-backed securities, a substantial subsector of investment grade indexes **OAS stands for Option-Adjusted Spread or spread over the Treasury. Grey diamond denotes current OAS; blue circle denotes two-year average. Source: Bloomberg, The Yield Book Software and Services Citigroup Index LLC. All rights reserved. Data as of Sept. 5, 2014 Please refer to important information, disclosures and qualifications at the end of this material. Sept. 8,

6 Global Investment Committee Tactical Asset Allocation The Global Investment Committee provides guidance on investment allocation decisions through its various model portfolios. The eight models below are recommended for accounts with less than $25 million in investable assets. They are based on an increasing scale of risk (expected volatility) and expected return. CONSERVATIVE 14% High Yield 1% Inflation- Linked Securities MODEL 1 MODEL 2 MODEL 3 29% Cash 53% Investment Grade Fixed 3% Emerging Markets Fixed >>> MODERATE >>> 1% Commodities 2% MLPs 2% Commodities 3% MLPs 2% REITs 6% Hedged Strategies 2% REITs 9% Hedged Strategies 1% Emerging 1% Markets Fixed Emerging 9% 14% Markets Cash 8% High Cash 12% US Fixed Yield 16% US 36% Investment Grade Fixed 15% 3% Emerging Markets 6% High Yield 28% Investment Grade Fixed 6% Emerging Markets 18% MODERATE 3% MLPs 3% Commodities MODEL 4 MODEL 5 MODEL 6 11% Hedged Strategies 4% Cash >>> >>> 3% Commodities 3% REITs 4% MLPs 12% Hedged Strategies 2% Cash 4% Commodities 3% REITs 4% MLPs 13% Hedged Strategies 1% Cash 3% REITs 20% US 24% US 2% High Yield 28% US 5% High Yield 21% Investment Grade Fixed 22% 8% Emerging Markets 4% High Yield 11% Investment Grade Fixed 11% Emerging Markets 26% 2% Investment Grade Fixed 12% Emerging Markets 31% AGGRESSIVE >>> MODEL 7 MODEL 8 4% MLPs 4% Commodities 14% Hedged Strategies 4% MLPs 4% Commodities 14% Hedged Strategies 3% Cash KEY CASH 3% REITs 32% US 3% REITs 26% US GLOBAL FIXED INCOME 12% Emerging Markets 31% 14% Emerging Markets 35% GLOBAL EQUITIES ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS Note: Hedged strategies consist of hedge funds and managed futures. Please refer to important information, disclosures and qualifications at the end of this material. Sept. 8,

7 Tactical Asset Allocation Reasoning Global Equities Relative Weight Within Equities US Overweight While US equities have done exceptionally well since the global financial crisis, they still offer attractive upside potential, particularly relative to bonds. We believe the US and global economy continue to heal, making recession neither imminent nor likely in 2014 or This is constructive for global equities, including the US. Equities (Developed Markets) Overweight We maintain our bias for Japanese and European equity markets given the political and structural changes taking place in Japan and an improving economic outlook in Europe. Japan underperformed in the first half of 2014 due to the recently enacted consumption tax. We expect the second half to be better as consumption rebounds. Europe performed well during the first half, but has sold off sharply on concerns about Russia/Ukraine and the ongoing Asset Quality Reviews (AQRs) and bank stress tests. We believe most of the bad news is priced in and would add on weakness before the AQRs and stress tests are completed in October. Emerging Markets Underweight Emerging markets have surprised to the upside this year. However, we believe performance may be ahead of the fundamentals and remain underweight. Policy remains out of sync with what is necessary for true reform in many regions. The Fed s rate hike cycle, likely to begin early next year, could have a negative impact. We would only add on pullbacks and favor India, Mexico, China, Taiwan and Korea. Global Fixed Relative Weight Within Fixed US Investment Grade Overweight We have recommended shorter-duration* (maturities) since March 2013 given the potential capital losses associated with the rising interest rates from such low levels. Yields have risen since then, but not enough for us to change that advice. However, we recently reduced the size of our overweight in short duration as we expect short-term interest rates to move higher than the market expects in the next six months. Within investment grade, we prefer BBB-rated corporates and A-rated municipals over US Treasuries. Investment Grade Inflation-Linked Securities Equal Weight Underweight Yields are low globally, so not much additional value accrues to owning international bonds beyond some diversification benefit. We have been underweight inflation-linked securities since March 2013, given negative real yields across all maturities. Recently, these yields have turned modestly positive but remain unattractive, in our view, due to the longerduration characteristics of TIPS. High Yield Overweight Yields and spreads are near record lows. However, default rates are likely to remain muted as the economy recovers slowly, keeping corporate and consumer behavior conservative. We prefer shorter-duration and higher-quality (B to BB) issues and vigilance on security selection at this stage of the credit cycle. Emerging Market Bonds Alternative Investments Underweight Relative Weight Within Alternative Investments Similar to emerging market equities, we remain underweight on the basis that the beginning of the Fed s rate hike cycle will likely be a disproportionate headwind for emerging market debt relative to other debt markets. REITs Equal Weight Falling interest rates have led to very good performance from REITs this year. At current levels, we believe REITs are fairly valued and offer select opportunities. The industrial and commercial segments tend to outperform at this stage of the recovery. Non-US REITs should also be favored relative to domestic REITs at this point. Commodities Equal Weight Commodities have performed much better in 2014 than in the recent past. Poor weather and rising geopolitical risks have led to higher prices, reminding us that commodities can provide some ballast to a traditional equity/bond portfolio. There is also a growing appreciation that China is not the only driver of demand for commodities. Master Limited Partnerships* Equal Weight Master limited partnerships (MLPs) should continue to do well as they provide diversification benefits to traditional assets and a substantial yield that is valuable in a low interest rate world. Many MLPs are levered to commodity consumption, which is more predictable than prices. Hedged Strategies (Hedge Funds and Managed Futures) Equal Weight This asset class can provide uncorrelated exposure to traditional risk-asset markets. It has outperformed equities when growth has slowed and has worked well in more challenging financial markets. Source: Morgan Stanley Wealth Management GIC as of Sept. 5, 2014 For more about the risks to Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) and Duration, please see the Risk Considerations section beginning on page 9 of this report. Please refer to important information, disclosures and qualifications at the end of this material. Sept. 8,

8 Index Definitions BARCLAYS MUNICIPAL BOND INDEX This is a rules-based, market-value-weighted index engineered for the long-term tax-exempt bond market. BARCLAYS US AGGREGATE BOND INDEX This index tracks US-dollar-denominated investment grade fixed rate bonds. These include US Treasuries, US-governmentrelated, securitized and corporate securities. BARCLAYS US CORPORATE HIGH-YIELD INDEX This index measures the market of US-dollar-denominated, noninvestment grade, fixed-rate, taxable corporate bonds. BARCLAYS US MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES INDEX This is an index which covers the mortgage-backed securities component of the Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index. CITI BIG US CORPORATE BOND INDEX This is a comprehensive representation of the US investment grade bond market. CITI EMERGING MARKET SOVEREIGN BOND INDEX This index includes Brady bonds and US-dollar-denominated emerging markets sovereign debt issued in the global, Yankee and Eurodollar markets, excluding loans. It comprises debt in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America. CITI SPAIN GBI CURRENCY HEDGED 7 TO 10 YEAR USD This index measures the performance of Spain sovereign bonds in the seven-to-10-year maturity range and is denominated in US dollars. CITI UK GBI CURRENCY HEDGED 7 TO 10 YEAR USD This index measures the performance of UK sovereign bonds in the seven- to-10-year maturity range and is denominated in US dollars. CITI HIGH YIELD MARKET INDEX This index captures the performance of the belowinvestment-grade debt issued by corporations domiciled in the US and Canada. CITI FRANCE GBI CURRENCY HEDGED 7 TO 10 YEAR USD This index measures the performance of France sovereign bonds in the seven-to-10-year maturity range and is denominated in US dollars. CITI GERMANY GBI CURRENCY HEDGED 7 TO 10 YEAR USD This index measures the performance of Germany sovereign bonds in the seven-to-10-year maturity range and is denominated in US dollars. CITI JAPAN GBI CURRENCY HEDGED 7 TO 10 YEAR USD This index measures the performance of Japan sovereign bonds in the seven-to-10-year maturity range and is denominated in US dollars. CONSUMER PRICE INDEX This index examines the weighted average of prices of a basket of consumer goods and services. DOW JONES-UBS COMMODITY INDEX This index comprises futures contracts on physical commodities. These include energy, base metals, precious metals and agricultural commodities. INSTITUTE OF SUPPLY MANAGEMENT (ISM) MANUFACTURING INDEX An index based on surveys of more than 300 manufacturing firms by the Institute of Supply Management. The ISM Manufacturing Index monitors employment, production inventories, new orders and supplier deliveries. A composite diffusion index is created that monitors conditions in national manufacturing based on the data from these surveys. INSTITUTE OF SUPPLY MANAGEMENT (ISM) NONMANUFACTURING INDEX An index based on surveys of nonmanufacturing firms by the Institute of Supply Management. The ISM Nonmanufacturing Index monitors employment, new orders and supplier deliveries. A composite diffusion index is created that monitors conditions in national nonmanufacturing industries based on the data from these surveys. MERRILL LYNCH OPTION VOLATILITY ESTIMATE (MOVE) INDEX This is a yieldcurve-weighted index of the normalized implied volatility on one-month US Treasury options. NFIB INDEX OF SMALL BUSINESS OPTIMISM This sentiment index is based on a survey of small businesses drawn from the membership of the National Federation of Independent Business. PRODUCER PRICE INDEX This index measures wholesale price levels in the economy. S&P 500 INDEX Regarded as the best single gauge of the US equities market, this capitalization-weighted index includes a representative sample of 500 leading companies in leading industries in the US economy. Please refer to important information, disclosures and qualifications at the end of this material. Sept. 8,

9 Risk Considerations MLPs Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) are limited partnerships or limited liability companies that are taxed as partnerships and whose interests (limited partnership units or limited liability company units) are traded on securities exchanges like shares of common stock. Currently, most MLPs operate in the energy, natural resources or real estate sectors. Investments in MLP interests are subject to the risks generally applicable to companies in the energy and natural resources sectors, including commodity pricing risk, supply and demand risk, depletion risk and exploration risk. Individual MLPs are publicly traded partnerships that have unique risks related to their structure. These include, but are not limited to, their reliance on the capital markets to fund growth, adverse ruling on the current tax treatment of distributions (typically mostly tax deferred), and commodity volume risk. The potential tax benefits from investing in MLPs depend on their being treated as partnerships for federal income tax purposes and, if the MLP is deemed to be a corporation, then its income would be subject to federal taxation at the entity level, reducing the amount of cash available for distribution to the fund which could result in a reduction of the fund s value. MLPs carry interest rate risk and may underperform in a rising interest rate environment. MLP funds accrue deferred income taxes for future tax liabilities associated with the portion of MLP distributions considered to be a tax-deferred return of capital and for any net operating gains as well as capital appreciation of its investments; this deferred tax liability is reflected in the daily NAV; and, as a result, the MLP fund s after-tax performance could differ significantly from the underlying assets even if the pre-tax performance is closely tracked. Duration Duration, the most commonly used measure of bond risk, quantifies the effect of changes in interest rates on the price of a bond or bond portfolio. The longer the duration, the more sensitive the bond or portfolio would be to changes in interest rates. Generally, if interest rates rise, bond prices fall and vice versa. Longer-term bonds carry a longer or higher duration than shorter-term bonds; as such, they would be affected by changing interest rates for a greater period of time if interest rates were to increase. Consequently, the price of a long-term bond would drop significantly as compared to the price of a short-term bond. investing entails greater risk, as well as greater potential rewards compared to U.S. investing. These risks include political and economic uncertainties of foreign countries as well as the risk of currency fluctuations. These risks are magnified in countries with emerging markets, since these countries may have relatively unstable governments and less established markets and economies. Alternative investments which may be referenced in this report, including private equity funds, real estate funds, hedge funds, managed futures funds, and funds of hedge funds, private equity, and managed futures funds, are speculative and entail significant risks that can include losses due to leveraging or other speculative investment practices, lack of liquidity, volatility of returns, restrictions on transferring interests in a fund, potential lack of diversification, absence and/or delay of information regarding valuations and pricing, complex tax structures and delays in tax reporting, less regulation and higher fees than mutual funds and risks associated with the operations, personnel and processes of the advisor. Managed futures investments are speculative, involve a high degree of risk, use significant leverage, have limited liquidity and/or may be generally illiquid, may incur substantial charges, may subject investors to conflicts of interest, and are usually suitable only for the risk capital portion of an investor s portfolio. Before investing in any partnership and in order to make an informed decision, investors should read the applicable prospectus and/or offering documents carefully for additional information, including charges, expenses, and risks. Managed futures investments are not intended to replace equities or fixed income securities but rather may act as a complement to these asset categories in a diversified portfolio. Investing in commodities entails significant risks. Commodity prices may be affected by a variety of factors at any time, including but not limited to, (i) changes in supply and demand relationships, (ii) governmental programs and policies, (iii) national and international political and economic events, war and terrorist events, (iv) changes in interest and exchange rates, (v) trading activities in commodities and related contracts, (vi) pestilence, technological change and weather, and (vii) the price volatility of a commodity. In addition, the commodities markets are subject to temporary distortions or other disruptions due to various factors, including lack of liquidity, participation of speculators and government intervention. Physical precious metals are non-regulated products. Precious metals are speculative investments, which may experience short-term and long term price volatility. The value of precious metals investments may fluctuate and may appreciate or decline, depending on market conditions. If sold in a declining market, the price you receive may be less than your original investment. Unlike bonds and stocks, precious metals do not make interest or dividend payments. Therefore, precious metals may not be suitable for investors who require current income. Precious metals are commodities that should be safely stored, which may impose additional costs on the investor. The Securities Investor Protection Corporation ( SIPC ) provides certain protection for customers cash and securities in the event of a brokerage firm s bankruptcy, other financial difficulties, or if customers assets are missing. SIPC insurance does not apply to precious metals or other commodities. Please refer to important information, disclosures and qualifications at the end of this material. Sept. 8,

10 Bonds are subject to interest rate risk. When interest rates rise, bond prices fall; generally the longer a bond's maturity, the more sensitive it is to this risk. Bonds may also be subject to call risk, which is the risk that the issuer will redeem the debt at its option, fully or partially, before the scheduled maturity date. The market value of debt instruments may fluctuate, and proceeds from sales prior to maturity may be more or less than the amount originally invested or the maturity value due to changes in market conditions or changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Bonds are subject to the credit risk of the issuer. This is the risk that the issuer might be unable to make interest and/or principal payments on a timely basis. Bonds are also subject to reinvestment risk, which is the risk that principal and/or interest payments from a given investment may be reinvested at a lower interest rate. Bonds rated below investment grade may have speculative characteristics and present significant risks beyond those of other securities, including greater credit risk and price volatility in the secondary market. Investors should be careful to consider these risks alongside their individual circumstances, objectives and risk tolerance before investing in high-yield bonds. High yield bonds should comprise only a limited portion of a balanced portfolio. Interest on municipal bonds is generally exempt from federal income tax; however, some bonds may be subject to the alternative minimum tax (AMT). Typically, state tax-exemption applies if securities are issued within one's state of residence and, if applicable, local tax-exemption applies if securities are issued within one's city of residence. Treasury Inflation Protection Securities (TIPS) coupon payments and underlying principal are automatically increased to compensate for inflation by tracking the consumer price index (CPI). While the real rate of return is guaranteed, TIPS tend to offer a low return. Because the return of TIPS is linked to inflation, TIPS may significantly underperform versus conventional U.S. Treasuries in times of low inflation. Yields are subject to change with economic conditions. Yield is only one factor that should be considered when making an investment decision. securities may fluctuate in response to news on companies, industries, market conditions and general economic environment. Asset allocation and diversification do not assure a profit or protect against loss in declining financial markets. Asset-backed securities generally decrease in value as a result of interest rate increases, but may benefit less than other fixed-income securities from declining interest rates, principally because of prepayments. The indices are unmanaged. An investor cannot invest directly in an index. They are shown for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the performance of any specific investment. The indices selected by Morgan Stanley Wealth Management to measure performance are representative of broad asset classes. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC retains the right to change representative indices at any time. Credit ratings are subject to change. REITs investing risks are similar to those associated with direct investments in real estate: property value fluctuations, lack of liquidity, limited diversification and sensitivity to economic factors such as interest rate changes and market recessions. Because of their narrow focus, sector investments tend to be more volatile than investments that diversify across many sectors and companies. Investing in foreign emerging markets entails greater risks than those normally associated with domestic markets, such as political, currency, economic and market risks. Investing in foreign markets entails greater risks than those normally associated with domestic markets, such as political, currency, economic and market risks. Investing in currency involves additional special risks such as credit, interest rate fluctuations, derivative investment risk, and domestic and foreign inflation rates, which can be volatile and may be less liquid than other securities and more sensitive to the effect of varied economic conditions. In addition, international investing entails greater risk, as well as greater potential rewards compared to U.S. investing. These risks include political and economic uncertainties of foreign countries as well as the risk of currency fluctuations. These risks are magnified in countries with emerging markets, since these countries may have relatively unstable governments and less established markets and economies. Certain securities referred to in this material may not have been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and, if not, may not be offered or sold absent an exemption therefrom. Recipients are required to comply with any legal or contractual restrictions on their purchase, holding, and sale, exercise of rights or performance of obligations under any securities/instruments transaction. Disclosures Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is the trade name of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC, a registered broker-dealer in the United States. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only and is not an offer to buy or sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument or to participate in any trading strategy. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance. 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11 This material has been prepared for informational purposes only and is not an offer to buy or sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell any security/instrument, or to participate in any trading strategy. Any such offer would be made only after a prospective investor had completed its own independent investigation of the securities, instruments or transactions, and received all information it required to make its own investment decision, including, where applicable, a review of any offering circular or memorandum describing such security or instrument. That information would contain material information not contained herein and to which prospective participants are referred. This material is based on public information as of the specified date, and may be stale thereafter. We have no obligation to tell you when information herein may change. We make no representation or warranty with respect to the accuracy or completeness of this material. 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