In the first article of this series, we explored the stocks which have been holding back the broader stock market and exchange-traded funds investing in Peru. Meanwhile, the second article details issues facing the country and how it’s dealing with them.
So what do these components combined say about the outlook for Peruvian equities?
Short-term pain
Continued short-term pain for stocks from the country is likely, primarily due to reduced overseas investment in light of the ongoing investigations in the Odebrecht scandal involving previous administrations of the nation.
Meanwhile, investors would also like to see tangible signs of implementation of the government’s plan for rebuilding the country after being hit by severe floods earlier this year.
Another aspect which could hurt investment at least in the short-term is the political challenge faced by the country.
The government led by President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski is not yet a year old but has already seen three ministers – Jaime Saavedra (Education), Martin Vizcarra (Transport), and Alfredo Thorne (Finance) – being sacked by the congress. A similar fate probably awaits the Interior Minister Carlos Basombrío.
Thorne is the latest casualty in the $530 million Chinchero International Airport project contract matter which was also responsible for Vizcarra’s ouster. Kuczynski has named Prime Minister Fernando Zavala as Thorne’s replacement.
Political investigations such as this will continue to keep investors at bay for the short-term.
An economy with potential
Though the country is struggling to grow at present, it is considered to be among the most robust in Latin America.
Apart from the efforts the government is making to get the economy back on track and tackle the corruption scandal, it has another component which can help it bounce back — monetary policy.
The central bank reduced rates in May for the first time in over two years by 25 basis points, but held on to the 4% level at the meeting in June. Central bank President Julio Velarde has said that the institution will wait for the “right moment” to further reduce rates, preferably once credit demand is rising.
Outlook on equities
The table above lists the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios of the ETFs tracking the five major emerging market economies of Latin America. While Brazil (EWZ) is the cheapest, Mexico (EWW) is the most expensive. Peru (EPU) is in the middle, between Chile (ECH) and Colombia (ICOL).
Peruvian equities may continue witnessing some headwinds in the short-term. Moderate risk-taking investors might want to wait for these headwinds to pass before initiating or adding to their stock holdings from the country.
However, more adventurous investors would find current valuations quite attractive and may initiate small buying positions. Those investors not taking the fund route need to steer clear of all firms which have connections to the Odebrecht scandal though.
