Dollar's Diminishing Role Could Create Opportunities in Global and Emerging Market Debt, According to Standish

BNY Mellon Fixed Income Manager Sees Dollar Remaining World's Main Reserve Currency Over Short Term

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Nov 28, 2011, 08:06 ET

LONDON and NEW YORK, Nov. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The diminishing role of the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency could create growing opportunities in global and emerging market debt, according to a white paper from Standish Mellon Asset Management Company LLC, the fixed income specialist for BNY Mellon Asset Management.

The U.S. dollar's influence is likely to diminish over time as foreign central banks diversify their reserves away from the U.S. currency, leading to a multi-polar global reserve regime, according to the recently published report, Perspectives for Global Fixed Income: Losing Faith in the U.S. Dollar?

"Our clients have recognized that this trend could produce increased opportunities for active currency management," said Desmond Mac Intyre, president and chief executive officer of Standish. "We're seeing a growing number of clients extend our latitude in deciding how much to hedge so we can capitalize on currency movements."

In the report, Standish expects the dollar will retain its role as the world's main reserve currency in the short term, as it has no obvious challenger. The report notes all of the most commonly suggested alternatives have their own limitations at the present time.

These include the impact of the European sovereign debt crisis on the euro, the lack of full convertibility for the Chinese renminbi, and the lack of liquidity for gold, the report said. It also notes that the Japanese yen never circulated broadly because Japan is a relatively small country with a shrinking population.

But over time, the report predicts the dollar's dominance will continue to erode and a number of other currencies could combine to fill the vacuum. These could include the euro and renminbi, as they overcome their challenges, and a growing role by several emerging markets currencies, according to Standish.

"Fiscal deficits and a reliance on foreign borrowing have combined to drive down the U.S. dollar's trade-weighted value by one third since 2002," said Thomas D. Higgins, global macro strategist for Standish and the author of the report. "The recent downgrade of the U.S. sovereign rating has added to the negative sentiment."

The Standish report notes that the process of reserve diversification already has begun as foreign central banks, particularly in emerging markets, have begun to lower their allocations to the U.S. currency. The dollar's share of global currency reserves has declined over the last 10 years as emerging markets are relying less on external debt and move from fixed to floating exchange rates, Standish said.

The report notes that foreign central banks have held U.S. Treasuries for a number of reasons, including boosting exports to the U.S. by holding down the values of their own currencies against the dollar. Standish proprietary research estimates that each $100 billion in foreign capital inflows into the U.S. Treasury market shaves roughly 10 basis points from U.S. 10-year Treasury yields. However, low yields of U.S. Treasuries and the declining value of the dollar have resulted in losses by foreign central banks holding Treasuries, providing an impetus for foreign central banks to continue divesting Treasuries, the report said.

The share of U.S. dollars could gradually decline back to its share of world GDP over the coming decades, which could increase U.S. 10-year yields by as much as 50 basis points, according to the report. This would make Treasuries unattractive, while emerging market debt could offer more compelling value over the long term, it said.

"As the international role of emerging market currencies grows, these currencies should appreciate and demand for bonds denominated in those currencies should expand," said Higgins. "The amount of emerging market local currency bonds has expanded significantly in the last 10 years, and it should continue to increase in emerging markets with solid economic fundamentals."

Notes to Editors:

Standish Mellon Asset Management Company LLC, with more than $85 billion of assets under management, provides investment management services across a broad spectrum of fixed income asset classes. These include corporate credit (investment-grade and high-yield), emerging markets debt (dollar-denominated and local currency), core / core plus and opportunistic (U.S. and global) strategies. Standish also offers full service capabilities in Insurance and liability driven investing. The firm also includes assets managed by Standish personnel acting as dual officers of The Dreyfus Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon.

BNY Mellon Asset Management is one of the world's leading asset management organizations, encompassing BNY Mellon's affiliated investment management firms and global distribution companies. Information about BNY Mellon Asset Management can be found at www.bnymellonam.com.

BNY Mellon is a global financial services company focused on helping clients manage and service their financial assets, operating in 36 countries and serving more than 100 markets. BNY Mellon is a leading provider of financial services for institutions, corporations and high-net-worth individuals, offering superior investment management and investment services through a worldwide client-focused team. It has $25.9 trillion in assets under custody and administration and $1.2 trillion in assets under management, services $11.9 trillion in outstanding debt and processes global payments averaging $1.6 trillion per day. BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: z). Additional information is available at www.bnymellon.com and through Twitter@bnymellon.

All information source BNY Mellon Asset Management at September 30, 2011. This press release is qualified for issuance in the UK and US and is for information purposes only. It does not constitute an offer or solicitation of securities or investment services or an endorsement thereof in any jurisdiction or in any circumstance in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful or not authorised. This press release is issued by BNY Mellon Asset Management (US) and BNY Mellon Asset Management International Limited (ex-US) to members of the financial press and media and the information contained herein should not be construed as investment advice. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. Registered office of BNY Mellon Asset Management International Limited: BNY Mellon Centre, 160 Queen Victoria Street, London, EC4V 4LA. Registered in England no. 1118580. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. A BNY Mellon Company(SM)

SOURCE BNY Mellon