Rising one rung to claim the top spot for the first time is David Hauner’s nine-strong Bank of America Merrill Lynch squad; this team — with economists and strategists in Russia, South Africa and the U.K. — also leads the lineup in Fixed-Income Strategy. The strengthening of the dollar, slowing economic growth in China and overcapacity in energy and metals could trigger a secular bear market in commodities, the 36-year-old crew leader contends, but “we do not believe that this risk is sufficiently priced.” Consequently, the group is recommending commodities importers, such as Turkey, over such exporters as Russia. Hauner, who earned a master’s degree in international policy studies at California’s Stanford University and a Ph.D. in economics at the University of Vienna, joined the firm in 2008 from the International Monetary Fund in Washington. “David is a tireless and very responsive analyst who made an effective transition from the policy world to the financial markets while simultaneously retaining his personal and professional links to key decision makers,” observes one portfolio manager. — Carolyn Koo |
Economics & Strategy – Economics: First
