Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Cash levels jumped from 5.5% in September to 5.8% this month. Investors’ average cash balance was last this high in July 2016 (post-Brexit vote) and in Fall 2001.

According to BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research report, fund flows data reveal that inflows into high-grade funds have slowed down over the past few weeks. Chart 1 indicates that the four-week average trend has decelerated to its lowest point since mid-July.

According to BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research report inflows into Investment Grade (IG) funds have slowed down over the past weeks. Is this temporary or more the result of declining yields making high-quality credit unappetizing now?

With increasing concern over China’s growth, investors are significantly less confident in the global economic outlook, according to the BofA Merrill Lynch Fund Manager Survey for January. Allocations to equities have fallen sharply, while cash holdings have risen.

Glass Half-Full: Bullish on Stocks, Not Sectors; Year of Modest Global Growth: U.S. Grows, China Slows and Brazil Contracts; More Volatility as Monetary Policies Diverge, Rates and Regulations Collide