SHIELD – Sustainable High Yield | Helicopter view of the economy points to yield

We maintain a bullish long term view on the Australian equity market to reach 6500 in 2016. Falling growth outlook, RBA keeping rates unchanged and reporting season uncertainty keeps the short term equity risk high. Australian equities are trading at a premium to long term multiples due to the sustainable high dividend yield on offer in a low interest rate environment. Despite the US interest rate cycle about to turn positive, we remain positive on the domestic yield trade as the US interest rate up cycle is expected to be low and slow. SHIELD Top 20 picks are: large cap – CBA, ANZ and TLS; mid cap – MFG, AWC and CGF; small cap – DSH, ALU, IFM, PTM, MOC, IMF and PRG ; and micro cap – NCK, FRI, SIQ, HFA, DDR and FAN. (VIEW LINK)