Tuesday, November 10, 2009

SocGen's top analyst sees market lows next year 10 Nov 2009 12:53

* Edwards sceptical of efficacy of extreme policy responses

* Anticipates recession for Chinese economy

* Expects demand for Japanese government bonds to wane

(Adds details on Japan)

HONG KONG, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Albert Edwards, a top analyst with French bank Societe Generale <SOGN.PA>, expects global markets to hit a new low in 2010, adding that he would not be surprised if the global economy enters another recession next year.

Edwards, one of the leading equities bears and a long-term critic of the policies of Western central banks, is sceptical of popular opinion that extreme policy response will safeguard the West against a repeat of Japan's lost decade of the 1990's.

Edwards said he expected that at some point China would go into recession, calling people's excessive faith in growth stories a "sick joke".

Japan would run into difficulty funding itself next year as demand for Japanese government bonds waned and bond yields rose further, he said.

The significance of higher Japanese government bond yields was that it would cause some Japanese investors, who have been investing overseas in search of higher returns, to bring that money back home, he said.

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