NEW YORK (Reuters) – Mohamed El-Erian, the chief economic adviser at Allianz SE, warned that global markets do not fully appreciate the risk posed by the Ukrainian crisis, a conflict which could push Europe into recession.
He saw few options to de-escalate tensions between Ukraine, its Western supporters and Russia, which has been accused of backing an insurgency led by ethnic Russian separatists.
In an interview at Reuters’ New York headquarters on Monday, in which he also spoke about his controversial departure from Pimco earlier this year, El-Erian said just “one or at most two” more rounds of sanctions and counter sanctions between Russia and the West would likely push Europe into recession. That’s especially true if Russia cuts energy supplies during the coming winter heating season.
“I think markets are underestimating Ukraine,” El-Erian said. “It is very hard to find a solution that reconciles the three parties involved – Ukraine, the West and Russia.”
El-Erian said markets also were placing “enormous faith” in the world’s central banks, such as the U.S. Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank. Through a series of experimental policy actions since the 2008 financial crisis, the world’s largest central banks have gotten deeply into the “business of divorcing” asset valuations from fundamentals.
The space between what El-Erian sees as lofty valuations and more earthly fundamentals is “an air pocket” at risk of rapid collapse if markets are confronted with a jarring catalyst, such as Ukraine.
Read more at Reuters
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