J.P. Morgan’s Meera Pandit: Budget bill would be short-term positive, but deficit question remains

International Markets - US stocks still have a home bias, but international markets offer catalysts beyond just a weaker dollar [1] - Europe benefits from lower rates and fiscal stimulus, China from AI, and Japan from corporate reform [2] - Emerging markets, including Korea, Taiwan, and Latin America, benefit from the resurgence in hardware within tech and the reorganization of global trade [2][3] - International opportunities are not all dependent on each other, providing diversification [3] US Market & Fiscal Policy - The market has largely priced in the "big beautiful bill," with short-term positive impacts on equity markets due to growth boosts [4][5] - The long-term impact of the bill includes a potentially ever-expanding deficit, estimated to be in the trillions, which could create a floor on yields [5][6] - The market seems to have gotten comfortable with tariffs around 14% or 15%, after a previous range of 2% to 25% [8] Market Resilience & Outlook - The market has shown resilience to geopolitical risks, the reconciliation bill, and recession risks [9][10] - The path of least resistance for the market is higher, given its resilience to various downside risks [10] - The market could become more rangebound in the second half of the year due to higher valuations [12][13] - Diversified portfolios are up 6% to 7% in the first half of the year [14] Bond Market & Yields - Resistance has been met around 45% on the 10-year Treasury yield [15] - Yields could drift lower throughout the year, potentially providing opportunities for investors [16] - Even if yields remain stable, the income cushion will generate a decent return further out on the curve [16]