BlackRock: Trying to trade the US election is 'foolish'

Jean Boivin of BlackRock Investment Institute said the market is underestimating the risk that one of the U.S. presidential candidates will dispute the election results next month. A disputed victory could lead to "weeks of very messy legal battles" that could shake risky assets. While stocks remain near all-time highs, Treasuries have been hit by a sell-off. Trying to trade the U.S. election is "foolish" and what really needs to be focused on is a disputed election scenario, which the market does not fully reflect. If investors want to be prepared for a certain scenario, a disputed U.S. election result is one of them. With the election so close, it is increasingly likely that voters and investors will wait until after election night to know the results - especially if either candidate chooses to question the vote count in key swing states. (Jinshi)