All Asset allocation articles
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Video
Un-picking the Role of ESG
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations tend to be factored into the investment process at the security-level, after a strategic asset allocation (SAA) process has already set the shape of the overall portfolio.
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White papers
The Case for Allocating to Emerging Market Debt
Emerging market debt (EMD) is a versatile asset class. It offers equity investors risk mitigation potential with modest return dilution. For fixed income investors willing to move out on the risk spectrum, EMD still presents a significant yield pick-up opportunity.
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Podcast
Is it Time for Fixed Income?
Global Head of Public Assets, Martin Horne, discusses the factors shaping the outlook for fixed income markets in 2024 including interest rates, corporate fundamentals and valuations.
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White papers
Adapting to higher interest rates while optimizing prudential capital
As we enter 2024, the financial terrain remains shaped by high interest rates likely to persist at least through the first half of the year.
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White papers
Designing Multi-Asset Income: It’s Complementary
Multi-asset income strategies are becoming more popular, but some may bake in more risk than expected. The key is designing complementary exposures.
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Podcast
The Investment Podcast: The great global election cycle
As billions of people vote in national elections in 2024, including seven of the world’s 10 most populous nations, our panel of cross asset class experts looks at the issues and potential unique and overlapping implications at play across developed and emerging markets – from the US and UK to South Africa and Mexico. They also analyse what asset allocators are watching, including the influence of outcomes on fiscal, monetary and climate policy, the impact on asset prices and potential mispricing opportunities.
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White papers
Dare to diversify
‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket’, or at least not too many eggs, is a widely known maxim. These days, however, a benchmarked global equity portfolio has a very high share of US ‘eggs’. The market capitalisation of the MSCI World and MSCI All Country World indices represented by the US is at all time highs. The large weight partly reflects highly valued mega-tech and artificial intelligence companies.
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White papers
Capital Market Assumptions 2024: Implications for European Insurance Portfolios
Optimizing insurance portfolios for the road ahead.
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White papers
Bond Investment for Tough Times
Martin Horne recently spoke with IPE about his outlook for credit, what we can expect in the new era for fixed income and what sets Barings apart.
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White papers
Crossover bonds: tilting to income and quality
This insight concludes a three-part series about investing in crossover corporate bonds rated BBB to BB1. Here, we look at the tactical macro rationale for investing in crossover. The second insight made the strategic case for this segment of ratings by delving into strong fundamentals, favourable valuations and regulatory drivers. The first insight introduced crossover and explored how the segment could replace investment grade (IG) in an allocation.
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White papers
A Snapshot of Asset Allocators’ Views
We spent several days in late January with a group of Chief Investment Officers and senior asset allocators. This was useful both as a way to hear the key concerns for a significant group of investors and as an opportunity to think about what one might do in response.
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White papers
Europe: time for fiscal consolidation
The public finances of Eurozone countries began to improve in 2023 and fiscal consolidation will intensify in most Eurozone countries during 2024. Still, fiscal vulnerability – particularly for the most heavily-indebted countries – will rise over time, leading to a higher probability that public debt will not stabilise. The aim of the new fiscal rules is to ensure the longterm sustainability of public finances, but funding for the green transition could suffer.
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White papers
What does waning risk appetite mean?
The first week of January is usually a positive one for markets, and this is mainly due to various reallocation flows. However, the first week of 2024 followed two months of high returns on equities and bonds. A moment’s pause is probably in order to take stock of recent valuations. Is the Federal Reserve’s (Fed’s) pivot and the long-predicted soft landing already fully priced in? In this weekly edition of Simply put we ask whether declining risk appetites point to a weaker outlook.
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Webinar
Webinar | Macro outlook for Asian and emerging market fixed income
Watch the replay of our webinar: Macro outlook for Asian and emerging market fixed income.
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White papers
Diversifying income in a new era
With investors facing an uncertain economic and interest rate environment, many are tempted to over-allocate to cash and wait for further clarity. But we believe investors should continue seeking opportunities for portfolio growth and income generation, even if that means looking in unexpected areas. We offer three themes to consider, along with ideas for portfolio positioning.
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White papers
Flows and Fundamentals
With cash rates priced to decline substantially, we think it is time to deploy liquidity, locking in bond yields and seeking out value in the equity market.
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White papers
Asset Allocation Committee Outlook: 1Q 2024
“One of the lessons to take from 2023 is that markets can defy apparently soft fundamentals for much longer than one might expect.”
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Podcast
2024 Direct Lending Outlook
Can the impressive growth of the direct lending asset class continue? Or will higher rates and increased competition mean more defaults and lower spreads are on the horizon? Our experts across the U.S., Europe and Asia-Pac weigh in on the prospects for the asset class in 2024.
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Webinar
Outlook 2024
The leaders of our investment platforms welcome the new year with their views for 2024.