All Asset Classes articles
-
White papersPrivate credit – from niche to mainstream?
For more than a decade, both corporate and consumer borrowers benefited from low interest rates and a very low cost of capital. As the global economic backdrop continues to adjust to the activity of central banks and the uncertain geopolitical backdrop, investors are seeking ways to ensure that their portfolios are adequately positioned in order to meet their long-term risk and performance goals, write Jo Waldron and Karen Lam at M&G Investments.
-
White papers
Private debt: aligning investment needs with the means to deliver
An asset class that is now a core part of institutional portfolios, Mercer’s Private Debt offering combines expertise and opportunities to deliver amid a complex macro environment
-
Video
What does the ‘democratisation of private assets’ really mean?
This animated video shows why and how access to private assets is becoming more democratic.
-
White papers
What is the circular economy and why is it essential for real sustainability?
The current economic model is outdated. A transition to a circular economy is needed to ensure greater efficiency and a reduction in harmful practices.
-
White papers
When short term pain can bring long term gains
2022 has not been a great time for bonds. The Bloomberg Global Aggregate Index and Bloomberg US Treasury Index both hit historical lows, returning -13.9% and -9.1%, respectively, in the first 6 months of 20221 . Meanwhile, risky asset classes also sold off significantly, which has led to many investors questioning the role of bonds as a diversifier to equities.
-
White papers
Emerging market debt: an active approach
Emerging market debt (EMD) has already broadened and deepened significantly in the last few decades and as the asset class has developed, it has become more appealing to a broader investor base. Issuance has increased, thereby improving liquidity.
-
White papers
How to get to net zero in real estate investment
We know a drastic fall in carbon emissions from the built environment is essential to save the planet. Even so, real solutions - let alone action - remain elusive. It’s time to work out how it can be done.
-
White papers
On My Mind: The Long and Winding Road…
With inflation running at multi-decade highs, Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Chief Investment Officer Sonal Desai believes major central banks are well behind the curve to tighten monetary policy—and why she thinks markets still underestimate the long, volatile adjustment period that lies ahead.
-
White papers
Market Scenarios and Risks - February 2022
We are marginally adjusting the narrative to take into account the recent economic news flow and the impact of the Omicron variant, but are keeping the probabilities of the scenarios unchanged.
-
White papers
Asset Class Return Forecasts - Q2 - 2019
This document includes the perspective of Amundi on asset returns used to build reference portfolios for our institutional clients. A publication issued annually in February covers the major macro and financial foundations of our views, while this one provides a quarterly update of our medium and long-term expected returns by asset class.
-
White papers
Asset Class Views: Medium and Long Term Expected Returns
We break down asset class dynamics into a long term component (or trend/fair value), mainly related to macroeconomic variables and a medium-term component, explained by economic and financial cycles.
-
White papers
How investors should deal with the liquidity dilemma
The paradox of liquidity (it dries up when most needed) remains one of the key challenges for investors on the aftermath of the great fi nancial crisis and it is resurfacing in this late financial cycle phase.
-
White papers
Global Investment Views – March 2019
If an investor had woken up today after three months and looked at the markets, he/she could reasonably say that not much had changed.
-
White papers
When Rationality Meets Passion: On the Financial Performance of Collectibles (Digest summary)
Investment in collectibles such as classic cars, fine wine, and visual arts is compared with investment in traditional US asset classes over the past 20 years to assess its potential return and diversification benefits to portfolios. Overall, diversification is the defensible rationale for their inclusion.
-
White papers
CoCos: Attractive yields from investment-grade bank issuers
The arrival of a new asset class in financial markets is a rare event. Many “new products” are repackaged versions of existing products, dressed up as a potential new addition to portfolios.
-
White papers
Metzler: DC lifecycle models - avoiding a bond market bias
Lifecycle models within defined contribution (DC) pension schemes have typically been based around the idea of reducing investment risk as one gets older, by reducing exposure to equities and increasing exposures to bonds.
-
White papers
Metzler: How can investors participate in a trend before it has ended?
Few people today would still insist that financial markets are efficient. Financial markets are driven by ideas and ideas do not flow instantaneously across markets.
-
White papers
Balancing growth, diversification, downside risk and liquidity
Investors today face a conundrum: how should they pursue future capital growth while maintaining diversification and seeking to limit downside risk, given current market valuations?
-
White papers
Improving portfolio efficiency with multi-asset absolute return strategies
Most institutional investors are searching for strategies to improve risk-adjusted returns (Sharpe ratio) without sacrificing return.
