Content (434)
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White papersMonthly Market Viewpoint – Not so exceptional after all
Declines in US equities over the last month were primarily a function of disappointing economic data and a partial ‘Magnificent-7 unwind’ rather than tariffs. Lately, it has been self-reinforced panic selling, which we expect will be reversed. We remain optimistic on the medium-term outlook.
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White papersGerman fiscal expansion – Whatever it takes!
On 4 March, Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting, proposed a constitutional amendment that would pave the way for an extensive programme to boost defence spending and overhaul German infrastructure. By employing, in English, the phrase “whatever-it-takes”, Merz made sure there was no doubt about the scale of his intentions.
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PodcastTalking Heads – Absolute return fixed income in an uncertain world
There is always uncertainty, particularly when it comes to the direction of bond markets in an uncertain world. James McAlevey, Head of Global Aggregate and Absolute Return explains the merits of absolute return fixed income investing in the current environment.
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White papersThe new world of private credit investing
The new European Long-Term Investment Funds Regulation (ELTIF 2.0) has created opportunities to invest in private assets through open-ended funds. Stephane Blanchoz discusses this innovative regulation and the additional investment opportunities it brings.
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PodcastTalking Heads – Broadening perspectives on the outlook for sustainability
The top-down view in the US on the need for a sustainable approach to business and government has shifted, but there are still signs that initiatives on greater diversity, equity and inclusion can persist. Efforts to tackle environment, social and governance issues are finding support, argues Alex Bernhardt, Global Head of Sustainability Research.
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White papersEuro high-yield – There is more to come!
Over the last two years, the euro high-yield segment has performed well, with relatively low volatility. It has shown resilience to both external shocks and negative idiosyncratic events within the high-yield universe. We think this demonstrates that the segment is now more mature and of better intrinsic quality than a few years back.
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White papersRobust fundamentals should prop up emerging market debt
Many emerging market economies have robust fundamentals: strong external demand, stabilising inflation and monetary policy easing, While their GDP growth is expected to outpace that of their developed market peers, there could be some headwinds in the first few months of 2025 from renewed uncertainty around the US Federal Reserve’s rate cutting cycle, the Trump administration’s policy agenda, the outlook for geopolitics and a strong US dollar.
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White papersIG Credit – Be selective, even amid good fundamentals
While uncertainties remain, we retain our positive outlook, supported by resilient growth in the US, steady investor demand and a supportive monetary easing cycle in Europe. As for the fundamentals, the peak in investment-grade (IG) credit quality for this cycle is now behind us. Nonetheless, both US and European IG bond issuers are still generally in good shape: They now have bigger reserves of cash, lower net debt and better net margins.
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White papersArtificial intelligence – Still positive after the sell-off
In the week ending 24 January, a previously unknown Chinese start-up presented an artificial intelligence large language model apparently showing a performance comparable to that of the leading US models. The unexpected development could disrupt the paradigm of a quasi-monopolistic position for leading US chip manufacturer. This concern led to a major fall in valuations of some prominent tech companies. Markets have since recovered most of their poise. Here we give our view on these developments.
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White papersA balancing act: how can sustainably managed forests offer investment opportunities while protecting forestland and safeguarding biodiversity?
While the notions of natural capital and nature-based solutions are spreading amongst the investment community, the initial focus has been on a forest’s ability to sequester and store carbon. When it comes to forests as a solution to the biodiversity crisis, very few investors new to forestry investing know what sustainable forest management endeavours to achieve, and why it can indeed be one of the answers to safeguarding biodiversity.
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White papersFixed Income Outlook – Come what may
Once gain the US bond market will lead global fixed income markets in 2025, with a strong US economy but uncertainty over the new administration’s policies setting the tone. We expect the US economy, over time, to pivot towards structurally slower growth and stickier core inflation. This more ‘stagflationary’ trajectory may result in the Federal Reserve taking a more cautious approach towards further rate cuts.
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White papersDecarbonising buildings lags amid discrepancy between SFDR and EU Taxonomy
Decarbonising buildings plays a critical role in achieving the EU’s goal of climate neutrality by 2050. Hence, the EU’s ambition to have the region’s building stock fully decarbonised by mid-century and reduce the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 60% by 2030. However, the absence of unified regulatory standards is restraining the potential for investors to get involved, writes Nicolas Toupin.
