All Commentary articles – Page 137
-
White papersWill Covid-19 prove a pivotal moment for climate change?
Policymakers should use the current crisis to inject similar urgency into climate policy and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy.
-
White papersImpact investing: Choice precedes fate
The temporary lockdown of half of the world’s population has yielded some remarkable imagery. You may have seen satellite pictures showing a significant reduction in nitrogen dioxide emissions in the atmosphere. Natural environments appear to be enjoying some respite.
-
White papersThe coronavirus and our relationship with nature
The coronavirus crisis has highlighted the importance of sustainability-focused risk management and effective stewardship activities. In this series of articles, we will explore the links between infectious diseases, environmental issues and social sustainability, alongside the role of investors and companies. In part one, Sonya Likhtman looks at how the destruction of ecosystems can increase the risk of pandemics.
-
White papersRecalibrating the rulebook: 360°, Q2 2020
What is our current view of fixed-income markets? And where do we see the best relative value? In our latest edition of 360°, Andrew ‘Jacko’ Jackson, Head of Fixed Income, and his team of specialist investors considers the areas that have the potential to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns.
-
White papersCredit: Industry Insights
As we navigate the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on the fixed-income market, we have launched a weekly video to highlight the latest industry insights from our credit analysts.
-
White papersMarket weekly – Fixed income: Deflation, not inflation, is the main risk now
After a rollercoaster ride in April, senior investment strategist Daniel Morris and Dominick DeAlto, chief investment officer fixed income, discuss what will matter next for developed bond markets.
-
White papersThe outlook for eurozone inflation-linked bonds
A V-shape economic recovery in the eurozone looks unlikely, while member states continue their marathon search for a compromise on how to fund the reconstruction. The poor outlook for the economy and inflation, and the ECB’s asset purchases, should keep eurozone government bond yields low and cap the risk premiums on ‘peripheral’ bonds.
-
White papersCanary in the Coal Mine
The credit market has lagged while equities have rallied—is it warning investors not to get carried away?
-
White papersEconomic and Property Overview: Q1 2020
The first quarter of 2020 was shaped by the coronavirus, by the end of March 2020 a total of 29,474 confirmed cases and 2,352 deaths were reported for the UK. One month after the quarter end, the number of cases and deaths surged to 194,990 and 29,427 respectively. The costs to the British economy have been considerable; government-imposed lockdown measures to slow the spread of the virus have disrupted business activity, knocked consumer confidence and reduced business confidence levels to record lows. The flash PMI’s plunged from 53.0 in February to 37.1 in March, with a figure of 50+ representing economic expansion, it is now widely anticipated that the economy will contract in March.
-
White papersFactor Performance During Times of Crisis Including COVID-19
Why diversifying across well-defined factors is likely to be key in extreme volatility.
-
White papersCOVID-19: Will credit markets remain open for business?
While concerns around credit market liquidity have been rising since the global financial crisis, the COVID-19 sell-off has highlighted how fragile liquidity can be during periods of real stress. Colin Purdie discusses the short- and long-term implications for investment grade and high yield credit globally.
-
White papersPrivate Equity Perspectives “Moving from Defense to Offense”
David Stonberg, Global Co-Head of Private Equity Co-Investments, provides an update on the private equity market and discusses deal activity in the Co-Investment space.
-
White papersMacroeconomic picture - May 2020
Heading towards a sharp contraction in H1; the H2 recovery is being shaped by the duration of the crisis and the effectiveness of the unprecedented policy response, once the post-containment normalization phase starts. Since the start of April, both hard and soft data have begun to show the impact on the economy. In one month, the crisis has erased almost the number of jobs added since the GFC, and unemployment moved up sharply to 4.4% from 3.5% one month earlier. Sentiment plunged across business lines, especially in service and consumer sectors. Retail sales fell the most since 1992. Inflation moderated in March.
-
White papersThematics Views - May 2020
Over the last few weeks, significant stabilisation plans have been announced across advanced economies and in addition true stimulus plans are now under consideration. Recent empirical studies show that fiscal multipliers could be much larger in the current depressed context than during normal times. We believe this could boost the recovery path of corporate dividends going forward, in Europe in particular.
-
White papersCross Asset Investment Strategy - May 2020
After closing one of the worst quarters ever for equity markets, Q2 started on a high note, with indices (S&P 500 and Euro Stoxx 600) recovering markedly from the bottom hit during the previous month. There is clearly a battle between bull and bear forces taking place. On the bull side, extraordinary policy actions continue to propel market sentiment (signals of virus-peaking in Europe and hopes of sooner-than-expected re-opening). On the bear side, deteriorating fundamentals from the earnings season and the sustainability of the mounting debt pile will be key risks. The tug of war between sentiment and fundamentals is just the first in a long list of battles in course.
-
White papersContraction > recovery > late cycle: a cycle round trip in three years
The pandemic outbreak altered the cycle of financial regimes we had in mind at the end of 2019, with consequences extending over the medium term: after a sharp contraction in 2020, 2021 will see a “recovery” in the growth and profit cycle with a rebound in risky assets while in 2022, we expect a normalization towards a late cycle.
-
White papersMarkets Scenarios & Risks - May 2020
The potential easing of lockdown measures bring some light at the end of the tunnel. This is particularly the case in Europe where several countries are opening back shops, manufacturing capabilities or services. Data show that the worse is probably over in Italy and France for instance, but in the US, many states such as New York remain in an acute phase of the outbreak. Moreover, emerging countries are still at the beginning of the pandemic. Although it is too early to draw a conclusion, the low level of death toll registered so far in Africa gives hope for a more benign impact than feared. On one hand, these countries’ infrastructures will make the disease mo
-
White papersFact-finding and Fortune-telling in U.S. Real Estate
Barings’ John Ockerbloom and Colin Gordon discuss the material consequences of COVID-19 for the real estate markets broadly as well as sector by sector—and predict how real estate portfolios may change in the years ahead.
-
White papersThree Reasons to Consider a Long-Term Allocation to Small-Caps
The volatility driven by COVID-19 and the fall in oil prices has created much uncertainty—but it has also provided a potential opportunity to make long-term investments at attractive prices.
-
White papersEquities: Finding Long-term Growth Amid Current Volatility
Barings’ Global Head of Equities, Dr. Ghadir Cooper, discusses the impacts of COVID-19, the opportunity for companies capitalizing on structural growth trends from technology to demographics, and the integral role of ESG in fundamental analysis.
