White papers - all assets – Page 316
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White papersDomestic focus to exploit Emerging Markets equity opportunities
The emerging markets (EM) universe has experienced significant changes in the last decade with the further addition of investible countries (i.e. China A shares in 2018).
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White papersInvestors Can Hold US Companies Accountable to Roundtable Pledges
Leading US CEOs recently pledged to redefine the role of the corporation in society. But will they make good on their promises? Responsible investors need a clear way to evaluate whether a company is really making progress by doing good for both society and investors.
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White papersDistressed Debt: Seeking Opportunity in Choppy Waters
Investors are increasingly looking to distressed debt as the credit cycle matures. But with a competitive landscape and significant growth in private credit and European high yield, this cycle could look different than those of the past. Stuart Mathieson, Head of Barings’ Global Special Situations group, and Bryan High, Co-Portfolio Manager of the strategy, discuss how the macro environment is impacting their outlook, and where they’re seeing opportunities today.
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White papers
Fed And Ecb, Bridging From A “Mid-Cycle Adjustment” To An “Impactful And Significant” Package.
The minutes from the latest ECB meeting suggest that the ECB is likely to proceed with a full set of measures in September, confirming not only the indications from President Draghi following the meeting but also the very latest statements by Olly Rehn, calling for the need for an “impactful and significant” package.
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White papersDo Universal Owners Vote To Curb Negative Corporate Externalities? An Empirical Analysis Of Shareholder Meetings
This paper tests whether very diversified and patient investors, also known as universal owners, tend to vote in favor of shareholder resolutions instructing corporations to reduce or communicate on the negative externalities they produce.
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White papersItalian politics take centre stage
The Deputy PM Matteo Salvini recently withdrew his party’s support to the coalition government headed by PM Giuseppe Conte, calling for a vote of no-confidence against the PM and subsequent snap elections. On the 20th of August, after addressing the Senate, PM Conte resigned. President Sergio Mattarella will now weigh three options – consult political parties to form a new government (with the same forces of the current coalition or new ones), appoint a caretaker government or call for fresh elections.
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White papersArgentina: how recent events shape the investment outlook
Recent update on Argentina: Government’s decision to freeze energy prices and suspend VAT on certain products will complicate fiscal metrics. The country is likely to miss the IMF target of a primary balance for 2019. However, the IMF could disburse the September tranche of financial assistance, although conviction levels are low.
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White papersArgentina: election surprise amplifies market and political risks
Argentina’s primary elections: Opposition candidate Alberto Fernandez won by largerthan-expected margin against President Macri. At this point, markets price in Fernandez’s victory in October elections.
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White papersUS-China Trade War: Walking a Tightrope
Donald Trump proposed additional 10% tariffs on a further US$300 billion worth of Chinese imports from 1 September. This is surprising, given that the two countries appeared to have found some common ground at the G20 meeting in June. However, the truce was short-lived and China responded with its own set of measures in form of a suspension of US agricultural imports and currency devaluation, which could further escalate the situation.
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White papersAsset Class Return Forecasts - Q3 - 2019
We expect economic growth to evolve around potential for most developed economies in 2020. It could subsequently decrease below potential in 2021 driven by a deteriorating cyclical environment and still anaemic global trade. Nevertheless, growth should stay in positive territory.
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White papersEmerging Markets Charts & Views - Q3 2019
The recent dovishness from the Fed, a benign inflation environment and the easing in global financial conditions continue to support a goldilocks environment for Emerging Markets (EM) assets. On the risks side, trade disputes appear to be softening as we approach the US presidential campaign. But the existing tariffs are weighing on the corporate earnings, with mixed prospects across regions as some countries are also benefitting from a restructuring of the global supply chain.
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White papersGlobal Asset Class Spotlights - Top Down Quaterly Assessment
Central banks seems to be very concerned about the slowdown in the economic cycle sparked by trade tensions. As a consequence, they have been intensifying their communications about their willingness to act.
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White papersSeek High Yield Opportunities, but be aware of liquidity conditions
Speculative grade bonds have been among the major beneficiaries of the rapid turn of both Fed and ECB monetary policy stances to much more dovish positions. Lower rates for longer and more synchronised easing mean much lower funding costs and easier financial conditions for HY companies, which, as we know, are more sensitive than IG companies to the absolute levels of nominal and real rates.
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White papersGlobal Investment Views - August 2019
The journey from market complacency to awareness of fragilities is in full swing, and the market correction in May is part of that, as is the recent recovery fuelled by dovish Central Banks (CB). Aware investors should recognise that the late cycle phase and mature market trends require improving fundamentals and positive political events to deliver sustainable uptrends in risk assets. But, it is difficult to see such improvements happening in the short term.
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White papersThree Ways to Manage Liquidity Risk in Bond Markets
Liquidity risk has grabbed headlines recently after several high-profile funds imploded. The hunt is on to find ways to manage liquidity risk and protect portfolios against further setbacks—but not all investors will be up to the task.
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White papersAmplified: Reflections on the 2019 voting season
Climate change, AI ethics and data governance, and the US opioid epidemic were among investors’ biggest concerns during the 2019 voting season, with a number of significant shareholder resolutions. We spoke at several shareholder meetings as part of our engagement with companies.
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White papersMarket Risk Insights: objective danger in the investment environment
Markets may have reached record peaks earlier this year, but the geopolitical environment is fraught and central-bank oxygen may not prop up asset prices for much longer. We expect more outbursts of pent-up volatility going forward as investors face up to the growing risks in this high-altitude market.
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White papersAre Distressed Small Banks Putting China’s Banking System at Risk?
It’s been 20 years since a Chinese bank failed. But recent bailouts of three regional lenders have raised concerns about systemic problems in China’s financial sector. While risks have grown for China’s smaller banks, we believe that the Chinese banking system remains robust.
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White papersEuropean Smaller Companies: An Evergreen Growth Opportunity
In this Q&A, Nick Williams, Barings’ Head of Small Cap Equities, discusses the opportunities his team is seeing in the current environment, and explains why an active approach, combined with rigorous, bottom-up stock selection, is key to identifying high-quality companies.
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White papers
U.S. Loans: Challenged Market or Veiled Opportunity?
With loan and bond yields currently comparable, we believe—in a somewhat contrarian view to the market—there is a good argument for investing in loans, particularly in the U.S., where the economy appears to be marginally stronger than in Europe.
