Brexit Update

The historic milestone reached when the white smoke emerged from Brussels and London on 24 December 2020 represents the end of the beginning in the establishment of the new relationship between the UK and EU, rather than an end in itself. Nonetheless, with the lingering threat of a tumultuous no-deal exit now removed, the headwind that this represented to the performance of UK assets has now subsided.

February 2021

VantagePoint: Modern Portfolio Diversification

Investors are facing a challenging period for earning what they spend and achieving adequate portfolio diversification. With most DM sovereign bond yields near or below zero, expected returns for bonds are at all-time lows and diversification qualities are constrained. In this edition of VantagePoint, we evaluate defense and diversification options to identify a modern approach to diversification in this low-yield era.

January 2021

Will the US Political Backdrop Be Supportive of Risk Assets in 2021?

As Joe Biden is inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States, and his party holds a majority—albeit slim—in Congress, we believe his key policy initiatives will provide a supportive backdrop for risk assets in 2021.

January 2021

Healthcare Systems: Recalibrating for 2021 and Beyond

Healthcare systems appear to have navigated the most severe financial impact of the pandemic. We believe the present time provides an opportunity to reset investment strategy and recalibrate portfolios as necessary.

January 2021

Outlook 2021: A Year of Healing

As 2020 comes to a close, we expect some key investment drivers to persist into next year. While our views speak to many different challenges confronting investors, including the poor bond yields on offer, the fate of US-China relations, and where to find growth, they are rooted in the belief that 2021 will be a year of healing for the global economy.

December 2020

Markets Price in Gridlock as Prospects for a Divided US Government Materialize

As many had expected, the US presidential election turned into more of a process than an event. Whatever the outcome, history has shown that markets are fairly agnostic to which political party holds power in the United States.

November 2020

Not All Liability Hedges Are Created Evenly: Guidance for US Plan Sponsors in Today’s Interest Rate Environment

For many US pension plan sponsors, the déjà vu of falling discount rates and volatile equity markets again raises the question of how best to hedge pension liabilities, if at all. The issue of liability hedging is especially pertinent in today’s complex and asymmetrical interest rate environment.

October 2020

Endowment Spending to the Rescue?

The current health crisis is creating extraordinary financial disruptions for nonprofit enterprises, leading stakeholders to ask if the endowment can come to the rescue of revenue shortfalls and often growing costs. How should an institution evaluate this, and what are the long-term implications of boosting spending beyond policy levels? First, we consider whether it is […]

October 2020