Historically, we have recommended investors hold high-quality government bonds as a counterbalance in equity-heavy portfolios. However, in recent years, some investors have reduced their exposure to government bonds, given their low yields, in favor of cash. This was prescient in 2022. Global equities returned -16% in local currency terms, but government bonds also suffered steep […]
June 2023
A robust opportunity set for credit opportunity funds has emerged thanks to a constellation of factors. Rising interest rates, a retrenchment of bank lending appetite, and an expected economic downturn have combined to increase borrowing costs for stressed issuers and create a broad distressed opportunity. Investors that commit capital to funds this vintage year are […]
June 2023
No. Economic growth in China is likely to reach 5% this year, which is in line with government targets and consensus forecasts. Following a stronger-than-expected first quarter, recent economic data has softened, disappointing investor expectations of a sharper recovery after last year’s COVID-19 lockdown, but the Chinese economy is not on the verge of relapsing […]
June 2023
Over the weekend, US President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy finalized an agreement in principle to suspend the US debt ceiling through January 1, 2025. The deal is expected to be approved by Congress before June 5—the date Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen expects the United States to run out of cash. The agreement […]
May 2023
The fashion industry accounts for up to 10% of global carbon dioxide output and roughly 2.6 million tons of clothing returns end up in US landfills each year instead of being resold. Meanwhile, the shipping for these returns account for around 16 million tons of CO2 emissions—and fast fashion is making things worse. But what […]
May 2023
Over the past four decades, institutional investors have implemented newer and more dynamic strategies in their portfolios in an effort to boost investment returns. During the same period, many investors reduced allocations to fixed income while increasing allocations to equities and alternative investments, including private investments (PI), hedge funds, and commodities. Private equity (PE) investments […]
May 2023
Private equity (PE) secondary funds can provide several benefits to investors, including an accelerated pace of distributions relative to traditional primary PE fund investments. In addition, they can help investors enter new strategies, access top managers, and reduce blind pool risk. In this piece, we review secondary funds and their benefits by answering seven key […]
May 2023
Yes, investors should overweight US small-cap stocks, given valuations remain attractive and will provide a cushion if an expected recession unfolds. Banking sector turmoil and the sensitivity of more leveraged companies to higher interest rates have weighed on sentiment, but corporate fundamentals and balance sheets are starting at healthy levels. Investors fleeing to the presumed […]
May 2023