Analysis

They are two hot topics of analyses in the investment world. What is not so well known is that the coming round of inflation will likely be exacerbated by ESG strategies. The obvious element to cause a spike in prices in many areas comes from the fight against climate change. But it is not only…

Every cloud has a silver lining. Alternatives may benefit from both the trend to ESG strategies and the extra inflationary pressures which ensue, according to the mid-year outlook from Franklin Templeton. Two of Franklin Templeton’s affiliate managers, Clarion Partners and ClearBridge Investors, say in the outlook report that accelerating growth and reflationary environment will benefit…

The asset management colossus believes three key themes will shape a post-covid world of rising climate risk and extraordinary economic imbalances. Ben Powell, the chief investment strategist for Asia Pacific at BlackRock’s Investment Institute in Singapore, said: “To state the obvious, the last 18 months have been rather unusual. It hasn’t been a normal slowdown…

While Japan has long been anathema to western investors, a series of corporate governance reforms are fueling renewed interest in the country. Japan’s status as a technologically advanced country with a happy, healthy population has long belied its stagnating economy and uncompetitive corporate landscape that has seen a slow grind downwards for markets since the…

While Asian financials will benefit from the world’s fastest growing middle-class, they also face massive headwinds from fintech disruptors and the looming threat of central bank digital currencies. Asian financials are still an important sector for investors and one that is poised to benefit from the region’s emerging middle-class and greater wealth accumulation in developed…

Multi-sector fixed income strategies are looking increasingly attractive as investors grapple with the implications of the global interest rate landscape. Manager selection is not so easy. A client paper by global manager search and research firm bfinance, titled ‘Multi-Sector Fixed Income: Back in Focus‘, details the complexity of the asset sub-class mix, even with the…

Super funds have battled with providing financial advice for decades but have not yet found a solution that can make it affordable and efficient for millions of low-balance members. Digital advice – including ‘robo’ – which in theory solves the affordable problem, has also been a decades-long dream for Australian wealth management, a revolution in…

It’s difficult enough for big investors to decide on a China strategy, even after they recognise the necessity of having one. And then there’s the throng of implementation options to sift through. In the melee, one China manager stands out: China AMC. According to a landmark report by bfinance – Rethinking China’s Role in Emerging…

The rapid adoption of ESG strategies, particularly in the wholesale market segment, should prompt a rethink of portfolio construction, according to Janus Henderson Investors. Adding ESG to the mix can cause unexpected tilts. In a global media webinar series last month (June 23-24), Adam Hetts, the manager’s US-based global head of portfolio construction and strategy,…

The ICGN, arguably the oldest and among the largest investor governance organisations in the world, will next month (July 8) launch a definitive guide to governance for asset managers and asset owners. In the form of a 210-page e-book, titled ‘Governance, Stewardship and Sustainability: Theory, Practice and Evidence’, the guide seeks to add to the…

Global stimulus and inflationary expectations mean that listed infrastructure is in the recovery hot seat, but Your Future Your Super presents a homegrown challenge for managers. “We’ve got this perfect storm for listed infrastructure at the moment in the sense that the fundamentals are good and this huge growth thematic is still intact,” according to…

Recently hitting its two-year anniversary, Paradice Investment Management’s emerging markets strategy has been on a “rollercoaster ride”. Co-portfolio managers Edward Su and Michael Roberge have spent the last two years navigating the frenzied market volatility of covid-19, the fallout of mass protests in Hong Kong, and trade wars with China as they pursue opportunities in…