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Behavioral Finance
Never Waste a Good Crisis
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With so many of us Americans working and learning from home during the pandemic, it led us to ask, “How are we doing investing from home?” Here we’ll offer a few pro tips for making the most of this unusual time.
Behavioral Finance
The Future of Risk Preferences & Goals-Based Planning
Risk preferences are an important part of the financial planning process, but it needs to be considered against goals. Goal setting is where the magic happens. Risk capacity, risk required and risk reactivity are all pivotal inputs in a goals-based framework.
Alternative Investments
Understanding Gold: An Expensive Insurance Policy?
One of the most significant investment winners year-to-date in 2020 has been gold. What is behind the sudden interest in the yellow metal? We look at the history of gold as an investment and what may have been driving the rise in the price of gold in 2020.
Fixed Income Insights
October Fixed Income Market Update
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In our view, while economic data has been generally improving, higher frequency data such as elevated jobless claims and small business employment highlight the risk that the recovery could stall absent additional fiscal stimulus. Given tensions and political posturing entering the last stages of election season, short-term we believe risk premiums should be higher on the margin until resolution of the election.
Fixed Income Insights
Interest rates: Lower for longer...or forever?
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On September 16, 2020, the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) left interest rates near zero and signaled that it expects to hold them there through at least 2023, adding outcome based guidance. The statement follows the new long-term policy framework announced by Chair Jay Powell in August at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s annual Jackson Hole conference. The Fed notes that rates will remain near zero “until labor market conditions have reached levels consistent with the Committee’s assessments of maximum employment and inflation has risen to 2 percent and is on track to moderately exceed 2 percent for some time.” We didn’t get a precise definition of what a moderate overshoot would look like, allowing the Fed to retain some flexibility.
Fixed Income Insights
Fixed Income Market Update - September 2020
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In our view, in a landscape of improved risk sentiment and strong demand for yield, U.S. corporates appear attractive even noting the recompression of spreads since the first quarter. While corporates have retraced a significant portion of their year to date widening, other sectors and asset classes have gone further, leaving corporates relatively well positioned.
Portfolio Construction Insights
How We Uncover Value in Challenging Times
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COVID-19 has tested the resolve of even the most seasoned investors, leading some to question investment strategy and portfolio mix. However, faced with uncertainty, we are unwavering in our belief that a consistent investment approach helps us find opportunities that may deliver greater value. Portfolio Manager Gareth Lyons covers our four-pillar investment process and how it’s designed to reveal holdings with long-term potential.
Portfolio Construction Insights
Today, Not All is Equal
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We are seeing the highest margin of superiority on record, with a significant gap between our highest and lowest ranking sectors, exceeding levels seen in the Chinese growth scare in early 2016 and the financial crisis of 2008. James Foot, Head of Capital Markets & Asset Allocation, EMEA, discusses the unique nature of the market landscape, as well as some of the sensible actions that we believe can empower investor success.