Disruptive Forces in Investing

Week after week, we've been watching the constant changes in headlines as global markets change their policy stances. From the U.S. Federal Reserve hiking rates 75 basis points to the Bank of England's historic fiscal stimulus package both announced last month, how should investors make sense of policy actions occurring around the world right now? What are the implications for their portfolios loo...

For the past 40 years, the global economy has seemed to benefit from the tailwinds of moderate inflation, low-interest rates, globalization and intensive growth. But due to the many disruptive forces that have impacted our society, these winds have changed. How can asset allocators change their approach with the goal of achieving better outcomes amid today's investment landscape? And what opportun...

With the impact of the current inflationary environment at hand, we look at the latest cohort of consumers: Generations Y and Z. These two baby boomer-sized generations have given us insights into how consumerism has evolved today. What else might investors want to know as they continue to incorporate today's top brands into their portfolios? And can these consumer spending trends help to stabiliz...

In the 65 years since Sputnik launched, many people on Earth have been curious as to what is attainable to us within our solar system. Though in recent years, the emergence of the "Space Economy" has provided more context into what market opportunities are getting created from this rapidly growing industry. While space tourism has captured most of the headlines, what are some of the other subsecto...

Since the inception of the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, there has been a universal call to action to ensure peace and prosperity across the UN's 193 member states by 2030. From an economic perspective, these SDGs are a powerful tool for investors to apply sustainable thinking to their decision-making process and implement them into company engagement practices....

As we continue to navigate challenging market dynamics including rising inflation, difficult labor markets, elevated valuations and ongoing geopolitical tensions, investors are considering how to fill their expected return gap. Traditionally, Private Equity has offered important return potential and diversification benefits that help fill that gap which has allowed the asset class to grow dramatic...

In light of the swings in today's market environment, investors are shifting their asset allocation decisions to accommodate its volatility. As they grapple with what the options are, we look to growth stocks, which we believe have the potential to outperform the overall market over time though may require a higher risk tolerance. What could be the opportunity set here in what some would call a ri...

Global energy demand continues to increase as populations grow. Therefore the global economy is shifting into a greener one, or is it? What role does carbon play across infrastructure and are companies implementing changes across their operations as a result? With the carbon transition already underway, investors are asking, where are the opportunities and where are the risks? In this episode of D...

As more companies across the business ecosystem face increased scrutiny on Environmental, Social, and Governance issues, the more they will need to respond. What has changed in the world that makes thinking about sustainability so critical to companies and investors? How can companies respond in a way that goes beyond ticking-the-box exercises to capitalizing on these megatrends? And what is the r...

  Cryptocurrency, or crypto, the so-called "wild west" of Wall Street, has been raising eyebrows for quite some time now. Since 2013, there have been over 12,000 different types of coins generated, leaving many wondering what is actually reliable in this market. While some investors might be skeptical of its value, others find that it can be additive to an asset allocation mix despite its volatile...

With the current crisis unfolding between Russia and Ukraine, energy markets globally have had to pivot where they source their energy supply thereby providing some new implications to the sector as a result. While pricing has been increasing along with the ongoing ESG and geopolitical factors at work, what might investors want to be wary of going forward? And what opportunities could be presented...

As investors continue to seek out hedges against inflation, many may look to equities—but what about the global bond market? Short duration fixed income, particularly High Yield, typically suits an environment of slowing growth and rising rates. But keeping in mind the geopolitical factors at play, where are the opportunities in the current investment landscape? And how can investors consider ESG...

Across industries, we are still seeing a prominent gender gap in the corporate world despite the progress that has already been made. As men and women enter the workforce at the start of their careers, there seems to be an equal footing. But how is it that C-suite executives are predominantly represented by men despite best efforts toward tightening the gap? How can women become more visible in th...

As we see the effects of inflation taking place globally, investors may be wondering what their next move is in asset allocation. However, the inflationary environment we're seeing today is unlike what we have seen in forty years. So to no surprise, commodities investments have become top of mind to many investors as it's considered a traditional inflation hedge. But does that thinking apply to al...

As we conclude this series on the global supply chain crisis, we would be remiss to not discuss a major disruption that impacts so many of us: technology. With increasingly higher demand for virtually everything in our ever-evolving digital universe, worldwide semiconductor shortages have affected the supply of so many sectors that rely upon them. But could there be opportunity in this disruption?...

In continuing our discussion on the current global supply chain crisis, we've seen that companies have been considering onshoring many of their production centers in order to keep up with slowdowns in deliveries from international ports. Deglobalization was an issue even before the pandemic started, due to ongoing trade wars, but would that solve some of the issues that the crisis has presented? A...

As we start a new year amid the pandemic, a major disruption that consumers are facing are the issues within today's global supply chain. Emptier shelves in stores, shipping delays on e-commerce deliveries and labor shortages among others, have been felt by so many of us. But as we continue to see more components of the supply chain wither, what could be next for this crucial part of the global ec...

At COP26, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, many promises were made. Now investors are closely watching governments and companies to see how they take concrete action. Could climate disclosures become mandatory in the U.S. as they have in the UK? Or could voluntary disclosures converge around a single standard? And how can investors assess corporate decarbonization plans and engag...

As we wrap up on yet another atypical year across the global economy, we see many macro themes coming to the fore that investors are evaluating in the year ahead. Real estate, both in the public and private markets, can potentially act as a diversifier during times of uncertainty. But what are the other factors to consider within this asset class? And ultimately, what else is next for real estate...

After a record-breaking 4.3 million Americans quit their jobs in August, many have had their eyes on the labor market at large. Known as "The Great Resignation" or "The Big Quit", this phenomenon has turned the heads of employers and employees alike. But how long might this trend last? What has kept people out of the workforce? And what sectors might be able to meet the demand of rising wages? On...

Real estate continues to be an ever-evolving asset class, especially in today's market. As the signs of inflation continue to appear globally as the economy ebbs out of recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, real estate sectors have needed to pivot accordingly. And real estate secondaries–a niche subset of the greater secondaries market–is no exception when pivoting against market disruption. However,...

As capital markets continue to expand over time, corporations and investors alike have had to get creative in their approaches. Companies today have a variety of pathways to go public, but we also have seen them want to stay private for longer. So where might the opportunity set be for investors within this gray area, better known as crossover investing? On this episode of Disruptive Forces , Gabe...

As environmental, social and governance concerns have become a primary focus for many investors, ESG investing has particularly taken flight in recent years. A few governing bodies have started to build out frameworks to make ESG, or sustainable, investing a requirement in which investors and asset managers need to operate. But, should investors be concerned about compromising potential return opp...

From massive flooding in Germany and Italy to earthquakes and wildfires in California, these natural disasters, among others, continue to ravage the globe. But as these climate risk concerns grow, investors may be wondering how they can potentially diversify their portfolios. One way could be through the catastrophe bond market, better known as the CAT bond market, which hit record issuance in 202...

Historically, as the second largest economy in the world, China has presented a myriad of opportunities to investors worldwide. However, due to the regulatory changes outlined by the Chinese government, trends suggest that investors have started to reconsider their allocations in China. Putting the pandemic and geopolitical tensions aside, could investors be moving their capital too hastily? Could...