Perspectives

The first Bitcoin was mined on Jan. 3, 2009. Since then, much of the story has been about volatility, speculation and retail investors. But our guests - including MSCI's Padmakar Kulkarni, Barbara Schlyter of DWS Group and Menai's CIO, Shubin Jha - help us dig deeper into the world of digital-assets investing and examine why institutional investors have started to pay closer attention.

The dominance of the U.S. showed no signs of waning as the year began. But what will investors be watching as they seek to steady an unbalanced world? Our quarterly panel breaks down the potential effects for global equities, fixed income and private investments, as well as one area where it's Asia that dominates - energy consumption.

With fixed-income investors still recovering from a year that arguably saw nearly every cycle of the market, we look ahead to 2025 across sectors, including sustainability-linked bonds, securitized products and the ongoing effects of inflation and moves by central banks.

When it comes to managing portfolios, the role of risk, and risk managers continues to evolve. We hear from two industry leaders, recently returned from the MSCI Analytics Summit, on the future of identifying, measuring and managing risk.

We're joined by MSCI's Chief Research Officer, Ashley Lester and Chief Client Officer, Axel Kilian, who recently attended the 19th annual Institutional Investor Forum, hosted by MSCI. We discuss the benefits and considerations of a total portfolio approach, as well as the myriad of challenges facing asset owners and investors around the world.

From the effects of China's stimulus to the power of sustainability on portfolio performance and companies cost of capital, our panel dissects the latest market drivers and where investors may be focused for the rest of 2024.

Rate hikes from central banks around the world may offer a glimmer of hope to commercial real estate (CRE) investors, but will it be the panacea they're looking for? We discuss the state of the CRE debt market and the potential path for portfolios.

One of the key aspects of controlling or limiting climate change is the energy transition. That is, the global energy sector's shift from fossil-based systems of energy production and consumption - including oil, natural gas and coal - to renewable energy sources like wind and solar, as well as lithium-ion batteries. To discuss where things stand in the transition, we spoke to MSCI ESG Research's...

As investors look to manage the outsized effect of the "Magnificent Seven" and the tech sector in general, we explore sector-based investing, which offers a strategic approach for investors looking to gain exposure to distinctive segments of the economy. MSCI's own Abhishek Gupta and Dinank Chitkara dig deep into their recent paper, "Incorporating Sector Investing in Portfolio Management," and Van...

With stubborn inflation, a plunging Japanese yen and unpredictable elections around the globe, 2024 has proven challenging for fixed-income investors — and for central banks. We sat down with MSCI’s global head of fixed-income solutions research, Afsaneh Mastouri, to talk about the state of fixed-income markets, and what the rest of the year may hold.

Our panel of experts, led by chief research officer, Ashley Lester, takes stock of global markets as we enter the back half of 2024. Ashley and team examine the short- and long-term issues affecting investors, including the ever changing geopolitical landscape, the continued impact of AI and the role of private markets in the carbon transition.

The Inflation Reduction Act provides large incentives for a shift to clean energy in the U.S. MSCI teamed up with the Rocky Mountain Institute to investigate its effects on utilities.

How does Adam Gibbon of AXA IM balance climate impact with investment results? We get his take on the voluntary carbon markets, and how he assesses potential opportunities for his fund’s portfolio.

While more countries and companies are making plans for a low-carbon future, emissions are still rising and the deadlines for action are closing in. Enter the carbon markets, where companies can purchase credits to offset their carbon footprint until long-term reduction plans become a reality. We explore these markets and their potential impact on companies and investors.

Our quarterly market analysis, features a robust discussion of the public and private markets, as well as a deep dive and some surprising results from the world of sustainable investing.

Abruptly shutting down all the coal-fired power plants may appeal to some, but there would likely be unintended consequences for investors, as well as plant employees and those who live where the plants are located. We dig into why a managed coal phaseout with specific target dates and actions may create a level of certainty for all involved.

Since ChatGPT's debut less than 18 months ago, artificial intelligence has dominated headlines, and excitement and apprehension now surround its entry into the world of finance and investment. But just what are the expectations and misconceptions?

Last week’s episode left a lot on the cutting-room floor. Here we offer the chance to listen to our complete interview with Jim Costello, chief economist at MSCI Real Assets, where he assesses the commercial real-estate landscape, including the pricing gap between buyers and sellers.

When it comes to commercial real estate, much of the attention of investors and the financial press has focused on the state of the office sector, which has been hurting. And while real concerns exist, there are also potential opportunities across and within the various real-estate sectors.

Inflation is down, but stubborn, and investors are still digesting Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s statements after the latest meeting of the FOMC. We sit down for a one-on-one interview with, Andy Sparks, to assess where we stand in the give and take between central banks and markets.

For global investors, the idea of individual country or market allocations isn’t new. But in today’s world, with a dynamic geopolitical map, the rewiring of supply chains and greater focus on sustainable investing, it may be time for a new approach.

Ashley Lester and team help investors find the connections between — and evaluate the risks and potential opportunities of — AI, geopolitics and the effects of climate change, as well as the growing importance of private capital and continued influence of monetary policy.

While the media focused on the battle over the wording of the final agreement, there was actually a lot of progress that flew further under the radar, but may have a greater impact on investors. Founding director and head of the MSCI Sustainability Institute, Linda-Eling Lee, and Guy Turner, head of MSCI Carbon Markets, share their experiences on the ground in Dubai and what the outcomes may mean...

Listen in on an in-depth discussion about the growing demand for and personalized tax-efficient strategies from wealth-management clients — driven by technological revolution and the coming, intergenerational transfer of wealth.

Richard Hill of Cohen & Steers joins MSCI’s Jim Costello to discuss the changing perceptions of the commercial-property market, from dull and boring to dynamic and complex — and the current set of risks and potential opportunities.