Perspectives

What does the future of work look like? The answer will affect corporate day-to-day operations, culture, recruitment and retention and, certainly, investors.

Shareholder proposals for strong action on climate change and diversity have taken center stage at this year’s annual meetings. Hear a report from the front lines and insight into how we arrived at this moment in investment-stewardship history.

As restrictions lift and economies re-emerge from their long slumber, inflation may have reawakened as well. We discuss the implications for investors, including many who have never worked through a time of sustained inflation.

The announcement of a company’s net-zero commitment is the result of much analysis and multiple decisions. But the key is that it represents the start of the process, not its conclusion.

The creation of a universe that blends our lives online and off will change the way we live, work and play. It also has real-world implications for investors and the planet.

Despite a decade or so of disappointing performance, value’s recent uptick merits examination into what drove its performance historically, and if conditions have changed or if the factor needs to be redefined.

Interest in private assets is on the rise, with new participants and new approaches by existing investors expanding and shifting the role private assets play in multi-asset class portfolios. We shine some light on these historically opaque investments.

We host a frank discussion on the state of diversity, inclusion and equality within the investment industry with CalPERS' Simiso Nzima, Michael Barrington-Hibbert, founder of Barrington Hibbert Associates and co-founder of #10000BlackInterns, MSCI’s Head of Index and Chief Responsibility Officer, Diana Tidd and Head of Analytics and Chair of MSCI’s Executive Diversity Council, Jorge Mina.

Pension funds, endowments and other asset owners hold tremendous sway over the entire investment ecosystem. Baer Pettit and Roger Urwin break down the issues holding the attention of these large, global investors.

The investment risks around climate change can be quantified and standardized. We get on the road to COP 26, discussing real solutions with Robert Eccles of the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and MSCI’s Head of ESG Research, Linda-Eling Lee, at the wheel.

China is known as the world’s factory: Good at assembly, great for improving scale. But high-tech breakthroughs? Our guests, including Nina Xiang of the Chinese Money Network, work to sort truth from fiction.

Did factor performance at the end of 2020 suggest investor optimism in 2021? We explore the question based on the historical relationship between factors and the economic cycle?

Peter Zangari, MSCI's head of research and product development, provides his perspective on where investors were back in March, their current concerns and some words of wisdom as we get ready to turn the page on 2020.

Our journey through the world of global investing continues with a look at the increasingly global focus of fixed-income investors and their search for yield. Next stop: China.

If your home equity market is performing well, why would you look elsewhere for potential opportunities? We search for answers with Raina Oberoi, MSCI's Head of Index Solutions Research for the Americas.

The future of mobility is nothing short of a “revolution,” says Lukas Neckermann, who has researched, written and consulted on the subject for more than 20 years. We discuss the new mobility ecosystem encompassing a diverse range of industries including renewable energy, technology, transportation, travel, infrastructure, entertainment and even public health.

2020 brought lockdowns, shuttered businesses, layoffs, a world-wide work-from-home experiment and exposed long-time systemic issues and inequality. We dive into these social issues head first and examine their impact on investors with global ESG editorial director, Meggin Thwing Eastman.

The 40% increase of ESG indexes revealed on last week's episode piqued our curiousity. Why so large a rise? How has it differed across the world? What role have investors and regulators played? We pick up our conversation with Rick Redding, CEO of the Index Industry Association, joined by MSCI’s Head of ESG Index EMEA, Veronique Menou.

Snapshots of the index industry can reflect investors’ focus and provide a window on the investment landscape as a whole. Rick Redding, CEO of the Index Industry Association, reviews their 4th annual survey and its illuminating results.

Given the current economic outlook, some investors are skeptical about equity valuations reminiscent of the late 90s. This week on Perspectives, we ask whether they should be.

Global gateway citiys like Paris, London, Hong Kong and New York provide critical mass, connectivity and economic importance that have appealed to investors and corporate tenants alike. With uncertainty about whether workers will return to the office, has COVID-19 jeopardized the relative dominance of these power cities?

Hitendra Varsani returns with his quarterly analysis of factor performance, including the question of the sustainability of the rally in momentum stocks, the potential opportunity in small caps and new research into the historical impact inflation has had on factors.

From drone package delivery to self-driving cars, autonomous tech has the potential to disrupt a variety of industries, as well as supply chains and the customer experience. Ark Invest analyst, Tasha Keeney joins us to talk about what may be accelerating this trend and what it could mean for investors.

We explore the latest research on climate change, and how investors can work to measure, understand and incorporate new risks — and opportunities — into their portfolios.

The idea of a growth factor premium isn’t new, but it has been difficult to capture in its purest form. What does it take to build a growth factor portfolio and put it to work in today’s markets?