Today, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly inflation report for April, which highlighted that prices paid by urban consumers for a basket of goods and services increased by 4.2% relative to the same month last year.
May 2021
In this edition of VantagePoint, we review the drivers of inflation globally and conclude that widespread inflation concerns are likely overdone. For investors concerned about the risks of inflation, we refresh our analysis on the complex relationship between asset classes and inflation and dig deeper into the implications of higher inflation on equities.
April 2021
During the past decade, nonprofit healthcare providers have undergone a wave of accelerating consolidation. When systems combine, the new entity created will have new financial health metrics. A fresh review of how a transaction will impact the newly combined long-term investment pool (LTIP) is crucial. This paper examines key variables to assess and specific examples of how a LTIP might restructure post-merger.
April 2021
While colleges and universities have faced several financial fissures due to the disruptions of COVID-19, their endowments have been a source of financial stability. Four key financial indicators tell this story: operating margins were compressed, tuition discounts grew, institutions borrowed more debt, and endowment spending was consistent. In this note, we review these financial pressures and the endowment implications that emerged in Cambridge Associates’ second annual Endowment Radar Study of private college and university finances.
April 2021
The historic milestone reached when the white smoke emerged from Brussels and London on 24 December 2020 represents the end of the beginning in the establishment of the new relationship between the UK and EU, rather than an end in itself. Nonetheless, with the lingering threat of a tumultuous no-deal exit now removed, the headwind that this represented to the performance of UK assets has now subsided.
February 2021
The 2020 biannual Sustainable and Impact Investing (SII) survey highlights the growth of the space over the last two years. Of the 202 survey respondents, 61% reported engaging in sustainable, ESG, and impact investing compared to 36% in 2018. Respondents use a variety of tools to implement SII in portfolios, the most popular are ESG integration and impact investing in social equity and resource efficiency & climate change.
February 2021
Investors are facing a challenging period for earning what they spend and achieving adequate portfolio diversification. With most DM sovereign bond yields near or below zero, expected returns for bonds are at all-time lows and diversification qualities are constrained. In this edition of VantagePoint, we evaluate defense and diversification options to identify a modern approach to diversification in this low-yield era.
January 2021
As Joe Biden is inaugurated as the 46th president of the United States, and his party holds a majority—albeit slim—in Congress, we believe his key policy initiatives will provide a supportive backdrop for risk assets in 2021.
January 2021