BLOG

Index Futures and the Expansion of Equity Markets in EM and Asia 

Given equity market growth in the emerging markets and Asia, and the dispersion of returns across individual subregions and countries, some have looked beyond traditional long-only approaches, to others, such as futures. We explore those options.

BLOG

Equity-Market Dislocation and Index-Based Investing 

Market turbulence amid COVID-19 presented risks and opportunities. We explore how indexes , combined with the use of fundamental data, provided a wealth of information to help identify potential market dislocations.

BLOG

Outcome-Oriented Factor Investing with a ‘Barbell’ Approach 

Though relatively new to wealth investors, index-based factor investing has some similarity to a high-conviction, outcome-oriented approach. We explore combining the two when seeking outcomes such as equity growth, yield enhancement and risk mitigation.

BLOG

Asset allocation and index futures during market crises 

During market crises, institutional investors have employed derivatives contracts to hedge market risks or express views on certain performance/risk characteristics. We explore prior use of futures for exposure management and tactical asset allocation.

BLOG

Integrating ESG in emerging markets and Asia 

Previously, we have examined the relationship between ESG characteristics and financial performance in developed markets. In this blog post, we explore whether ESG characteristics  have had financially significant effects in emerging markets and Asia.

BLOG

The coronavirus epidemic: Implications for markets 

The toll from the coronavirus has been felt throughout societies, leading to repercussions on the global economy and financial markets. We examine investor impact through markets’ economic exposures to China and factors and by stress testing portfolios.

BLOG

Emerging markets since China A shares’ inclusion 

The emerging-market (EM) equity segment has evolved substantially during the two and a half years since MSCI announced the inclusion of China A shares in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index.

BLOG

Beyond headlines: How markets responded to US-China trade talks 

Our analysis suggests that changes in equity-market valuations, analysts’ consensus earnings estimates and data on companies’ revenue exposure are metrics that provided insight into recent market and sector performances.

BLOG

How the low volatility factor has performed in China A shares 

Which factors have performed best in the China A market, especially given its relatively high annualized market volatility? Is there too much risk to bear? We investigate the role that the minimum volatility factor has played.

BLOG

Can your investment strategy work with China A shares? 

Many institutional investors have long viewed China A shares as an inefficient market, suggesting that active strategies such as stock-picking can thrive. However, researching a universe of over 3,500 stocks comes with huge challenges, and may lead investors to question whether factor-based systematic strategies could have worked well with China A shares.

BLOG

Winners and losers of a U.S.-China trade war 

The question of who wins or loses a U.S.-China trade war has more than two possible answers. While much of the analysis has focused on China’s heavier reliance on exports to the U.S., American companies (and those who invest in them) actually have greater revenue exposure to China than the other way around. In fact, 5.1% of the revenues of companies in the MSCI USA Index come from China and may be at risk as a result of a trade war. In comparison, only 2.8% of the revenues of the companies in the MSCI China Index come from the U.S.

BLOG

Are you ready for China A shares? 

MSCI’s recent announcement that it will add 222 China A shares to its key benchmarks raises practical questions for global and emerging market investors.

BLOG

What do rising interest rates mean for minimum volatility strategies? 

Minimum volatility strategies have historically delivered above-average returns with below-average risk, especially in volatile market environments as have occurred in recent years. During this period, the world also has experienced low interest rates.

BLOG

Currency Hedging: Adapting to Volatility 

In the past, institutional investors largely ignored currency hedging in their international equity portfolios.

BLOG

THE DIVIDEND YIELD FACTOR: DEFYING CONVENTIONAL WISDOM 

Ever since central banks slashed interest rates in response to the Global Financial Crisis, investors have been searching for yield.