Search Results

This white paper explores key themes that are expected to influence M&A activity in 2015 across global banking and capital markets, insurance and wealth and asset management. Some themes include:Demand in the US for income generation and real asset strategiesAccess to non-domestic markets and new investors in the USWealth management continues t...

This strategic article forecasts what the global economy will look like in the next 12 months. Key market drivers include an expected disruption of official rates and the very first interest-rate hike by the Federal Reserve.

Two years ago, India was an unhappy member of Morgan Stanley’s “Fragile Five,” a handful of emerging economies judged most vulnerable to tighter Federal Reserve policy and rising global bond yields. Since then, India’s oil bill has dropped, inflation has eased, gold imports have been curtailed, the trade deficit has narro...

This article discusses the outlook for Iran's economyand the implications for equities, fixed income and currencies and oil, following the US, UK, Germany and the UN Security Council's agreement with Iran that the country will freeze its nuclear arms program in return for sanctions relief. Some highlights include:There will ...

U.S. equities, now six years into a bull market, have proven their mettle in the face of increased market volatility. While the seemingly imminent Fed rate hike could potentially add another risk to the market’s momentum, the fact that yields are coming off from almost zero still makes equities compelling. At the time of writing, it app...

While it was not expected that as of July 16, Greece’s creditors would still be attempting to keep the country in the euro with a plan that does not work with the economics of Greece. The reforms that the Greek Parliament accepted on July 16 was poorly designed and far harsher than the vote rejected by the Greek populace 10 days earlier. Th...

This article reviews the latest 1.9% devaluation of the Chinese yuan (CNY) reference rate and identifies the three factors that prompted the currency move and the potential long- and short-term implications for Chinese and global asset classes.

It’s a bit early for Halloween, but the equity markets have been scary over the past few weeks and months. Fear is problematic, particularly when it comes to investing in equities.There are currently two macro-driven events affecting the equity markets: the impact of the Greek debt crisis on the Eurozone’s recovery and implication...

The Export-Import Bank was created in February 1934, as part of the New Deal, to finance trade with the newly established Soviet Union. A second bank was created a month later to finance trade with Cuba and shortly thereafter expanded to include all countries with the exception of the Soviet Union. Congress passed legislation to combine the two ban...

The economy is relatively healthy, but history has taught us that growth cycles don’t last forever. It’s not if there will be an economic downturn—it’s when. Knowing that there’s a cyclical pattern to many markets, savvy owners and executives figure out how to take advantage of business cycles to create a continuing gr...

The Brexit vote and Donald Trump’s unexpected 2016 election victory have kicked off a wave of pro-nationalist sentiment across the globe. With several key Eurozone countries facing elections in 2017, leading economists and investors envision a possible reshuffling (and even a potential demise) of the European Union. Volatility typically accom...

Fund groups face disruptive developments, as advances in financial technology, often called fintech, continue at an ever more rapid pace. Even as new efficiencies and opportunities blossom, regulators have pushed financial firms to recognize the dangers of technological failures. To prepare for the changes ushered in by fintech, it is important for...

In an illustrative, legal analysis on the ownership treatment of bitcoin under the U.S. State property law, the focus turns to California law for guidance on whether bitcoin ownership should be recognized as a property right. Although there are possible challenges to treating bitcoin as property, they do not undercut the legitimacy of such rights o...

In the healthcare industry, a multitude of factors have driven a transition from a fee-for-service model toward a fee-for-value approach, which emphasizes the quality and outcome of care delivered. This emerging trend could present interesting investment opportunities that is also in alignment with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development ...

Shareholders of publicly-traded companies have a powerful voice in improving business practices and enhancing the financial performance of the companies in which they are invested. As the business case grows for sound social and environmental practices, investors are increasingly using a shareholder engagement to drive strategic and positive change...