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.

The small-size premium has declined over the last five years, with market dynamics, deglobalization and inflationary pressures playing contributing roles — a trend that has continued into 2024. We analyze the small-cap space across regions. 

For wealth managers and financial advisers seeking customized solutions to meet growing client demand, rules-based management approaches for model portfolios may offer opportunities to improve on traditional management approaches.    

Post-election U.K. market surprises seem unlikely, but both major political parties’ manifestos are placing AI and energy in the spotlight. 

The 2024 European parliamentary elections could mark a shift in the EU's political landscape, potentially impacting key policies such as the European Economic Security Strategy and the European Green Deal.  

No clear guidance presently exists on ESG and climate reporting for derivatives. Using input from market participants, regulatory guidance and a survey of existing research, we propose a framework for more transparent reporting to include derivatives. 

High-net-worth investors are seeking portfolios tailored to their financial goals, personal values and tax situation. Wealth managers need scalable solutions. We explore using factor, thematic and sustainable investing to customize portfolios.    

Direct indexing and ETFs can both play a part in designing a tax-efficient investment strategy. We compare those roles in a U.S.-domiciled portfolio.  

Selling a capital asset at a loss to reduce your tax liability is one side of the coin. The other side is thoughtfully selecting the security that replaces it.   

Wealth managers now have the option to complement domestic allocations with direct indexing using the 370 constituents of the MSCI EAFE Expanded ADR Index.

We review the drivers of performance for ESG and climate indexes over the first quarter of 2023, and investigate the explanatory power of the carbon-efficiency factor over time. 

Following extensive research showing an improvement in risk-adjusted returns for companies with higher ESG ratings, we look beyond what a company’s ESG issues were to how that company dealt with them — and the impact that had on stock-specific risk.

Some systematic factors flipped the direction of their contribution last year relative to recent years. We analyzed the return drivers of companies with different MSCI ESG Ratings in 2022.

There were several dynamics that influenced the performance of ESG indexes in 2022. We examine the impact of macroeconomic and financial conditions on returns in the short- and long-term.

While much of the market volatility endured, the MSCI ESG Indexes’ performance drivers varied from the first half to the third quarter of 2022. We examine the impact of macroeconomic and financial conditions on returns in the short- and long-term.

There have been specific dynamics that have influenced ESG-index performance in the first half of 2022. We examine the impact of macroeconomic and financial conditions on return in the short- and long-term. 

We draw on our consultation with owners and managers of long-short portfolios to recommend best practices for fund-level ESG and climate reporting. 

We draw on our consultation with owners and managers of long-short portfolios to recommend best practices for fund-level ESG and climate reporting. 

In 2021, oil and gas stocks bounced back after five years of weak performance. However, leading MSCI ESG Indexes, which often have lower weights to high-carbon emission industries such as oil and gas, were resilient last year. What drove performance?

Given the complexity of U.S. tax regulation, wealth advisers continue to grapple with how to build tax-efficient portfolios while balancing clients’ other objectives. We propose a rules-based way of doing so and analyze its benefits and trade-offs.