Research Publications Archive

Abenomics and Japanese Equities: A Promising Outlook, But Risks Remain

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Japan’s long-term economic outlook looks brighter, and the positive structural and governance changes achieved under prime minister Shinzo Abe have improved the opportunity set for long-term institutional equity investors. This progress—paired with improving corporate fundamentals and reasonable valuations—boosts the appeal of Japanese equities. But, several ongoing internal and external risks to the reform agenda and economic outlook require monitoring.

Liability-Hedging Handbook: A Guide to Best Practices for US Pension Plans

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For many pension plans, investment strategy is often structured with a liability-hedging portfolio and a growth portfolio, with the weight and composition of each determined by a strategic asset allocation or a de-risking glidepath. Within this overall structure, the construction and calibration of the liability-hedging portfolio is integral to effective pension asset management. This report focuses exclusively on the liability-hedging portfolio, delineating key considerations and best practices for single-employer defined benefit plans including those sponsored by corporations, health care institutions, non-profit organizations, and certain partnerships.

Are Inflationary Pressures in the United States Building?

Yes. Inflationary pressures in the United States appear to be building, as positively trending wages, expansionary fiscal policies, and protectionist trade barriers feed into a humming economy. Although we expect these pressures signal an increased risk of an inflation scare, we believe the most likely outcome in 2018 is for inflation to grind only modestly higher.

Emerging Markets Equity Manager Performance: 2017

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Despite exceptional overall returns, more than 55% of active emerging markets equity managers underperformed the MSCI Emerging Markets Index gross of fees in 2017, marking the first time since 2009 that the majority have underperformed in back-to-back years. This chart book is our annual summary of the absolute and relative performance of managers that report to our database.

Annual Review of Endowments: Fiscal Year 2017

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This new report summarizes portfolio returns, asset allocation, and related trends for 289 endowed institutions. Included are exhibits on asset class returns, performance attribution, risk analytics, policy portfolio benchmarking, and uncalled capital commitments to private investments. The analysis is broken down by size of assets under management and by institution type. The report also contains…

Global Equity Manager Performance: 2017

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In 2017, the median active global equity manager outperformed the MSCI World Index by 150 basis points (gross of fees), the seventh time in ten years that the median manager outperformed the index. This chart book is our annual summary of the absolute and relative performance of managers that report to our database.