Market Implications of COVID-19

The Materiality of Sustainability for Investors

Sustainability trends—including climate change, multi–stakeholder driven society, resource degradation, demographic challenges, and technological revolution—have already impacted investment performance. Investors that incorporate these risks and opportunities into their decision-making frameworks are likely to be better prepared for the future than their peers.

Have Global Equities Bottomed?

Probably not, unless we experience a V-shaped economic recovery. The sudden stop in economic activity across the globe in response to COVID-19 has triggered an economic collapse and led to an extraordinary monetary and fiscal policy response.

Room to Run for Muni Bonds

Despite the recent volatility, in our view, munis continue to be an attractive alternative to both Treasuries and high-quality corporates for long-term taxable investors. Even tax-exempt investors that typically don’t hold munis may want to consider them in the current environment given relative valuations and credit fundamentals.

Should Investors Avoid China Due to Rising US-China Tensions?

No, we still believe China remains an important exposure for investment portfolios. However, US-China tensions will continue to escalate. Investors need to reaffirm both the rationale and implementation of their China investment strategy and must communicate this with key stakeholders. For further reading, please see the “Decoupling” section of Celia Dallas and Wade O’Brien’s “VantagePoint:…