Dealing With Fat Tails and Black Swans

Investors have been conditioned to believe that traditional bonds are safe and can deliver 5% annualized yields over the long term. In the current climate, neither may be true.
Join the webcast as Nathan Rowader provides answers to many questions your clients may have regarding income investing, including:
•Is the bull market for bonds over?
•What is the impact of rising interest rates?
•Where might opportunities exist in this new environment?

We live in changing times and there is no lack of macro events for today’s markets to navigate. Join us for an informative discussion with Jim Welsh, Forward Portfolio Manager, as he assesses the macro market landscape and helps us better understand the forces that could drive market trends.

This quarter, we will discuss the following topics:
•Are there obstacles to the U.S. economy continuing to expand?
•Overview of Global Markets and pockets of opportunities: Where are the opportunities for investors?

Alan Reid, Forward CEO, discusses our company, our products and what investors are looking for in our latest video.

Commercial real estate markets appear to be entering an extended cycle of recovery. Institutions and private equity funds are taking note as they ratchet up their real estate commitments. Please join an informative and entertaining webcast with Forward’s Real Estate team to learn more about what’s behind this powerful new cycle.

Emerging markets have truly evolved, with the four major countries that became synonymous with emerging markets — Brazil, Russia, India and China — facing slower growth and some of the hiccups of development. Now, many smaller countries not top of mind with investors are exhibiting some of the growth expected of emerging markets.

So, what exactly are emerging markets now and how should investors allocate their money to these markets? Where within this universe are the best opportunities, given that some of these smaller markets like Turkey and Thailand have logged double-digit gains in 2012 while Brazilian and Chinese names have lagged? And what about bonds? Where is the opportunity? Corporate debt? Local-denominated bonds?

Join this live roundtable discussion as experts share their thoughts on where the best opportunities lie and where emerging markets are headed in 2013.

Panelists:
* Reshma Kapadia, Staff Writer, Barron's Magazine (Moderator)
* Bruce Brewington, PM, Forward Management, LLC
* Rob Lutts, CIO, Cabot Money Management
* Robert J. Luna, CEO, Surevest Capital Management

While many traditional income strategies are falling short of investors’ needs, the global investment landscape holds an expanding array of income-generating strategies. How can investors navigate the risks and opportunities they present?

Join us for a virtual roundtable exploring this new generation of income approaches. Forward research and investment professionals specializing in these strategies will brief you on the basics, share their insights and answer your questions.

Nathan Rowader, Forward’s Director of Investments & Sr. Market Strategist, presents a fourth quarter review of the Forward Income Builder Fund.
Highlights of Nathan’s presentations include:
• The current state of traditional asset allocation funds and income sources
• Growth opportunities in the current market
• Performance and allocation summary

Nathan Rowader, Forward’s Director of Investments & Sr. Market Strategist, presents a fourth quarter review of the enhanced Forward Global Asset Allocation Series and Forward Income Builder Fund.
Highlights of Nathan’s presentations include:

•The current state of traditional asset allocation funds and income sources
•Growth opportunities in the current market
•Performance and allocation summary

We live in changing times and there is no lack of macro events for today’s markets to navigate. Join us for an informative discussion with Jim Welsh, Forward Portfolio Manager, as he assesses the macro market landscape and helps us better understand the forces that could drive market trends.

Alternative strategies are capturing a growing share of fund flows, yet they remain a source of controversy and confusion--especially in periods when stocks are performing well. Many investors are unclear on what "alternative" means, let alone why they may want to consider alternative investments for their portfolios. This interactive session is designed to give advisors input that may help frame the conversation:

- What defines an investment strategy as "alternative"?
- What roles do they play in investment portfolios?
- What are the best yardsticks for measuring results?
- How should Advisors evaluate alternative strategies?
- What should clients expect if they invest?

What are the key industry sectors that will drive medium term growth in Asia-Pacific? Can your client's portfolio benefit from these emerging stars? Can you manage the high-growth and risk trade-offs? Join Sath Rao, VP of Emerging Market Innovation at Frost & Sullivan, as he leads 2 panelists to discuss the key trends that are providing unprecedented opportunities in Asia-Pacific.

Moderator:
* Sath Rao, VP of Emerging Market Innovation, Frost & Sullivan

Panelists:
* Michael McGowan, Portfolio Manager, Forward International Real Estate Fund
* R. Burns McKinney, CFA, Managing Director, Portfolio Manager/Analyst, NFJ Investment Group

Investors have long looked to asset allocation funds
as an effective source of strategic diversification.
These strategies have taken a variety of forms over
the years, morphing from the balanced and riskbased
funds of the ’80s and ’90s into today’s targetdate
and world allocation approaches.

Join us for a lively session on the evolution that is
taking place right now. Learn more about the
solutions needed to help investors in a climate of
generally low returns, low yields and elevated risks.

Managed futures and commodity funds using systematic trend-following strategies have become widely popular in recent years. But do investors understand their return and drawdown characteristics? Is there an optimal holding period? And what about down periods, when fear may obscure long-term thinking?

Join this live webcast where Forward portfolio managers will illuminate how these dynamic strategies perform and what they bring to investor portfolios.

Who will win and what does it mean?

As we count down to the U.S. presidential election, the political and economic uncertainty we face looms large. What will be the outcome, and how might it affect the domestic and global economies?

Join us as our experts in politics and investments discuss the candidates’ strengths and weaknesses, likely scenarios and how the outcome might ripple through markets.

From the U.S. presidential election to the fiscal cliff, there is no lack of macro events for today’s markets to navigate.

Join us for an informative discussion with Forward portfolio manager, Jim Welsh as he assesses the macro market landscape and helps us better understand the forces that could drive market trends as we head into 2013.

Short video featuring interviews conducted at the 2012 Morningstar Investment Conference.

- Growth trajectory: emerging markets vs. developed markets
- Questions financial advisors should ask when considering investing in emerging markets
- How emerging markets will evolve in the future

Featuring:
*Joel E.D. Wells, PM, Alpine Woods Capital Investors
* Matt Ryan, PM, MFS Investment Management
* James Rehlaender, Managing Director & PM, E.I.I. Realty Securities
* Michael McGowan, PM, Forward International Real Estate

Options abound for investors wanting to get involved in emerging markets. But which present the best opportunities today? Join three emerging-markets investors as we explore the nuances of emerging-markets investing.

Discussion topics:

Emerging Markets vs. The Rest of the World
• Emerging markets, a safe haven?
• Decoupling of emerging markets from the rest of the world

Emerging Markets Stocks vs. Emerging Markets Bonds
• Valuation
• Other Considerations

Opportunities & Risks
• China
• Other Opportunities
• Currency
• Yield

Moderator:
* Bridget Hughes, Analyst, Morningstar

Panelists:
* Kevin Daly, Portfolio Manager, Aberdeen Asset Management
* Peter Marber, Chief Emerging Markets Debt Business Strategist, Americas, HSBC Global Asset Management
* Michael McGowan, Portfolio Manager, Forward

Are attractive returns still possible in today’s interest rate environment?

With credit risks elevated, today’s muni market requires more scrutiny than ever. We believe investors need a multi-faceted approach to hedge against interest rate, credit and security-specific risks. We'll provide our take on the tools needed to manage this newly uncertain municipal landscape.

Opportunities in International Real Estate Investing

Join us for a Q&A with Michael McGowan, Portfolio Manager of the Forward International Real Estate Fund, as he discusses his unique, on-the-ground approach to uncovering the best real estate opportunities around the world.