Name: Has Factor Investing Lost Its Shine? - An Evidence Review Across Global Markets
Start: 2019-06-20T13:00:00Z
End: 2019-06-20T13:00:36.000Z
Location: BrightTALK
Rating: 5

First Trust is a privately owned U.S. based financial services firm established in 1991. Our mission and approach are simple. We aim to offer investors a better way to invest by providing transparent and innovative solutions - through knowing what we own, investing for the long term, employing discipline and rebalancing our portfolios.

These core principles are taken into consideration in all aspects of our business and are the building blocks of our reputation. It is through these principles that First Trust’s specialist investment managers apply a robust and disciplined approach to a range of methodologies. We have a strong track record in providing a variety of rules-based, thematic and actively managed strategies investing across a range of equities, fixed income and alternatives. 
In delivering our message, our regional sales teams work closely with prospects and clients to distribute First Trust’s range of single-country, regional and global solutions across the world. Today, First Trust is one of the fastest growing ETF providers globally.

Cybersecurity has never been more critical in our daily lives than today as the COVID-19 crisis lead to drastic changes across the board with businesses and governments having to adjust quickly. With Cloud Computing become almost utility-like owing to the mass increase in those working from home, the Cybersecurity industry has had to evolve in-step. More of our personal lives and business activities are being conducted online than ever before and the future of cybersecurity is not just today, but tomorrow too.

First Trust’s Gregg Guerin is joined by industry heavyweight Brian Comiskey (from CTA - a leading US trade association) where they’ll cover:
• The current industry landscape
• CTA’s vision on the next phase of innovation
• Which companies are positioned at the forefront of this theme
• The future of Cybersecurity

The Future of Cyber Security with CTA’s Brian Comiskey

Investors are now fully aware of the importance that biotechnology companies can have in their portfolios. 2020 presented a fascinating backdrop for the biotech industry with some key updates across regulatory and M&A.
The last six months has seen the industry help society mitigate the pandemic by developing testing kits, vaccines and therapeutics.
But what are the implications for Biotech with a U.S. election just around the corner? Ryan Issakainen & Gregg Guerin provide some fascinating insight into how this sector has benefitted historically and the short term implications.
Some important tailwinds have come into play this year, providing a boost to the sector as a whole, including:

U.S. regulators removing red tape surrounding the speed at which new cures & vaccines can hit the market

The FDA Commissioner has said: “Permanent change, where needed, will take place”

2017, 2018 and 2019 have been three of the most productive years for drug approvals in the last 20 years

M&A activity remains fertile with the cash reserves held by our index names extremely high

There are many areas of day-to-day life that are influenced by biotechnology, as the two longest running megatrends in human history combine, we explore the key potential positive implications for the First Trust NYSE ARCA Biotechnology UCITS ETF.

The FDA Commissioner has said: “Permanent change, where needed, will take place”

2017, 2018 and 2019 have been three of the most productive years for drug approvals in the last 20 years

M&A activity remains fertile with the cash reserves held by our index names extremely high

There are many areas of day-to-day life that are influenced by biotechnology, as the two longest running megatrends in human history combine, we explore the key potential positive implications for the First Trust NYSE ARCA Biotechnology UCITS ETF.

Insights into biotechnology with Gregg Guerin and Ryan Issakainen

As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 has seen the most Central Bank activity since the Great Financial Crisis in 2008. Central Banks around the world raced to stem the panic from the first economic lockdown in history. On this call, we are joined by former Fed Governor Dr. Randall Kroszner, who himself was one of the Governors at the Fed with Ben Bernanke from 2006-2009, the duration of the GFC.
On this call, we cover broadly 3 topics: 

1) How did Central Banks respond to this Crisis? 

2) How was it similar/different to 2008? 

3) Looking Forward, Questions regarding impact/consequences of Central Banks’ Actions.

Central Banks in a Crisis

Software as a service (SaaS), perhaps the best-known subset of Cloud Computing, is our latest instalment in better understanding this phenomenon. In this short presentation, First Trust’s Gregg Guerin is joined by industry specialists Brian Comiskey (from CTA -  a leading US trade association) and Gaurav Pendse (from Nasdaq – a leading thematic index provider) where they’ll discuss the future potential drivers of growth as well as what might make SaaS a compelling opportunity for investors.

The Future of SaaS with Nasdaq & CTA

Platform as a service (PaaS) represents perhaps the least known or most misunderstood segment of the Cloud Computing phenomenon. In this short presentation, First Trust’s Gregg Guerin is joined by industry  specialists Brian Comiskey (from CTA -  a leading US trade association) and Gaurav Pendse (from Nasdaq – a leading thematic index provider) where they’ll discuss the future potential drivers of growth in this relatively unknown industry as well as what might  make PaaS such a compelling opportunity for investors.

The Future of PaaS with Nasdaq & CTA

Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) is an instant and virtual solution which allows businesses to purchase a wide range of computing resources on-demand. Our latest instalment in our journey into the Cloud Computing phenomenon focuses on these virtualized computing resources over the internet. First Trust’s Gregg Guerin is joined by industry specialists Brian Comiskey (from CTA - a leading US trade association) and Gaurav Pendse (from Nasdaq – a leading thematic index provider) where they’ll discuss the future potential drivers of growth in addition to what some of the most interesting players within IaaS could look like.

The Future of IaaS with Nasdaq & CTA

Cloud Computing has taken the technology sector by storm. Enabling major corporations to access cutting-edge data and storage capacity without the need for in-house infrastructure has become one of the biggest megatrends that could define our lives over the next 20 years. The Future of this phenomenon is as compelling as its history. First Trust’s Gregg Guerin is joined by industry heavyweights Brian Comiskey (from CTA -  a leading US trade association) and Gaurav Pendse  (from Nasdaq – the leading thematic index provider) where they’ll cover: • What shape the future of Cloud Computing could resemble • The tailwinds currently propelling the Cloud market • Understanding the different players within this theme

The Future of Cloud Computing with NASDAQ & CTA

For over two decades, First Trust has been using factors to select stocks, and in 2020 we now bring two of our best-selling Quality and Low Volatility U.S. equity strategies to the UCITS market.

After a great 2019, the S&P 500 continued to reach new all-time highs in January this year, but there are some investors looking to protect on the downside while continuing to be invested. 

On this call, Gregg Guerin, will discuss in more detail how historically Quality and Low Volatility factors have outperformed the S&P 500 in market downturns since 1995, how these factors can play a key part in profitable long-term performance, and what are the key potential benefits for investors of our two new UCITS ETFs

Finding Strength in High Quality & Low Volatility

Want to understand more about the Blockchain as an investment solution, and hear from a world renowned independent expert? 

Join our webinar with First Trust’s Senior Product Specialist, Gregg Guerin, and Jesse Lund, former IBM Global Head of Blockchain and Digital Currencies, discussing the real world applications of the Blockchain, how Users & Enablers of the technology are furthering its evolution, and the potential benefits to investors of our UCITS ETF.

Key Discussion Points:
•What is the Blockchain and how it really works
•Its importance in today’s world as a major disruptive technology 
•How it is almost impossible to tamper with
•Its real world applications
•Current real world Users & Enablers

Blockchain: First Trust And Jesse Lund Discuss What’s Next

As a leader in thematic investment solutions, First Trust offers pure play access to the Cloud Computing market. 

In this webinar, Gregg Guerin, will discuss some of the most powerful elements of Cloud Computing, how the technology is allowing computing to be accessed like a utility, how it is positively impacting our environment, and how attractive Cloud Computing companies new business models are to investors.

With Oracle indicating that only 20% of enterprise computing is in the cloud so far, and Gartner continuously updating their worldwide cloud revenue projections to be higher (now at $354.6bn for 2022), we feel Cloud Computing is an exciting investment area that can offer the long-term investor a well-diversified array of companies in which to invest.

The Cloud Phenomenon Continues

For many investors today, using factors like value and momentum in equity markets has become more commonplace but the same is not necessarily true in fixed income. 

As European fixed income markets have experienced substantial yield compression over the last few decades, it has become increasingly difficult for investors to harvest returns from their traditional fixed income allocations.

In this webinar, Anthony Beevers, Portfolio Manager, will highlight the application and opportunities of using factors (such as carry, value and momentum) to harvest fixed income risk premia across global interest rates and currency markets.

Key Discussion Points:
•Traditional Fixed Income Allocations vs Fixed Income Factor Investing
•First Trust’s unique disciplined approach to Fixed Income Factor Investing
•How First Trust harvest Fixed Income Risk Premia in today’s markets
•Introduction to First Trust’s Global Currency & Global Sovereign Bond Funds

Breaking With Tradition - Applying Factors To Global Fixed Income

In recent times, global interest rate markets have endured heightened volatility while certain yields across the global fixed income universe have turned negative. On this webinar, two of First Trust’s fixed income portfolio managers will discuss the opportunity set through a fixed income factor lens, as well as the attractiveness of individual country yield curves and currencies based on objective investment factors. 

Key Discussion Points:

•Define carry, value and momentum factors impacting currencies and yield curves 
•Evidence the effectiveness of these factors
•Apply these factors to real life examples

Factors in Fixed Income - First Trust Global Rates & Currency Strategy Research

We often hear debates about whether we have reached peak passive and how much further can the ETF industry grow. First Trust will make the case that ETF growth is still in its early stages and that ETFs are a kind of disruptive technology which will accelerate fundamental change in the investment industry. 

The ETF structure is an innovation in investment fund technology which we believe will become the most widely used vehicle for all types of investment strategy.  In fact, actively managed ETFs are already the fastest growing area of the industry in the United States.

Learning Objectives:

•  Understand the differences and similarities between a UCITS ETF and UCITS OEIC fund 
•  Trace the evolution of ETFs from passive market capitalisation index tracking through smart beta to actively managed strategies
•   Understand how investors in the US are using ETFs to build more granular bespoke client investment solutions

Peak Passive or Still Early Days?

Thematic investing maybe a newer idea to the market today, but not to First Trust. We have a long and strong track record in providing a variety of long-term thematic strategies, including the Internet, Infrastructure, Cloud Computing, Blockchain, Robotics and Cybersecurity. 

On this webinar, Senior Product Specialist, Gregg Guerin will walk through a history of how themes and Mega Trends have affected various stocks and markets over time, how the current technology revolution looks set to affect the future for decades to come, and detail potential benefits to investors or advisors in rethinking their portfolio allocations to include thematic investing.

The Power of Thematic Investing

IPOs and Spin-Offs are seen as dynamic moments in the history of a company. In many ways it represents both the ending and the beginning of a company’s history. The exciting part is that the “beginning” of the post-IPO or Spin-off period, usually starts with quite a lot of capital. In fact, according to Bloomberg, from 2002 through to June 2019, U.S. IPOs have raised over $570.87 billion USD in market cap. 
  
In this video, Gregg will provide an overview of what we feel makes New Listings so special, how Thematic Investing can aid an investor to access securities they otherwise would have little-to-no exposure to, and why First Trust feels they may present a great opportunity for the thematic focused investor.

Part 6 - Thematic Investing - IPOs and Spin Offs

Blockchain has the potential to impact the world as much as the internet did in the 1990’s and become the next big infrastructure of innovation.
 
Blockchain is however NOT Bitcoin but simply the powerful technology Cryptocurrencies use, similar to how email uses the internet. As the technology continues to evolve and being nearly impossible to tamper with, we are seeing more and more companies across a variety of industries and sectors using the technology to enable the real-time transmission of information and data.
 
In this video, Gregg Guerin will discuss the essence of the Blockchain, a few dynamic applications of the technology, and some of the major players driving the advancement of the Blockchain in the real world.

Part 5 - Thematic Investing - Blockchain

Cloud Computing is one of the hottest information technology sectors in the market today and its growth over the last decade shows no real sign of slowing down. In fact, the International Data Corporation (IDC) estimates the compound five year annual growth rate (CAGR) of the Cloud Computing market to be 21.9%, between 2016 and 2021. 

In this video, Gregg Guerin will discuss the power of the Cloud, its dynamic uses today, the growth estimates, and how First Trust feels this rapidly growing theme has the potential to affect everyday life and long term investment opportunities.

Part 4 - Thematic Investing - Cloud Computing

First Trust Portfolio Manager, Anthony Beevers, will discuss how Value and Momentum Factors have the potential to generate attractive excess returns over the long, medium and short term across a broad range of markets. 

He will also give you an insight in how the First Trust’s AlphaDEX® UCITS ETF methodology seeks to capture a pure exposure to these factors, while reviewing the performance of Value and Momentum across US and Global equity markets.

Has Factor Investing Lost Its Shine? - An Evidence Review Across Global Markets

Factor Investing

First Trust

Anthony Beevers

Equities

AlphaDEX

Global Markets

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Has Factor Investing Lost Its Shine? - An Evidence Review Across Global Markets

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