Financial Market Update - June 16, 2016

The Federal Reserve once again did the expected, and they got it exactly right: a prudent and totally predicted interest rate hike and well-telegraphed intentions about the Fed balance sheet. Bob Browne explains.

Our most recent insights into equity factors around current market events and trends.Find out how timely market events have been affecting equity valuations and returns from the industry experts.

The stellar performance of just a few big technology stocks has raised investor concerns about whether we are seeing a repeat of the Tech Bubble of the late 1990s. Will the rally die? Jim McDonald explains.

With investor focus on emerging markets and worries regarding China, Wayne Bowers revisits the "One Belt, One Road" trade initiative. Will this lead to a new era of globalization and the reshaping of global trade?

Please join us for a true inside look at corporate pension trends beyond just the top line funded status, and the effects those trends are having on the companies bottom lines.

Key Topics:
• A recap of current plan deficits – how will it be solved?
• The impact costs and contributions are having on profits
• Why some industries are hurting more than other

Our return expectations on major asset classes have declined over the last several years. A tilt toward equity factors may be the answer. Matt Peron explains.

Investor concerns over the outlook for growth and politics have been calmed in recent weeks, as economic data has improved and key elections have taken place. Jim McDonald explains.

While sponsors of 401(k) and 403(b) plans have been working hard to streamline their investment menus, undeniable demand for environmental, social and governance (ESG) investment options is something worth pausing to consider. With one in every five dollars now invested in an ESG-oriented strategy in the U.S., now is an ideal time to explore what type of ESG strategy would best suit your participants needs. In this quick 30 minute webinar, we will explore how several defined contribution (DC) plans are adopting ESG investment strategies in their menus and what that means for participants.

Don't get caught off guard. While the French and Dutch elections didn't take the pure populist routes, investors still must take into account the continued influence of populism in Europe. Wayne Bowers explains.

An inside look at the techniques large asset owners are using today to better understand their factor exposures and implement more efficient portfolios.

Continued strife in the Middle East, Russian hacking and threats from North Korea have clients increasingly asking about geopolitical risk. Bob Browne explores the issue.

Investors are questioning whether the reflation trade works anymore given the recent action in the stock, bond, commodity and currency markets. Katie Nixon explores the issue in this week's MarketScape.

As our outlook for growth outside the U.S. continues to improve, the world is looking more attractive. Jim McDonald explains in this week's MarketScape.

As the real work of Brexit begins, investors must keep the positives in the "real" European economy front of mind. Wayne Bowers explains.

Over the past few years, the headline growth rate of U.S. earnings has been all over the board. Matt Peron deciphers the current earnings trend and which rate is likely to prevail.

There's a new twist to the Federal Reserve's view of inflation in the U.S. and what that might mean for rate increases this year.

The Fed seems to have hit a sweet spot last week and once again the market's great love, Goldilocks, is the belle of the ball. Will this perfect romance of not too hot and not too cold last?

We upgraded our growth outlook for Europe and developed Asia in January. This month we add to that list. Jim McDonald explains in this week's MarketScape.

We’ve explored the most prevalent strategies being used by the world's largest asset owners in Part 1, but now we want to dive into implementation. In this next installment of our webinar series (overview below) we will take a deep dive into how to implement various factor-based strategies based on various objective types.