Q1 2020 Market Insights Video

This video features an in-depth analysis of the first quarter’s performance with a special focus looking forward from the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic and market impacts.

Our Market Insights series examines the primary asset classes we cover for clients including the U.S. economy, fixed income, U.S. and non-U.S. equities, hedge funds, real estate, infrastructure, private equity, and private credit, with presentations by our research analysts and directors. For more information, questions, or feedback, please send us an email.

April 2nd Update: A Quarter That Will Go Down in History

With March officially in the books, the following is a brief summary of what has transpired in the capital markets since our update early last week. As expected, the coronavirus has exploded across the U.S. and continued its spread across Europe as well. At the time of writing, the number of cases is approaching 1 million worldwide and has exceeded 200,000 here in the United States. Stocks finished their worst quarter ever on Tuesday and volatility continues to haunt the markets. While the worst may still not yet be behind us, we hope that the growing number of shelter in place edicts and more consistent social distancing may help to stem the coronavirus outbreak across the world. Please note that all return data in the following discussion utilizes the quarter end date of March 31st, 2020.

Read > April 2nd Update: A Quarter That Will Go Down in History

 

The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.

March 2: Coronavirus Update and Portfolio Guidance

Last week was a painful one for the equity markets as fears about the coronavirus drove investors out of stocks and markets into correction territory. The following newsletter summarizes last week’s developments and provides specific commentary on what to watch for across the major asset classes that constitute investor portfolios.

Read > March 2: Coronavirus Update and Portfolio Guidance

As always, please reach out to your consultant or our research team for more details about any of the information presented in this update. For more Marquette coverage on coronavirus, reference our previous newsletter (January 28) and Chart of the Week posts (February 13, February 21, February 26).

 

The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.

2020 Market Preview

2019 was certainly a profitable year for investors as traditional and alternative asset classes delivered positive returns.  As we enter 2020, there are a litany of questions facing global markets ranging from the U.S. election to trade disputes to global monetary policy, all of which will undoubtedly influence investment returns. The following newsletters examine the primary asset classes we cover for our clients, with in-depth analysis of last year’s performance and more importantly, trends, themes, and projections to watch for in 2020.

We hope these materials can assist you and your committees as you plan for the coming year, and please feel free to reach out to any of us should you have further questions about the articles. We have also produced a 2020 Market Preview video if you would like to hear a high-level summary of the market previews. Here’s to another positive year from the markets in 2020!

U.S. Economy: Signs of Slowing?
by Greg Leonberger, FSA, EA, MAAA, Partner, Director of Research

Fixed Income: The New Roaring Twenties — Will It Be Different This Time?
by Ben Mohr, CFA, Director of Fixed Income

U.S. Equities: Climbing the Wall of Worry
by Robert Britenbach, CFA, CIPM Research Analyst, U.S. Equities

Non-U.S. Equities: Big Expectations, Little Wiggle Room
by David Hernandez, CFA, Senior Research Analyst, Non-U.S. Equities
and Nicole Johnson-Barnes, CFA, Research Analyst

Real Estate: What Will Happen Next?
by Jeremy Zirin, CAIA, Senior Research Analyst, Real Assets

Infrastructure: The Energy Revolution Is Driving the Future of Infrastructure
by Jeremy Zirin, CAIA, Senior Research Analyst, Real Assets

Hedge Funds: Rising Geopolitical Risks and a U.S. Election Could Lead to Tempered Expectations
by Joe McGuane, CFA, Senior Research Analyst, Alternatives

Private Equity: As Asset Class Grows, Continues to Deliver for Investors
by Derek Schmidt, CFA, CAIA, Director of Private Equity

Private Credit: An Asset Class Coming Into Its Own
by Brett Graffy, CAIA, Research Analyst

To read the above files in one combined document > 2020 Market Preview

 

The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.

2020 Market Preview Video

This video coincides with our annual Market Preview newsletters and includes a recap of 2019’s performance and what investors can expect heading into 2020. 2019 was certainly a profitable year for investors as traditional and alternative asset classes delivered positive returns. As we enter 2020, there are a litany of questions facing global markets ranging from the U.S. election to trade disputes to global monetary policy, all of which will undoubtedly influence investment returns.

This video is part of our Market Insights series, a quarterly presentation designed to brief clients on the market as soon as possible after quarterly market data becomes available. Members of our research team discuss the overall U.S. economy, along with fixed income, U.S. and non-U.S. equity, hedge funds, private equity, real estate, and infrastructure.

For more information, questions, or feedback, please send us an email.

A Prism of Capital Market Views: Portfolio Manager Panel

Marquette’s 2019 Investment Symposium opened with a portfolio manager panel hosted by Marquette’s director of research, Greg Leonberger, FSA, EA, MAAA, and featuring:

  • John W. Rogers, Jr., Chairman, Co-CEO & Chief Investment Officer at Ariel Investments
  • Olga Bitel, Partner and Global Strategist at William Blair
  • Matthew J. Eagan, CFA, Executive Vice President and Portfolio Manager at Loomis, Sayles & Company

Third Quarter Review of Asset Allocation: Risks and Opportunities

The third quarter saw mixed results for financial markets. Economic fundamentals generally remain strong but signs of deterioration are starting to emerge. Unemployment currently hovers around 3.5%, and inflation is near the Fed’s target of 2%. However, 3Q GDP growth was under 2% (though the 1.9% figure exceeded the 1.7% estimate), and the PMI index has been below 50 since August (a reading under 50 is indicative of contraction in the manufacturing sector). Overall, the most important global trends we see are the following:

  • The U.S.-China trade conflict continues to weigh heavily on both countries as talks remain ongoing;
  • The Federal Reserve (“Fed”) reversed course by cutting interest rates and further cuts are still possible;
  • The U.S. Treasury yield curve inverted briefly, which historically has signaled a recession over the subsequent 12–24 months;
  • Brexit negotiations were extended to January 31, 2020, therefore further perpetuating the uncertainty around the UK’s exit from the EU;
  • Negative interest rates continue to grow in prevalence around the world.

The impact of these shifting dynamics is explored further in this newsletter as we review third quarter performance and expectations going forward for each of the major asset classes.

Read > Third Quarter Review of Asset Allocation: Risks and Opportunities

 

The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.

3Q 2019 Market Briefing

Live Webinar – Thursday, October 24, 2019 – 1:00-2:00 PM CT


Please join Marquette’s asset class analysts for a live webinar based on our 3Q 2019 Market Environment. This webinar series is designed to brief clients on the market as soon as possible after quarterly market data becomes available.

The overall U.S. economy will be discussed, along with fixed income, U.S./non-U.S. equity, hedge funds, private equity, real estate and infrastructure.

Featuring:
Greg Leonberger, FSA, EA, MAAA, Partner, Director of Research
Jeffrey Hoffmeyer, CFA, Lead Analyst, Asset Allocation
Ben Mohr, CFA, Director of Fixed Income
Samantha Grant, CFA, CAIA, Senior Research Analyst, U.S. Equities
David Hernandez, CFA, Senior Research Analyst, Non-U.S. Equities
Joe McGuane, CFA, Senior Research Analyst, Alternatives
Jeremy Zirin, CAIA, Senior Research Analyst, Real Assets
Brett Graffy, CAIA, Research Analyst

Who should attend: Institutional investment stewards, private clients, investment managers

Live webinar attendees will be able to submit questions to the presenters and vote in audience polls during the event. Questions will be answered during the final 15 minutes of the webinar, as time allows.

If you are unable to attend the webinar live, you can also view it afterward on demand. Registrants will automatically receive a follow-up email shortly after the end of the webinar to notify them of webinar recording availability

Attack on Saudi Oil and Market Implications

Over the weekend, half of Saudi Arabia’s oil production stopped due to a drone attack on the country’s major Saudi Aramco oil infrastructure which includes processing centers and oil fields. While a Yemeni militant group — the Houthi rebels — claimed responsibility for the attack, U.S. intelligence suspects Iran as the culprit.

This newsletter details the immediate developments and market implications of the attack, including a look at oil pricing and current supply, expectations for recovery, and potential effects on demand and geopolitical uncertainties.

Read > Attack on Saudi Oil and Market Implications

The opinions expressed herein are those of Marquette Associates, Inc. (“Marquette”), and are subject to change without notice. This material is not financial advice or an offer to purchase or sell any product. Marquette reserves the right to modify its current investment strategies and techniques based on changing market dynamics or client needs.

 

Investing 101 Video Series

Our Investing 101 video series covers the fundamentals of investing. This series aims to create a knowledge base for trustees, staff, and other investors of the key terms and concepts that they encounter most frequently, with guidance provided by several of Marquette’s research analysts and directors.

The series covers:

Marquette encourages open dialogue with our consultants and research team. For more information, questions, or feedback, please send us an email.