Investment strategies

The BRICS acronym emerged years ago to represent a group of countries ie Brazil, Russia, India and China that were collectively perceived to be the growth engine of the world. Over the years as some of these countries went through economic hardship or policy changes, investors started to turn their attention to frontier markets that are in earlier stages of the development … [Read more...] about Frontier investing, the final frontier?

We can’t single-handedly save the planet- but it’s fair to say a lot of us are looking at ways to improve the way we treat the world, and the same can be said for the investment industry. Now, more than ever, there is pressure on investment managers to invest responsibly. Here is who we think are leading the sustainable sector, and who are the ones fast … [Read more...] about Sustainability’s Hidden Gems

In the last 12 months, several high-profile consumer goods companies have issued profit warnings,  most notably Kraft-Heinz. Some commentators have proclaimed the end of the era of big brands. The future, they argue, belongs to smaller, so-called ‘craft’ brands. But I believe that the demise of big brands has been greatly exaggerated. The more things change … In calling … [Read more...] about Brand new world?

Emerging market stocks have had a rollercoaster ride in recent years. This is not unusual for an inherently volatile section of the global stock market. However, investors with longer time horizons shouldn’t be deterred. As the economic engine shifts increasingly east and south, and capital markets develop in tandem, emerging markets would be expected to offer returns in excess … [Read more...] about Are Emerging Markets assets worth the volatility?

The latest developments suggest that trade tensions between the US and China will be more protracted than previously expected. The US recently announced it is raising tariffs on $200 billion of imports from China to 25% from 10%, and China has responded by increasing tariffs on $60 billion of imports from the US. The US had warned Beijing not to respond to the tariff … [Read more...] about Who will pay as the US-China Trade Wars intensifies