1 min readWatch the webcast: Click the above webcast link for episode 2 of Credit Update. Hosted by Capital Advisors Group’s Director of Investment Research and Strategy, Lance Pan. Topics covered: Recap of what happened to prime funds in March 2020 Overview of characteristics that make prime funds poor candidates as “liquidity” vehicles Overview of government assistance…
17 min readDOWNLOAD FULL REPORT Abstract After sudden shareholder redemptions in March stressed money market funds, it became clear that several rounds of reforms since the 2008 crisis have failed to bolster institutional prime money market funds as liquidity vehicles. While extraordinary government measures once again helped to stabilize the market, they should not be recurrent policy…
1 min readWatch the webcast: Click the above webcast link for episode 1 of Credit Update. Hosted by Capital Advisors Group’s Director of Investment Research and Strategy, Lance Pan. Topics covered: Recap of Recent Market Events How to Balance Credit Risk in a Portfolio During Times of Economic Volatility (e.g., COVID-19) Overview of Corporate Paper (CP) Bid-Ask…
12 min readDOWNLOAD FULL REPORT Abstract Extraordinary market volatility from COVID-19 led to a complete reset of portfolio strategies and expectations in cash investments. While liquidity has turned the corner, the path to recovery and a normal investment environment may be a long one. Fighting credit issues on one hand and the risk of negative interest rates…
3 min readWatch the Webinar: Click the above video for a replay of our March 31, 2020 webinar on the impact of COVID-19 on cash portfolios. Hosted by Benjamin Campbell, CEO, and Lance Pan, CFA, Director of Investment Research & Strategy. The cash management landscape has changed greatly in the short time since we published our February…
17 min readDOWNLOAD FULL REPORT Abstract While the flood of information on the new coronavirus can be overwhelming, treasury professionals should consider how the outbreak may affect their liquidity portfolios. The consensus market view is that the epidemic will have a moderate and temporary impact on the world economy. We think the 2003 SARS epidemic and the…
14 min readDOWNLOAD FULL REPORT Abstract We identify three themes to watch for cash investors each year. For 2020, we comment on the Fed’s neutral stance, the continued non-solution for repo market liquidity, and the popularity of ESG (environmental, social and governance) investing. Introduction At the start of each year, we typically name three broad themes that…
12 min readDOWNLOAD FULL REPORT Abstract The pause by the Fed after three rate cuts removes some near-term uncertainty for short-term interest rates. On balance, we think the economy faces more headwinds than tailwinds, and thus the probability of further cuts is significant enough to warrant some portfolio readjustment. A yield curve that is no longer inverted…
19 min readDOWNLOAD FULL REPORT Abstract Rather than dismissing September’s repo turbulence as stemming from idiosyncratic events easily rectified by the Fed, we think that the event reveals broader vulnerabilities within the hidden plumbing of our financial system. Although not all institutional cash portfolios directly use repo, this squeeze should concern us all. We don’t think there…
5 min readThis past week saw some nearly unprecedented chaos in repo markets. Beginning late Monday and extending into Tuesday morning, funding in overnight cash markets essentially dried up, sending investors scrambling for liquidity. This resulted in a surge in repo rates for those who did transact, with overnight rates jumping from the low-to-mid 2% range to…