2 min readAbstract We set out to answer 10 of the most common questions related to writing investment policy statements (“IPS”) for cash portfolios. In doing so, we will provide a number of peer group data comparisons to add insight to the process. The treasury investment management landscape has undergone significant changes. We found that investors recently…
1 min readAs strategies to deal with money fund reform move to the forefront for many treasurers, the landscape for money fund alternatives has evolved significantly. One of the largest factors impacting alternate investment strategies has been the supply contraction of high-grade securities rated AA or higher. Gone are the days when a cash portfolio could be…
2 min readExecutive Summary The most compelling argument for total return strategies is demonstrated by a difference of 1.17% in annualized returns between the 1-month and the 1-3 year Treasury benchmarks in the 2005-2014 period. The return difference translates into $13.9 million for a hypothetical investment with a starting value of $100 million. Even though neither of…
1 min readAbstract Greater vigilance is required of today’s treasury investment professionals. Neither bank deposits nor money market funds may be appropriate in the post-crisis, post-regulatory environment. As yields start to rise, cash investment strategy decisions that may have been delayed will require serious consideration. Direct purchases in separately managed accounts may become the primary alternative cash…
2 min readAmong the most interesting statistics in the 2015 AFP Liquidity Survey from the Association for Financial Professionals (AFP) is that 52 percent of corporate treasurers are considering use of separately managed accounts (SMAs) as a response to the 2016 reforms that will change the nature of institutional money market funds. That finding may come as…
1 min readSurvey goal To shed light on treasury departments’ efforts to mitigate liquidity risk in short-term cash investment, debt and forecasting practices and changes over time. What we’ve learned in 2015 Treasury and financial professionals appear to have begun to control bank exposures Decrease in bank deposits Survey results indicate while Money Fund usage is down…
2 min readAbstract As the money market fund industry moves to comply with the SEC Rule 2a-7 amendment, the 60-day maximum maturity prime fund concept has received much public attention. For institutional cash managers faced with a chasm between government and prime funds, the 60-day prime fund may represent a viable middle ground and a market-based solution…
2 min readAbstract As large money market fund sponsors begin to release their new fund directions, the wait may be over for cash investors to get their own strategies in place. The recent announcements allow us to gauge different paths forward for the industry and help investors gain insight into what to expect. Among a lineup of…
1 min readThe economic backdrop in January 2015 is markedly different from a year ago. The price of oil, the most widely used global commodity, is down over fifty percent and new deflation scares are emerging in Japan and the Eurozone. Even Tom Brady’s footballs are feeling the deflation contagion. Besides the plunge in oil prices, aggressive…
2 min readAbstract Lower oil prices and easier central bank policies outside the U.S. led the market to question the Fed’s timetable for raising interest rates. While both disinflationary and expansionary forces are present, financial markets appear to be focusing on the former, as the latter is still materializing. The net effect may allow the Fed to…