Investment Management

Strategic Management of Your Cash Portfolio

Strategic Management of Your Cash Portfolio

2 min readInsight and Perspective on the economy and your cash portfolio After multiple interest rate increases since March 2022, institutional cash investors are welcoming higher returns but wary of the possibility that an economic slowdown or recession might increase credit risk in their cash portfolio. Watch our latest Quarterly Cash Update for insights and perspective on…

Winter is Coming: The Risk of Energy Shortages in Europe

Winter is Coming: The Risk of Energy Shortages in Europe

7 min readHow Russia’s halt on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline may lead to energy shortages in Europe Co-authored by: Matthew Paniati  As the US economy faces high inflation, slowing growth, and aggressive monetary policy, another macroeconomic threat has presented itself overseas. On August 31st, 2022, Russian-controlled Gazprom PJSC announced an indefinite halt on natural gas flows…

Managing Cash Portfolios in the Tug of War Between Growth and Inflation

Managing Cash Portfolios in the Tug of War Between Growth and Inflation

14 min readIntroduction With the 75-basis-point hike in the Fed funds rate on September 21st, Fed officials now peg their median forecast for the key policy rate in the 4.25%-4.50% range by the end of the year. The resulting rise in bond yields has been so breathtaking that the previous expectation that Fed funds would end the…

It’s Not Easy Being Green Part 3: ESG & Cash, an Unlikely Couple

It’s Not Easy Being Green Part 3: ESG & Cash, an Unlikely Couple

7 min readThe old saying that the only constant is change rings true in the realm of ESG investing. The pace at which the ESG landscape continues to shift is remarkable, and it routinely leaves government organizations, companies and investors struggling to keep step. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, there is now a demand for greater consistency and transparency…

Disruptions and Fed Tightening

Disruptions and Fed Tightening

3 min readThe global economic landscape and cash investing have experienced sizeable market shifts in the past year due to the ongoing disruptions to supply chains, geopolitical tensions with the conflict in Ukraine, rising inflation across the globe and the Federal Reserve’s interest rate tightening cycle. Institutional cash investors will need to monitor all these ongoing disruptions…

Will There Be a Renaissance for Prime Money Market Funds?

Will There Be a Renaissance for Prime Money Market Funds?

13 min readAs the market’s attention was drawn to the war in Ukraine, supply chain disruptions, runaway inflation, and higher interest rates, a significant deadline quietly passed. April 11 marked the end of the comment period for the new round of money market fund (MMF) reforms proposed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). As the Fed…

Rates, Supply Chain, ESG and Stablecoins: Three (+1) Themes to Watch in 2022

Rates, Supply Chain, ESG and Stablecoins: Three (+1) Themes to Watch in 2022

16 min readIntroduction It has been our tradition to offer up three broad themes that will likely have the greatest impact on cash investments in the new year. After the research staff endured 20 months of work-from-home, I wanted to reward endurance by inviting them to each pick a theme for this look-ahead piece, hence the “three…

Past Mistakes Haunt Fed’s Inflation-Fighting Plans

Past Mistakes Haunt Fed’s Inflation-Fighting Plans

9 min readThe Fed shifted its policy stance radically at its December meeting, increasing the pace of its reduction in asset purchases and pushing up the timeline for rate hikes. This move was a culmination of policy being out of sync with the state of the economy, as it was extremely accommodative even with above target inflation…

It’s Not Easy Being Green Part 2: What’s Important?

It’s Not Easy Being Green Part 2: What’s Important?

6 min readIn recent years, we have seen an increasing number of asset owners and managers integrating ESG research into their investment decision making. Aside from driving capital towards sustainable companies, ESG analysis enables a more wholistic understanding of the risks associated with an investment opportunity. As discussed in the first installation of this series, ‘It’s Not…

Vaccines, ESG and LIBOR Replacement – Three Themes to Watch in 2021

Vaccines, ESG and LIBOR Replacement – Three Themes to Watch in 2021

18 min readWe identify three themes to watch for cash investors each year. For 2021, we focus on vaccines, ESG and LIBOR replacement. DOWNLOAD FULL REPORT Introduction At the start of each year, we typically name three broad themes that we think will have the greatest potential impact on the short-term debt markets. Our 2020 picks posed…