1 min readThe cash management landscape for treasurers changed distinctly from December to January. Behind the equity headlines, short yields jumped to levels not seen in years as the Fed adjusted policy and the short curve steepened. This shift in yields is certainly a welcome event, as the 2016 “to-do” list for many treasurers may include investigating…
1 min readFrom our vantage point, 2015 was a terrific year for treasurers. After seven long years, the Fed finally changed the trajectory of short rates, and money market fund reform was embraced as the new reality. As we enter 2016, we are leaving behind the uncertainty of reform and the parsing of the “how, when and…
1 min readAs we ring in the New Year, we here at Capital Advisors Group would like to take stock of the year past and what lies ahead in 2016. Two important themes that underpin the changing of the calendar year have been the Federal Reserve raising interest rates and an economy which is seeing higher asset…
1 min readWith amendments to SEC Rule 2a-7 going into effect in the fall of 2016, institutional prime money market funds will be required to adopt floating net-asset values (NAVs) as well as provisions for fees and gates on redemptions. Because floating NAV prime funds present new considerations for cash investors managing liquidity, risk and return, they…
1 min readIt appears that in a few weeks’ time, the Janet Yellen Fed may finally tighten the reins on the slightly anemic but well-employed U.S. economy. If economic reports stay neutral-to-positive through December, we could see the first Fed funds interest rate hike since the mid-aughts. This shift has been seen before, causing repercussions that reverberated…
1 min readThe life sciences debt financing market has experienced a turbulent decade. From the highs of the mid-2000’s to the credit crisis of 2008, and eventually to the slow but steady climb since 2010, investment and opportunity have expanded and contracted. Many of the market forces that made equity markets so volatile during this period impacted…
2 min readOctober brought a string of articles in the Wall Street Journal and other financial publications highlighting the impact money market fund reform and liquidity coverage ratios may have on corporate cash investments. The gist of these articles was that after years of little environmental change, treasurers are now faced with significant modifications to both prime…
1 min readAugust’s surprise devaluation of the Yuan touched off market volatility not seen in years (I watched the Dow tick down over 1000 points on August 24). While all eyes were on the world’s second-largest economy, we were monitoring cash safe havens of old and pondering how new cash vehicles might handle the past month’s volatility….
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…
1 min readAfter years of an equity bull market, alternative financing options for companies continue to expand, creating opportunities for debt structures that didn’t exist just five years ago. This proliferation of specialized lending is compressing both lending terms and borrowing costs. While this compression in borrowing costs may be partially offset by gently rising interest rates…