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The ECB Remains Focused on Its Targets
by Rob Waldner of Invesco Blog,
The European Central Bank (ECB) surprised markets once again on April 21 with the timing of some important announcements and also the scope of its bond purchasing program. While the ECB kept all three of its policy interest rates on hold — as expected — and the size of its asset purchase program unchanged at EUR80 billion a month, ECB President Mario Draghi provided new details in a news conference on the implementation of the bank’s program and on the scope of what assets it can buy. At a high level, Draghi summarized by saying that the ECB’s monetary policies are working, but they need time to be more effective.
A Tale of Two Markets: Dividend, Low Volatility and Quality Factors Earn Top Spots in Q1 2016
by Nick Kalivas of Invesco Blog,
The first quarter of 2016 has come to a close, and what a period it was. The past quarter’s returns were a clear testament to the power of factor investing, and provide further evidence that smart beta strategies can add value to a diversified portfolio.
Energy Bonds: Finding the Silver Lining in Credit Downgrades
by Bixby Stewart of Invesco Blog,
Several highly punitive credit downgrades of higher-quality energy companies surprised the investment grade bond market recently, with some downgrades representing cuts of four to five notches. But Invesco Fixed Income believes there may be a silver lining to these downgrades: Together with low commodity prices, these moves may be driving a positive shift toward more prudent corporate balance sheet management, largely in favor of creditors. While commodity price volatility, an oversupplied oil market and broader macroeconomic uncertainty cause us to be very cautious about investing in energy-related credit, we believe such volatility and change in corporate behavior may create unique opportunities for active investment managers.
Are Valuations Relevant to Low Volatility Investors?
by Nick Kalivas of Invesco Blog,
It’s an age-old adage: buy low and sell high. This mantra is typically seen as a recipe for success in stock market investing, particularly among value investors. In order to determine whether or not a stock is cheap, many value investors use fundamental ratios, such as price-earnings, price-to-book and price-to-sales. Low multiples are taken as an opportunity to buy, while high multiples are seen as an opportunity to sell. Following this line of reasoning, value investors typically shy away from stocks that appear expensive based on valuation ratios, and are drawn to stocks that appear cheap.
Certain European Bank CoCos Still Offer Opportunities
by Ian Centis of Invesco Blog,
European banks’ contingent convertible (CoCo) junior subordinated Additional Tier 1 securities — the junior subordinated subset of the CoCo family — suffered a significant sell-off in January and February from which they have only partly recovered. However, Invesco Fixed Income believes the investment thesis for this asset class remains intact, especially following the European Central Bank’s (ECB) constructive actions announced on March 10.
Think Positive: Three Reasons We’re Unlikely to See Negative Interest Rate Policy in the US
by Laurie Brignac of Invesco Blog,
There has been fresh speculation that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) might implement a negative interest rate policy (NIRP) in its quest to boost the economy. While negative interest rates are not a new phenomenon, we’ll explain three main reasons why Invesco Fixed Income believes this scenario is highly unlikely in the short to medium term.
Investment Opportunities Are Slowly Emerging in Asia Pacific Markets
by Brent Bates of Invesco Blog,
Virtually all Asia Pacific countries and sectors are experiencing negative earnings revisions, with return on capital falling to decade lows, a weak export environment and lackluster domestic economies. In this environment, investors have sought the highest-growth and highest-quality companies irrespective of valuation. Because the Invesco International and Global Growth team is not willing to buy at any price, we have been priced out of many of businesses we believe are attractive. But we see signs that this is starting to turn in certain areas.
As Equity Markets Normalize, Alternative Strategies May Be Worth Considering
by Walter Davis of Invesco Blog,
As the equity market normalizes, I believe alternative investments can be helpful to investors. That’s because alternatives have a history of outperforming equities during periods of stock market weakness.
Are Markets Returning to 'Normal' Behavior?
by Scott Wolle of Invesco Blog,
The Invesco Global Asset Allocation team doesn’t consider double-digit declines in equity markets to be normal. However, we do see three “typical” characteristics that have returned to the markets over the last few months, characteristics that we believe bode well for a global asset allocation approach.
Skip the Speculation: What Would a Fiduciary Do?
by Tom Rowley of Invesco Blog,
W-2s are out, marking the heart of the IRA season, when more business is traditionally done than at any other time of year. And where does this occasion find many financial advisors (FAs)? They could be speculating endlessly about what the imminent Department of Labor (DOL) fiduciary rule may mean for IRAs. (Please see my earlier blog post, IRA opportunity knocks, despite DOL fiduciary rule). Truth be told, though, nobody knows or will know until the final version of the rule is released, likely in mid-March. In the interim, however, IRA opportunity is knocking loudly.
Volatility in Europe May Reveal New Investment Opportunities in 2016
by Richard Nield of Invesco Blog,
The end of 2015 didn’t bring any dramatic changes to European fundamentals. However, there have been some subtle shifts that the Invesco International and Global Growth team is keeping an eye on in 2016. While our strategy did not initiate any new positions in Europe during the fourth quarter, recent volatility has brought some of our “watch list” names closer to the point where we would add them to the portfolio.
Oil Stocks: Is Bad News Signaling Good Opportunities?
by Kevin Holt of Invesco Blog,
As a deep value manager with a long time horizon, I often see opportunities in the midst of gloomy headlines. While crude oil hit a new 12-year low of around $26 a barrel in January, I view this sector as one of my top long-term opportunities.
Global Currency Watch: The Chinese Renminbi
by Rob Waldner of Invesco Blog,
Volatility in China has been a major driver of global markets, and Chinese foreign exchange policy has been a critical aspect of this volatility. The recent depreciation of China’s currency, the renminbi (RMB), has increased the volatility of currency pairs across Asia and may affect markets across the world.
Four Reasons Why the Bond Market Is Not Headed Toward a Liquidity Crisis
by Tony Wong of Invesco Blog,
Liquidity in fixed income markets has become a major focus of concern inside and outside of the investing community. While the consensus view suggests that US bond markets have become more susceptible to serious shocks, Invesco Fixed Income believes there are four main factors that will help the US avoid a liquidity-induced systemic crisis.
Long-Term Thinking in the Midst of Short-Term Volatility
by Joe Rodriguez of Invesco Blog,
The past year witnessed a significant spike in volatility as the health of the global economy faced uncertainty. Global markets struggled with concerns over growth and stability in China, emerging market weakness and currency devaluation, recession in Japan and the continued need for inflation-targeting policy in Europe. And while the US economy appeared to be the relative picture of health, the equity markets continued to focus on decisions by the Federal Reserve Board (the Fed) and depressed commodity prices.
Time to Throw out the Rising-Rate Playbook?
by Clint Harris of Invesco Blog,
We’ve seen daily references to what has worked — or hasn’t worked — when interest rates have risen in the past. Strategists, asset managers and pundits have dusted off numerous “tried-and-true” historical playbooks for investing in a rising-rate environment. But here’s the problem with applying those lessons to today’s markets: We’ve never been in this exact economic environment before, so relying too heavily on what’s worked in the past may not be particularly helpful.
Fed Hikes 25 Basis Points, Signals Gradual Path
by Rob Waldner of Invesco Blog,
On Dec. 16, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) increased the federal funds target rate range from 0-0.25% to 0.25-0.5%, in line with market expectations and Invesco Fixed Income’s baseline scenario. The committee’s “dot projections,” each member’s estimate of the federal funds rate based on personal economic projections, were unchanged for 2016, with a slight shift down thereafter. The median projection is often compared with overall market expectations. The dots signaled a faster pace of interest rate increases than the market had expected before the meeting.
Four Key Reasons to Consider Market Neutral Investing
by Kenneth Masse of Invesco Blog,
The market downturn and ensuing volatility in the third quarter of 2015 is a timely reminder about the benefits of diversifying your portfolio with investment strategies that are expected to exhibit little-to-no correlation with the broad equity and bond markets.
What Is the Credit Cycle Telling Us About 2016?
by Tony Wong of Invesco Blog,
As investors anticipate the beginning of a new year, we at Invesco Fixed Income are anticipating a new phase in the credit cycle for several bond asset classes. In this post, I will highlight a few areas where we’re seeing substantial changes in asset classes’ fundamentals or operating environment. We believe these areas could influence the broader market in 2016.
Beyond the Benchmark: Tracking Error Versus Active Share
by Rob Stabler of Invesco Blog,
Active share, a tool for demonstrating how a fund’s portfolio differs from its respective benchmark, has been a common term among active investors over the last few years. Tracking error, which has a much longer history, is often regarded as another tool that does the same job. But the differences between the two measures affect how Invesco’s Global Opportunities investment team views their effectiveness and usefulness for investors.
Volatility Takes Center Stage in 2015
by Clas Olsson of Invesco Blog,
Looking back over the last three to four years, global market performance has been driven mainly by quantitative easing, with little to no profit growth internationally. This, in turn, has led to significant multiple expansion. Market leadership has been driven by defensive stocks, such as consumer staples, as pricing power and emerging market demand for products and services helped them sustain growth.
Social Security Shock: Backroom Budget Deal Bans Two Loopholes
by Tom Rowley of Invesco Blog,
Two weeks ago, “things that go bump in the night” included two Social Security claiming strategies that got bumped from most retirement planning when the Senate passed a last-minute budget deal in the predawn hours of Friday, Oct. 30. There were none of the usual preliminaries: no hearings, no legislation, no grandstanding by proponents and opponents, no discussion in the financial media. It was simply a done deal, sealed and delivered, when President Barack Obama signed the bill into law last Monday to keep the government afloat.
New TLAC Guidance Could Have Positive Implications for US Banking Sector
by Jacob Habibi of Invesco Blog,
The Financial Stability Board (FSB), an international body of banking regulators founded to promote global financial stability, on Sept. 25 confirmed that it would release its final proposal for minimum levels of “total loss absorbing capacity” (TLAC) required for globally systemically important financial institutions, or G-SIFIs, by the G20 Summit this November.
Rx for Capex: Hospitals Benefit from Recent Trends
by Juliet Ellis of Invesco Blog,
No matter the industry, the Invesco small-cap team’s stock selection process is bottom-up, but some ideas lead us to others. Experience in health care through more than one cycle is leading Invesco Small Cap Equity Fund into stocks we expect will benefit as this cycle unfolds.
An All-Market Approach to Investing in China
by William Yuen of Invesco Blog,
As China transitions from a manufacturing-driven economy to a consumer-led one, the Chinese investment universe has expanded. Historically, global investors have chosen to invest in Chinese equities via Hong Kong stock exchanges. But with China gradually opening its capital markets to global investors, and more Chinese enterprises successfully listing overseas, the investment options and opportunities have increased significantly. In this changing investment landscape, we are seeing a growing trend toward investors adopting an all-market approach to investing in China.
Fed Bolsters Investment Grade Bond Issuance
Barring an external shock that sends global risk assets lower, the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) decision to keep interest rates unchanged while lowering its projected pace of future rate hikes is likely to support a continuation of the heavy pace of new corporate bond issuance and merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the US investment grade (IG) market.
US High Yield: Energy Is Lagging, but Consumers Are Set to Spend
Weak commodity prices have made this year’s US high yield story a “tale of two markets.” Year-to-date returns for the overall high yield market were a meager three basis points (0.03%) through Aug. 31. However, if you peel back energy and metals and mining, the rest of the asset class delivered a respectable 2.6% total return over the same period.
Are You Investing in Tomorrow's Dividend Growers?
by Clint Harris of Invesco Blog,
Some 420 companies in the S&P 500 Index pay dividends. If you own a fund that invests in dividend-paying companies, it’s critical for you to understand your fund’s selection criteria. Does it look for increasing dividends? Stable dividends? High dividend yields? These differences can matter greatly to your results.
Investment Grade Bonds Power Explosion in M&A
by Jacob Habibi of Invesco Blog,
New bond issuance in the US investment grade (IG) market has exploded in 2015 as companies look to finance mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and Invesco Fixed Income sees no signs of this trend slowing down through the end of the year.
Making Sense of Market Volatility
by Karen Dunn Kelley of Invesco Blog,
On Aug. 21, the Dow Jones Industrial Average entered a correction, falling 10% from its most recent peak, and reminded investors what volatility looks like after almost four correction-free years. While volatility exposes weaknesses in the market, in my opinion it also reveals the strength of high conviction managers who are skillfully navigating the market. Active management and smart beta strategies seek to surpass the “market averages” offered by traditional benchmarks, providing the potential not only for higher returns, but also for a smoother ride.
Unattractive ‘Glamour Stocks’ Lead the Way in Asia Pacific
by Brent Bates of Invesco Blog,
Economic growth continues to decelerate across the Asia Pacific region. Domestic economies have not been robust enough to offset weakness in commodities and exports, and both revenue and earnings expectations were adjusted downward by 1% during the second quarter. Because growth is scarce, investors have been crowding into the highest-growth and highest-quality stocks; within Asia and Japan, this group of stocks is now trading at the highest premium to the rest of the market that we’ve seen in the past 20 years.
Chinese Yuan Depreciates Further: What is the Endgame?
by Rob Waldner of Invesco Blog,
After China’s surprise devaluation of the yuan by 1.9% last Tuesday, the Chinese currency was devalued by another 1.6% on Wednesday. Policymakers appear to be following a pattern of setting the daily fix, which sets the center point for trading during that day, with reference to the market price at the close of the previous day. Invesco Fixed Income believes that further devaluations are likely as the People’s Bank of China (PBoC), the country’s central bank, acquiesces to market pressure and price movements over time.
An Alternative Asset Class You May Take for Granted, Part 2
by Darin Turner of Invesco Blog,
Infrastructure is an integral part of your daily life. You drive on it, depend on it for electricity and water, and use it to communicate on your cell phone. But have you considered investing in it? Infrastructure investment can offer several potential benefits to an overall portfolio.
Bridging the Gap in Global Infrastructure Funding, Part 1
by Darin Turner of Invesco Blog,
Infrastructure is the backbone of every economy, providing essential public services such as water supply, energy and mobility. And for investors, infrastructure also has the potential to provide unique benefits.
Screens vs. Windows: Why Choosing a Fund Manager Requires Both
by Tracy Fielder of Invesco Blog,
Choosing the right fund manager is an important decision for investors, and many rely on data screens to help them sift through mountains of performance numbers. But screens alone don’t tell you the whole story. To get a clear view of how a fund might fit into your portfolio, you also need a window into the mind of the manager.
Iranian Oil to Fuel Further Price Drop?
by Norman MacDonald of Invesco Blog,
As part of the intensely negotiated nuclear agreement with Iran announced on July 14, Western financial and economic sanctions in place since 2011, including an oil embargo imposed on Iran by the US and the European Union, will be lifted. With a deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), in the rearview mirror, observers are questioning the return of Iranian oil to the world market: When will it happen, and how much will it be?
Greek Referendum: Definitive Vote Ushers in Further Uncertainty
Greek voters sent a definitive message Sunday, July 5. They said “no” to further austerity measures required for additional bailout aid from the European Union (EU). In a 60/40 vote, Greek voters rejected EU reforms and entitlement cuts required for a new EU funding program. But according to exit polls, the referendum did not appear to be a vote to leave the euro.
What does the Outcome of the Greek Referendum Mean?
by John Greenwood of Invesco Blog,
On Sunday, July 5, the Greek people had to choose in a referendum between Scylla and Charybdis: voting “Yes” if they were willing to accept the demands of their creditors and “No” if they rejected those proposals. The outcome was that approximately 61% voted “No” and 39% voted “Yes” in a turnout of 62% (6.16 million people out of 9.86 million registered voters).
Diversification: A Better Way to Avoid Portfolio Gridlock
by Tracy Fielder of Invesco Blog,
Every morning as I drive into the office, I see my fellow commuters darting from lane to lane, trying to choose the fastest one. The problem is, traffic in the “fast” lane inevitably slows down as cars crowd into it, and the slower lanes suddenly become the place to be. So in the long run, despite their risky maneuvers, these drivers don’t usually get much farther ahead than anybody else.
Concerned About Rising Interest Rates? Consider These Four Alternative Investments
by Walter Davis of Invesco Blog,
As I travel across the country meeting with financial advisors and their clients, a common concern I hear voiced is “how can I position my portfolio for when the inevitable happens and interest rates start to rise?” In response, I state that certain types of alternative investments are well suited to help prepare portfolios for rising interest rates in the future, while also potentially adding value in the present.
Alternative Investing: Two Ways to Mitigate Manager Risk
by Walter Davis of Invesco Blog,
Mitigating manager risk involves two things:
1. Conducting due diligence on the manager before investing. This helps increase an investor’s chances of selecting a successful manager.
2. Diversifying across multiple managers. This step helps reduce manager risk by diversifying across multiple managers.
Strong Demand for Chicago Bonds Shows It’s No Detroit
Moody’s Investors Service recently downgraded Chicago’s $8.1 billion of outstanding general obligation (GO) debt two notches to Ba1, officially putting the bonds in the “junk” rating category, after a May 8 ruling by the Illinois Supreme Court struck down a law overhauling state employee and teacher pensions, narrowing the city’s options for curbing growth in its unfunded pension liabilities.
Three Reasons Why We Like Brazil’s Prospects
by Mark Jason of Invesco Blog,
Strong headwinds in Brazil have recently blown its stock market off course. In the first quarter of 2015, Brazilian equities fell more than 15% in US dollar terms, as measured by the Bovespa Index. While current forecasts do not see these storms abating any time soon, our team finds reasons for optimism over the long term.
Don’t Fear Rising Rates — Embrace Them
by Scott Eldridge of Invesco Blog,
Interest rates have been on the march since late January, thanks largely to global rate markets and a looming US Federal Reserve. In general, bonds are vulnerable to falling market prices as a result of higher rates, but there are income investments that can be used to take advantage of, rather than fall victim to, rising rates. They’re known as floating rate instruments.
Risk Parity: Reducing Our Bond Exposure
by Scott Wolle of Invesco Blog,
Every month, the portfolio management team for the Invesco Balanced-Risk Allocation strategy examines the market’s signals for stocks, bonds and commodities, and makes tactical adjustments in an effort to enhance returns. In recent weeks, our tactical signals for government bonds have led us to substantially reduce our exposure and adopt an underweight position.
MLPs: Providing Growth and Income Potential Despite Low Oil Prices
With oil prices down around approximately 50% since June 2014, investors are increasingly wary of the entire energy sector. Even given this environment, master limited partnerships (MLPs) represent an energy investment that we believe may weather short-term volatility in energy prices, benefit from the US’s long-term infrastructure needs, and provide attractive income potential for investors.
Results 1–50
of 143 found.
