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This podcast is for professional investors only. Robeco Podcasts: offering engaging interviews on Sustainability, Factor Investing & trends.
70 Episodes
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While the returns of the Magnificent Seven stocks dwarfed the performance of thematic strategies in 2023, the tide may slowly be turning. In this podcast episode we talk to two seasoned thematic investors, Jack Neele and Roman Boner.
Quant equity investing has enjoyed the resurgence of value since late 2020. Meanwhile, the quest for innovation in capturing returns continues unabated. Since the birth of quant investing, there’s been a steady rise in the number of factors that researchers claim can explain alpha. But it turns out that 15 factors are enough to capture most of the drivers of equity market returns.
A new aspect of the evolution in sustainable investing is the emphasis on what is termed 'transition finance'. It is a broad concept – some argue it’s too broad – but there are strong views that the complex shift that we need to get our economies to net zero will depend on this form of capital. How are investors going about the process of transition investing?
A year ago, many market participants were arguing that 2023 would be a great year for fixed income. Following a series of aggressive policy rate hikes, it seemed at the start of the year to be a great entry point. But interest rates continue to rise for most of 2023 and flows into the asset class turned out to be surprisingly modest. Have we now reached a turning point?
2023 gave investors little reason to complain. Both global equities and bondsare likely to deliver positive returns and Goldilocks still reigns supreme. In this podcast, Colin Graham and Peter van der Welle discuss the cracks in the resilience of Western economies (and their consumers), a contrarian view on the soft-landing consensus, inflation, geopolitics … and Taylor Swift.
The buzz around artificial intelligence has reached fever pitch, with growing awareness of what this technology can do. What does it all mean for investors? Can the power of AI be harnessed to create better investment outcomes? We’ve invited three specialists in this area, to discuss the various possibilities.
Countries all over the world have embraced the SDGs. Our new Country SDG Framework shows exactly which of those countries are making most progress. This new framework helps fixed income investors to finance those governments that are really making a difference. Laurens Swinkels and Jan Anton van Zanten discuss the details in our latest podcast episode.
Early this year, investors were notably enthusiastic about emerging market equities. And, as the months have gone by, funds have flowed towards this asset class. While returns have been fair, investors are still waiting for the big pay-off from the emerging market bet. How patient ought investors to be, and how rewarding will that pay-off be in the end? We discuss this with portfolio managers Wim-Hein Pals and Jaap van der Hart.
It’s been just over six months since generative AI was made truly accessible to the world at large. It’s sparked the collective imagination about the implications of AI technology for how we live, work – and even how we should assess potential investment prospects. What’s real, and what framework should one be applying to discern what the opportunities are? Mike Chen and Daniel Ernst share their insights in our latest podcast episode.
The idea that the typical investment portfolio can be constructed with a 60% allocation to equities and a 40% exposure to bonds has paid off for number of decades, with very few exceptions. Last year happened to be one of those exceptions: the diversification effect broke down spectacularly, and the so-called 60-40 portfolio generated losses. Is it time to ditch the 60-40 concept altogether, or does it simply need a revamp?
The expectation had been that banks would enjoy the fruits of finally exiting zero interest rate policies. While that has been the case, the tremendous pace and extent to which rates have risen over the past year have highlighted some weaknesses in the system. In this context, what are investors’ assessment of the banking sector? In our latest podcast, portfolio manager Patrick Lemmens and senior credit analyst Jan Willem Knoll give their views on the sector.
Asia-Pacific is touted as a region vibrant with opportunity, thanks to its demographic advantage, catch-up growth and technological prowess. But investors remain wary of some of the obstacles, such as uncertainty about China’s role as an economic powerhouse and, more broadly, the difficulty of investing in a region made up of highly distinct markets. Thu Ha Chow, Head of Fixed Income Asia, and Joshua Crabb, Head of Asia-Pacific Equities, discuss their approach to the region.
Karin van Baardwijk has been Robeco’s CEO for just over a year now – a period that coincided with what turned out to be a perfect storm for asset managers. A war, a drastic shift in the direction of central bank policy, and negative returns across most asset classes kept investors focused and humble. We talked to Karin about what these events mean for the asset management industry, and how to position for the future. Listen to the conversation.
There were few places for investors to hide in 2022, as weakness spread across all asset classes. Factor investing strategies, by contrast, provided some refuge: their resilience in down-trending markets confirmed their comeback. So, it’s a good time now to take stock of what’s going on in the world of quant and factor investing. Tune in and listen to Weili Zhou, head of Quant Equity Research, and David Blitz, Chief Quant Researcher.
There’s agreement that measures to halt and reverse biodiversity loss are now critical. But is this enough to move key role-players into action? That includes the investment community, which is already dealing with macro-economic worries, regulatory demands and many competing priorities in the realm of ESG issues. This is especially topical in light of COP 15, which recently took place in Montreal. Peter van der Werf, Senior Manager for Engagement at Robeco, and special guest Simon Zadek, Executive Director of NatureFinance, give their views in our latest podcast.
2022 has been a year of records for bond investors. In the first six months, the fixed income asset class clocked its worst performance since 1788. And, unusually, bonds have weakened at the same time that equity markets got hammered. In this episode we take a look at a segment of the fixed income market: high yield corporate bonds. Here too, new records have been set.Never before have there been two consecutive years of negative total returns in high yield. Investors are now wrestling with the question of whether this is the low point for high yield. Our guests are two veterans in the field, portfolio managers Sander Bus and Roeland Moraal.
Value has proven over the past two years that it’s not dead, after all. The rotation away from growth stocks towards value that started in November 2020 continues. But it’s been in fits and starts. And, let’s face it, the market mood now is tense, fickle and unsure. Will it be smooth sailing for value strategies from here onwards? Jay Feeney is CEO and CIO of Boston Partners, the US-based investment house focused on fundamentally driven value investing.
It’s been a gruelling year so far for financial markets, including for equities. And sustainable indices have had it even harder, having underperformed the overall equity market. Critics of sustainable and ESG investing have been emboldened by these recent market developments, arguing that doing good seems to equate to losing money. We ask portfolio managers Chris Berkouwer and Michiel Plakman if the field of sustainable investing is now facing a reckoning?
It has been hailed as the next frontier in quant investing. Using artificial intelligence, algorithms and vast volumes of new data types to explore untapped sources of returns sounds intriguing. Especially when times are uncertain, and alpha is evasive. But is this hype, false hope or real opportunity? We discuss these questions with three of our experts. Tune in.
A year ago today, the scope for growth stocks – and particularly tech-related growth companies – still seemed boundless. But, the recognition that higher inflation is not so transitory after all, and the clear signaling from central banks that interest rates will ratchet up, appear to have given growth investors a run for their money. Jack Neele and Richard Speetjens discuss the matter in our latest podcast episode.
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