Viewpoint - Energy Markets 2040: Alternatives Have Growing Cachet but Hydrocarbons Still Rule the Day
01/18/2018
How should investors position themselves in a world that is increasingly concerned about emissions and climate change? The short answer is, they should prepare for continued growth in demand for hydrocarbons.
Viewpoint - P&C Portfolio Alternatives to Tax-Exempt Municipal Bonds Post Tax Reform
01/16/2018
Conning’s view is that the recently passed U.S. tax plan should drive significant capital expenditure and increase take-home pay, providing a meaningful boost to U.S. growth via the consumer. However, its immediate impact on the municipal bond market may also cause investors such as property and casualty (P&C) insurers to revisit their portfolio strategies and allocation.
Q4 State of the States Report
10/25/2017
Conning released the Q4 edition of the semi-annual State of the States municipal credit research report. This update for the second half of the year retains Conning’s declining outlook on aggregate state credit quality. State revenue growth has improved, but not enough to meet state expenditure growth, placing aggregate state reserves under immense pressure. However, Conning has improving outlooks on many revenue bond sectors as these credits benefit from more people driving, flying, attending college and spending money.
Viewpoint - Income Equities - A Desirable Portfolio Asset as Interest Rates Turn
10/10/2017
The extended period of historically low U.S. interest rates has been a headache for yield-challenged fixed-income investors such as insurance companies.
Asset TV Masterclass: Liability Driven Investing - October 2017
10/02/2017
In a recent interview with Asset TV, Erin Spalsbury, Head of LDI Fixed Income Portfolio Management shares her insights on the current landscape of liability driven investing and the future of corporate pension plans.
Asset TV: Why Investors Should Consider MLPs
09/18/2017
In a recent interview with Asset TV, Marcus McGregor, Head of MLP Strategy explains why institutional investors should consider allocating for direct ownership of underlining MLPs.
The Pension Plan Underfunding Dilemma: Analyzing the Trends
09/01/2017
The funding status of corporate defined benefit (DB) pension plans remains a subject of concern for many company officers and is not going away soon. Surprises requiring unexpected (and sometimes sizeable) contributions to pension plans can have a significant impact on a company’s financial position.
Replacing LIBOR: Perspectives of an Evolving Landscape
08/01/2017
The U.K.’s July announcement that the London Interbank Offered Rate, or LIBOR, will be phased out by the end of 2021 was not the last word on the subject.