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Leverage aversion, efficient frontiers and the efficient region

This paper suggests a new specification for leverage aversion, which may better capture the unique risks of leverage. The authors also introduce mean-variance-leverage efficient frontiers, comparing them with conventional mean-variance efficient frontiers. They conclude that leverage aversion can have a large impact on portfolio choice. Leverage aversion, efficient frontiers and the efficient region

Short-term consequences of long-term risk

Estimates of the equity risk premium suggest higher levels of uncertainty in equities markets, despite the fact daily VIX risk levels have declined. Risk managers need to confront the tension between short-term risk levels and long-term macroeconomic uncertainties. This MSCI research prescribes the need for risk managers and investors to make fuller use of a

Is the emerging markets
concept dated?

Are broad emerging-markets allocations still appropriate? By analysing the trend of mandate configuration, this paper by MSCI looks at whether the emerging-markets concept is dated and whether broad-based emerging-markets investing remains an appealing way to capture economic growth premium. Read the report here.

UK equity allocation falls

Equity allocation by UK pension schemes continues to fall, but the assets are being re-allocated into “everything else except gilts”, according to Mercer chief investment officer, Andrew Kirton. Last year equities allocations by UK pension funds fell by 5 per cent, according to Mercer, as they attempt to deal with the enormous amount of pension

The ultimate forward rate: implications for Dutch pension plans

A research paper by MSCI examines the implications for Dutch pension plans if the country’s regulators introduce the ultimate forward rate in the construction of the yield curve used to discount pensions’ liabilities to their present value. Read all about it here: Research_Insights_Dutch_Pension_Plans_Sept_2012

Research: CEO pay peaked in 1990s

In this paper, Steven Kaplan from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and National Bureau of Economic Research considers the evidence for three common perceptions of US chief executive officer pay and corporate governance. The first is that chief executive officers are overpaid and their pay keeps increasing; the second is that CEOs