Defensive equity investment strategies are nothing new, but a key issue with many is that defensive does not necessarily mean low volatility. Scientific Beta looks at a strategy to target both goals, using robust low volatility controls to create a new defensive index for the volatility-averse investor.

Ensuring a portfolio has enough liquidity to rebalance back to the long-term strategic asset allocation is the most critical preparation investors can do ahead of any crisis, according to Mark Wiseman, who said this current environment could be the "opportunity of a generation".

The French SWF, FRR, is preparing to invest more in equities and illiquid assets as important reforms extend its time horizon. With the coronavirus crisis delaying the asset allocation decisions the fund is operating in an "intermediate context", slowly shifting out of bonds and into equities.

The efforts to open private markets to retail investors will continue and appear to be progressing. The potential scale of capital is both a blessing and a curse to those who absorb it. The private equity market is already bifurcating, when the retail capital arrives, much of it will likely be deployed into the deep end of the market, with the ultimate result likely being public returns earned privately.