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Given the disruption and chaos currently facing the world, society and economies, this session looks at what an imagined future would look like and what the role of finance could be in a more informed and sustainable world.[vc_quotes layout=”accordion” 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title=”Speakers” el_class=””][vc_quotes layout=”accordion” 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title=”Moderator” el_class=””][vc_empty_space height=”10px”]
Key takeaways
Stewart
The future is about risk allocation, not asset allocation. COVID-19 makes the distinction clearer between mature and less mature economies.
In the future we should approach benchmarks with caution as they will look very different.
Supply chains will be more spread across countries to reduce geographic concentration risk.
The future will see an acceleration of sustainability investing and a rising heat around the demand for social justice. Questions around mission and governance will arise with a greater resolve to implement greater horizon strategies.
A true long horizon portfolio may move away from 60/40 or 70/30 and move much closer to 100/0.
Angela
The future looks brighter if we invest in technological infrastructure such as broadband.
The future will see greater investment in the smaller cities.
Perhaps moving forward we will think very differently about investing in commodities or cryptocurrencies, or risk being left behind.
Geoff
Reassuringly, in the long-term the future growth trajectory will look a lot like the past; the combination of labour, capital and technology has been an incredibly resilient and consistent engine of growth and has survived World Wars and pandemics.
The Florida State Board of Administration has made some strategic moves to take advantage of opportunities in the dislocation, including in private equity, distressed debt and active listed equities.. But CIO, Ash Williams, is concerned about the underlying real economy.
Investment opportunities in emerging markets include high yields on local government debt and cheap currencies, while China's Renminbi has proven its resilience and is now considered a safe asset currency according to chief economist at Pictet Asset Management, Patrick Zweifel.
The only solution to the problem of COVID-19 is a vaccination. Oxford University's Jenner Institute is one of the organization's racing to provide a vaccine, and it's director Adrian Hill believes the Institute could have cracked it by year-end.
Founder of SVPGlobal, Victor Khosla tells FIS 2020 delegates that although the opportunities in distressed debt are significant, investors should pick and choose. It's not like 2008.
Real estate is one of the asset classes hardest hit by the pandemic. Although FIS 2020 experts warn that some companies may never return to the office, opportunities are already appearing in smaller, regional hubs while listed real estate will recover quicker than private investments.
CEO of Franklin Templeton, Jenny Johnson, said asset managers need to do more, particularly in boosting diversity and inclusion in the underlying companies they own. She said the industry needed to do more to ensure capital is available to black-run and female-run businesses.
Current fiscal and monetary policies are taking the world down a necessary, but dangerous path, according to co-CIO of Bridgewater Greg Jensen. He told investors asset allocations should focus on diversification, and assets that benefit from fiscal and monetary policy moving together.
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