Capabilities

While the coronavirus pandemic has devastated livelihoods, it also presents an opportunity for companies and policymakers to reinvent the world of work. The future is full of possibilities – but no easy answers.

Globalisation’s image problem may have been further tarnished by the pandemic, but can political leaders use the crisis to reform it for the better and resist the urge to abandon it altogether?

Global politics are in flux as policymakers scramble to manage the pandemic and revive economies. Can Europe come together and carve a place for itself on the international stage, or will it end up a passive player buffeted by greater forces?

With traditional carmakers under intense pressure to cut emissions in the fight against climate change, investors are putting their money behind pure play electric vehicle producers. Alessandro Rovelli digs into the numbers to assess whether this trend is sustainable.

As the world starts to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, the US’s position as global hegemon will be under mortal threat from a resurgent China that looks to have escaped the virus relatively unscathed.

Commercial and geopolitical forces are threatening to fracture the internet into competing regimes, making it harder for companies to operate across borders and potentially limiting their growth. We explore the implications for investors.

Impact investment strategies will have an important role to play if the green credentials of the world’s stock of real estate is to be transformed, argue Gregor Bamert and Stanley Kwong.

Post-COVID recovery initiatives from governments are increasingly taking a green path, but the response of oil and gas companies so far runs from denial to complete reinvention. Should they continue pumping oil for as long as they can to avoid destroying capital for investors, or do they need to accelerate efforts to future proof their businesses now?

Over recent years, a group of established companies have traded at relatively high valuations for their robust competitive advantages and consistent growth records. But in a competitive economy, investors should not assume this will continue indefinitely, warns Giles Parkinson.

While much of the world’s focus continues to be on tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate crisis also requires urgent attention. The number of countries and companies supporting the move to a lower-carbon world is growing, but practical challenges remain. How can we build back better after COVID, and navigate to a cleaner, safer and sustainable world?

As part of our engagement efforts, every January we send a letter to the chairs of companies we invest in (and some we don’t, but still want to use our influence with) to set out our stewardship priorities for the year. Here, in full, is our 2021 letter.

The UK is the latest country to accelerate plans to develop hydrogen as part of its push to reach net zero. But it is not the first time hydrogen has attracted attention – it has been trumpeted by the scientific community as a possible wonder fuel for around a century. So, what’s changed now?

Shawn Mato, convertible bond fund manager, picks three themes that could have a big say in how the asset class performs in 2021.

Sunil Krishnan highlights some of the themes that will shape multi-asset investing in 2021.

Liam Spillane, head of emerging market debt at Aviva Investors, picks three themes that could have a big say in how the asset class performs in 2021.

Kevin Mathews, Brent Finck and Sunita Kara, high yield portfolio managers at Aviva Investors, pick out three themes that will shape the asset class in 2021.