Luke Layfield

We select some of our key pieces of content in a year of unending drama.

Pension schemes seeking alternatives to bonds may find amortising leases a compelling option, writes Luke Layfield.

In this short, visual article we present five charts that show why Manchester is such a rich, vibrant and economically prosperous city. Our view is that the ingredients of connectivity, culture, talent, scale and scientific heritage make the city well-equipped to thrive in the coming years and decades.

With the start of the consultation for proposed changes to the measurement of inflation in the UK, we look at the likely impact to asset classes, the assets most affected, and the key issues investors should be aware of.

Jonathan Bayfield and Vivienne Bolla discuss the outlook for UK and European real estate.

As climate change rises up the political agenda throughout the West and beyond, shareholders have an important role to play in limiting global fossil fuel consumption by pressuring oil companies to amend their strategies, argues Sora Utzinger.

The role of a city is vastly different to fifty years ago. Chris Urwin, Director of Research – Real Assets, and Vivienne Bolla, Research Analyst – Real Assets explain why talent, clusters and scale are key factors in determining which cities – and therefore European office markets – will thrive in the years ahead.

Physical assets, particularly infrastructure and real estate, have a critical role to play in facilitating the transition towards a more sustainable economy and a greener world. As ultimate asset owners, investors are deeply engaged in the issues, and incorporating environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations is a fundamental part of an asset manager’s duty to their clients.

Boris Mikhailov and Matthew Graham look at the benefits and risks for pension schemes targeting self-sufficiency.

The insurance industry has evolved rapidly since the financial crisis. The next decade is shaping up to be every bit as transformative as firms grapple with a host of factors, most notably the unfolding regulatory framework, digital disruption and climate change.

In this piece Jonathan Bayfield outlines why we are positive on the outlook for London retail and how we can identify the London sub-markets with the best medium-term investment prospects.

In our regular update on real assets we assess real estate positioning in the late stages of the cycle, check interest in real assets in a period of Brexit-related uncertainty and illustrate the spreads achievable across private assets of varying credit quality.

China is stepping up efforts to stabilise growth after it sagged last year to a three-decade low. But by piling more debt on an already highly leveraged economy, Beijing looks to be storing up problems for the future.