Contemporary alchemy

Our society, economies and financial systems are embedded in nature, not external to it. This paper sets out the actions we are taking to understand nature-related risks and opportunities to deliver outcomes that meet our clients’ needs, and to support nature-related global goals.

From direct investments and engagement with companies to dialogue with governments and regulators, we believe stewardship efforts can deliver better outcomes for clients.

Our in-depth Roadmap for the UK’s journey towards a low-carbon economy contains policy recommendations to unlock private investment in the transition.

Sustainable investing, and the supposed trade-offs involved, have been a topic of heated debate. But trade-offs are a fundamental part of all types of investment; the key is to be clear about your objectives, as Mirza Baig explains.

Investing to create a more sustainable, stable and prosperous world should be a core part of the purpose of any responsible asset manager. Louise Piffaut reviews our recent engagement activity designed to hold investee companies to account.

The US and China continue to trade blows as each side looks to limit the other’s access to vital products. With industrial policies also making a comeback, companies are having to navigate a rapidly changing business environment. We look at the key implications for investors.  

Fiscal intervention is, again, a vital part of the government policy toolkit, supporting plans to boost domestic industries and fight climate change. But while well-intended, such measures will add to already elevated debt levels, with significant implications for investors, as Michael Grady explains.

In a world where potential pitfalls loom around every corner, Peter Fitzgerald and Ian Pizer explain why investors need to look beyond what financial models are telling them to keep portfolios resilient to the challenges ahead.

Cracks have begun to emerge in the banking sector in recent weeks. As the tide of cheap money that has flooded financial markets for more than a decade ebbs, members of our investment teams are on the lookout for other signs of distress.

Each experience is unique, but lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, non-binary and other non-heteronormative people (LGBTQ+) still face huge challenges, in and out of the workplace. Companies should do more to support them and foster a culture of inclusion.

China looks set for a rapid economic rebound in the first quarter after finally abandoning its zero-COVID policy. But will the recovery prove temporary as longer-term dynamics reassert themselves?

Central banks will find it far harder to eradicate inflation than markets anticipate and will be in no hurry to ease off on rate hikes, argues Ian Pizer.