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Comfort with China exceeds $1 trillion
Comfort with China exceeds $1 trillion

Jan 30, 2023 | ,

At the turn of the century, investing in China was viewed as a risky proposition. Foreign access to a notoriously volatile, retail-driven equity market was heavily restricted. The lack of a credible regulatory framework and legal protections deterred US venture capitalists from making direct investments in Chinese companies. In many cases, Chinese banks and the country’s fledgling private equity industry also balked. So, when Chinese technology firm Alibaba received its first $25 million investment from Goldman Sachs in 1999, investors sat up and took notice.

Quants Corner: Seeking balance in an underused fund group
Quants Corner: Seeking balance in an underused fund group

Apr 21, 2022 |

Balanced Funds, also known as hybrid or multi-asset funds, are a class of funds that contain both a debt and equity within a single portfolio. These funds offer investors diversified exposure that can be adjusted over time — either on a discretionary basis or in response to predetermined markers — and are an important tool for target-date retirement planning.

Quants Corner: Regional strategy | Old wine in a new bottle
Quants Corner: Regional strategy | Old wine in a new bottle

Apr 6, 2022 |

I have always been at a loss to understand why the phrase “old wine in new bottles” is pejorative. After all, if you think about it, you really do want your wine to be old and your bottles new. While on the subject, it is apropos that I bring up the EPFR Regional Strategy, our oldest running quantitative strategy.

Sector Rotation: APAC Equity Fund Groups
Sector Rotation: APAC Equity Fund Groups

Apr 1, 2022 |

Flows and allocations to different sectors and sector-related fund groups over the past 14 months have been marked by conviction, record inflows – and sharp changes of direction. EPFR’s data also captures some significant thematic shifts.

Quant Insights: Mutual funds data and strategies
Quant Insights: Mutual funds data and strategies

Mar 31, 2022 |

Join our Quants Corner MeetUp group, hosted by Quants for Quants. Our first MeetUp, ‘Quant in a cold climate: Talk mutual fund data and strategies for a post-QE world with the EPFR team,’ will be hosted virtually on March 31st at 12PM EST/ 5PM GMT for our Boston and London Quants Corner groups.

EPFR Webinar: Operating in the post-Covid policy environment
EPFR Webinar: Operating in the post-Covid policy environment

Mar 14, 2022 |

In the aftermath of the Covid pandemic’s initial onslaught, central bankers proved their policy toolkit had not – as feared – been exhausted by the great financial crisis of 2008-09 and its aftermath. Furthermore, the experience of combating the GFC taught them to deploy that tool kit quickly and decisively. But, especially in the case of the US and Europe, those central bankers were slow to dial back their support as the global economy rebounded from the initial shock of the pandemic. Many now stand accused of stoking inflationary pressures. With inflation hitting multi-year highs in the US and Europe and fiscal discipline in many countries now honored mainly in the breach, central bankers face a new set of challenges.

Global Navigator: Europe equity funds hit hard
Global Navigator: Europe equity funds hit hard

Mar 11, 2022 |

With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine heading into its third week, investors stepped up their exodus from Europe Equity Funds during the seven days ending March 9. Those tracked by EPFR saw weekly redemptions exceed $10 billion for the first time ever as combined outflows from Europe Equity and Bond Funds since Russia’s attack started on Feb. 24 climbed past the $25 billion mark.