Aberdeen Standard Investments - A rolling selection of articles related to the coronavirus

To access each article simply click on the heading below:

Chief Economist Dispatches: the end of the beginning, not the beginning of the end - 10/07/2020

It is becoming clear that the global recovery from the COVID-19 recession began in May. Widespread, albeit still incomplete, success in slowing the spread of the virus has prompted most governments to begin easing lockdowns over recent weeks, following China’s earlier lead.

Thinking outside the ESG box, not just ticking it - 09/07/2020

Responsible investing and ESG – environmental, social and governance – feel like the buzz phrases right now. It seems everyone in asset management is talking about them. And rightly so. With the outbreak of the coronavirus, we are now living through one of the biggest socio-economic challenges of our lifetimes. Its ramifications could reverberate for years to come. Justifiably, how companies are behaving during the pandemic and their ESG credentials are under even greater scrutiny.

Emerging markets deep dive: coronavirus and the risk of sudden stops - 08/07/2020

Coronavirus case numbers in emerging markets (EMs) started to rise sharply in mid-March. As a result, there has been a notable tightening in containment measures, which are likely to push down EM GDP in a near-unprecedented manner, similar to the shock unfolding in other regions.

Private equity: surveying the importance of responsible investment - 07/07/2020

By their very nature, private equity firms find themselves able to exert influence on the businesses in which they invest. When a private equity firm buys a company, it is often the majority shareholder. As such, it aims to create value in the business through operational improvements, new product development, internationalisation, and mergers and acquisitions. However, private equity firms are becoming increasingly aware of the positive impact that good environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices within portfolio companies can have on investment returns.

UK equities – looking beyond the pandemic - 03/07/2020

Louise Kernohan, UK Equities Investment Director at Aberdeen Standard Investments, considers the opportunities in UK equity markets which could reward patient, long-term investors who can look beyond the pandemic.

Global Outlook June - 24/06/2020

As we approach the end of the first half of 2020, it is difficult to find commentaries or official statements that do not refer to ‘unprecedented times’. However, it is hardly the first time that we have seen extreme financial market volatility. So is this time really different? What implications does answering this question have for investors during the second half of 2020?

Sustainability as a Global Investment Opportunity - 22/06/2020

Why is sustainability important?

Flexibility needed to counter COVID-19 impact - 19/06/2020

We highlight three courses of action for investors to navigate portfolios through the second half of 2020.

The ‘Overview Effect’ of climate change - 12/06/2020

If you are one of the lucky 565 people who have been to space, you may have experienced the mystical and powerful emotional state called the ‘Overview Effect’. This mental state has been described by astronauts as a wake-up call to realise the damage we are causing the Earth.

Responsible Investment and Stewardship COVID-19 Statement - 10/06/2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is arguably the greatest challenge that we have experienced in a generation. The pandemic demonstrates the need for an acceleration of ESG to ensure the future resilience of global economies. In response, many investors around the world have joined together to issue statements on their expectations of companies during this crisis. Rather than putting our name to all of these, many of which we are supportive of, we have issued our own statement to ensure clarity for our stakeholders. This statement lays out our expectations of investee companies.

Workers’ welfare – are companies putting their people first? - 02/06/2020

How companies are treating their workforce during the Covid-19 pandemic is under intense scrutiny. The world is watching whether firms are protecting the welfare of their staff or if they are prioritising profit over the health and wellbeing of their people.

Where to next for the Eurozone - 01/06/2020

Will the Coronavirus battle trigger a Eurozone war?

Income investing in a pandemic – finding a way through - 01/06/2020

As a consequence of the global pandemic, we currently find ourselves in unchartered waters. Daily life has been altered beyond recognition for many of us and will likely remain that way for some time to come. It’s unfamiliar territory for investors too, as we grapple with the effects of the wide-scale lockdown on companies, economies and financial markets.

How is this recession different? - 18/05/2020

We are in the midst of an unprecedented global recession triggered by the Covid-19 virus. The speed, scale, and breadth of the contraction in economic activity are unlike anything we have seen in the post-war era. However, we can still look to history to provide some guidance on how this recession may propagate through the economy, how policy can and should respond, and what the long term implications of the shock may be.

US profits: will they bounce back as quickly as investors think? - 12/05/2020

US earnings season is always a spectacle and this time around is no different. Well, no different but for one exceptional factor: Covid-19, and its effects on company profits. The businesses that make up the S&P 500 Index have started to tell us how they performed from January to March, a period of unprecedented operating conditions.

Covid-19 and the environment: a ray of light? - 12/05/2020

The most acute impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic have been on people’s health and financial security. However, the outbreak has also highlighted the toll that regular human activities have on our environment, and in particular climate change and air pollution.

Can emerging markets withstand the coronavirus shock? - 11/05/2020

After originating in China, coronavirus began to take hold in many other parts of the world in mid-March. Some other emerging markets (EMs) may be less able to deal with coronavirus than China, or advanced economies, such as the United States.

Asia Pacific – back to basics - 08/05/2020

The coronavirus pandemic and oil price slump drove a sharp sell-off in global risk assets which, despite a partial rebound, has left investors wondering how to position their portfolios. Against this backdrop, we believe an active, quality-focused approach to equities remains the best way to deliver long-term returns for our clients, nowhere more so than in Asia Pacific.

Investing for a better future: the importance of governance during the Covid-19 crisis - 06/05/2020

The Covid-19 pandemic poses an existential threat to many companies. It therefore requires their boards and management to take decisive actions in the short term that first allow them to survive and then eventually flourish as restrictions are gradually lifted.

How will asset management be affected by the Covid-19 crisis? - 29/04/2020

The Covid-19 pandemic is like nothing any of us has ever experienced. The crisis will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications for people, businesses and society as a whole. The asset management industry also faces monumental challenges, as it seeks to continue to turn savings into investments for clients large and small. This task has perhaps never been as great and the lessons we have learned will be vital in helping rebuild the world that awaits. I believe we are up to the challenge.

Keep calm and carry on - 29/04/2020

An unexpected global pandemic has triggered the third bear market of the 21st century. At the start of the year, equity analysts had priced in profits growth of 5-10% a year, now they are downgrading their profits estimates by 5-10% a week. One of the deepest economic recessions since the 1930s will expose some well-known and some less well understood imbalances, whether economic, political or financial.

Searching for income in the current economic downturn - 23/04/2020

For investors reliant on income, the current economic outlook appears bleak. Where should they look for yield? Many newspapers talk about investors as a single group, when of course we’re all different in terms of our approach to risk, our time horizons or the ultimate objective from our savings.

Revolutionising central banking: why ‘helicopter money’ is the right policy for our times - 22/04/2020

The speed, depth and breadth of the coronavirus recession is unprecedented. Policymakers cannot avert the near-term pain. But they can limit the permanent scars from this crisis through bold and decisive action.

Dividends done? - 22/04/2020

We live in unprecedented times. The Covid-19 crisis has radically changed all aspects of daily life and business. Markets have plunged, while companies from across the investment spectrum have cancelled or delayed dividends. Which begs the question: is this the end of equity income investing as we know it?

Letter from home: Josh Duitz in New York - 22/04/2020

Josh Duitz is Senior Vice President, Global Equities : It feels like coronavirus hit the U.S. all at once, taking over headlines and inboxes and conversation overnight. For me, it hit just as quickly, but perhaps a little earlier. I was taking the train into work in Manhattan on March 3 when I received a message from my son’s school. Classes were not going to held that day. It was closing because a student’s parent had potentially contracted COVID-19 (coronavirus).

Hugh Young’s letter from home - 15/04/2020

Hugh Young is Managing Director, Asia Pacific : Let me share a few thoughts about Asia, a region that’s been my home for nearly three decades.

How COVID-19 could impact all things Trump - 15/04/2020

The current global health pandemic is fundamentally changing President Trump’s re-election campaign chances.

Chief Economist Dispatches: the importance of forecasting humility - 15/04/2020

It is natural to want to rush to judgement about the long-term changes the coronavirus pandemic will bring, whether in an attempt to get ahead of the game or simply impose some order amidst the chaos. But as understandable as that impulse is, it can also be dangerous, allowing highly speculative claims to circulate and gain currency – almost like the virus itself.

What does the pandemic mean for long term investors? - 08/04/2020

The Covid-19 pandemic has had – and is still having – a terrible human cost. Many are facing fears for their lives and livelihoods, and for those of their families and friends. At such a time, looking at your investment strategy seems trivial. But once we’ve each dealt with the outbreak’s most pressing concerns, we do need to think about how it will change the shape of our investments in the future.

China standing out among emerging markets - 08/04/2020

Like those almost everywhere else, emerging markets (EMs) suffered a coronavirus shock in March.

Parallels with the global financial crisis - will this time be different? - 01/04/2020

In recent weeks, equity markets have suffered their steepest falls since 2008. This has prompted comparisons with the global financial crisis – the event that has defined the past 12 years. Is the comparison valid? What’s different this time, and how might that shape the global economy once the pandemic has passed?

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