Insights and market updates

In this Asset TV Masterclass on Multi-Asset investing, Fund Manager Steven Andrew is on a panel with three other experts to discuss the current market conditions, the impact of political risks on investment asset, increasing growth vs interest rates, cash vs gilts and thoughts on how to invest in Multi-Asset.

The M&G Smaller Companies Fund was launched on 29 September 1967 and over the past 50 years has returned 12.7% per annum, on average. Throughout this period, the fund has provided investors with consistent exposure to some of the UK’s most innovative and dynamic businesses. Despite some difficult economic times and challenging investment markets, the fund’s returns have consistently protected savers’ capital from the corrosive effects of inflation and significantly exceeded the return on bank deposits. It is worth noting that as an asset class, UK smaller companies have regularly outperformed larger companies over the years.

Emerging market equities have rallied this year and outperformed their developed market counterparts by a significant margin, as represented by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index relative to the MSCI World and other major market indices (see Figure 1). Investors have moved back into the asset class, arguably encouraged by relatively attractive valuations, improving corporate profitability and a better macroeconomic environment, both in emerging markets and globally. Over the year to date, global emerging market equity funds have received inflows of US$55.3 billion.

In this month’s update, Investment Director Ritu Vohora looks at the case for investing in Japanese equities, which is arguably the strongest it’s been for many years.

For a quick snapshot of the equity market over the past month and our latest theme, please download our Equities market perspective note.

In this first in a series of videos looking at the change in investor behaviour over the years, Global Head of Retail Sales, Jonathan (Joffy) Willcocks examines the global financial crisis and the ensuing reaction from investors.

Fund Manager, Jim Leaviss is put through his paces by a hard-hitting, football loving journalist.