Perspectives

Quick Thoughts: The Connection Between Climate Change and Geopolitics

Successful international investing includes measuring financial risks and rewards caused by events in an affected country. Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Investment Institute, discusses how macroeconomic and political research complemented by environmental, social and governance (ESG) research provides investors additional prisms to view a country’s financials, impacts on climate change, and geopolitical risk.

Stephen H. Dover, CFA | November 03, 2021

Fixed Income

On My Mind: To Work, or Not to Work…

Of all recent economic trends, sluggish employment growth is perhaps the most important for investors to watch, says Franklin Templeton Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai. She outlines why the labour market response will likely remain lacklustre for some time, and discusses the short- and medium-term market implications.

Sonal Desai, Ph.D. | October 29, 2021

Perspectives

Quick Thoughts: Debating the Next Moves for Inflation, Growth, and Rates

Rising inflation globally raises the question of whether inflation is persistent versus transitory, driving debate among our investment managers. Our Stephen Dover, Head of the Franklin Templeton Investment Institute, recently discussed economic growth, interest rates, and inflation during a roundtable, “What Our Managers Think: Debating the Next Moves for Inflation, Growth, and Rates,” with Sonal Desai, Ph.D., Chief Investment Officer, Franklin Templeton Fixed Income; John Bellows, Ph.D., Portfolio Manager, Western Asset; and Gene Podkaminer, CFA, Head of Research, Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions. Below are some takeaway points.

Stephen H. Dover, CFA | October 22, 2021

Equity

Meet the Manager: Sara Araghi

Sara Araghi truly embodies what it means to be a mentor—particularly for other women—in an industry that has typically been more male-dominated. She is a portfolio manager and research analyst with Franklin Equity Group and director of Franklin Venture Partners, the firm’s specialised investment team that invests in private opportunities, focusing on mid- and late-stage companies. San Francisco Business Times recently honored Sara in its “Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business” awards, highlighting her role mentoring and investing in female founders. Here, we get to know Sara.

Sara Araghi, CFA | October 14, 2021

Alternatives

PODCAST: Potential Longer-Term Effects from Current Economic and Investment Challenges

Franklin Templeton’s Sonal Desai, Martin Currie’s Alastair Reynolds, and ClearBridge’s Pawel Wroblewski join our Kim Catechis to assess the possible investment impacts of major global challenges, including the ongoing pandemic, growing income inequality and climate change.

Kim Catechis | October 13, 2021

Perspectives

Quick Thoughts: Diving into Debt, MMT, and Their Deep Water Waves

After the first global pandemic in a century, growing pressures on sovereign balance sheets from stimuli in 2020-2021 and policy responses to the coming waves of debt—trends previously in place—have only accelerated. Our Stephen Dover, Head of the Franklin Templeton Investment Institute, and Investment Strategist Kim Catechis, examine the debt wave that drives many of the economic policy discussions today.

Stephen H. Dover, CFA | October 13, 2021

Multi-Asset

Evergrande and China: A Lehman Moment—or Less “Grande” Than That?

With respect to the evolving Evergrande situation in China, our Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions team addresses two main questions: could this be a “Lehman moment,” and what are the global implications of a Chinese property market slowdown?

Richard Hsu, CFA | October 12, 2021

Perspectives

Are We at the Inflection Point of Climate Change Investing?

The rise of environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing is nothing short of extraordinary, according to Yu Meng, Chair of Asia Pacific at Franklin Templeton. As we are constantly reminded by extreme climate change events, he says urgent actions are required from all of parts of society and the economy, including the financial markets. In this excerpt from his recent article, “Are we at the inflection point of climate investing?” in the Journal of Investment Management, Meng explores whether climate change investing is at an inflection point.

Yu (Ben) Meng, Ph.D. | October 12, 2021

Equity

Notes from the Trading Desk – Europe

Investor focus has been on inflationary pressures and the impact on bond markets as many government bond yields continue to widen. Intertwined with these issues is how central banks react and adapt to this environment.

October 11, 2021

Perspectives

Quick Thoughts: Innovation Builds Deep Water Technology Waves

The next decade will see an urgent and widespread boom in investments in innovation across all economic sectors, according to Stephen Dover and Kim Catechis of the Franklin Templeton Investment Institute. They say this technology wave will be experienced in both private and public sectors, and in every facet of investment portfolios for years to come. Below are some of their thoughts from the Institute’s Deep Water Waves paper.

Stephen H. Dover, CFA | October 07, 2021

Equity

The Value of Being Actively and Constructively Engaged

Robust engagement with company management can be key in sparking catalysts that unlock shareholder value and potentially lead to better returns over the longer term, according to Franklin Mutual Series Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Ambassador Tim Rankin.

Tim Rankin, CFA | October 04, 2021

Fixed Income

Greener Post-Election Germany Likely, but Limited Fixed Income Impact

The German election resulted in change in party leadership, but market impact should be limited, according to David Zahn, our Head of European Fixed Income. He shares an overview of the election implications.

David Zahn, CFA, FRM | September 28, 2021