Beyond Bulls & Bears

Digging into the Roots of US Trade Tensions
Equity

Digging into the Roots of US Trade Tensions

Talk of a trade war between the United States and several of its key trading partners continues to intensify. China has borne the brunt of the US tariffs targeting a wide range of goods, and has retaliated with threatened reprisals of its own, creating a tit-for-tat situation between the world’s two largest economies. Templeton Global Equity Group’s Norm Boersma digs into the roots of the current trade tensions.

Growth and Value Investing: A Complementary Approach
Equity

Growth and Value Investing: A Complementary Approach

Growth and value investing are often seen as competing styles, with one outperforming or underperforming the other during different periods of time and market cycles. While the approaches may differ, Stephen Dover, head of equities at Franklin Templeton Investments, and Norm Boersma, chief investment officer of Templeton Global Equity Group, say growth versus value doesn’t have to be an either-or proposition.

Value Update: Where Is the Next Pocket of Opportunity?
Equity

Value Update: Where Is the Next Pocket of Opportunity?

"As the anticipated value rally gains steam, we think non-US stocks should begin to benefit. Like the value universe a year ago, non-US equities today look to us to be undervalued, under-owned, and exposed to positive catalysts, including improving corporate fundamentals, economic tailwinds and political and policy support.” - Templeton Global Equity Group

Value Unbound: The Implications of a Nascent Value Revival

Value Unbound: The Implications of a Nascent Value Revival

During the (tech) bubble, all it took to topple tech stocks priced for perfection was a little bit of bad news. Just a little bit of good news may be sufficient today to spark a recovery among value stocks that seem to be pricing in permanent disappointment.

On January Barometers and Market Bargains

On January Barometers and Market Bargains

We are now witnessing historic extremes in the discount afforded to value relative to growth, quality and safety. While this environment has been (and may remain) painful for some time, the eventual normalization of these extremes represents the most compelling opportunities in equity markets today.

A Year for Value?

A Year for Value?

While stocks are certainly vulnerable to near-term volatility, we think the asset class globally remains well positioned for long-term performance potential.

Finding Value in Volatility
Equity

Finding Value in Volatility

As the US Federal Reserve Board attempts to begin raising rates, we see a potential catalyst for a value recovery over our long-term investment horizon.

Greece’s Precarious Position

Greece’s Precarious Position

Given how fluid this situation is currently, attempting to assign probabilities to a Greek exit scenario remains a moving target on a daily basis.

In the Know: Europe’s Capital Markets Union

In the Know: Europe’s Capital Markets Union

We are generally supportive of any ‘pro-European’ measures that help improve systemic integration across the monetary union.

Active Opportunities in a Passive World

Active Opportunities in a Passive World

To stay in line with benchmark allocations, passive funds buy more of the stocks that get bigger while selling the stocks that shrink. By doing so, they are perpetually rotating away from cheaper stocks that have underperformed and into more expensive stocks with limited upside potential.

Weighing the Odds of Compromise in Greece, and the “Grexit”

Weighing the Odds of Compromise in Greece, and the “Grexit”

We would be surprised if Greece’s creditors offered any fresh money until the new government makes clear its intentions vis-à-vis the country’s existing debt obligations.

2015 Investment Outlook: Oil Price Declines and Implications

2015 Investment Outlook: Oil Price Declines and Implications

While we expect continued volatility [in the energy sector] in the near term given depressed sentiment, we believe that the current environment offers a rare opportunity to buy what we consider long-term income and growth opportunities at deeply distressed levels.