Robeco Asset Management Podcast

Asia-Pacific is touted as a region vibrant with opportunity, thanks to its demographic advantage, catch-up growth and technological prowess. But investors remain wary of some of the obstacles, such as uncertainty about China’s role as an economic powerhouse and, more broadly, the difficulty of investing in a region made up of highly distinct markets. Thu Ha Chow, Head of Fixed Income Asia, and Joshua Crabb, Head of Asia-Pacific Equities, discuss their approach to the region.

Podcast 'In tune with the markets' – episode 3: 'I will survive' A new episode of Robeco’s biweekly podcast that makes sense of the latest market moves – with a musical twist. Tune in to hear the latest from Portfolio Manager Arnout van Rijn as he covers the latest in global banking, central bank action and what to watch in the week ahead.

Podcast 'In tune with the markets' – episode 2: 'The Power' Arnout van Rijn: Central banks are still a major theme. The question is: how far are they willing to go, and what will it look like when markets snap. Meanwhile, equity markets remain relentlessly bullish, with cyclical stocks leading the charge. And China growth might be slowing, but it’s still got the power – as does President Xi Jinping.   Follow (for free) via the links here: https://podnews.net/podcast/iad09  

Karin van Baardwijk has been Robeco’s CEO for just over a year now – a period that coincided with what turned out to be a perfect storm for asset managers. A war, a drastic shift in the direction of central bank policy, and negative returns across most asset classes kept investors focused and humble. We talked to Karin about what these events mean for the asset management industry, and how to position for the future. Listen to the conversation.

There were few places for investors to hide in 2022, as weakness spread across all asset classes. Factor investing strategies, by contrast, provided some refuge: their resilience in down-trending markets confirmed their comeback. So, it’s a good time now to take stock of what’s going on in the world of quant and factor investing. Tune in and listen to Weili Zhou, head of Quant Equity Research, and David Blitz, Chief Quant Researcher. 

Robeco credit quarterly outlook with Erik Keller

There’s agreement that measures to halt and reverse biodiversity loss are now critical. But is this enough to move key role-players into action? That includes the investment community, which is already dealing with macro-economic worries, regulatory demands and many competing priorities in the realm of ESG issues. This is especially topical in light of COP 15, which recently took place in Montreal. Peter van der Werf, Senior Manager for Engagement at Robeco, and special guest Simon Zadek, Executive Director of NatureFinance, give their views in our latest podcast.

2022 has been a year of records for bond investors. In the first six months, the fixed income asset class clocked its worst performance since 1788. And, unusually, bonds have weakened at the same time that equity markets got hammered. In this episode we take a look at a segment of the fixed income market: high yield corporate bonds. Here too, new records have been set.Never before have there been two consecutive years of negative total returns in high yield. Investors are now wrestling with the question of whether this is the low point for high yield. Our guests are two veterans in the field, portfolio managers Sander Bus and Roeland Moraal.

Value has proven over the past two years that it’s not dead, after all. The rotation away from growth stocks towards value that started in November 2020 continues. But it’s been in fits and starts. And, let’s face it, the market mood now is tense, fickle and unsure. Will it be smooth sailing for value strategies from here onwards? Jay Feeney is CEO and CIO of Boston Partners, the US-based investment house focused on fundamentally driven value investing.

It’s been a gruelling year so far for financial markets, including for equities. And sustainable indices have had it even harder, having underperformed the overall equity market. Critics of sustainable and ESG investing have been emboldened by these recent market developments, arguing that doing good seems to equate to losing money. We ask portfolio managers Chris Berkouwer and Michiel Plakman if the field of sustainable investing is now facing a reckoning?