Perspectives

Rate hikes from central banks around the world may offer a glimmer of hope to commercial real estate (CRE) investors, but will it be the panacea they're looking for? We discuss the state of the CRE debt market and the potential path for portfolios.

Chris Cote, an ESG research expert at MSCI, Tyler Rosenlicht, a natural resource equities portfolio manager, and Yu Ishihara, a sustainable investment leader, delve into the future of energy. They discuss the slow pace of the energy transition, noting increasing fossil fuel consumption despite lowering emissions in developed markets. The trio also explores the challenges in decarbonizing transportation, the critical role of government regulations in promoting electric vehicles, and the evolving perspectives on nuclear power's contribution to energy stability.

As investors look to manage the outsized effect of the "Magnificent Seven" and the tech sector in general, we explore sector-based investing, which offers a strategic approach for investors looking to gain exposure to distinctive segments of the economy. MSCI's own Abhishek Gupta and Dinank Chitkara dig deep into their recent paper, "Incorporating Sector Investing in Portfolio Management," and Vanguard's, Andrey Kotlyarenko, provides a view into how investors put this all into practice.

With stubborn inflation, a plunging Japanese yen and unpredictable elections around the globe, 2024 has proven challenging for fixed-income investors — and for central banks. We sat down with MSCI’s global head of fixed-income solutions research, Afsaneh Mastouri, to talk about the state of fixed-income markets, and what the rest of the year may hold.

Our panel of experts, led by chief research officer, Ashley Lester, takes stock of global markets as we enter the back half of 2024. Ashley and team examine the short- and long-term issues affecting investors, including the ever changing geopolitical landscape, the continued impact of AI and the role of private markets in the carbon transition.

The Inflation Reduction Act provides large incentives for a shift to clean energy in the U.S. MSCI teamed up with the Rocky Mountain Institute to investigate its effects on utilities.

How does Adam Gibbon of AXA IM balance climate impact with investment results? We get his take on the voluntary carbon markets, and how he assesses potential opportunities for his fund’s portfolio.

While more countries and companies are making plans for a low-carbon future, emissions are still rising and the deadlines for action are closing in. Enter the carbon markets, where companies can purchase credits to offset their carbon footprint until long-term reduction plans become a reality. We explore these markets and their potential impact on companies and investors.

Our quarterly market analysis, features a robust discussion of the public and private markets, as well as a deep dive and some surprising results from the world of sustainable investing.

Abruptly shutting down all the coal-fired power plants may appeal to some, but there would likely be unintended consequences for investors, as well as plant employees and those who live where the plants are located. We dig into why a managed coal phaseout with specific target dates and actions may create a level of certainty for all involved.