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(The categories Charts and Market Stories are currently inactive, but previous postings are available in the archives.)

Most recent postings

Breaking Open Private Equity 12/04/21 Asset Owner

Asset owners suffer from a lack of information on their holdings in an asset class where they have a lot on the line. Can the principles of “organic finance” provide the framework they need?

Enron: Bad Bets and Surprising Outcomes 12/01/21 Learning Curve

It is the twentieth anniversary of one of the greatest falls from grace in corporate history. A brief review of the story, the role of the investment industry, and some unexpected aftereffects.

From Crypto to Tractors to Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing 11/28/21 Fortnightly

It might be “the weirdest time in history for finance,” but the Fortnightly is hewing to its regular schedule of providing interesting reads from around the ecosystem.

The ESG Juggernaut and Points of Pushback 11/26/21 The Research Puzzle

This posting outlines key areas for debate regarding the predominant investment issue of the day. In many organizations, these considerations and the uncertainties surrounding them have not been adequately addressed.

Don’t Forget Books 11/24/21 Learning Curve

So much to read, so little time. A few thoughts on the importance of diving into longer works, plus some lists of good books.

An Application of Ensemble Methods to Portfolio Construction 11/22/21 Asset Manager

A new idea is introduced, based upon backtested research. Live portfolios are created and tracked. We’ve seen it all before; what kinds of broader considerations stem from this particular case?

A New Business Model for Old Media 11/18/21 Charts

They call the paper the “Old Gray Lady,” and its obituary could have been written sometime ago. But it has managed to survive and to remake itself.

Getting a Handle on Distribution Yield 11/16/21 Investment Advisor

An ETF serves as a good example to explore expected returns, benchmarks, reporting requirements, and the special attraction of “yield.”

Crosscurrents and the Balance of Fixity and Change 11/14/21 Fortnightly

Funds versus central banks? Due diligence? All-star analysts? Venus and Mars? All of that, plus pension systems, crypto prime brokerage, RIA rollups, and a paper trail to follow.

T. Rowe Price and the Search for Assets 11/12/21 Charts

This leading asset management organization demonstrates the power of the business model — and the challenges inherent in pursuing future avenues of growth.

Resisting the Force Field of Observed Performance 11/11/21 Due Diligence

Manager selection practices must be designed to navigate one big problem that never goes away. Here are a couple of examples of how it manifests itself.

Forces in the Ecosystem 11/09/21 The Research Puzzle

Segmentation, aggregation, migration, popularity, order, and disorder are constantly at work, altering opportunities and risks in the prices of assets and the fortunes of market players.

Why Do Asset Owners Pay for Beta? 11/04/21 Asset Owner

Eye-popping compensation accrued to a manager as a result of a period of good (if not eye-popping) performance, once again illuminating a structural oddity in the market for investment management.

Lessons From a Hedge Fund Manager 11/03/21 Learning Curve

The chief investment officer of the hedge fund firm Marshall Wace provides his “perspectives on fund management,” which serve as a template for the examination of investment beliefs and implementation practices.

Setting Expectations, the Everything Crackdown, and Good Reads 10/31/21 Fortnightly

This first edition of the Fortnightly fits the mold of others to come. There will always be links to good readings from around the ecosystem — to highlight things you may have missed and to foster ideas that illuminate possibilities in your work.