Global Megatrends

• Articles

  • Exploring Secular Themes (2012 Issue 3)

    Investors are examining secular themes in an attempt to find new sources of return, while further diversifying their portfolios.

  • New Climate for Short-Term Investments (2012 Issue 2)

    Investors face multiple challenges, including declining yields and constraints on traditional short-term investments.

  • The Search for Yield (2012 Issue 1)

    Income-seeking institutional investors face a challenging global financial environment as they look to the enhance the yield of their investment portfolios.

  • The Changing Global Regulatory Environment (Fall 2011)

    An overview of regulatory reforms in the United States and European Union.

  • India’s Growing Influence (Winter 2011)

    Assessing India’s growing influence.

  • Asset Mix Shifting (Summer/Fall 2010)

    An overview of the shifts from domestic equities to fixed income.

  • Legislating Transparency (Spring 2010)

    Global efforts to legislate the transparency of investment strategies and vehicles.

  • Changing Allocation Strategies of Endowments and Foundations (Fall/Winter 2009)

    An analysis of the impact of the market decline and liquidity crunch on funds' strategies.

  • Global Stimulus Spending (Summer 2009)

    An analysis of the impact of global economic stimulus expenditures.

  • The DB-ization of Defined Contribution Plans (Spring 2009)

    Defined contribution plans are receiving more attention from sponsors, regulators.

  • The Demand for Commodities (October 2008)

    Demand for commodities from emerging and developed economies continues.

  • Sovereign Wealth Funds (July 2008)

    The rise of sovereign wealth funds is reshaping the world's capital markets.

  • Outcome-Oriented Investing (April 2008)

    Investors adopt outcome-oriented strategies for their investment programs.

  • The Growth of Global Investing (January 2008)

    Institutional investors adopt a global perspective in pursuit of investment opportunities.

  • Greater Acceptance of “Alternative” Investments (October 2007)

    Pension sponsors embrace alternatives to address underfunded liabilities.

  • The Growth of Derivatives Markets (July 2007)

    Investors looking to hedge risk are fueling growth in the derivatives markets.

  • Outsourcing as a Solution to Plan Administration and Investment Challenges (April 2007)

    Plan sponsors are increasingly turning to outsourcing to gain simplicity in plan management.

  • The Move Toward DC Plans (January 2007)

    Defined contribution plans gain favor with employers around the globe.

  • Asset-Mix Shifting in Institutional Portfolios (October 2006)

    Maximize excess returns and manage liabilities.

  • The Aging of the Work Force in Industrialized Nations (July 2006)

    Industrialized countries are looking to legislation and regulatory changes to address pension funding gaps.

• Audio Podcasts

  • Megatrends in Institutional Investing (10 min. 37 sec/7.5 MB)

    What global trends are transforming the asset servicing industry? Four key mega-trends are affecting institutional investors and investment managers. In this podcast, we examine all four trends and the environments in the United States and Europe that helped incubate each.

    Listen now to Megatrends in Institutional Investing (To download, right click on the link and select "Save As.")

  • Global Pension Shift (18 min./12 MB)

    Pension plans around the globe are adopting new investing mindsets and changing behaviors as they grapple with aging populations, funding issues and new regulations. This podcast is intended for institutional investors who want to learn more about how pension plans around the globe are responding to new pension funding laws and regulations, and the strategies - such as liability driven investing - that are being developed to deal with these issues.

    Listen now to Global Pension Shift (To download, right click on the link and select "Save As.")

• Videos

  • Waking Up in Recovery, Part 1 (7 min. 50 sec.)

    Paul Kasriel, Northern Trust's Chief Economist, takes a fresh look at the economy, the headwinds we face, and future engines for global growth.