June 11, 2019
For four decades, State Street Global Advisors has served the world’s governments, institutions and financial advisors. With a rigorous, risk-aware approach built on research, analysis and market-tested experience, we build from a breadth of active and index strategies to create cost-effective solutions. As stewards, we help portfolio companies see that what is fair for people and sustainable for the planet can deliver long-term performance. And, as pioneers in index, ETF, and ESG investing, we are always inventing new ways to invest. As a result, we have become the world’s third largest asset manager with US $2.51 trillion* under our care. *AUM reflects approximately $32.45 billion (as of December 31, 2018), with respect to which State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC (SSGA FD) serves as marketing agent; SSGA FD and State Street Global Advisors are affiliated.
June 4, 2019
Look Beyond Expense Ratios to Evaluate ETFs’ Cost
The expense ratio discussion is always top of mind with investors, and continues to garner attention as we still regularly see headline-making reductions from ETF issuers.
May 28, 2019
Coaching Clients Toward Better Outcomes [Anchoring Bias, Part 2 of 2]
Financial decisions often stir up powerful emotions and awaken old habits. Being an effective sounding board demands technical knowledge of planning and investing, as well as an understanding of how behavioral economics can impact a client’s decision-making process.
May 14, 2019
Spotlight On: Correcting for Home-Country Bias with International Equities
Home-country bias is a common phenomenon in which investors tend to allocate a large majority of their portfolio to investments in their home country. The result? Portfolios have a concentrated country exposure, limiting potential returns, as well as diversification.
May 7, 2019
Is Green the New Black? Talking to Clients about ESG Investing
The trend line is unmistakable: environmental, social and governance investing (ESG) is big—and growing. According to new research by the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), impact investing assets stand at US$502 billion globally as of December 2018, nearly double the previous year’s assets of US$228 billion. Impact strategies seek to include, rather than exclude, proactively targeting specific positive outcomes. For example, a broad ESG fund may avoid companies with high carbon emissions, while an impact fund may hold shares of a private equity fund invested in clean energy infrastructure projects.1
April 30, 2019
Putting Companies In The Driver’s Seat To Enhance ESG Reporting
ESG. It’s one of the fastest growing areas of investment today. Representing 1-in-4 of every dollar that is professionally managed, sustainable investing is being integrated into portfolios at 17% each year.1 And yet, for all the investor interest and excitement around ESG, companies struggle to understand what information to report, how to report it, and the relevance of ESG information to investors. For State Street Global Advisors, we believe financially material ESG factors can impact a company’s long-term performance. Our goal is not just to build ESG portfolios but also to encourage companies to focus on issues that matter while providing them with the transparency to meet those expectations. This is the only way to create sustainable markets and long-term value for investors.
April 23, 2019
Glass Half Full or Empty? Seeing the Optimist and Pessimist in Your Clients [Anchoring Bias, Part 1 of 2]
Is the world really as black and white as a Rorschach inkblot test? Maybe… but maybe not. Traditionally speaking, when it comes to how we view the world, there are two schools of thought: optimism and pessimism. Glass half full or glass half empty. In reality, most of us will actually fall somewhere in between on the optimism/pessimism spectrum. Where we fall along that spectrum is a fundamental human trait1 reflective of our cognitive biases.
