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.

Since ChatGPT's debut less than 18 months ago, artificial intelligence has dominated headlines, and excitement and apprehension now surround its entry into the world of finance and investment. But just what are the expectations and misconceptions?

Last week’s episode left a lot on the cutting-room floor. Here we offer the chance to listen to our complete interview with Jim Costello, chief economist at MSCI Real Assets, where he assesses the commercial real-estate landscape, including the pricing gap between buyers and sellers.

When it comes to commercial real estate, much of the attention of investors and the financial press has focused on the state of the office sector, which has been hurting. And while real concerns exist, there are also potential opportunities across and within the various real-estate sectors.

Inflation is down, but stubborn, and investors are still digesting Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s statements after the latest meeting of the FOMC. We sit down for a one-on-one interview with, Andy Sparks, to assess where we stand in the give and take between central banks and markets.

For global investors, the idea of individual country or market allocations isn’t new. But in today’s world, with a dynamic geopolitical map, the rewiring of supply chains and greater focus on sustainable investing, it may be time for a new approach.

Ashley Lester and team help investors find the connections between — and evaluate the risks and potential opportunities of — AI, geopolitics and the effects of climate change, as well as the growing importance of private capital and continued influence of monetary policy.

While the media focused on the battle over the wording of the final agreement, there was actually a lot of progress that flew further under the radar, but may have a greater impact on investors. Founding director and head of the MSCI Sustainability Institute, Linda-Eling Lee, and Guy Turner, head of MSCI Carbon Markets, share their experiences on the ground in Dubai and what the outcomes may mean for investors.

Listen in on an in-depth discussion about the growing demand for and personalized tax-efficient strategies from wealth-management clients — driven by technological revolution and the coming, intergenerational transfer of wealth.

Richard Hill of Cohen & Steers joins MSCI’s Jim Costello to discuss the changing perceptions of the commercial-property market, from dull and boring to dynamic and complex — and the current set of risks and potential opportunities.

Our quarterly roundtable examines markets and market-moving events to help institutional investors as they determine the best way forward; across asset classes and parsing out differences between developed and emerging markets.

The launch of the MSCI Sustainability Institute, founded and led by Linda-Eling Lee was attended by some of the most highly respected members of the ESG-investment community. We explore the institute’s aims and how it will work with investors, companies, academics and policymakers to drive action by capital markets.

We sat with MSCI’s global head of research for a wide-ranging discussion, including why he chose to return to the company now, the challenges and opportunities facing the investment industry and a unique take on risk management, ESG and climate and AI and technology.

Physical risk from climate change has started to affect nearly every region of the world, from the four hottest days on record occurring in a row this month to more frequent, more intense storms. We discuss what this all may mean for companies, insurers and investors.

Investors are faced with the potential of “sticky” inflation, continued equity-market concentration and expectations that U.S. interest rates may be higher for longer. We sit down with a panel of MSCI experts to get their views on the questions being asked and answered by markets and investors, and the potential implications heading into the second half of 2023.  

In many ways, the EU has led the way on climate regulation in an effort to increase transparency and decision making through disclosure from companies, as well as investors. We discuss what’s expected from the EU sustainable finance package, and its potential impact.

As discussions continue in Washington, D.C., we examine how markets have handled the uncertainty so far, how such showdowns played out in the past and three “what if” default scenarios.

2023 has presented many risks and potential opportunities for investors, including inflation, continued war in Ukraine and China’s lifting of the zero-COVID policy, which allowed people and goods to travel as freely as they did before the pandemic gripped the globe. We look into how it’s gone so far.

The news on progress toward climate change and biodiversity goals was not great as Earth Day 2023 approached. But there were some bright spots, including detailed proposals to move forward, increased attention from governments in the form of regulation and a growing awareness from investors that accounting for these issues may be the right thing to do for their portfolios.

The first quarter of 2023 came with its own set of surprises for investors, whether looked at through the lens of market returns, factor returns and trying to figure out Central Banks... not to mention the fallout from some notable bank failures. We examine it all with MSCI’s Hitendra Varsani and Mark Carver.

Banks failing, another sold and governments stepping in to backstop the fallout. Add to that a global economy coping with high inflation and still shaking off the COVID-19 cobwebs and, on top of that, regularly scheduled meetings for two major central banks. Our panel of MSCI experts helps put these events into context for investors managing multi-asset-class portfolios.

We dig into the findings from the latest Women on Boards report, and why they matter for companies and investors, with report co-author Olga Emelianova, MSCI's Chief Responsibility and Chief Diversity Officer, Tia Counts and Shweta Narasimhadevara of State Street Global Advisors.

While the direct market impact of Russia’s invasion has lessened over time, there have been longer lasting effects that have exacerbated investor concerns around inflation, rising rates and central bank actions around the globe. We examine the issue through a multi-asset-class lens.