Amid a pandemic, a recession, and an upcoming election, changes to pension rules are easy to miss. However, the US Department of Labor’s rule change[i] proposed last Tuesday, June 23, would profoundly complicate the already challenging task of effectively...
The past week, investors bought up millions of shares of Hertz, a bankrupt rental car company that’s stock is essentially worthless.[i] And so many investors piled into wanna-be electric vehicle maker, Nikola, that its market value briefly matched that of Ford...
As the health and economic impacts of the COVID crisis deepen, the world at times feels divided between extreme optimists and gloomy pessimists. What place is there for a more measured voice like Syntrinsic’s? For insight, we have called upon our friends from the...
As the COVID-19 pandemic has suddenly driven unemployment and hobbled or closed many businesses, people have less cash to meet rental and mortgage obligations. Missed lease and mortgage payments across residential and commercial properties could have far-reaching...
If you are wondering about inflation, you are in good company. With unprecedented government stimulus around the globe being deployed with record speed, it is natural to wonder if such loose monetary policy will lead to higher...
How can the U.S. stock market perform so well when the American economy is doing so badly? Though the S&P 500 declined by 30.43% from January 1, 2020, to the recent low on March 23, it is up 31.25% from March 23 to May 8. Between the crash and subsequent rally,...
Tracking the Crisis The Great Financial Crisis gathered like a slowly building storm long before it caught the attention of most of us. Quant models failed in the summer of 2007, LIBOR spiked a few months later, and then the Auction Rate market froze in...
“When will this end?” quickly has become the most common question we field. The “this” in the question covers deaths by COVID-19 and social distancing, negative economic growth, weak investment markets, high unemployment, and tremendous uncertainty. It means, when...
Energy is an expression and a driver of society’s economic health. Prior to COVID-19, the sector was going through massive transformation with the gradual but steady growth of renewables, while also experiencing an intense storm of geopolitical posturing, particularly...
While much of the world’s attention during the COVID-19 pandemic understandably has been focused on the dramatic effects on health, jobs, social interactions, and family finances, the US Federal Reserve (the Fed) has been leading an aggressive effort to keep the...
As confirmed COVID-19 cases surpass the 1.1 million mark globally (source: John Hopkins), the economic impacts of the virus-induced economic shutdown are starting to become evident. Jobless claims in the United States surged by 10 million people over the last two...
As of March 27, 2020, 217 million Americans across 23 states, 84 counties, 17 cities and one territory formally are being urged by government officials to stay home. (Source: NY Times). The economic effects are reflected in last week’s record-breaking 3.3 million...