Portfolio Construction

Returns from fossil fuel stocks tend to be linked to short-term moves in energy prices. Excluding the sector can help portfolios over the long term, particularly when integrated into a broader set of ESG criteria.

The EURO STOXX 50 Volatility-Balanced index, which combines an investment in stocks with a dynamic allocation to volatility futures, jumped 8% on August 5 amid a broad equities sell-off. The volatility strategy has returned an average of 3.2 percentage points a year above its benchmark since 2006 as tail-risk protection paid off.

A portfolio’s decarbonization becomes more difficult once an emissions reduction of 60% is achieved, as high-emissions sectors become depleted. Thereafter, the portfolio construction approach — whether exclusion or optimization — will make a difference to the resulting tracking error and size of the portfolio.

The STOXX Optimal 100 indices mirror their parent indices with a smaller constituency. In controlling tracking error and active exposures through an optimization process, the new indices offer a tool for efficient hedging of benchmark portfolios.

STOXX is expanding its range of DAX indices with the introduction of UCITS- and 10%-capped indices. The alternative capped indices are tailored to asset managers who must meet strict investment thresholds.

A new study from specialists at BlackRock and STOXX explores the potential benefits of low tracking-error, multifactor portfolios. While factor investing has historically been dominated by single-factor strategies with relatively strong tilts, the authors show that diversification across multiple factors with smaller tilts and less tracking error can pay off in the long run.

As the sustainability landscape continues to grow and change, there is a pressing need for evolving data that helps investors to better understand the sustainability outcomes associated with their investments. The SDI AOP has set out to address this, with continuously growing datasets updated quarterly, to assess companies’ contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. James Leaton, Research Director of the SDI AOP, discusses the latest platform developments led by its asset-owner led community.

A new whitepaper from Qontigo’s research team explores the benefits of constructing an exclusions portfolio with an optimizer, which helps limit active risk and frees up capital to allocate towards sustainability or performance objectives.

The Sustainable Development Investments Asset Owner Platform (SDI AOP) helps investors assess companies’ contributions to sustainability themes using the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The asset owner-led effort provides a robust SDG-alignment framework and data, and is already used worldwide by investors for implementation and tracking of sustainability strategies, and engagement with multiple stakeholders.

The ROOF methodology can capture the ‘sentiment’ of a portfolio relative to its benchmark. We run ROOF scores to determine the risk appetite of investors holding four portfolios aligned with respective Sustainable Development Goals.

Direct Indexing has exploded in popularity and more financial advisors are incorporating it into client portfolios than ever before. Increased adoption, advances in technology and appreciation for the tax benefits of Direct Indexing will likely continue to accelerate its rapid growth. How will this impact the advisors’ perception and use of ETFs going forward? Qontigo’s Rob Reina, and other expert panelists addressed the pros and cons of each when constructing portfolios for your clients and offer in-depth analysis on their most appropriate applications.