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After a spectacular year in 2017, emerging market equities have badly trailed their developed market counterparts in 2018. It has been a rough ride for investors who believe in the superior growth characteristics of emerging market economies, in particular Southeast Asia. But recent economic data has improved amid the downside pressures of a protracted trade war with the U.S., geopolitical unrest, and concerns about the sustainability of the China growth story.

Transactions for the purchase and sale of businesses are rarely all cash deals. No matter the transaction structure, the use of financing to consummate the purchase creates a new dimension and layers of complexity requiring additional scrutiny and analysis by a discerning seller (or its principals). When financing the purchase of your business, there are five things the deal team should consider.

Employers are facing workplace retention challenges with increasing regularity. Whether this is the result of a shift in generational norms or a strong economy, employees seem to be more mobile than ever before. Looking at costs alone, recent studies have shown that the cost of recruiting a new employee can be as high as 200% of the former employee’s salary. What can employers do in response to increase higher retention rates?

Looking toward the second half of 2018, the struggle between opposing forces—the positive impact of late-cycle economics and negative forces connected to monetary policy and geopolitics—is ongoing and will continue for the near-term. Whether the positive impact of economic growth is likely to exceed the negative impact of rising interest rates and geopolitical uncertainty is the major question facing investors.

Volatility has increased and it can be associated with a range of recent developments—for example, global trade tensions and political uncertainty in the Eurozone. But increased volatility also reflects the fact that we are late in the economic cycle—with the current period of U.S. expansion close to being the longest on record. Investment approaches, portfolio positioning and security selection must be appropriate for the higher levels of volatility typical of late cycle periods.

Jennifer Mizrahi shares how her family's philanthropy has evolved since they experienced a stunning moment of surprise in their own giving journey. Hear more about how this family's foundation makes sure their stakeholders are active participants with active voices in all aspects of their giving. "There is no greater gift in life than enabling somebody else to have a better future." -Jennifer Mizrahi, Mizrahi Family Charitable Fund & President, RespectAbility

In family philanthropy we have the choice in how we define "family." In the case of the Quixote Foundation, family is defined as the people who are at the table because they care about each other and the issues—not because they share a biological connection. Hear about the family bonds that are created when working together for good."The more that we believe that we're in this together as a family, the greater impact we will have." -June Wilson, Executive Director Emeritus, Quixote Foundation

For private wealth clients, the consideration of tax liabilities adds another wrinkle to already complex investment decisions. It is vital for high-net-worth individuals and families to weigh the tax implications of any changes to their portfolio as taxes can erode gains, hindering their investments’ ability to meet their financial objectives. Although the burden of taxes creates a higher hurdle for private clients than most institutional investors, it is not insurmountable.

History shows that the families who address human capital issues, in addition to the financial issues, are the ones that prosper for multiple generations. Understanding the three human dimensions of family wealth—the individual, the interpersonal, and the institutional—provides families with a better way to think about the challenges of succession planning and wealth management. It’s part of the wealth momentum mindset that believes in the positive interplay between both family and financial dynamics that leads to sustained wealth progress.

For investors with private allocations, how one incorporates them into the policy benchmark will materially impact the portfolio’s relative performance, making the choice key to informed decision making.