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In seeking to evaluate the risk and return potential for a range of asset classes within the anticipated investment environment, there is caution given the deceleration in the economic cycle indicators that are monitored. A recession is not anticipated in 2020, but the conditions could change rapidly and investors should be prepared to make adjustments as necessary and appropriate.

It is an open question whether investors in 2020 will remain as sanguine as they did in 2019. The U.S. and China are settling into a protracted battle over strategic interests, global economic growth is slowing, and central banks are running out of options. Meanwhile, political uncertainty is elevated with voters voicing their frustrations everywhere. Even if politics and growth do surprise to the upside, weak earnings and stretched valuations, at least for many assets, may weigh on returns.

For the first time, more than half of the CEOs surveyed believe the rate of global GDP growth will decline. This caution has translated into CEO’s low confidence in their own organization’s outlook. While this subdued outlook may cause concern, it is also not surprising. Shifting headlines around trade conflicts, climate change, political strife, cyber threats, social unrest and the like, cloud CEO's outlook on the road ahead.

The financial services sector was cited as one of the top industries likely to experience increase in deal activity in 2020, according to BDO’s US Private Capital Outlook. We take a deeper look at the trend in this episode of the Private Equity PErspectives Podcast.

While investing isn't the same as war, Sun Tzu's advice on preparation is still applicable. In looking ahead and preparing for what can happen, a set of key themes and investment implications emerge around fractured politics in 2020, trade war and the unloved expansion, and efficacy of monetary policy and negative yields.

While “gifting down” to younger generations has historically been the norm, it’s now increasingly common for children to accumulate more wealth than their living parents. This provides an opportunity for children to “gift up” or provide loans to help support parents—while pursuing income and estate tax planning. Other gifting strategies can include gifting assets or creating a trust to help support their parents' living expenses or health care costs. Each solution has pros and cons.

More than a decade ago, central banks embarked on a highly unconventional monetary policy path—generally referred to as "quantitative easing." This made possible the longest recorded U.S. economic upswing in history. But can this monetary "magic" continue to work? It is up for debate and is the premise of this year's six investment themes, beginning with "policy pressures need prudent response."

For investors, it's helpful to consider the forces that could impact the markets. Taking some time at the beginning of the year to pause, reflect on the past, and consider carefully how it informs you about the future is a valuable exercise. It allows you to thoughtfully consider the environment you are entering and explore some of the opportunities and challenges that may drive the market's narrative in the coming year. In 2020, there are three things worth watching above all others.

In this episode, learn about the top four cyber security threats to business owners. In a discussion that took place during the National Cyber Security Awareness month, Information Security Officer, Gilli Shaw, and Marketing Director, Jen Dowd, dig into the top risks and how to prevent them. They cover the controls you can put in place to protect yourself from ransomware, phishing, and spoofing; how using multi-authentication best practices is smart business; and how to keep your greatest asset, your employees, from being your biggest risk.

What are the top four cyber security threats and how can you protect yourself? In this podcast, Information Security Officer, Gilli Shaw, and Marketing Director, Jen Dowd, dig into these risks. In their discussion, they cover the need to have antivirus on every device that connects to the Internet; the risk of Internet of Things and smart devices poses; and the steps to take to help prevent identity theft, and social engineering.