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The confluence of favorable market dynamics, including high corporate cash balances, low interest rates and cooperative capital markets, has created an environment in which corporate management teams and boards of directors can take action to increase value for equity owners.Engagement by shareholders, both private and public, is on the rise and ha...

Significant noise has surrounded the dissolution of California Redevelopment Agencies for the past three years. Numerous headlines trumpeted debt service disruptions, lawsuits, cleanup legislation and potential hiccups related to the flow of funds for California Redevelopment debt.Over time, it has become clearer that the potential for credit impro...

The July, 2014 Global Economic Update from Asset Consulting Group includes the following:Year-to-date asset class returns for global equities, global fixed income and global real assetsA US and non-US economic overview and forecastReview of current issues and questions that clients are askingReview of current investment opportunities and investment...

In this news alert, the author, Perkins Coie, highlights that the SEC is expected to allow two separate exemptive orders being sought from the Family Office Rule with respect to distaff members of a family under the Investment Advisors Act.Because the distaff issue has the potential to affect so many single-family offices, the author believes this ...

On June 5, 2014, the European Central Bank crossed an important symbolic line by announcing plans to reduce the policy interest rate into negative territory. Included in this announcement was a host of complementary but nontraditional policy measures, completing the picture of a committee stretching for greater impact.The author believes that:Aggre...

Today’s broad stock market is not a bubble. However, by virtue of its duration and current valuations, equities are in the mature phase of a bull market. That means a more sober pace of advance, with a lot riding on the economy and monetary policy.The author, Atlantic Trust Private Wealth Management, examines several crosscurrents that are bo...

Plante Moran provides an in-depth look at password security and sheds light on some of the hacking tools out there. These tools are far better at guessing than you may imagine and, at rates of up to billions of guesses per second, much more persistent.So, what are our options? How can we combat this rising issue?No password is uncrackable. Given en...

Research on income equality and social mobility yields compelling conclusions in support of both sides of the debate. For now, regardless of how the research evolves, it is safe to expect the U.S. will enter an environment of higher personal tax rates with further redistribution in the cards, something investors need to consider when weig...

Headlines about the financial stress on municipalities — combined with high profile downgrades, defaults and even bankruptcies — have led many to believe that high yield issuers must be in financial distress. The author, Nuveen Asset Management, believes that is generally not the case and explains why in this paper.Nuveen believes that ...

Following an unusually frigid winter, the weather has borne the brunt of blame for weakened economic statistics. While anecdotal evidence is overwhelming, identifying and quantifying the effects of the weather on economic data is difficult. In this white paper, Glenmede argues that the slowing economic growth of recent months reflects fundamental c...

In the second quarter 2014 issue of Rockefeller & Co.’s Global Foresight, entitled “Mapping Out the Future,” David P. Harris, CFA, Chief Investment Officer, and Jimmy C. Chang, CFA, Chief Equity Strategist, take a closer look at potential opportunities within the generally-struggling emerging markets and contrast them to the developed markets. ...

On 18 March, the Russian Ministry of Finance published a draft law on anti-offshore measures (the Draft). This article by Withers LLP provides a thoughtful review of the Draft, which introduces three concepts:Controlled foreign companies rules (CFC)Russian tax residence for foreign companies based on tests of management and controlNew rules on taxa...

In this Investment Strategy Update: A View From the Top Down, Atlantic Trust expands on the following:2014 has certainly met their expectation of “less return, more volatility” compared with last year.After a weak January, a strong February and a trendless March, the stock market is oscillating around a flat return so far this year.After a dismal 2...

In this edition of Market Insights, Glenmede provides an in-depth look at recent U.S. employment numbers and highlights the following:The post-recession employment recovery has been weak.The unemployment rate is falling, having reached 6.6 percent from a 2009 high of 10 percent.The declining labor force is the result of a natural evolution in demog...

While men continue to play a leadership role in their families when it comes to wealth management planning and decision-making, a growing number are inclined to discuss the family wealth and wealth transfer intentions with not only their spouses but also their heirs. Research indicates wealth-related decision-making is now a shared responsibility i...