Equities

Factor investing has long explained market behavior, but its flaws—timing dependencies, rigid linearity, and backward-looking assumptions—limit predictive power. Can AI overcome these? This Expl(AI)ning episode dissects factor evolution, their pitfalls, and how machine learning enables dynamic models. Dive into quantitative investing’s future.

People and organizations demonstrate their moral compass in challenging conditions. In 1999, portfolio manager Ed Walczak made a tough call to stick to his investment principles. Despite the pressure to conform to the market trend, he chose to invest in undervalued insurance companies, a decision that paid off when the internet bubble burst.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming our world at breakneck speed to boost its users’ productivity gains in various industries. The associated need for innovation, resources, and infrastructure investments, reinforced by politics and demographics, positions the providers of convincing solutions as potential future winners.

Is the tech market’s bull run, much like a steamroller, starting to reverse course? Efficiency gains recently announced by DeepSeek have raised questionsabout the commoditization of LLMs and the potential overinvestment in data centers, shifts that could significantly impact the industry and investors.

The massive efficiencies achieved by DeepSeek’s recently launched Large Language Model have prompted investors to reevaluate the power, data center, and chip requirements for the development of AI models. As AI becomes more widely adopted, we identify companies poised to benefit.

Shares in Nvidia and ASML have plummeted due to concerns that Chinese AI startup DeepSeek's new model could disrupt the current AI business model. DeepSeek's R1 model, released on January 20, exhibits performance similar to top US large language models (LLMs), but at a fraction of the cost.

2025 is poised to be another positive yet complex year for equities. Balancing core positions in industries driven by secular trends – like semiconductors, AI hyperscalers, and the energy transition – with opportunistic exposures that can benefit from cyclical or policy-induced rebounds can help navigate the challenges ahead.

AI has dominated games like chess and Go, but the markets are far more complex. In our latest Expl(AI)ning article, we explore why investing’s complexity remains unmatched, where AI stands today, and what’s next for finance.

Watch the replay of our webinar featuring Jean Louis Nakamura, Head of Conviction Equities, Sarah Murray, Financial Times Contributor, and Marco Lenfers, Client Portfolio Manager, as they discuss key topics at the intersection of geopolitics, sustainability, and investment opportunities.

Despite US stocks' outperformance over international equities over the past two decades, investing solely in the US benchmark is not without risks. Yet we do not recommend investing indiscriminately in the broad international benchmark. Being selective and actively seeking out quality non-US companies can diversify portfolio risks and offer robust performance.

The new Trump administration’s policies evoke both optimism and apprehension among investors. This uncertainty is exacerbated by the pressures on the US consumer, high market concentration, and potential earnings disappointments. We highlight key themes we believe are worth watching in 2025.

Former investigative journalists tap into non-traditional sources to gather unique insights for our Quality Growth research team. This article highlights three case studies that led a portfolio manager to increase a position, sell a stock, and revisit the viability of a previous holding.