Alpha-Centric ESG Research

Kyle Rudden

Two days ago the U.K. Financial Reporting Council announced 125 successful signatories (aka "not greenwashers") to the revised U.K. Stewardship Code. Signatories are integrating stewardship and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) factors into investment decisions, to high standards.Whilst this is ostensibly limited to U.K. pension assets, ramifications are more far-reaching than it might at first appear (one indication is the number of North American and Asia Pacific signatories, in addition to the expected European names). More specifically, the broad relevance is because it:<ul>
<li>Affects firms doing business with U.K. asset managers/owners not just the managers/owners.</li>
<li>Is a quasi-blueprint for similar anti-greenwashing initiatives taking root in the U.S. and Asia.</li>
<li>Greenwashing is having an increasing impact on stocks prices (e.g., DWS Group last month).</li>
</ul>This is one battle in an emerging global war on greenwashing. The U.S. SEC has its own agenda to fight greenwashing and Asia isn't far behind (e.g., regulators in Japan stepping up scrutiny). There is more to come, and a lot to learn from this including who is (and is not) on the signatory list.

Two days ago the U.K. Financial Reporting Council announced 125 successful signatories (aka "not greenwashers") to the revised U.K. Stewardship Code. Signatories are integrating stewardship and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) factors into investment decisions, to high standards.Whilst this is ostensibly limited to U.K. pension assets, ramifications are more far-reaching than it might at first appear (one indication is the number of North American and Asia Pacific signatories, in addition to the expected European names). More specifically, the broad relevance is because it:
Affects firms doing business with U.K. asset managers/owners not just the managers/owners.
Is a quasi-blueprint for similar anti-greenwashing initiatives taking root in the U.S. and Asia.
Greenwashing is having an increasing impact on stocks prices (e.g., DWS Group last month).
This is one battle in an emerging global war on greenwashing. The U.S. SEC has its own agenda to fight greenwashing and Asia isn't far behind (e.g., regulators in Japan stepping up scrutiny). There is more to come, and a lot to learn from this including who is (and is not) on the signatory list.

The War on Greenwashing: UK Stewardship Code "Successful Signatories" Has Broader Implications

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

In last week’s Compass we noted the S&amp;P 500 was near the top end of the uptrend channel and that the index could fall 2.75%-3.25% before we get to uptrend support. Considering the S&amp;P 500 fell roughly 1% last week we believe the recent pause appears to be a normal and healthy pullback within the multi-month uptrend. Despite the potential for additional backing-and-filling toward the uptrend support, our expectation is that this uptrend continues, supporting our overall positive outlook.

In last week’s Compass we noted the S&amp;P 500 was near the top end of the uptrend channel and that the index could fall 2.75%-3.25% before we get to uptrend support. Considering the S&amp;P 500 fell roughly 1% last week we believe the recent pause appears to be a normal and healthy pullback within the multi-month uptrend. Despite the potential for additional backing-and-filling toward the uptrend support, our expectation is that this uptrend continues, supporting our overall positive outlook.

S&P 500: A Pause in the Uptrend - More Consolidation Expected.

Financials, especially the large-cap brokers have suffered severe pullbacks recently. If these stocks cannot sustain a reversal in the next few days, we believe the markets could suffer a more severe pullback. Many of these names are suffering uptrend violations in price and RS, as well as bearish descending triangle patterns. The Sector is showing signs deteriorating breadth as well. In today’s report we highlight concerning charts within Financial Sector.

Financials, especially the large-cap brokers have suffered severe pullbacks recently. If these stocks cannot sustain a reversal in the next few days, we believe the markets could suffer a more severe pullback. Many of these names are suffering uptrend violations in price and RS, as well as bearish descending triangle patterns. The Sector is showing signs deteriorating breadth as well. In today’s report we highlight concerning charts within Financial Sector.

U.S. Equity Strategy: Financials Struggling, Tech and Energy Leading

The U.S. market continues to flash mixed signals, most recently Utilities have shown a big climb in our relative strength rankings. Given mixed signals , our outlook remains neutral and we continue to expect further consolidation and volatility.  In today’s report we highlight concerning groups that illustrate areas of growing deterioration across the market. Concerning groups: TE-04 and TE-05 (Semiconductor Equipment, Large, Mid, and Small-Cap), CD-08 (Home Furnishings), and FN-25 (Asset Management &amp; Custody Banks, Mid-Cap).

The U.S. market continues to flash mixed signals, most recently Utilities have shown a big climb in our relative strength rankings. Given mixed signals , our outlook remains neutral and we continue to expect further consolidation and volatility.  In today’s report we highlight concerning groups that illustrate areas of growing deterioration across the market. Concerning groups: TE-04 and TE-05 (Semiconductor Equipment, Large, Mid, and Small-Cap), CD-08 (Home Furnishings), and FN-25 (Asset Management &amp; Custody Banks, Mid-Cap).

U.S. Equity Strategy: Upgrading Utilities; Downgrading Manufacturing

MSCI Emerging Markets Index / Technical Analysis

Big-picture technicals offer a compelling outlook for equities -- in the long-run. Despite arguably stretched trends, especially in the U.S. and EM, one indicator in particular keeps us optimistic: monthly charts.  What is clear right now is: (1) Europe is on the doorstep of breaking above secular resistance; (2) Japan is breaking out above secular resistance; (3) and EM already has. Speaking of EM, we view this as the place to be, or overweight, in 2018. The EM/EAFE’s 20-year chart (below) reveals an in-progress trend reversal (which developed at a secular trendline) in favor of EM.In today’s report we review every global sector, highlighting actionable stocks within each.

Big-picture technicals offer a compelling outlook for equities -- in the long-run. Despite arguably stretched trends, especially in the U.S. and EM, one indicator in particular keeps us optimistic: monthly charts.  What is clear right now is: (1) Europe is on the doorstep of breaking above secular resistance; (2) Japan is breaking out above secular resistance; (3) and EM already has. Speaking of EM, we view this as the place to be, or overweight, in 2018. The EM/EAFE’s 20-year chart (below) reveals an in-progress trend reversal (which developed at a secular trendline) in favor of EM.In today’s report we review every global sector, highlighting actionable stocks within each.

United States

Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. is a global asset management company that invests in boutique investment management firms.  The Company allows the firms in which it invests operational autonomy while providing assistance in strategic matters, marketing, distribution, product development, and operations.

Affiliated Managers (AMG US)

The War on Greenwashing: UK Stewardship Code "Successful Signatories" Has Broader Implications

Telegraph from European front in global war on greenwashing. U.K. names stewardship victors ("not greenwashers"). Many notable casualties. Anti...

Kyle Rudden

S&P 500: A Pause in the Uptrend - More Consolidation Expected.

In last week’s Compass we noted the S&P 500 was near the top end of the uptrend channel and that the index could fall 2.75%-3.25% before we get...

Vermilion Research

U.S. Equity Strategy: Financials Struggling, Tech and Energy Leading

Financials, especially the large-cap brokers have suffered severe pullbacks recently. If these stocks cannot sustain a reversal in the next few...

Vermilion Research

U.S. Equity Strategy: Upgrading Utilities; Downgrading Manufacturing

The U.S. market continues to flash mixed signals, most recently Utilities have shown a big climb in our relative strength rankings. Given mixed...

Vermilion Research

Global Equity Strategy: Overweight EM

Big-picture technicals offer a compelling outlook for equities -- in the long-run. Despite arguably stretched trends, especially in the U.S. and...

Vermilion Research