Perspectives

Socially responsible investing (SRI) is becoming an increasingly important topic as investors evolve their thoughts on which corporate attributes will deliver above-average returns for shareholders. In fact, Pension and Investments recently reported that market share for SRI funds in Europe accounts for over 50 percent of assets under management, indicating an increasing willingness for investors to make SRI allocations within their portfolios.

The popularity of low-cost passive investment strategies has garnered significant press recently, leading many to question if active management is dead or simply doesn’t work. Underperformance of the average active investment manager has certainly added fuel to the fire, as investors search for cheaper index alternatives.

Millennials are described as potentially the next “Great Generation” by William Strauss and Neil Howe, the authors who originally coined the term. But up to this point, all the millennial tweeting, snapping, posting, swiping, and selfie taking hasn’t been accompanied by much in the way of investing.

With less than a month to go in the 2016 presidential election cycle, Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton remains ahead in the polls and holds at least a 7-point lead over Republican candidate Donald Trump, according to RealClearPolitics. We believe that U.S. equity markets are anticipating a Clinton victory and a split Congress, where Republicans retain control of the House of Representatives, and Democrats, in a close call, could regain control of the Senate.

As fashion trends come and go, there are a few core elements of a timeless wardrobe that will consistently maintain their status as the epitome of vogue, whether it be that little black dress, classic navy blazer, or that favorite pair of worn Levi’s. Just as these items have remained reliable and constant over the years, so too have dividend paying stocks, which can be a core element of investors’ equity portfolios. Dividends can provide a meaningful contribution to long-term equity returns, ...