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Specialist in Asia Pacific, Japan, China, India and South East Asia and Global Emerging Market equities.

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Our philosophy is very simple. We are constantly searching for high quality businesses and when we acquire them, we will work relentlessly with them to create long-term sustainable value through innovation, ESG-led and proactive asset management.

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Stewart Investors manage investment portfolios on behalf of our clients over the long term and have held shares in some companies for over 20 years. They launched their first investment strategy in 1988.

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Multi-Asset Solutions

We invest for purpose

Markets are constantly moving – and when conditions change investors must rethink their asset allocation.

Our flexible and dynamic approach draws on a global opportunity set to meet the multiple, often competing objectives of our clients. The goal is to tie all investment decisions to the ultimate objective of the portfolio.

Time has shown that asset allocation decisions are the dominant driver of overall portfolio returns and multi-asset investing provides risk and return benefits that are not typically achievable by investing in a single asset class. 

Our asset allocation moves with markets

The foundation of our portfolios, our neutral asset allocation, takes a long term view on economies, markets and expected returns across asset classes. While neutral asset allocation alone will be the dominant driver of returns, there is also opportunity to mitigate portfolio risks and generate additional returns as market conditions change. We supplement our long term neutral asset allocation with dynamic asset allocation, which exploits shorter-term market inefficiencies. 

How our portfolio works

Neutral asset allocation

Neutral asset allocation

The ‘neutral’ asset allocation is the mix of investments that we believe has the highest likelihood of achieving a given portfolio’s long-term objectives based on fundamentals. The first step in our investment process is determining the economic outlook, both globally and for individual countries.

Using current valuations as a starting point, key economic variables including GDP growth, inflation, risk free rates, and long-term bond yields enable us to calculate expected returns for various asset classes. 

Case study

Asset allocation when the future ain't what it used to be

Over the past 40 years, strategic asset allocation has successfully relied on diversification alone to deliver strong long-term returns. With the diversification benefits historically delivered by equities and bonds weakening in today’s markets, and expected returns across all asset classes falling lower, portfolios need to adapt to deliver on their objectives.

Do not expect the same dynamics going forward

Equities valuations have only been higher twice before in the last 100 years, in 2000 and 1929. Based on these valuations, history indicates that expected returns over the next 5 to 10 years will be much lower.

Source: Robert Shiller, Yale University, data to 31 December 2022. Price-Earnings Ratio (LHS) is the measure of US equity valuation based on the cyclically adjusted price-earnings ratio, or CAPE (Shiller PE). Long-Term Interest Rates (RHS) is the 10 year US Treasury yields, or equivalent long term rate.  

The market expects returns to fall across all major asset classes over the next 5 years

Source: Bloomberg and First Sentier Investors as at 31 December 2022. Returns are in local currency except where specified. Past returns are from 1 January 2018 to 31 December 2022. The expected returns for the period of 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2027, based on internal proprietary models, are predictive in nature and therefore not guaranteed to occur. Known or unknown risks and uncertainties and inaccurate assumptions may result in them differing materially from results ultimately achieved.

Disclaimer: Reference to specific securities (if any) is included for the purpose of illustration only and should not be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell the same.  All securities mentioned herein may or may not form part of the holdings of First Sentier Investors’ portfolios at a certain point in time, and the holdings may change over time.

Whitepapers and other resources

Investing for purpose

This paper outlines how the Multi Asset Solutions team help clients achieve their investment goals via tailored, risk-managed multi-asset portfolios. Read more

Research papers from the Multi-Asset Solutions team

Our experience working with institutional asset owners has given us significant insight and practical appreciation of the challenges investors face. In an environment marked by a combination of low interest rates, low inflation, low to moderate economic growth, and risk-on risk-off investment sentiments, we share our research into techniques and solutions that can help achieve long-term investment objectives.

Volatility as an asset class and dynamic asset allocation

Integrated approach to asset liability management risk budgeting and alpha

Inflation-linked investment objectives with liquid asset portfolios

Target benefit retirement schemes

Liability driven investing: hedging inflation and interest rate risk

Strategic asset allocation

Dynamic asset allocation

Regimes, turbulence and absorption – A new way of looking at risk

Why Multi-Asset?

Multidisciplinary portfolio management

The anatomy of alternatives

Responsible Investment

Our corporate RI strategy is based upon three strategic pillars of quality, stewardship and engagement.

As global multi-asset investors, we partner with our clients to provide solutions that maximise the probability that they will achieve their investment objectives. We assess our client needs based on three key criteria: risk tolerance, investment horizon and return ambition level. We utilise third party monitoring services for our direct holdings.

Learn more about the Multi-Asset Solutions team's approach to Responsible Investment

Meet the Multi-Asset Solutions team

Epco van der Lende

Co-Head of Multi-Asset Solutions

Kej Somaia

Co-Head of Multi-Asset Solutions

Jan Baars

Senior Portfolio Manager

Andrew Harman

Senior Portfolio Manager