Passive and Socially Responsible Investments

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Table of Contents

Genesis of Passive Investing
Indexing
Details about Asset Classes
Smart Beta and Factor Strategies
Socially Responsible Investing/ ESG Indexes and ETFs
Role of Indexes in Passive and Active Management
ETFs
References

Genesis of Passive Investing

Portfolio optimization usually occurs in two phases, including optimizing weights of asset classes to hold as well as optimizing weights of assets within one asset class. Modern portfolio theory has had a marked effect on the way an investor perceives risk, portfolio management, and return (Anadu et al., 2020). The concept illustrates that portfolio diversification can lower investment risk. Alpha and beta are two dissimilar components of an equation utilized in explaining stocks and investment funds’ performance. Beta refers to a measure of volatility in relation to a benchmark, whereas alpha is the excess return on an investment after modifying for market-associated volatility and random fluctuations.

Indexing

Indexing refers to a passive investment approach where an individual constructs a portfolio to monitor the market index’s performance. It is usually done with the S&P 500 Index, where an investor tries to imitate an index’s performance (Anadu et al., 2020). The three steps in index construction can be distinguished, including item or variable selection, assessing the empirical associations of variables, and confirming the index.

Details about Asset Classes

An asset class refers to a grouping of investments that display similar traits and are subject to the same laws as well as regulations. It consists of instruments that usually behave in the same manner as each other in the marketplace (Anadu et al., 2020). Equity as an asset class has the capability to create wealth in the long haul. It can be defined as the shares of firms that trade in stock exchanges and other associated securities which derives their values from the underlying shares.

Smart Beta and Factor Strategies

On the one hand, smart beta defines a collection of investment approaches that stress the utilization of optional index construction regulations to conventional market capitalization-based indices. It stresses capturing investment factors or market inefficiencies in a rule-based as well as transparent manner. Factor investing strategy involves targeting certain drivers of a return across different asset classes. There are two main types, including style and macroeconomics (Anadu et al., 2020). Investing in factors can aid in bettering portfolio outcomes, improving diversification, and reducing volatility.

Socially Responsible Investing/ ESG Indexes and ETFs

Socially responsible investing refers to any investment approach which aims to consider the financial return and environmental benefits with the intention of causing positive social change. The objective of the MSCI ESG indexes is to provide institutional investors with clear and practical tools for integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) into their investment processes and portfolios (Lettau & Madhavan, 2018). Lastly, an exchange-traded fund is one of the types of investment fund and exchange-traded product which is traded on stock exchanges.

Role of Indexes in Passive and Active Management

Benchmarks versus Tradable Indices

A benchmark is an index that acts as the measurement yardstick for a portfolio by comparing portfolio traits such as risk, returns, exposure to sectors and component weights, and styles. It is something that can be described as a standard by which others are measured or judged (Anadu et al., 2020). An index is a statistical tool made for the determination of performance over time.

Index Funds and Derivatives

Index funds may utilize derivatives to aid in achieving their investment goal. While other index funds invest in every company listed in an index, there are others that invest in a representative sample of the firms in an index (Anadu et al., 2020). An index option refers to a financial derivative that offers the holder the right to purchase or sell the value of an underlying index, such as the S&P 500 index, at the stated exercise price.

ETFs

Overview of the Evolution of Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)

Exchange-traded funds have become among the most popular investment tools for individuals and institutional investors. Usually advertised as affordable and better than mutual funds, ETFs provide low-cost diversification, arbitrage and trading options for investors. ETFs were initially developed in the 1990s as a means of providing access to passive, indexed funds to investors (Lettau & Madhavan, 2018). Since then, the ETF marketplace has grown significantly and is now utilized by every type of investor and trader worldwide. ETFs now depict everything from broad market indices to niche areas.

Details on The Mechanics of ETFs in Primary and Secondary Markets

Exchange-traded funds depend on a creation or redemption mechanism responsible for facilitating continuous creation as well as redemption of shares. The only investors who are capable of creating or redeeming new shares are a unique group of institutional investors named authorized participants (Lettau & Madhavan, 2018). ETFs trade directly between authorized participants and issuers on the primary market while on the secondary markets, as exchange-oriented trades. End investors trade ETFs on the secondary markets as stocks.

Understand and Practice the Trading of ETFs

The two compelling features an individual must check before trading ETFs include liquidity and indicative NAV. The former means the ease of purchasing and selling a specific asset, while the latter refers to the real-time valuation of the underlying basket, which serves as the pricing guidance. ETFs have various benefits that they afford investors, consisting of trading flexibility, lower costs, tax benefits, and portfolio diversification and risk management. Analysts claim that for most individual investors, a portfolio that comprises 5 to 10 ETFs is great with regard to diversification (Lettau & Madhavan, 2018). However, what people need to be focusing on when constructing a portfolio is the number of different risk sources.

References

Anadu, K., Kruttli, M., McCabe, P., & Osambela, E. (2020). The shift from active to passive investing: Risks to financial stability?Financial Analysts Journal, 76(4), 23-39. Web.

Lettau, M., & Madhavan, A. (2018). Exchange-traded funds 101 for economists. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 32(1), 135-54.

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