What do the golden toad, paradise parrot, Little Swan Island hutia, and Yarkon bleak all have in common? They’re 4 of 19 animal species identified as extinct in 2011 primarily due to climate change and severe weather.[1] Between 1950 and 2021, the world also lost 50% of its living coral.[2]

Following one of the most challenging years for equities in more than a decade, stocks have rebounded sharply in 2023 as investors have celebrated better-than-expected corporate earnings, resilient economic data, and decelerating inflation.

The U.S. yield curve looks attractive for the first time in over a decade, and core fixed income yields now have ample cushion to once again meaningfully offset declines from other assets within diversified portfolios.

The emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has created a rush of interest from investors hoping to capitalize on the long-term growth opportunity.

The paramilitary Wagner Group’s armed rebellion against the Russian government was short-lived but shocking. It has of course raised questions from a geopolitical perspective. We at Allspring know that uncertainty and global unrest also are part of the equation investors globally are trying to solve right now. Below, four of our investment leaders provide their insights on the situation’s potential impacts on various asset classes as well as possible risks we’re monitoring for.

A Turkish delight

Each year for over two decades now, we’ve made a prediction for America’s Super Bowl Champion by applying our quantitative investment research to the teams that comprise the National Football League (NFL).

The first six months of 2022 saw a precipitous 20% drop in the S&P 500 Index, plunging equities into their 15th bear market in the past 100 years. We’re now 16 months into this bear market—are investors prepared for what happens next?

Many factors must come together to yield good retirement outcomes. One of those critical inputs? The retirement date.

If you haven’t read the latest revision to Actuarial Standard of Practice No. 4 (ASOP 4)*, or if you still have questions, it’s not too late. We break it down here, focusing on what it is, why it matters, and how it might affect investment portfolios. That’s crucial for pension plan sponsors, but it’s also essential information for other stakeholders, including bond investors.

Climate transition strategies involve challenging implementation questions. Among the most important: “Which index should we use?”