Putting macro knowledge into practice
Rooted in the belief that the macroeconomic backdrop is a key driver of market returns, WestEnd’s investment process harnesses intensive macroeconomic analysis to inform our outlook and portfolio positioning across our strategies.
We diligently track over 200 domestic and global macroeconomic measures. In analyzing the data, we evaluate what information is most important in the current economic environment and seek to identify which segments of the market we believe are positioned to outperform over the next 6–18 months. We seek to avoid or underweight areas of the market facing headwinds.
We stay focused
Our entire organization is committed to our macroeconomically driven philosophy and investment process. Grounding our analysis in economic fundamentals and applying decades of experience tying those fundamentals to the performance of asset classes and market segments helps our investment team cut through market noise to make high-conviction decisions. Our evolving outlook provides a guidepost amid short-term volatility and shifts in market sentiment. We believe focusing on what matters most not only helps our clients reach their investment goals, but also reduces portfolio turnover and costs.
For over three decades, we have navigated market turbulence and shifting economic winds in the quest to generate alpha on behalf of our clients. This is where wisdom grounded in data makes a difference.
An innovator in the use of ETFs in separately managed accounts
Strong conviction, independence and innovation are hallmarks of our culture. Early in the firm’s history, we recognized that the growing ETF market offered an array of powerful tools to implement our investment views efficiently. In 2005, we began a new wave of innovation at WestEnd when we established actively managed global ETF strategies based on our macroeconomically driven approach to active allocation. For our array of ETF-based strategies, we scrutinize ETF offerings in order to select cost-effective exposures that align with our outlook. These same strategies remain at the heart of WestEnd’s offerings today.
Making portfolios work harder
Each WestEnd strategy can serve as a core allocation. Whether implemented with ETFs, individual securities, or direct indexing of desired active exposures, we believe our dynamic strategies can help investors’ portfolios stay aligned with the evolving macroeconomic backdrop. Further, because they don’t move in lockstep with the market, we believe our strategies can also add diversification to existing portfolios, enhance overall performance, and provide downside risk protection.
We design our strategies with a purpose — to manage risk, enhance diversification and deliver alpha — not to fit in a box.