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Episode 4: Managing Liquidity Strategies Through High Uncertainty
Head of U.S. Liquidity Daniel LaRocco outlines risk management for liquidity strategies through volatility and uncertainty, in an interview with Northern Trust Asset Management President Daniel Gamba, CFA.
- Your Volatility Roadmap
- Institutional Investor
Key Points
What it is
We outline the keys to managing risk in a liquidity portfolio for a range of economic, central bank and government policy outcomes.
Why it matters
When markets become volatile, institutional investors often seek to reduce risk and increase liquidity in their portfolios.
Where it's going
Managers of liquidity strategies need to prepare for a range of outcomes, with the goal maintaining principal preservation and consistent returns.
Daniel Gamba: Liquidity strategies have a very important role to play in client portfolios, especially when we have the volatility that we're experiencing these days. And we manage over $300 billion of cash strategies for our clients. In this market environment, what are your observations of the money market funds business?
Daniel LaRocco: The uncertainty and volatility that we've experienced in broader markets this year hasn't impacted money market funds very much at all. And that's exactly what we want to see. Investors seek safety and stability when looking for a place to put their cash. Since the beginning of the year, the industry has seen modest inflows into money market funds and that follows months of inflows with industry-wide assets at all time record highs.
With interest rates where they currently are today, investors can earn a compelling yield while reducing the overall risk and volatility in their portfolios.
DG: So there's a lot of uncertainty in the horizon. We know that the future of the tariff situation is uncertain. We also don't know how many cutting interest rates the fed is going to implement. We don't know many, many variables regarding the debt ceiling, etc. So in this environment, how would you position our money market funds?
DL: Our investment process is designed to focus on fundamentals and orient our portfolios consistently. Market-based expectations for fed rate cuts have sold widely this year, but we don't chase those swings., whereas other asset classes can experience significant changes daily. Instead, we position our portfolios for consistency. With regards to the debt ceiling, we're closely monitoring the developments in D.C. and to position our portfolios for a variety of outcomes.
The bottom line is our investment processes is designed to manage risk, which includes policy and economic uncertainty.
DG: Importantly, how have we performed.
DL: Our cash and liquidity strategies have fared well so far this year, delivering on our objective for clients of principal preservation, consistent yield, and liquidity.
DG: Thank you, then, for sharing your insights on running a well-diversified portfolio.
DL: Thank you very much for having me.
Main Point
A Focus on Principal Preservation and Consistent Return
In turbulent markets, institutional investors may depend on cash strategies to manage their risk and increase liquidity. With the goal of preserving principal and delivering consistent yields, managers of liquidity strategies must consider a range of economic and central bank outcomes.
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