Market Insight

We all know that 2020 was an incredible, and terrible, year. The pandemic caused the worst recession for centuries, along with an appalling death toll and suffering. Meanwhile financial assets pushed ever upwards, surfing a wave of liquidity meant to counteract the impact of the pandemic.

The chart below shows that it was also a record year for share issuance, surpassing even the heady days of 1999-2000.

The 2020 election did not result in the massive blue wave that many predicted, but there are definitely still blue ripples reaching shore—especially now that Democrats won both Senate seats in the Georgia runoff elections.

With the Democrats controlling the White House and now both houses of Congress, there are certainly changes in tax policy and other areas that ultra-wealthy families should expect and watch closely.

Covid-19 has created challenges for short-term investment performance and fundraising, but the longer-term prospects are strong and the capital shift to real assets will continue. In 2021, more than ever, real assets are likely to be a source of attractive risk adjusted returns.

The acquisition of the $2.8 billion London-based family office Sandaire by Schroders did not come as a shock to some family office principals who say they anticipate further consolidation as financial institutions seek inroads into the $5.9 trillion family office space and family office principals near retirement age.

However, those principals acknowledged that the very wealthiest of families would always want their own financial services managed directly and discreetly inhouse, regardless of mounting business costs and uncertain investment returns.