The Barings Investment Institute conducts proprietary research to help our teams make the most of the firm’s unique expertise in public and private markets around the world, while exploring the forces that shape long-term investment and capital decisions.

White Paper - 20 min read

Cluster Cities: A Chinese Experiment in the Future of Urbanisation

China’s success in growing city clusters of previously unimaginable size is dependent on three key factors: continued rural-to-urban migration, planning that spans disparate administrative areas, and massive infrastructure investment.

ECB Easing and Trade De-escalation Boost Markets

The three things you need to know this week: More signs are pointing to U.S.-China trade war de-escalation, ECB launches new stimulus and the PBOC cuts required reserve ratios.

Leading Thoughts - 4 min read

Pick a Number, Any Number

Among Three Central Rate Forecasts, The Middle Still Feels Right.

Monthly Macro Dashboard - 15 min read

August Macro Dashboard

The outlook for global growth remains worrisome as global leading indicators continued to wallow in contraction territory in July. As momentum fades, the forecast for global growth was revised lower with consensus forecasts now at 3.2% in 2019.

U.S. Consumer Holding Up; Global Manufacturing Still Weak

The three things you need to know this week: Fed Beige Book cites U.S. consumption holding up well, bad Chinese debts continue to rise and a U.K Parliamentary shakeup amid Brexit.

The Next-Most Dangerous Trade War

Why Investors Should Keep an Eye on Mounting Trade Friction Elsewhere.

Manufacturing Sector Contracts

The three things you need to know this week: U.S. budget deficit projections raised, the Italian Prime Minister resigns and leading indicators continue to show manufacturing.

Don't Panic—Just Yet

How to navigate the buoys and the rocks of today’s markets.

Inversion Obsession

The three things you need to know this week: Yield curve briefly inverts, some U.S. tariffs are delayed and ECB stimulus expectations rise amid fears of a sustained slowdown.

The Great Disappearing Trade Deal

The Great China Trade Deal evaporated before our eyes last week and investors should stop hoping it back into existence. In the increasingly tense relationship between Washington and Beijing, tariffs, retaliation and escalation are all just part of the furniture now.

Busy Week For Global Central Banks

The three things you need to know this week: Fed cuts rates, U.S. slaps additional tariffs on Chinese goods and a budget deal is passed in the Senate.

Monthly Macro Dashboard - 14 min read

July Macro Dashboard

Global leading indicators dipped further into contraction territory in June, suggesting global growth will continue to slow. Despite weaker momentum, the global economy is expected to grow with consensus forecasts predicting a 3.3% growth rate in 2019.

What We Know, What We Don’t Know, What We Think

It’s not even clear that central banks themselves understand what’s going on. Lower unemployment doesn’t seem to nudge inflation higher, as it once did. Commodity prices may, but not reliably.

Global Growth Waning

The three things you need to know this week: IMF lowers its growth forecasts and cites risks are skewed to the downside, China announces financial market liberalization and 37% of the S&P 500 has reported earnings.

Why 2 Degrees Celsius May Beat 2 Percent CPI

Investors should watch closely as some financial regulators begin to take a more expansive view of their mandates and pay more attention to the planet's rising temperature.

Leading Thoughts

A Man, A Plan, A Canal – A Trade War

Trade flows, like water, ultimately find their path.

Still Generally Positive in the U.S. But Your Mileage May Vary

The three things you need to know this week: Fed's Beige Book is out, the ECB ponders moving its inflation goalposts and S&P 500 earnings start trickling in