Now in its seventh year, the Morningstar ETF Conference is coming to Chicago next Wednesday, September 7th through Friday, September 9th. The three-day event brings ETF strategists, thought leaders, and industry luminaries together for a wide range of general sessions, keynote presentations, and extra curricular events focused on the rapidly expanding exchange traded fund market.
Here at ETFdb.com, we will be bringing you live coverage from the conference events, as well as insights from some of the top industry experts in the ETF landscape.
We believe that this conference will not only provide insights related to the ETF industry as a whole but also delve into macroeconomic themes affecting the global financial markets.
Wednesday, September 7
The conference starts with Ben Johnson, Morningstar’s Director of Global ETF Research, who will delve into the fast-growing strategic-beta ETF space, as well as detail an ETF due diligence framework through a series of case studies. The evening concludes with a keynote speech by Liz Ann Sonders, Charles Schwab’s Chief Investment Strategist.
Thursday, September 8
Things really start to get interesting on Thursday with a myriad of events and presentations covering a broad range of investing topics throughout the day. The day starts with a presentation on the ETF industry’s biggest current trend in smart beta with “Factor Timing: Can Factor Investing Lead to Crowded Trades?,” where Jason Hsu of Rayliant Global Advisors will walk through evidence for and against factor and smart beta timing.
The morning continues with breakout sessions covering low-volatility strategies and fixed income ETFs. John Ameriks of Vanguard, Craig Lazzara of S&P Dow Jones Indices, and Raman Subramaniam of MSCI will delve into the relationship between risk and reward for low-volatility strategies and discuss if these low-risk strategies have become overvalued. Karen Schenone and Jerome Schneider from Blackrock and PIMCO, respectively, will give their opinions on whether fixed income ETFs are transforming or creating an illusion of liquidity.
General sessions such as “Beyond the 60/40 Portfolio” and “ETF Strategies Set Their Sights on Retirement” will discuss ETF managed portfolios and cover asset allocation as well as retirement strategies.
Other presentations to watch for during the day include “Examining the Many Dimensions of Quality, Can You Harness Momentum?” and “Multifactor ETFs Are Multiplying.”
Finally, Rich Bernstein of RBA Advisors, John West of Research Affiliates, and Mark Yusko of Morgan Creek Capital Management will end the day by offering their best current investment ideas in the ETF space.
Friday, September 9
Friday starts with “Alpha or Assets,” which will discuss factor-based strategies through an alpha-oriented approach. Unlike smart beta strategies, the alpha-oriented approach uses factors to first avoid large chunks of the market and then build more differentiated portfolios of stocks with only the best overall factor profiles.
Other notable events Friday include “Investing for Impact,” a panel that will focus on sustainable investing for mainstream investors, and “A Guide to Behavioral Science for Advisors,” a workshop that will help advisors understand investor psychology, get a holistic picture of a client’s financial situation, and respond to challenging situations.
The Bottom Line
The 2016 Morningstar ETF Conference is a fantastic opportunity for investors to understand where the global markets are heading, learn how the ETF landscape is evolving, and gather informed investing ideas for their strategic, tactical, and managed-portfolio decisions. From September 7th through the 9th, ETF Database will be bringing you live coverage of the most important presentations, panels, and insights.
