It’s been a volatile start to the year in the stock market, the bond market and in the economy overall. You might wonder, what goes on at Thrivent in times of
Asset management starts with people, so our leaders spend even more time than usual talking with one another when things get a little crazy. For example, with inflation concerns elevated, I sat down with Jen Wilson, who leads Thrivent’s private equity group that manages investments in private companies for our insurance general account. Jen and her team had prepared a detailed analysis of the companies in which we’ve invested and potential impacts from inflation, and we feel we’re well positioned overall.
One person I spend a lot of time with, and even more so when markets get choppy, is Steve Lowe, our Chief Investment Strategist. Steve is contributing this issue’s “On My Mind” column. Steve has decades of experience managing fixed income investments, most recently as head of our fixed income mutual funds team. Managers like Steve can be best positioned to spot and respond to global and macroeconomic events, since bond managers always have their eyes on the economy, inflation and interest rates. Steve leads our team that manages global asset allocation across all our mixed asset mutual funds, such as our Asset Allocation Funds and Income Plus Funds. I can promise Steve is working extra hard to manage your money during critical times such as we’re seeing in 2022!
So how does the investment team feel during periods of severe volatility? I can’t speak for everyone individually, but when markets are especially stressed, I feel a sense of calm and even enthusiasm from the team. When markets have had strong returns for years on end, it can be harder to find investments that we feel represent good value. When the market is declining rapidly, it tends not to discriminate among companies and good companies can sell off beyond what we believe is justified by fundamentals.
Volatile markets can represent opportunities. Steve’s column discusses the benefits of active management, especially in times of stress. Thrivent is financially strong and stable. We invest for the long term. Our team of experienced professionals has invested through turbulent markets before. We welcome the challenge and appreciate your confidence in us.
Written by David Royal, chief investment officer at Thrivent.
