Conning ConnText Podcast: Resilient Markets Face Greater Volatility Amid Uncertain Fiscal and Monetary Policy as Well as Approaching U.S. Elections

July 30, 2024


Commercial Real Estate: Office Sector a Challenge, But Other Opportunities Exist 

 

HARTFORD, CT – July 29, 2024 —Leading global investment management firm Conning has posted its latest Conning ConnText quarterly podcast, which warns of increasing market volatility as 2024 progresses but also highlights opportunities in commercial real estate beyond the office sector. 

Rich Sega, Conning’s Global Chief Investment Strategist and host of the podcast, said that “risk markets have performed well despite the very high perceived level of geopolitical strife.” However, with uncertain fiscal and monetary policy, and this fall’s U.S. elections (and the change in one major party’s presumptive presidential nominee), “much turmoil and volatility is in the cards.” Sega said. “Markets will no doubt be buffeted by these events.” 

The office sector of the commercial real estate market has already been buffeted by market conditions, especially in many premier cities. It may simply be a case that “we just need a lot less of it,” especially in those cities, said Sega’s guest Stephen Quazzo, CEO of Conning affiliate Pearlmark Real Estate L.L.C.  

However, suburbs offer opportunities as do apartments and industrial, he said. “We have become a nation of renters,” Quazzo noted, and thinks demand for rental properties will continue. He sees investment opportunities for insurers in both debt and equity. And should inflation remain higher for longer, “the underlying value of the real estate will increase,” Quazzo said. “We think owning hard assets in an inflationary environment is a great investment.” 

To access the podcast and subscribe to the Conning ConnText podcast, click here.

 

ABOUT CONNING

Conning is a leading investment management firm with over $117 billion in global assets under management as of June 30, 2024.* With a long history of serving the insurance industry, Conning supports institutional investors, including insurers and pension plans, with investment solutions, risk modeling software, and industry research. Founded in 1912, Conning has investment centers in Asia, Europe and North America. Conning is part of the Generali Investments platform, which has approximately $740 billion in assets under management.**  

 

* As of June 30, 2024, includes Conning, Inc., Conning Asset Management Limited, Conning Asia Pacific Limited, Conning Investment Products, Inc., Goodwin Capital Advisers, Inc. and assets sub-advised by Conning subsidiary, Octagon Credit Investors, LLC (collectively, “Conning”)

 
 **Generali Investments Holding S.p.A., data as at end of Q4 2023 gross of double counting, with addition of April 2024 acquired assets. Generali Investments is part of the Generali Group, which was established in 1831 in Trieste as Assicurazioni Austro-Italiche. Generali Asset Management S.p.A. Società di gestione del risparmio, Generali Real Estate S.p.A. Società di gestione del risparmio, Infranity SAS, Sosteneo S.p.A. Società di gestione del risparmio, Sycomore Asset Management, Aperture Investors LLC (including Aperture Investors UK Ltd), Lumyna Investments Limited, Plenisfer Investments S.p.A. Società di gestione del risparmio, Conning, Inc., Conning Asset Management Limited, Conning Asia Pacific Limited, Conning Investment Products, Inc., Goodwin Capital Advisers, Inc. (collectively, “Conning”) and its subsidiaries (Global Evolution Asset Management A/S - including Global Evolution USA, LLC and Global Evolution Fund Management Singapore Pte. Ltd- Octagon Credit Investors, LLC, Pearlmark Real Estate, LLC and PREP Investment Advisers LLC) are part of Generali Investments, as well as Generali Investments CEE. Please note that the countries refers to the countries where the different funds of the asset management companies that are part of Generali Investments are registered for distribution. Please note that not all funds are registered in all the countries and not all the asset management companies are licensed to operate in such countries. Generali Investments Holding S.p.A. is the holding company holding, directly or indirectly, majority shareholding in the asset management companies listed above.

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Media Contacts

Myra Lee
Conning
+1 860-299-2278 (direct)
myra.lee@Conning.com