Financial Services

Leveraging Opportunity in Change: Navigating the Trends Shaping Private Markets in 2021 and Beyond

March 03, 2021

Global

Trends Shaping Private Markets in 2021

March 03, 2021

Global
Monica Ballesteros

Senior manager, Policy and Insights

Monica Ballesteros is a senior manager in the Policy & Insights team at Economist Impact. Monica works with clients in the private and nonprofit sectors on research programs to help answer some of the critical economic and public policy questions facing our world. At Economist Impact she has led several bespoke engagements to promote economic, digital and financial inclusion. 
Monica has over 10 years of experience as a communications and research professional. Prior to her time at The Economist Group, Monica worked in the International Affairs Unit of Mexico’s Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, where she was part of the G20 task force. She also worked as an account manager in one of Mexico’s most prominent consulting firms, where she designed and implemented communication strategies for multinational corporations. She holds a master’s degree in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Wellesley College.

2020 brought profound change that will continue to influence financial markets for years to come. The covid-19 pandemic hampered economies and exacerbated market volatility, leaving investors to process the short- and longer-term impacts. Geopolitical tensions and growth in anti-globalist policies are also creating structural changes which investors must factor into their investment strategies. Despite increasing risks, however, investors are confident that private-market assets will continue to offer opportunities for long-term growth.

This report explores the long-term trends shaping private-market investors decisions and the strategies managers are deploying to continue generating returns despite growing global risks. The research is based on in-depth qualitative interviews and desk research, and a survey covering 110 limited partners (LPs)—specifically, investors that commit capital to private markets, including pension funds, institutional accounts, and investment and portfolio managers—in Asia, Europe and North America. The key findings from the survey include: 

  • Eighty percent of respondents agree that private markets are less susceptible to short-term volatility than public markets.

  • Eighty-five percent of respondents expect private markets to continue to outperform public markets in the long term.

  • Respondents expect Asia-Pacific to offer the best private-market investment opportunities in 2021, followed by North America.

  • Respondents expect the financial services, technology and healthcare sectors to offer the best private-market investment opportunities in 2021.

  • Respondents plan to invest in companies with multiple growth strategies, and in funds with experienced general partners for risk mitigation.

  • Respondents anticipate that the following risk scenarios will have the greatest impact on their private-market investment strategies in 2021: the continued spread of covid-19 and vaccine distribution issues; and growth in anti-globalist policies, such as trade barriers and tariffs.

 

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