State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs Chart Pack April 2018 Edition For Public Use Please see Appendix C for more information on investment terms used in this Chart Pack.
Chart Pack Table of Contents I. Market Environment II. Global Flows & Fundamentals, US Factors III. Sectors IV. Fixed Income Performance Asset Class Flows Flows & Returns Yield Curve Investor Confidence Global Valuations Valuations Bond Market Equity Drawdowns Economic Growth Sector Growth Rates Trend Volatility Global Earnings Earnings Sentiment Treasury Markets Active Environment US Factor Trends Credit Trends Barometer EM Debt State Street Current Positioning 2
Market Environment 3
Asset Class Performance US large caps had their worst quarterly performance since Q3 2015, while small caps held strong despite increasing volatility Major Asset Class Performance (%) 24.9 Senior loans continue to outperform high yield bonds, as the sector benefited from a higher interest rate environment 14.0 11.8 14.8 1.3 1.4 3.8 3.9 1.4 5.1 0.2 1.2 0.4 6.1 1.7 2.5-0.7-2.5-0.8-0.1-1.8-1.5-1.9-0.6 0.3-0.9 0.6 0.9-1.0-1.5-1.2 0.5-0.8-0.8-2.3-10.3 US LARGE CAP US SMALL CAP DEVELOPED EMERGING HIGH YIELD SENIOR LOAN EM HARD CURRENCY DEBT S&P 500 Index Russell 2000 Index MSCI EAFE Index MSCI Emerging Markets Index Bloomberg Barclays US Corporate High Yield Index S&P/LSTA Leveraged Loan 100 Index Bloomberg Barclays EM Hard Currency Index AGG TREASURIES GOLD BROAD COMMODITIES Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Index Bloomberg Barclays US Treasury Index Gold Spot Bloomberg Commodity Index US DOLLAR DXY Dollar Index Trailing 12 Month YTD Prior Month Source: Bloomberg Finance, L.P. As of March 31, 2018. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Index returns are unmanaged and do not reflect the deduction of any fees or expenses. Index returns reflect all items of income, gain and loss and the reinvestment of dividends and other income. Performance returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized. 4
State Street Investor Confidence Investors re-embraced risk in March, but a potential trade war may negatively impact confidence going forward State Street Investor Confidence Index 140 130 120 110 100 90 80 70 Apr 02 Jan 03 Oct 03 Jul 04 Apr 05 Jan 06 Oct 06 Jul 07 Apr 08 Jan 09 Oct 09 Jul 10 Apr 11 Jan 12 Oct 12 Jul 13 Apr 14 Jan 15 Oct 15 Jul 16 Apr 17 Jan 18 State Street Investor Confidence Index 1 Year Moving Average The 1-Year average continues to improve Source: Bloomberg Finance, L.P. As of March 31, 2018. State Street Confidence Indexes Measures investor confidence or risk appetite quantitatively by analyzing the actual buying and selling patterns of institutional investors. The index assigns a precise meaning to changes in investor risk appetite: the greater the percentage allocation to equities, the higher risk appetite or confidence. A reading of 100 is neutral; it is the level at which investors are neither increasing nor decreasing their long-term allocations to risky assets. The results shown represent current results generated by State Street Investor Confidence Index. The results shown were achieved by means of a mathematical formula in addition to transactional market data, and are not indicative of actual future results which could differ substantially. 5
Drawdown (%) Equity Drawdowns Monetary tightening, decelerating earnings revisions and a potential trade war may lead to a bumpy recovery from the recent correction Drawdown of the S&P 500 Index 0% -2% -4% -6% -8% -10% -12% -14% -16% -18% -20% Mar-09 Dec-09 Sep-10 Jun-11 Mar-12 Dec-12 Sep-13 Jun-14 Mar-15 Dec-15 Sep-16 Jun-17 Mar-18 Correction: Days Until Fully Recovered Drawdown Correction The average market correction since 2009 has lasted 137 days before fully recovering, following this trend the S&P 500 won't be back at pre-correction levels until August 17, 2018. Source: Bloomberg Finance, L.P. As of March 31, 2018. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Index returns are unmanaged and do not reflect the deduction of any fees or expenses. 6
Implied Volatility Index Level (Base = 100) Cross-Asset Volatility Implied volatility came down across a majority of asset classes in March, while equity volatility remains above their historical averages Cross-Asset Implied Volatility (Monthly, Since January 2016) 150 Volatility in equities did not cause jitters rates and currency markets 130 110 118 124 128 115 109 122 90 70 96 87 81 76 93 93 86 68 77 92 67 95 90 78 101 84 50 56 55 45 49 57 59 51 34 30 Currency Rates Oil S&P 500 Index Emerging Markets Equity U.S. High Yield Corproate Bonds Mar-18 Feb-18 Max Min Average Source: Bloomberg Finance, L.P. As of March 29, 2018. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Index returns are unmanaged and do not reflect the deduction of any fees or expenses. Standard deviation is a historical measure of the volatility of returns. If a portfolio has a high standard deviation, its returns have been volatile; a low standard deviation indicates returns have been less volatile. Currency implied volatility is measured by the J.P. Morgan Global FX Volatility Index. Rates implied volatility is measured by the MOVE Index. Oil implied volatility is derived from oil future contracts. Emerging markets implied volatility is measured by the CBOE Emerging Markets ETF Volatility Index. High Yield bond implied volatility is measured by the CBOE High Yield Corporate Bond ETF Volatility Index. 7
MOVE Index VIX Index Level MOVE Index Level Volatility The divergence between stock and bond implied volatility may indicate either the stock market overreacted or bonds may witness more volatility ahead Stock and Bond Market Implied Volatility 75 65 Stock implied volatility jumped on interest-rate jitters and inflation fears, while bond implied volatility remained tempered 290 240 55 45 35 25 15 190 140 90 5 40 Jan-98 Apr-00 Jul-02 Oct-04 Jan-07 Apr-09 Jul-11 Oct-13 Jan-16 Apr-18 VIX Index MOVE Index 290 240 190 140 90 40 5 15 25 35 45 55 65 75 85 VIX Index Current Level Historical Level Source: Bloomberg Finance L.P., as of 3/31/2018. US Treasury futures positions are added up to the total US Treasury futures positions. 8
Active Environment Barometer The market environment for large cap managers has deteriorated as large-cap dispersion narrows and correlations increase S&P 500 Index and Russell 2000 Index Correlation and Dispersion Cross-Sectional Dispersion (%) Average Stock Correlation 16.0 Large-cap dispersion is approaching its historical lows in Q1 0.48 13.1 12.2 11.9 0.36 0.33 0.38 9.9 7.2 6.7 6.2 5.8 10.4 0.17 Wide dispersion and low levels of correlation are constructive for active managers to generate alpha 0.25 0.23 0.20 0.19 0.18 S&P 500 Index Dispersion Russell 2000 Index Dispersion S&P 500 Index Correlation Russell 2000 Index Correlation Current 1/1/2017 15-yr median 10th Percentile 90th Percentile Current 1/1/2017 15-yr median 10th Percentile 90th Percentile Source: FactSet, as of 3/31/2018. The Cross-Sectional Dispersion is calculated as the standard deviation of daily returns of index constituents for one month. Average stock correlation is calculated as the average correlation of each pair of constituents in the index over one month. Characteristics are as of the date indicated and should not be relied upon as current thereafter. 9
State Street Current Positioning State Street favored EM over Developed ex- US equities, as the former exhibit better earnings growth and stronger economic sentiment SPDR SSGA Global Allocation ETF [GAL] Current and Strategic Exposures (%) 35 33 30 28 March Tactical Rebalance Trades: Sold Developed ex-us Equities Bought Emerging Market Equities 26 25 22-2 -1 US Equity Developed ex-us Equity 12 10 Emerging Markets Equity Global Real Estate 9 9 5 7 6 6 4 4 4 4 3 3 2 1 5 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 High Yield Investment Grade Bonds Inflation Linked Bonds Commodities Cash Sector Rotation Trades: February Technology Industrial Financials March Technology Industrial Financials Positions are 2% Each for 6% of US Equity Allocation Sectors are Included Based on Their Relative Valuation, Momentum and Earnings Sentiment Feburary March Change Investment Solutions Group Strategic Weights Source: State Street Global Advisors. As of March 31, 2018. Exposures are as of the date indicated, are subject to change, and should not be relied upon as current thereafter. This information should not be considered a recommendation to invest in a particular sector. It is not known whether the sectors shown will be profitable in the future. The information above is rounded to the nearest whole number. 10
Global Flows & Fundamentals, US Factors 11
Flows ($M) % AUM Growth from Flows Flows ($M) % AUM Growth from Flows Flows ($B) Flow Trends US-listed ETF s posted consecutive monthly outflows for the first time since 2008, but flows are still the second best Q1 on record Flows by Asset Class 65 27 45 10 7 14 15 6 11 14 25 11 12 11 11 13 21 9 10 26 26 40 22 9 10 11 10 8 13 26 2 5 5 10 4 10-12 -2-15 -22 Apr-17 May-17 Jun-17 Jul-17 Aug-17 Sep-17 Oct-17 Nov-17 Dec-17 Jan-18 Feb-18 Mar-18 US Equity Non-US Equity Fixed Income Equity by Regions 10,000 0-10,000-20,000 March 7,021 Intl. Developed 1,630 1,568 Global Emerging Markets -1,533-1,790 Currency Hedged Intl. Single Country Month to Date (% of Start of Month AUM) -3,326 Intl. Region -11,653 Source: State Street Global Advisors, Bloomberg Finance, L.P. As of March 31, 2018. Sectors, asset classes and flows are as of the date indicated, are subject to change, and should not be relied upon as current thereafter. U.S. 3.0% 2.0% 1.0% 0.0% -1.0% -2.0% -3.0% -4.0% -5.0% -6.0% Net inflows into non-us equity and fixed income exposures were outpaced by outflows from US equities Fixed Income Top and Bottom 3 Sectors by Flows 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0-500 -1,000 March 3,156 1,107 596 Govt Agg MBS IG Corporate -7 9-238 Inflation Linked Top 3 Bottom 3 Month to Date (% of Start of Month AUM) -399 High Yield Corp. 5.0% 4.0% 3.0% 2.0% 1.0% 0.0% -1.0% -2.0% Investors allocated to rate sensitive sectors to temper the balance of equity risks 12
Price to Book Global Valuations Valuations outside the US remain near or below their 15-year averages and look attractive relative to US large caps Price to Book Ratios (P/B) 3.8 3.3 3.23 3.45 3.27 US large cap price-to-book valuations came down from its historical highs in January 2.8 2.96 2.59 2.59 2.3 2.35 2.07 2.36 2.42 2.14 2.20 1.8 1.3 1.64 1.73 1.65 1.77 1.70 1.76 1.73 1.41 1.33 1.40 1.59 1.52 1.58 0.8 1.16 1.05 1.16 0.90 0.96 0.3 S&P 500 Index Russell 2000 Index MSCI EAFE Index MSCI Emerging Markets Index MSCI Japan Index Euro Stoxx 50 Index Current 15 Year Avg. 15 Year High 15 Year Low As of Dec-31-2017 Source: Bloomberg Finance, L.P., State Street Global Advisors. As of March 31, 2018. Characteristics are as of the date indicated and should not be relied upon as current thereafter. 13
% of Economies with Positive Growth GDP Growth (YoY %) Global Economy Both Emerging and Developed economies are expected to maintain momentum and show stable GDP growth in 2018 and 2019 Global Economic Growth 6.6 5.2 5.2 4.6 4.4 4.4 5.0 4.9 5.0 1.9 1.4 1.4 2.1 2.5 1.7 2.3 2.5 2.1 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Est 2019 Est. Developed Economies (YoY%) Emerging Economies (YoY%) 93% 88% 70% 87% 76% 96% 97% 94% 97% 100% 100% 100% 91% 94% 99% 98% 89% 93% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Est 2019 Est. % of Developed Economies Positive GDP Growth % of Emerging Economies Positive GDP Growth Source: Bloomberg Finance, L.P., State Street Global Advisors. As of March 31, 2018.. GDP growth projections are based on Bloomberg Contributor Composite estimates. Almost all economies are projected to see positive GDP growth in 2018 14
EAFE and U.S. EPS Est. ($) Emerging Markets EPS Est. ($) Global Earnings After some upside revisions at the beginning of Q1, global earnings estimates were flat in March, but P/E valuations came down amid the sell-off 2018 EPS Estimates Forward P/E Multiple Changes 180 170 Earnings revisions leveled off across the globe 100 95 MSCI EAFE Index -7.6% -3.5% -4.7% 0.5% 160 90 Russell 2000 Index -5.9% -2.9% -7.6% 1.1% 150 140 85 S&P 500 Index -3.4% -6.3% -0.6% -10.0% 130 80 MSCI Emerging Markets Index -3.9% -4.8% -4.6% 4.2% 120 75 March February January YTD MSCI EAFE Index S&P 500 Index Russell 2000 Index MSCI Emerging Markets Index Source: FactSet. As of March 31, 2018. The sell-off and positive earnings revisions made P/E valuations of US equities more attractive 15
Normalized Index Level US Factor Trends Momentum was under pressure amid the Tech sell-off, while min. vol. rebounded as investors looked to reduce risk MSCI USA Factor Index Price Returns versus MSCI USA Index (3 Years) 125 120 Despite its underperformance in March, momentum kept its leadership position over longer periods Period Excess Price Returns versus MSCI USA Index Value -0.9% 0.1% 0.3% 115 Size -1.4% 1.8% 0.2% 110 105 Momentum -1.1% 3.5% 15.8% 100 Quality 0.5% 1.9% 4.8% 95 Yield -1.8% -4.4% 0.8% 90 85 Apr-15 Aug-15 Dec-15 Apr-16 Aug-16 Dec-16 Apr-17 Aug-17 Dec-17 Min. Vol -0.5% -3.1% 2.1% Min. Vol Quality Size Yield Momentum Value March YTD Trailing 12 Months Source: Bloomberg Finance, L.P. As of March 31, 2018. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. MSCI USA Minimum Volatility Index, MSCI USA Enhanced Value Index, MSCI USA Quality Index, MSCI USA Equal Weighted Index, MSCI USA High Dividend Yield Index, and MSCI USA Momentum Index were used above compared to the MSCI USA Index. Index returns are unmanaged and do not reflect the deduction of any fees or expenses. 16
Sectors 17
Sector Flow and Returns Heat Map Financials took in the most flows amid rising rates and regulatory relief, while Tech was favored despite the recent sell-off Positioning Returns Prior Month Flow ($M) Trailing 12M Flow ($M) Current Short Interest (%) 1M Prior Short Interest (%) Prior Month Return (%) 3-Month Return (%) Momentum Factor Rank 1 Consumer Discretionary (93) (734) 12.6% 11.8% -2.3 3.1 2 Consumer Staples 1,575 67 15.0% 15.9% -0.9-7.1 10 Energy (741) 1,139 11.4% 9.7% 1.7-5.9 9 Financial 1,790 11,201 5.1% 4.9% -4.3-1.0 3 Health Care 400 (884) 11.7% 10.9% -3.1-1.2 5 Industrials (77) 4,272 10.1% 9.6% -2.7-1.6 4 Materials 881 552 7.4% 8.3% -4.2-5.5 6 Real Estate (489) (319) 6.4% 5.6% 3.8-5.0 8 Technology 1,596 16,846 5.3% 6.1% -3.9 3.5 1 Telecommunications (75) (312) 3.8% 3.5% -1.0-7.5 11 Utilities 183 (1,046) 31.6% 29.1% 3.8-3.3 7 Most Flows in Period Highest Momentum Sector Least Flows in Period Lowest Momentum Sector Utilities and Real Estate outperformed as the volatility in equity markets spiked Source: State Street Global Advisors, Bloomberg Finance, L.P., as of March 31, 2018. 1 Momentum rank is based on a composite momentum z-score. Smaller number indicates higher momentum. The composite z-score is calculated as the average z-score of the 3, 6, and 12 month relative sector performance versus the S&P 500 minus the most recent months performance. Z-score indicates how many standard deviations an element is from the mean. A z-score can be calculated from the following formula. z = (X - μ) / σ where z is the z-score, X is the sector relative performance. μ is the mean of the eleven sector relative performance, and σ is the standard deviation of sectors relative performance. Asset classes and flows are as of the date indicated, are subject to change, and should not be relied upon as current thereafter. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Index returns are unmanaged and do not reflect the deduction of any fees or expenses. Performance returns for periods of less than one year are not annualized. Sector Returns are based on the following sector indices: Financials = S&P 500 Financials Sector Index, Industrials = S&P 500 Industrials Sector index, Energy = S&P 500 Energy Sector index, Materials = S&P 500 Materials Sector Index, Consumer Discretionary = S&P 500 Consumer Discretionary Sector Index, Heath Care = S&P 500 Health Care Sector Index, Technology = S&P 500 Information Technology Sector Index, Real Estate = S&P 500 Real Estate Sector Index, Consumer Staples = S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector Index, Utilities = S&P 500 Utilities Sector Index, Telecom = S&P 500 Telecommunication Sector Index. Sector Flows include global and U.S. focused sector ETFs. 18
US Sector Valuations A majority of sectors are trading below or near their historical valuations relative to the broad market based on price-to-book GICS Sector P/B 3.5 3.2 2.6 1.6 5.8 5.7 6.1 5.4 5.8 4.9 4.4 3.9 3.3 2.8 2.5 1.8 5.0 5.4 4.7 4.0 4.0 3.2 2.8 3.4 2.7 2.2 1.6 1.5 3.6 3.1 2.3 2.5 2.2 2.1 1.9 1.9 1.4 1.8 1.5 1.2 2.4 1.5 1.5 0.6 S&P 500 Index Consumer Staples Consumer Discretionary Information Technology Current 15 Year Avg. 15 Year High 15 Year Low Industrials Materials Health Care Telecom Energy Utilities Financials GICS Sector P/B Relative to the S&P 500 2.5 Materials are trading near their 15 yr. average P/B and at their 15 yr. lows relative to the broad market 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 2.0 1.7 1.5 1.4 Consumer Staples 1.8 1.7 1.3 0.8 Consumer Discretionary 1.8 1.8 1.5 1.2 Information Technology 2.0 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.1 1.2 1.0 0.9 0.8 1.1 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.4 Industrials Materials Health Care Telecom Energy Utilities Financials Current 15 Year Avg. 15 Year High 15 Year Low Source: Bloomberg Finance LP, as of March 31, 2018. Characteristics are as of the date given and should not be relied upon as current thereafter. 19
Q1 2018 EPS Growth Est. Q1 2018 Sales Growth Est. Sector Growth A weakening dollar and solid global growth may support earnings and sales growth of sectors with higher foreign sales exposure Q1 2018 EPS Growth Estimate Q1 2018 Sales Growth Estimate 90 25 80 70 Energy 20 Materials 60 50 15 Tech 40 Materials 10 Energy 30 20 10 0 Telecom Utilities Real Estate Financials Cons. Disc. S&P 500 Health Care Industrials Cons. Staples Tech 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 % of Foreign Sales 5 0 Real Estate Health Care S&P 500 Cons. Disc. Telecom Cons. Staples Utilities Financials Industrials 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 % of Foreign Sales Sectors with higher foreign sales exposure are expected to generate higher EPS growth for Q1 Sectors with higher foreign sales exposure are expected to generate higher sales growth for Q1 Source: Bloomberg Finance, L.P., State Street Global Advisors. As of March 31, 2018. Based on Consensus Analyst Estimates compiled by FactSet. Characteristics are as of the date indicated and should not be relied upon as current thereafter. There is no guarantee that the estimates will be achieved. 20
% Earnings Sentiment Wide spread positive earnings surprises may be harder to achieve with a higher bar being set, limiting performance potential S&P 500: Change in Quarterly Bottom-Up EPS S&P 500 EPS Surprise Price Change (+/- 2 Days) : 5-Year Average 6 1.20% 4 2 0-2 -4-6 -8-10 Q1 2013 Q3 2013 Q1 2014 Q3 2014 Q1 2015 Q3 2015 Q1 2016 Q3 2016 Q1 2017 Q3 2017 Q1 2018 Positive -2.40% Negative Historical 4-Quarter Average % of Companies with Earnings Beats 87 80 76 75 74 72 72 68 66 64 63 35 Tech Health Care Industrials Financials S&P 500 Materials Cons. Disc. Utilities Energy Cons. Staples Real Estate Telecom While earnings misses get punished, there are sectors with consistent EPS beats Source: Bloomberg Finance, L.P., State Street Global Advisors. As of March 31, 2018. Based on Consensus Analyst Estimates compiled by FactSet. Characteristics are as of the date indicated and should not be relied upon as current thereafter. There is no guarantee that the estimates will be achieved. 21
Fixed Income 22
Change in Bps Yield (%) Yield Curve The yield curve has flattened as expectations for growth and inflation were tempered, with the 10-year Treasury yield retreating from its highs in February US Treasury Curve 1M 3M 6M 1Y 2Y 3Y 5Y 7Y 10Y 30Y 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 1.6 1.7 1.5 1.7 0.7 0.8 1.9 1.9 0.9 2.1 2.1 1.0 2.3 2.3 1.3 2.4 2.4 1.5 2.6 2.6 1.9 2.7 2.8 2.2 2.9 2.7 2.4 3.1 3.0 3.0 0.0 US Treasury Active Curve 3/31/2017 US Treasury Active Curve 2/28/2018 US Treasury Active Curve 3/31/2018 120 102 107 101 95 100 89 89 80 60 40 38 32 38 35 38 41 20 12 5 7 3 2 0-20 -40 1 Year YTD March Source: Bloomberg Finance, L.P. As of March 31, 2018. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. -2 64 47 36 35 35 33-8 -4-11 -12-15 The long end of the yield curve moved lower in March as inflation fears eased and US economic data came in soft 23 23
Yield to Worst (%) or Duration (Years) Credit Spread (%) Bond Market As yields remain suppressed amid elevated duration risk, investors have to consider other bond asset classes when building portfolios Bond Market Segment Yield, Duration and Spreads 9.0 The majority of fixed income assets are generating a yield less than the historical average of the Agg, except for sectors with high credit risks 4.0 8.0 7.0 6.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 7.8 7.2 2.5 6.2 2.8 6.5 1.0 3.1 6.3 3.5 4.5 0.9 3.3 5.9 3.7 1.0 7.3 5.0 6.0 2.4 5.4 3.1 6.2 3.5 4.3 4.1 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 2.0 1.0 1.2 0.1 1.8 0.4 0.0 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.5 0.0 0.0 Bloomberg Barclays Global Agg Government Index Bloomberg Barclays Global- Aggregate Index Bloomberg Barclays US Treasury Index Bloomberg Barclays Global Agg Credit Index Bloomberg Barclays US Agg Index Bloomberg Barclays Intermediate Corporate Index Bloomberg Barclays US MBS Index Index Bloomberg Barclays US Credit Index Bloomberg S&P/LSTA Barclays EM USD Leveraged Loan Aggregate Index 100 Index Bloomberg Barclays US Corporate High Yield Index -0.5 Yield* Duration Credit Spread Over Treasuries Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond Index (the Agg) 20-Year Average Yield Source: Bloomberg Finance, L.P. As of March 31, 2018. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Index returns are unmanaged and do not reflect the deduction of any fees or expenses. *Yield to maturity is used for the S&P/LSTA Leveraged Loan 100 Index. Yield to worst is used for other indices. 24
10-Year Treasury Yield (%) Copper-to-Gold Ratio Rates Trend After decoupling, the copper-to-gold ratio and 10-year yields are moving in the same direction. However, a gap still exists even as rates started falling Copper-to-Gold Ratio and 10-Year Treasury Yields 3.3 0.3 3.1 2.9 2.7 The copper-to-gold ratio indicates the potential of economic growth 0.28 0.26 2.5 0.24 2.3 0.22 2.1 1.9 1.7 1.5 0.2 0.18 0.16 1.3 Jan-13 Jul-13 Jan-14 Jul-14 Jan-15 Jul-15 Jan-16 Jul-16 Jan-17 Jul-17 Jan-18 0.14 10-Year Treasury Copper-to-Gold Ratio Source: Bloomberg Finance L.P. As of 03/31/2018. 25
Net Cumulative Bill Issuance ($B) LIBOR - OIS (Basis Points) Treasury Markets The LIBOR-OIS spread widening is technically driven, fueled by the surging supply of Treasury bills since Congress suspended the debt ceiling Treasury Bill Issuance Drove the Widening of LIBOR-OIS (Overnight Index Swap rate) Spreads 350 70 300 250 200 150 LIBOR is now over 2%, and market technicals Treasury supply and the Fed have pushed the spread higher versus other short term rates 60 50 40 100 30 50 0-50 20 10-100 Mar-17 May-17 Jul-17 Sep-17 Nov-17 Jan-18 Mar-18 0 Net Cumulative Bill Issuance (Rolling 3M) 3-month LIBOR - OIS Spread Source: US Treasury, Bloomberg, Barclays Research, as of March 22, 2018. 26
YTW (%) Fund Flows ($B) % of Short Interest Credit Trends Given the current yield levels for the broad high yield market, the recent bearish sentiment may be overextended % of Short Interest on High Yield ETFs 20% 18% 16% 14% 12% 10% 8% 6% 4% 2% 0% Apr-12 Nov-12 Jun-13 Jan-14 Aug-14 Mar-15 Oct-15 May-16 Dec-16 Jul-17 Feb-18 High Yield ETF Cumulative Fund Flows Investors have never been so bearish on High Yield 6.6 6.4 6.2 6.0 5.8 5.6 5.4 5.2 5.0 4.8 11/1/17 11/15/17 11/29/17 12/13/17 12/27/17 1/10/18 1/24/18 2/7/18 2/21/18 3/7/18 3/21/18 1 0-1 -2-3 -4-5 -6-7 -8 High Yield ETF Fund Flow (Cumulative) Bloomberg Barclays US Corporate High Yield Yield to Worst Source: Bloomberg Finance, L.P. As of March 31, 2018. 27
OAS (%) Credit Trends Spreads of EM hard currency debt and US corporate bonds continue to widen, increasing their relative attractiveness for income generation Credit Spreads Credit Spread Changes in Basis Point 20 Spreads have widened but remain tight versus long-term averages 18 16 14 Bloomberg Barclays US Corporate High Yield Index -29 11 18 12 10 8 Bloomberg Barclays US Corporate Bond Index -9 13 16 6 4 19 2 Bloomberg Barclays EM USD Aggregate Index 14 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017-27 Bloomberg Barclays US Corporate Bond Index Bloomberg Barclays EM USD Aggregate Index Bloomberg Barclays US Corporate High Yield Index March YTD 1 Year Source: Bloomberg Finance, L.P. As of March 31, 2018. 28
Bloomberg Barclays EM Local Currency Government Index Return Bloomberg Barclays EM Local Currency Government Index Standard Deviation Bloomberg Barclays EM Local Currency Govt. Diversified Index MSCi EM Currency Index EM Debt Emerging Market (EM) currencies have driven returns and risks of EM local debt as of late, while the elevated coupon is the main contributor to long-term returns 142 140 138 136 134 132 130 128 126 124 122 3/13/2017 4/13/2017 5/13/2017 6/13/2017 7/13/2017 8/13/2017 9/13/2017 10/13/2017 11/13/2017 12/13/2017 1/13/2018 2/13/2018 3/13/2018 1750 1730 1710 1690 1670 1650 1630 1610 1590 1570 1550 Bloomberg Barclays EM Local Currency Govt Diversified Index MSCI EM Currency Index Monthly Returns (%, Aug 2010 Mar 2018) 16% 1-Year Standard Deviation (%, Aug 2010 Mar 2018) 8% 6% 14% 4% 12% R square = 84% 2% 0% R square = 87% 10% -2% 8% -4% 6% -6% 4% -8% -10% 2% -12% 0% -15% -10% -5% 0% 5% 10% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% JP Morgan Emerging Market Currency Index Return JP Morgan Emerging Market Currency Index Standard Deviation Source: Bloomberg Finance L.P. as of 3/31/2018. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. Index returns are unmanaged and do not reflect the deduction of any fees or expenses. 29
Appendix A: Flow Summary 30
Fund Flow Summary Asset Category Prior Month ($M) Year to Date ($M) Trailing 12 Month ($M) Equity -8,083 46,477 285,816 Fixed Income 5,375 16,243 110,109 Commodity 874 2,070 2,798 Specialty -127 786 591 Mixed Allocation 166 457 1,982 Alternative 55 237 569 Equity Region U.S. -11,653 6,275 120,308 Global 1,630 8,336 18,213 International-Developed 7,021 20,072 88,999 International-Emerging Markets 1,568 13,036 40,826 International-Region -3,326-719 16,516 International-Single Country -1,790 4,608 8,821 Currency Hedged -1,533-5,129-7,868 Fixed Income Sectors Aggregate 1,107 9,580 39,153 Government 3,156 8,140 19,153 Inflation Protected -238 1,978 6,276 Mortgage-Backed 596 1,248 4,488 IG Corporate -7-1,913 23,040 High Yield Corp. -399-5,075 428 Bank Loans 358 416 640 EM Bond 112 1,771 7,356 Preferred 364-646 3,421 Convertible 92 12 600 Municipals 233 732 5,554 Government ETF Maturity Focus Ultra Short 2,837 5,239 9,281 Short Term 732 1,695 5,351 Intermediate -30 1,376 3,658 Long Term (>10 yr) -437-346 728 Source: State Street Global Advisors, Bloomberg Finance, L.P. As of March 31, 2018. Sectors, asset classes and flows are as of the date indicated, are subject to change, and should not be relied upon as current thereafter. 31
Appendix B: Asset Class Forecast 32
SSGA Asset Class Forecasts Forecasted Return (%) as of December 31, 2017 9.5 3.7 6.6 6.1 6.3 4.7 4.6 7 3.8 3.3 2.2 2.3 1.9 2 5.9 4.9 5.2 6.7 5.8 7.3 5.2 6.7 6.2 7.7 1 Year 3-5 Year Forecasted Return (%) as of September 30, 2017 6.6 6.9 6.1 6.3 5.3 4.9 4.3 3.5 3.5 9.3 4.9 4.4 6.4 5.3 7.4 6.3 5.9 7 8.4 7.3 2.2 2.1 1.8 1.7 US Small Cap US Large Cap Global Developed Ex-US Emerging Market Equities US High Yield US US Commodities Value Tilted Quality Tilted Equal Investment Government Weighted Grade Bonds Bonds Min. Variance 1 Year 3-5 Year Asset Class Global Factors Source: State Street Global Advisors (SSGA) Investment Solutions Group. The forecasted returns are based on SSGA s Investment Solutions Group s December 31, 2017 forecasted returns and long-term standard deviations. The forecasted performance data is reported on a gross of fees basis. Additional fees, such as the advisory fee, would reduce the return. For example, if an annualized gross return of 10% was achieved over a 5-year period and a management fee of 1% per year was charged and deducted annually, then the resulting return would be reduced from 61% to 54%. The performance includes the reinvestment of dividends and other corporate earnings and is calculated in the local (or regional) currency presented. It does not take into consideration currency effects. The forecasted performance is not necessarily indicative of future performance, which could differ substantially. Please reference Appendix B for the assumptions used by SSGA Investment Solutions Group to create asset class forecasts. 33
Asset Class Forecast Assumptions Forecast Assumptions For Fixed Income: Our return forecasts for fixed income derive from current yield conditions together with expectations as to how real and nominal yield curves could evolve relative to historical averages. For corporate bonds, we also analyze credit spreads and their term structures, with separate assessments of investment-grade and high-yield bonds. For Equities: Our long-term equity forecasts begin with expectations for developed market large capitalization stocks. The foundation for these forecasts are estimates of real return potential, derived from current dividend yields, forecast real earnings growth rates, and potential for expansion or contraction of valuation multiples. Our forecasting method incorporates long run estimates of potential economic growth based on forecast labor and capital inputs to estimate real earning growth. For Factor Returns: Over a one to three-year forecast horizon, we look to see how cheap each factor is relative to its own history. Specifically, we focus on book/price spreads for each factor and relate that to their subsequent returns. We find that valuation ratios are useful for forecasting market returns. For Commodities: Our long-term commodity forecast is based on the level of world GDP, as a proxy for consumption demand, as well as on our inflation outlook. Additional factors affecting the returns to a commodities investor include how commodities are held (e.g., physically, synthetically, or via futures) and the various construction methodologies of different commodity benchmarks. 34
Appendix C: Definitions 35
Definitions S&P500 Index: A popular benchmark for US large-cap equities that includes 500 companies from leading industries and captures approximately 80% coverage of available market capitalization. CBOE VIX Index: The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) Volatility Index shows the market s expectation of 30-day volatility. It is constructed using the implied volatilities of a wide range of S&P 500 index options. CBOE 3-Month Volatility Index: The Index is designed to be a constant measure of 3-month implied volatility of the S&P 500 (SPX) Index options. Implied Volatility: A way of estimating volatility of a security s price based on a number of predictive variables. Implied volatility rises when the market is falling when investors believe that the asset s price will decline over time, and it falls when the market is rising when investors believe that the security s price will rise over time. This is due to the common belief that bearish markets are riskier than bullish markets. MSCI Emerging Market Index: The MSCI Emerging Markets Index captures large and mid-cap representation across 23 emerging markets countries. With 834 constituents, the index covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country. Russell 2000 Index: A benchmark that measures the performance of the small-cap segment of the US equity universe. MSCI EAFE Index: An equities benchmark that captures large- and mid-cap representation across developed market countries around the world, excluding the US and Canada. Bloomberg US High Yield Index: The Bloomberg USD High Yield Corporate Bond Index is a rules-based, market-value weighted index engineered to measure publicly issued non-investment grade USD fixed-rate, taxable, corporate bonds. To be included in the index a security must have a minimum par amount of 250MM. Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Index: A benchmark that provides a measure of the performance of the US dollar denominated investment grade bond market, which includes investment grade government bonds, investment grade corporate bonds, mortgage pass through securities, commercial mortgage backed securities and asset backed securities that are publicly for sale in the US. Bloomberg US Treasury Index: The Bloomberg US Treasury Bond Index is a rules-based, market-value weighted index engineered to measure the performance and characteristics of fixed rate coupon US Treasuries which have a maturity greater than 12 months. To be included in the index a security must have a minimum par amount of 1,000MM. Bloomberg Commodity Index: Bloomberg Commodity Index (BCOM) is calculated on an excess return basis and reflects commodity futures price movements. The index rebalances annually weighted 2/3 by trading volume and 1/3 by world production and weight-caps are applied at the commodity, sector and group level for diversification. MSCI Europe Index: The MSCI Europe Index is a free-float weighted equity index designed to measure the equity market performance of the developed markets in Europe. Euro STOXX 50 Index: Europe s leading blue-chip index for the Eurozone, provides a blue-chip representation of super-sector leaders in the Eurozone. The index covers 50 stocks from 12 Eurozone countries. MSCI Japan Index: The MSCI Europe Index is a free-float weighted equity index designed to measure the equity market performance of the developed markets in Japan. Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index: The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index tracks the performance of a basket of ten leading global currencies versus the U.S. Dollar. Each currency in the basket and their weight is determined annually based on their share of international trade and FX liquidity. Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index: A benchmark that provides a broad-based measure of the global investment-grade fixed income markets. The three major components of this index are the U.S. Aggregate, the Pan-European Aggregate, and the Asian-Pacific Aggregate Indices. The index also includes Eurodollar and Euro-Yen corporate bonds, Canadian government, agency and corporate securities, and USD investment-grade 144A securities. State Street Confidence Indexes: Measures investor confidence or risk appetite quantitatively by analyzing the actual buying and selling patterns of institutional investors. The index assigns a precise meaning to changes in investor risk appetite: the greater the percentage allocation to equities, the higher risk appetite or confidence. A reading of 100 is neutral; it is the level at which investors are neither increasing nor decreasing their long-term allocations to risky assets. The results shown represent current results generated by State Street Investor Confidence Index. The results shown were achieved by means of a mathematical formula in addition to transactional market data, and are not indicative of actual future results which could differ substantially. BofA Merrill Lynch US High Yield Master II Index: The BofA Merrill Lynch US High Yield Index tracks the performance of US dollar denominated below investment grade corporate debt publicly issued in the US domestic market. Qualifying securities must have a below investment grade rating (based on an average of Moody s, S&P and Fitch). Yield to worst: Yield to worst is an estimate of the lowest yield that you can expect to earn from a bond when holding to maturity, absent a default. It is a measure that is used in place of yield to maturity with callable bonds. Overnight Index Swap (OIS) rate: The overnight Index Swap rate is calculated from contracts in which investors swap fixed-and floating-rate cash flows. It s commonly used as proxies for where market see U.S. central bank policy headed at various points in the future 36
Definitions MSCI USA Index: The MSCI World Index, which is part of The Modern Index Strategy, is a broad global equity benchmark that represents large and mid-cap equity performance across 23 developed markets countries. It covers approximately 85% of the free float-adjusted market capitalization in each country and MSCI World benchmark does not offer exposure to emerging markets. MSCI USA Minimum Volatility Index: The MSCI USA Minimum Volatility (USD) Index aims to reflect the performance characteristics of a minimum variance strategy applied to the MSCI large and mid cap equity universe. The index is calculated by optimizing the MSCI USA Index, its parent index, for the lowest absolute risk (within a given set of constraints). Historically, the index has shown lower beta and volatility characteristics relative to the MSCI World Index. MSCI USA Enhanced Value Weighted Index: The MSCI USA Enhanced Value Weighted Index captures large and mid-cap representation across the US equity markets exhibiting overall value style characteristics. The index is designed to represent the performance of securities that exhibit higher value characteristics relative to their peers within the corresponding GICS sector. MSCI USA Quality Index: The MSCI USA Quality Index is based on MSCI USA, its parent index. The index aims to capture the performance of quality growth stocks by identifying stocks with high quality scores based on three main fundamental variables: high return on equity (ROE), stable year-over-year earnings growth and low financial leverage. MSCI USA Equal Weighted Index: The MSCI USA Equal Weighted Index represents an alternative weighting scheme to its market cap weighted parent index, the MSCI USA Index. At each quarterly rebalance date, all index constituents are weighted equally, effectively removing the influence of each constituent s current price (high or low). MSCI USA High Dividend Yield Index: The MSCI World High Dividend Yield Index is based on the MSCI USA Index, its parent index, and includes large and mid cap stocks. The index is designed to reflect the performance of equities in the parent index (excluding REITs) with higher dividend income and quality characteristics than average dividend yields that are both sustainable and persistent. The index also applies quality screens and reviews 12-month past performance to omit stocks with potentially deteriorating fundamentals that could force them to cut or reduce dividends. Price-to-book ratio (P/B Ratio): The price-to-book ratio (P/B Ratio) is a ratio used to compare a stock's market value to its book value. It is calculated by dividing the current closing price of the stock by the latest quarter's book value per share. Also known as the "price-equity ratio. Price-earnings ratio (P/E Ratio): The price-earnings ratio (P/E Ratio) is the ratio for valuing a company that measures its current share price relative to its per-share earnings. The price-earnings ratio can be calculated as: Market Value per Share/Earnings per Share. S&P 500 Pure Growth Index: The S&P 500 Pure Growth index is a style-concentrated index designed to track the performance of stocks that exhibit the strongest growth characteristics by using a styleattractiveness-weighting scheme. S&P 500 Pure Value Index: The S&P 500 Pure Value index is a style-concentrated index designed to track the performance of stocks that exhibit the strongest value characteristics by using a styleattractiveness-weighting scheme. S&P 500 High Beta Index: The S&P 500 High Beta Index measures the performance of 100 constituents in the S&P 500 that are most sensitive to changes in market returns. The index is designed for investors initiating a bullish strategy or making a directional bet on current markets. S&P Low Beta United States Index: The S&P Low Beta United States Index is a rules-based, float-adjusted market cap weighted index that contains the 70% of the S&P United States BMI (by market capitalization) with the lowest beta. Z-score: It indicates how many standard deviations an element is from the mean. A z-score can be calculated from the following formula. z = (X - μ) / σ where z is the z-score, X is the sector relative performance. μ is the mean of the eleven sector relative performance, and σ is the standard deviation of sectors relative performance. Implied Volatility: The estimated volatility of a security s price. In general, implied volatility increases when the market is bearish and decreases when the market is bullish. This is due to the common belief that bearish markets are more risky than bullish markets. Minimum Volatility Factor: A category of stocks that are characterized by relatively less movement in share price than many other equities. Quality Factor: One of the six widely recognized, research-based smart beta factors that refers to quality equities. Companies whose stocks qualify exhibit consistent profitability, stability of earnings, low financial leverage and other characteristics consistent with long-term reliability such as ethical corporate governance. Size Factor: A smart beta factor based on the tendency of small-cap stocks to outperform their large-cap peers over long time periods. Yield Factor: A factor which screens for companies with a higher than average dividend yield relative to the broad market, and which have demonstrated dividend sustainability and persistence. Momentum Factor: The tendency for a security to maintain a certain direction of price trajectory. This tendency is well documented in academic research, which has made momentum one of the six smart beta factors that are systematically being isolated in new-generation strategic indexes. Value Factor: One of the basic elements of style -focused investing that focuses on companies that may be priced below intrinsic value. The most commonly used methodology to assess value is by examining price-to-book (P/B) ratios, which compare a company s total market value with its assessed book value. 37
Definitions Standard Deviation: Measures the historical dispersion of a security, fund or index around an average. Investors use standard deviation to measure expected risk or volatility, and a higher standard deviation means the security has tended to show higher volatility or price swings in the past. Excess Returns: A security s return minus the return from another security in the same time period. Current Short Interest (%): The percentage of tradable outstanding shares which have been shorted. Used as a measure of investor sentiment. Yield: The income produced by an investment, typically calculated as the interest received annually divided by the investment s price. Basis Point: One hundredth of one percent, or 0.01%. Yield Curve: A graph or line that plots the interest rates or yields of bonds with similar credit quality but different durations, typically from shortest to longest duration. When the yield curve is said to be flat, it means the difference in yields between bonds with shorter and longer durations is relatively narrow. When the yield curve is said to be steepened, it means the difference in yields between short term and long term bonds increases. Spread Changes: Changes in the spread between Treasury securities and non-treasury securities that are identical in all respects except for quality rating. Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Bond Index: The Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Index is a flagship measure of global investment grade debt from twenty-four local currency markets. This multicurrency benchmark includes treasury, government-related, corporate and securitized fixed-rate bonds from both developed and emerging markets issuers. Bloomberg Barclays US Corporate High Yield Index: The index consists of fixed rate, high yield, USD-denominated, taxable securities issued by US corporate issuers. Bloomberg Barclays USD Liquid Investment Grade Corporate Index: The Bloomberg Barclays USD Liquid Investment Grade Corporate Index consists of fixed rate, investment grade, taxable, USD-denominated securities issued by US corporate issuers, with time since issuance of less than two years, that meet certain liquidity requirements. Bloomberg Barclays EM Hard Currency Aggregate Index: The index is a hard currency emerging markets debt benchmark that includes US dollar-denominated debt from sovereign, quasi-sovereign, and corporate issuers in the developing markets. BofA Merrill Lynch US High Yield CCC or Below Index: The BofA Merrill Lynch US High Yield CCC or Below Index tracks the performance of US dollar denominated, CCC or below rating corporate debt publicly issued in the US domestic market. Qualifying securities must have a CCC or Below rating (based on an average of Moody s, S&P and Fitch). Bloomberg Barclays US Corporate Bond Index: The Bloomberg Barclays US Corporate Bond Index measures the investment grade, US dollar-denominated, fixed-rate, taxable corporate and government related bond markets. It is composed of the US Corporate Index and a non-corporate component that includes foreign agencies, sovereigns, supranationals and local authorities. The Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS): An industry taxonomy developed in 1999 by MSCI and Standard & Poor s (S&P) for use by the global financial community. The GICS structure consists of 10 sectors, 24 industry groups, 67 industries and 156 sub-industries [1]into which S&P has categorized all major public companies. Credit Spread: A credit spread is the difference in yield between a US Treasury bond and a debt security with the same maturity but of lesser quality. S&P 500 Health Care Sector Index: The Index comprises of those companies included in the S&P 500 that are classified as members of the GICS health care sector. S&P 500 Consumer Discretionary Index: The Index comprises of those companies included in the S&P 500 that are classified as members of the GICS consumer discretionary sector. S&P 500 Consumer Staples Index: The Index comprises of those companies included in the S&P 500 that are classified as members of the GICS consumer staples sector. S&P 500 Financial Sector Index: The Index comprises of those companies included in the S&P 500 that are classified as members of the GICS financial sector. S&P 500 Utilities Index: The Index comprises of those companies included in the S&P 500 that are classified as members of the GICS utilities sector. S&P500 Information Technology Sector Index: The Index comprises of those companies included in the S&P 500 that are classified as members of the GICS information technology sector. S&P 500 Industrial Sector Index: The Index comprises of those companies included in the S&P 500 that are classified as members of the GICS industrial sector. S&P 500 Materials Sector Index: The Index comprises of those companies included in the S&P 500 that are classified as members of the GICS materials sector. S&P 500 Real Estate Sector Index: The Index comprises of those companies included in the S&P 500 that are classified as members of the GICS real estate sector. S&P 500 Telecommunication Sector Index: The Index comprises of those companies included in the S&P 500 that are classified as members of the GICS telecommunication services sector. Breakeven Inflation Rate: It is a market based measure of expected inflation. It is the difference between the yield of a nominal bond and an inflation linked bond of the same maturity. 38
Appendix D: Important Disclosures 39
Important Disclosures The views expressed in this material are the views of SPDR Americas Research Team and are subject to change based on market and other conditions. This document contains certain statements that may be deemed forward-looking statements. Please note that any such statements are not guarantees of any future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected. The information provided does not constitute investment advice and it should not be relied on as such. It should not be considered a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell a security. It does not take into account any investor s particular investment objectives, strategies, tax status or investment horizon. You should consult your tax and financial advisor. All material has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. There is no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information and State Street shall have no liability for decisions based on such information. All the index performance results referred to are provided exclusively for comparison purposes only. It should not be assumed that they represent the performance of any particular investment. Bonds generally present less short-term risk and volatility than stocks, but contain interest rate risk (as interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall); issuer default risk; issuer credit risk; liquidity risk; and inflation risk. These effects are usually pronounced for longer-term securities. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to a substantial gain or loss. The values of debt securities may decrease as a result of many factors, including, by way of example, general market fluctuations; increases in interest rates; actual or perceived inability or unwillingness of issuers, guarantors or liquidity providers to make scheduled principal or interest payments; illiquidity in debt securities markets; and prepayments of principal, which often must be reinvested in obligations paying interest at lower rates. Equity securities may fluctuate in value in response to the activities of individual companies and general market and economic conditions. Investments in small-sized companies may involve greater risks than in those of larger, better known companies. Investments in mid-sized companies may involve greater risks than in those of larger, better known companies, but may be less volatile than investments in smaller companies. Companies with large market capitalizations go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions. Larger companies tend to be less volatile than companies with smaller market capitalizations. In exchange for this potentially lower risk, the value of the security may not rise as much as companies with smaller market capitalizations. Value stocks can perform differently from the market as a whole. They can remain undervalued by the market for long periods of time. Foreign investments involve greater risks than US investments, including political and economic risks and the risk of currency fluctuations, all of which may be magnified in emerging markets. Because of their narrow focus, sector funds tend to be more volatile. Commodities investing entail significant risk as commodity prices can be extremely volatile due to wide range of factors Bond funds contain interest rate risk (as interest rates rise bond prices usually fall); the risk of issuer default; issuer credit risk; liquidity risk; and inflation risk. Asset Allocation is a method of diversification which positions assets among major investment categories. Asset Allocation may be used in an effort to manage risk and enhance returns. It does not, however, guarantee a profit or protect against loss. 40