CHICAGO - The Morningstar 2010 Investment Conference started with a thud Wednesday as hundreds of advisers, registered investment advisors and fund managers gathered to listen to the industry's best and brightest - only to be bombarded by pessimistic messages from fund managers such as
Grundlach forecast radical policies out of Washington that would include higher taxes designed to lower the federal government’s astronomical debt. He warned that deflation and the $787 billion in debt overhang, which he called the “elephant in the kitchen,” will continue to impact investor for the next five years.
Attendees seemed surprised by the level of pessimism from Gundlach and others, who although they work in the financial services industry, seem to think the sky is falling and investing is more risky than ever.
“Equity fund managers make their living by having people invest in stocks,” said Ryan W. Kruger, a partner at
Kruger said he would expect that type of doom and gloom from economist Nouriel Roubini, who was nicknamed Dr. Doom for his pessimistic outlook. But equity fund managers are supposed to be optimistic and talk about growth and opportunity.
Even the emerging markets, which have been the pride and joy of many clients’ portfolios, were labeled as risky by some because the expectations for their performance have become so overblown.
“We’re not sitting on the sidelines in terms of emerging markets but we are deciding whether to dial up or dial down investments in emerging markets,” said Kruger. “Overall people still say there are good opportunities but there are still risks of results versus expectations.”
By the year 2020 or thereabouts, “We [the U.S.] are going to become an emerging market,” predicted Rudolph Riad-Younes, head of international equities at
