5th Annual Southern California Institutional Forum

Navigating Markets in 2026: Investment Strategies and Macroeconomic Outlook: The financial landscapes continue to evolve in an era marked by unprecedented global events. Investors are faced with the imperative challenge to construct resilient portfolios in the face of economic shifts and market volatility.

Fixed Income: Trends Shaping Today’s Landscape: Federal Reserve rate cuts are undetermined, but what will result from the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet and the U.S. Government’s borrowing needs?

The Equity Calculation: Evaluating its Effect on Portfolios: The equities market faces substantial influence from earnings expectations, elections and policy considerations, sector bets, slowing economies and interest rates. Will the rally continue?

Recognizing Emerging Markets’ Opportunities and Challenges: Understanding the dynamic landscape of emerging markets is crucial for allocators who want to explore the unique opportunities and challenges that come with investing in these regions.

The Future of Sustainable Investing—What Will the Path to Growth Look Like?: What is the outlook for sustainable investing (including infrastructure and energy) as it evolves amidst ongoing debates around climate, labor, and other key issues? With no unified national development plan, what are innovative ways forward? And ultimately, how can this lead to a more positive and tangible impact on both the environment and society?

Institutional Views on Private Credit’s Growing Portfolio Utility & Importance: Great Recession-era bank regulations helped fuel the rise of private credit, as investors looked for more attractive returns. The rise is not without its challenges, and private-credit investors are preparing to face higher borrowing costs and a slower economy weighing on the margins of portfolio companies.

A ‘Future Proof’ Private Equity in 2026 and Beyond: Over the past decade, private equity has seen an increase in popularity and importance amongst institutional investors. However, rising inflation, geopolitical tensions and other market factors raise new concerns for LPs regarding risk and liquidity, especially in the Healthcare sector.

US Small Caps: Seizing Tailwinds Amid Shifting Fundamentals: As markets adjust to the Fed’s recent dovish pivot and falling interest rates, US small-cap stocks are positioned to outperform.

Real Estate & Real Assets: Seeking the Best Prospects: Inflation and interest rate shifts have led investors to look at real assets to help cushion their portfolios in times of volatility.

Leadership Roundtable: Decision-Making in Disruptive Times: In the midst of all this operational, cultural, and technological change, businesses must make strategic decisions on how to run and steer their firms in the face of these challenges. Leading institutional investors shed light on the most pressing investment and management issues facing their organizations.