Robeco BP US Premium Equities D SGD

US equities delivered mixed results in July, with the S&P 500 modestly higher as renewed AI concerns, higher oil prices and rising bond yields outweighed strong late-month technology earnings. Market volatility prompted a rotation away from expensive growth stocks, helping value outperform growth, led by energy and financials.

Based on transaction prices, the fund's return was 2.21%. Robeco BP US Premium Equities slightly underperformed versus the Russell 3000 Value Index in July. Underperformance was concentrated in information technology, with consumer discretionary, communication services, and energy also detracting to a lesser degree. Within information technology, semiconductors were the principal drag on returns. After roughly doubling in the second quarter, chipmakers suffered one of their sharpest sell-offs of the year as investors took profits and rotated out of AI, memory, and equipment names. An underweight in Microsoft further weighed on results within software. On the positive side, financials contributed through both an overweight allocation and strong stock selection, led by holdings in the payments and capital-markets industries. Industrials added value through selection, particularly within professional services, where several holdings posted strong quarterly results. Healthcare also contributed through selection, led by the healthcare providers and services and life sciences tools industries, as managed care margins stabilized and elevated cost pressures across the group began to ease.

Three themes are shaping markets: the AI trade, the Iran conflict and uncertainty under Fed Chair Kevin Warsh. July's AI weakness appears to be a reassessment rather than a structural reversal, with investors focused on returns from hyperscalers' capital spending. Oil remains sensitive to developments in Iran and could fall if tensions ease. Inflation data and Warsh's Jackson Hole speech will be key to the interest rate outlook. We remain constructive over the long term while alert to downside risks and opportunities created by market pullbacks. As always, we remain focused on selecting companies from the bottom-up that reflect the Boston Partners' three circle characteristics – attractive valuations, solid business fundamentals, and identifiable catalysts.