To be considered a best-in-class outsource trading provider, one must excel in many areas.

There was a lot of optimism just before the new year, but that may have already been priced into 2023’s gains for the S&P 500. January is historically a slow month for the index, which should be enough to appease the bears if that trend persists.

The 60/40 portfolio has long been the foundation of portfolio construction. But over the past two years, this portfolio strategy has broken down. The 60/40 portfolio faces several challenges. To understand what might lie ahead, investors need to assess both recent inflationary forces and historic trends.

In what could be a long-term positive for cryptocurencies as an asset class, data indicates $2.25 billion in new capital flowed into institutional cryptocurrencies products in 2023. That marks the third-best year of inflows on record.

AB’s Chief Responsibility Officer previews areas of research focus for our Responsible Investing teams in 2024.

The Federal Reserve (Fed) left the door so wide open after the end of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in mid-December 2023, that markets have run ahead and have continued to push long-term rates lower since the decision was announced.

In December 2022, I published Sea Change, a memo that primarily discussed the 13-year period from the end of 2008, when the U.S. Federal Reserve cut the fed funds rate to zero to counter the effects of the Global Financial Crisis, to the end of 2021, when the Fed abandoned the idea that inflation was transitory and readied what turned out to be a rapid-fire succession of interest rate increases.

American progressives, together with populists and nationalists on the right, argue that “every billionaire is a policy failure” and propose applying special taxes to them. But bashing the ultra-wealthy is based on flawed ideas about income inequality and sends the message that success is a dirty word.

Anne Walsh joins Macro Markets to discuss opportunities and risks in what promises to be an eventful 2024.

20 years into retirement, most retirees have spent only 20% of their savings. We talked to retired participants to understand why–and what it means for the next generation of retirees.

Heading into 2024, most economists and market analysts have adopted a baseline scenario in which most major economies avoid both a recession and renewed inflation – the much-desired "soft landing." But the current encouraging consensus could still be derailed by any number of factors, not least geopolitics.

Many of us were prepping for year-end (or on vacation in Belize, in my case) in December. However, index providers were hard at work to ensure certain ETFs fully reflected the investment criteria advisors have come to expect.

The promise of GLP-1 drugs goes far beyond individual weight loss.

The prevailing consensus in 2024 is that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates. But predicting central bank moves is an inexact science. That said, fixed income investors could use the help of an active strategy to continue extracting higher yields.

2023 will likely go down in history as a year of extreme speculation. However, we believe there are once-in-a-generation investment opportunities for 2024 resulting from that overly speculative myopia.

Every new year provides an opportunity for fresh starts and to reimagine what is possible. As such, we offer a list of four New Year’s resolutions for advisors. Kick your 2024 off right by making these promises to yourself.

A stunning post from VisualCapitalist showed a poll of 8550 investors and 2700 advisors and the gap between the two of future portfolio return expectations. The poll was global; however, I will focus on this post’s domestic portfolio return expectations.

Municipal Bond Strategist Jim Grabovac looks at how the municipal bond market wrapped up 2023 and shares his expectations for the year ahead.

Markets rose last month, continuing November’s rally as interest rates pulled back even more on expectations of Fed rate cuts in 2024.

Several strategists in the gold space expect the precious metal’s rally to continue in 2024. And some even believe it could outperform all other commodities this year.

It’s forecast season again, the time when people like me tell people like you what will happen this year. Sadly, we are often wrong.

The U.S. is adding new renewable energy capacity at a record clip, but that doesn’t mean it’s ready to quit fossil fuels just yet.

Private credit has in a little more than a decade evolved from a niche asset class to a key component of a diversified investment portfolio. We think it will be even more important in 2024 as banks’ reluctance to lend widens the opportunity set for investors.

In 2024, inflation, interest rates, and the presidential election will likely be on top of ETF investors’ minds. Here are four other lesser-known trends and insights — both positive and negative — to consider in 2024.

The ETF industry is buzzing as long-awaited spot bitcoin ETFs are likely to get the green light from the SEC in the coming days. We expect trading of multiple products to begin soon after.

With a new year brings a new chapter in the exciting growth of artificial intelligence. AI had a major breakout year in 2023 as OpenAI’s ChatGPT exploded into the public eye in the Spring.

Cryptocurrency is once again poised to be the financial story of the year. Accordingly, VettaFi will be hosting the Cryptocurrency Symposium on January 12th at 11 am ET.

The long-awaited recession never materialized in 2023 as the sectors of the economy rotated from hot (i.e., travel and leisure) to cold (i.e., housing) over the last few years.

Bond yields are up—that’s good news for income investors, but secular forces still pose headwinds for inflation-adjusted returns. We think an efficient way to generate income is by carefully assembling mixes of interest-rate and credit building blocks—and incorporating private-market exposure for additional diversification and return potential.

After a year when advisors were relatively cautious about taking on credit risk, sentiment seems to be shifting.

We think 2023 stressed the value of adapting to a new volatile macro regime and leveraging investment insight and structural forces to find opportunities.

2024 is here, and Exchange is right around the corner. Exchange has already established itself as the premier financial services conference and a must-attend event, but the 2024 edition promises to be the best yet.

The S&P 500 reversed its 2022 losses, and then some, closing the year near a record high.

U.S. equity markets defied expectations in 2023, with the S&P up 24% for the year. But while the stock market’s performance was good in 2023, it was especially good for large-cap tech stocks.

It’s hard to chart a course through equity markets in times of uncertainty. Here are our thoughts on some of the big questions on investors’ minds today.

The stock market may have started 2024 down, but that doesn’t mean investors have to. Indeed, while the broader market whimpers amid soft China data and still-lingering fear of a slowdown, some areas see major opportunities.

Welcome to 2024! As we wade into the new year, you will undoubtedly read and hear a wide range of forecasts predicting what financial markets are going to bring us over the next 12 months.

In this video, Chuck Carnevale, co-founder of FAST Graphs, provides an analysis of materials stocks.

The past year saw the ETF industry barrel past the previous record for the number of launches in a calendar year, with 543 new ETFs hitting the market. The previous record was just under 480 in 2021, meaning 2023 beat that number by more than 60 funds.

So it was a very strong year for broad equity benchmarks around the world, but it perhaps didn't feel like a great year for many investors. There's economic uncertainty for sure.

As some of you will be aware, we have recently changed our business model, following an approach from a client who encouraged us to invest directly in listed securities on the back of the same seven megatrends that have formed the backbone of the fund investments we have made for years.

As geopolitical tensions spike and interest rates remain elevated, 2024 is poised to be yet another tumultuous year for the world economy. This is especially true for emerging markets, which managed to avert a crisis in 2023 but could struggle to do so again if global growth fails to meet expectations.

Craig Burelle sets the stage for our Sector Outlook blog series with his views on the macro backdrop in 2024.

Enthusiasm for Japanese equities picked up in 2023 as evidenced by the 28% rally in the
TOPIX (local) index through November.

Here are our 10 themes for 2024. Count on more than a few surprise ingredients throughout the year to spice up the financial markets.

Semiconductors are the foundation upon which artificial intelligence (AI) thrives, but knowing that is only part of the battle. For investors using ETF to access chip stocks, some homework could pay dividends regarding identifying the chip ETFs with the most AI relevancy.

Our current 10-year outlook highlights better opportunities for cash and bonds, primarily driven by higher starting yields, and a steady outlook for stocks.

Confidence in the bond markets is fueling a two-month rally in prices as the capital markets brace for rate cuts in 2024. Whether they happen at a furious pace or not is anyone’s guess, but the expectation of cuts are providing enough spark for the rally.

Just because we still think the economy is headed for a recession, doesn’t mean we think the housing market is going to get killed.

Exploring sustainable investing complexities, this piece categorizes ESG into screening, integration, thematic investing, stewardship, and impact. Despite conflicting reports, ESG-labeled bond funds have thrived, reaching $900.5 billion in assets. Their premium indicates robust demand, countering decline narratives and underscoring continued vitality in fixed-income sustainable investing.