As a strategist, I work with financial advisors every day creating custom fixed income portfolios based on client’s financial needs and goals – with a keen eye on the importance of a balanced portfolio.
Even prior to this week’s spike in oil prices associated with renewed tensions in the Middle East, last week was ramping up to be a big week for electric vehicles (EVs) and their supply chain.
We see promising potential in countries with younger populations and forward-looking policies, such as India, Indonesia, and Mexico.
The higher-for-longer interest rates narrative could continue to negatively affect small-cap companies. This is because they look to stay afloat in the current macroeconomic environment.
“Restrictive for longer” is now the mantra as monetary policymakers seek to bring inflation reliably to target.
In the most recent FOMC meeting, the committee decided to refrain from raising rates again, but held open the prospect for further hikes this year.
As the second quarter came to a close, the Fed’s elusive soft landing appeared to be within reach. However, inflation resurfaced during the third quarter, substantially complicating the near-term economic outlook.
When your system, whatever it may be, is working extremely well, we used to say it’s “firing on all 8 cylinders.” What does that mean?
Savvy investors are aware that geopolitical tensions and uncertainty can significantly influence the financial markets.
Is now the time to add an active foreign equities allocation? Investors have likely already considered a case to diversify domestic-heavy portfolios with international equities.
Reverting to old fiscal rules will create a strong economic headwind for Europe.
The spike in bond yields presents an opportunity for fixed income investors to earn capital gains and diversify portfolios.
Among U.S.-based original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) has a sizable, significantly profitable lead over the “big three” in the electric vehicle space, but on a global basis, the industry is evolving and close to a major inflection point.
Most investors are aware of certain taxes on their investments, such as on dividends, interest and capital gains. But those are just the tip of the iceberg.
GMO has published a new 7-Year Asset Class Forecast
After three quarters of improving economic outlook amid increasing expectations for a painless decline in global inflation, markets and pundits alike have become less optimistic about a soft landing as they reacted to frustration from the Fed.
Breaking a mirror, walking under a ladder, and a black cat crossing your path have all been seen as bad omens.
With all eyes on generative AI (genAI) and its transformative potential, individual investors’ interest has been piqued. The market-moving innovation certainly has generated a lot of hype ― and questions. Equity CIO Tony DeSpirito parses three reasons for excitement and three areas for awareness.
However, $22 billion moved into fundamentally weighted equity index ETFs, while dividend and momentum ETFs had outflows. This is sizable and warrants some added attention.
Slower growth and rising interest rates have tapped the brakes on private deal activity this year. But as banks continue to retreat from lending, we see plenty of opportunity for investors to pick their spots across the broad private credit universe.
Older workers can still be a source of relief for tight labor markets.
The first nine months of 2023 have seen significant growth. Despite this growth, questions remain. Income is top of mind as many investors worry about the potential of a recession, the ongoing high-rate environment, and market uncertainty. Enter the Income Strategy symposium.
A liquidity gap is growing as banks curtail specialty lending, providing specialty finance investors opportunities for potential better risk-adjusted returns than we’ve seen since the GFC.
In this second episode, Franklin Templeton Institute’s Tony Davidow discusses opportunities in alternative credit strategies with Richard Byrne from Benefit Street Partners.
Gold has lost $170 since hitting a peak of $2,050 per ounce in early May.
In his latest memo, Howard Marks provides a follow-up to Sea Change (December 2022). He argues that the trends highlighted in the original memo collectively represent a sweeping alteration of the investment environment that calls for significant capital reallocation.
Like a watched pot that refuses to boil, the much-anticipated recession of 2023 has yet to materialize. In our latest Strategic Income outlook, we examine the reasons and discuss what might finally cause the temperature to rise.
Yet again, the Federal Reserve’s battle to tame inflation has hit a speed bump. This week’s jobs report came in surprisingly strong, and while it may see revisions, it’s yet another point toward a lengthening rate cycle.
Investing in China remains challenging but that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities. Portfolio manager Vivek Tanneeru and Head of Portfolio Strategy David Dali highlight one approach that potentially can deliver alpha generation today while positioning for a potential upturn tomorrow.
Making the case for municipal bonds today with Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute.
Broadly speaking, large- and mega-cap tech stocks are far from bear market territory. But the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) closed 6% below its 52-week high last Friday.
New bank rules will raise borrowing costs and weigh on economic activity.
The Federal Reserve (Fed) only controls one rate of interest, and it is a very short-term rate called the federal funds rate, the rate that banks charge each other for overnight, intra-bank loans.
Quarterly Macro Themes, a quarterly publication by our Macroeconomic and Investment Research Group, explores critical and timely areas of research and updates our baseline views on the economy.
The quarter started off strong enough in July but gave up ground in both August and September. The total return of the S&P 500 was down 3.27% for the quarter.
One and three hundred years before the enormity of the present dilemma began to dawn on the Federal Reserve, a similar moment arrived within the stone walls of the Banque Royale. You may recall the scene we visited last year.
With gold prices in a sustained decline, investors who had an interest in this asset class may begin looking elsewhere.
In this video, Chuck Carnevale and Colton Carnevale will do a deep dive into this company and help you determine if NextEra Energy is at an attractive entry point today or not, watch the video to find out!
The recent repricing in longer-maturity yields has pushed the 10-year Treasury yield to levels not seen in 16 years.
While bond yields have risen sharply lately, fund flows into bonds tell two very different stories.
As the Federal Reserve signals it will keep interest rates higher for longer, the market appears to be reflecting the uncertainty about the path of policy going forward.
Advisors have choices to face with their fixed income allocation. Should they take on credit risk to be rewarded with a high level of income? What about taking on interest-rate risk and owning longer-duration bonds?
Medical Properties Trust is a very controversial healthcare REIT. Most estimates range the fair value somewhere between $10 and $20 a share and the stock trades at around $5, just a little bit better than $5 a share.
With the widely followed Markit iBoxx USD Liquid High Yield Index down almost 3% over the past month and in the red on a year-to-date basis, this might not be one of those times.
Professional stock investors know little about bonds and vice versa I suppose. Yours truly has to be included in that mix but that doesn’t stop me from trying.
While investors await a spot bitcoin ETF, the SEC accelerated its rollout of ether futures ETFs. So far, issuers have launched five ether futures ETFs and four combined ether + bitcoin strategies.
When the media speaks of the yield curve, they are likely referring to the Treasury yield curve. It is the point of reference for interest rate levels and investment comparison.
In a market burdened by uncertainties, a flexible approach can help equity investors strike the right balance between short-term risks and long-term opportunities.
Back in 2008, Ben Bernanke and Hank Paulson, using fear of financial collapse, convinced President Bush and Congress to 1) pass a $700 billion bailout of banks (called TARP) and 2) allow the Federal Reserve to pay banks interest on reserves at the same time the Fed moved from a scarce reserve model of monetary policy to an abundant reserve policy.
Economic indicators provide insight into the overall health and performance of an economy. They serve as essential tools for policymakers, advisors, investors, and businesses alike.
