Commodities

Investors may be happy to shift some of their focus away from the ongoing tariff saga and back toward economic data and earnings reports.

The U.S. economy remains resilient despite headline volatility tied to shifting trade and tariff policies. Meanwhile, we continue to see a lot of volatility in the economic data as the world adjusts to these changing policies.

Low volatility exchange traded funds are a compelling solution for those looking to dampen risk while staying invested.

A couple of years ago, I wrote about absolute versus relative returns. Given the latest market run, I am getting a lot of questions about chasing returns, and individuals comparing themselves to the S&P 500 index.

Emerging market (EM) countries are often generalized as all the same and driven by commodity prices. The reality can be very different. Here's what you should know about EM stocks now.

With the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) signed into law on July 4, this note briefly discusses some of the implications for energy broadly and the energy infrastructure space.

It is easy to invest when markets are rallying, but it can be tough for investors to stay in their seats when markets inevitably decline again.

As the second quarter earnings season kicks into gear, Wall Street analysts are forecasting modest earnings growth of 4.8% for companies in the S&P 500.

Every year around this time, we update our Periodic Table of Commodities Returns to reflect the performance of raw materials in the first six months. I’m biased, but few tools do a better job of providing a clear, interactive picture of the commodities landscape than ours.

The right level of regulation requires careful calibration.

Geopolitical flare-ups and a “wait-and-see” Federal Reserve stance have created plenty of noise, but markets continue to defy the headlines with a balanced global allocation and improving sentiment indicators.

As investors try to determine the policy direction of the Trump administration, there is good reason to believe there will be a lot of back and forth.

There’s a connection between our willingness to let the debt problem fester and investors throwing their money into a wildly overvalued stock market. In both cases, we’ve grown way too comfortable with uncertainty.

The second quarter’s rapid recovery from April’s market volatility reminds us how powerful a systematic rules-based approach to tax management can be.

ClearBridge Investments believes tariffs remain the key risk to corporate profits in the second half of the year and is less concerned about geopolitical events or the outlook for fiscal and monetary policy.

Last week, the iShares Flexible Income Active ETF (BINC) reached a significant milestone and became the latest member of the $10 billion of the active fixed income club.

Most of us are not prepared for the incredible degree of change Artificial Intelligence (AI), combined with automation, is bringing to society.

A full three months since President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcements sparked panic in financial markets, macro developments have been benign. The passage of the Big Beautiful Bill has brought clarity on the fiscal outlook, but uncertainty on trade negotiations remains. Franklin Templeton Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai explains what this means for investors going forward.

Considering the spate of sizable inflows into spot bitcoin ETFs and the recent ebullience surrounding equities, some investors are vexed by recent lethargy displayed by the largest cryptocurrency.

As we reach the midpoint of 2025, we reflect on the notably volatile trajectory of bond yields so far this year, considering the potential opportunity for tax-aware fixed income investors to harvest losses.

Liberation Day seems like a lifetime ago. But the 90-day pause is almost over, and—thus far—there are few deals that have been consummated.

We expect tariff policy to remain a key part of the narrative pushed by the administration.

In this month’s issue, Franklin Templeton Emerging Markets Equity explains how markets in many regions are weathering US policy uncertainty and offers an upbeat assessment of Vietnam after a recent research visit.

In the weeks leading up to last month’s Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran, oil prices climbed – not due to actual supply disruptions, but in response to a geopolitical risk premium.

In this article, you’ll learn how to evaluate crypto ETFs with the same rigor you apply to traditional investment products.

Our strategy work and quantitative insights suggest the conditions behind more than a decade of U.S. equity outperformance are starting to shift.

Our long-time investors are probably wondering why we haven’t made any gains over the last 18 months.

The artificial intelligence investment landscape reached a critical inflection point in Q2 2025, with the ROBO Global Artificial Intelligence Index (THNQ) delivering exceptional returns of 24.4%.

ClearBridge Investments believes positive forces from One Big Beautiful Bill Act passage and future interest rate cuts should soon outweigh negative forces of tariff actions.

Are interest rates too high? A lot of people think they are, and a growing chorus of voices is calling on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to cut rates.

How the Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund’s strategy helped it achieve outperformance during a historic period for global markets.

In the latest Alternative Allocations, with guest Brian Ullsperger from Andersen, Tony Davidow examines the traditional 60/40 portfolio and how it can be expanded to include alternatives to meet clients’ needs.

If you’ve been following the mainstream financial media lately, you might think the airline industry is in crisis. From headlines about tariffs and labor costs to geopolitical tensions and delays at Newark Airport, it sounds like air travel should be tanking.

We upgrade equities to neutral from underweight as falling interest rates and improving economic conditions in emerging markets offset uncertainty over US tariff policies.

The earnings bar is fairly low for the second quarter, setting companies up for a potential easy jump—but there will likely be more focus on forward guidance.

As the second half gets underway, we think a modest overweight to risk assets is called for.

Semiconductor equities and related ETFs notched impressive performances in the first half of the year. They were buoyed by ongoing enthusiasm for the AI trade and post-Liberation Day resurgence by the Magnificent Seven.

Investors attempting to manage volatility in their portfolio often employ defensive equity strategies to define their optimal market exposure and risk profile. Such strategies are designed to help limit losses on the downside, while also allowing investors to participate in the market’s gains.

In this video, Chuck Carnevale, co-founder of FAST Graphs, reviews 13 stocks investors asked to see.

In last week’s letter, I referenced Torsten Sløk’s excellent midyear outlook for Apollo Global Management. Today I’ll share some longer quotes which will, I hope, help you visualize where the economy is headed.

Tariffs have been the dominant theme in economic policy this year. While President Trump has long held protectionist views, his administration’s approach to international commerce has been more belligerent than was seen in his first term.

This quarter might best be described as the “Big Beautiful Bounce”. Or the BBB. History has proven time and time again that markets do come back – but this was a historically quick market turnaround.

After a tumultuous few months, June of 2025 saw a strong rally which took global markets to (or close to) new highs. The rally was broad-based, with international and U.S. markets all up strongly.

From investing to economics to politics, patterns emerge, lessons resurface and the past becomes a powerful guide for navigating today’s unpredictable landscape. Timing, perspective and adaptability can make all the difference in managing the complexities of modern markets.

Though some urge rate cuts, doing that won't necessarily reduce borrowing costs if the market doesn't agree with the timing. It could raise inflation fears, hurting Treasuries.

Sharp U.S. policy shift and elevated uncertainty reflect an evolution of the new macro regime. What matters: getting a grip on uncertainty by identifying its core features.

The first half of 2025 may not have been kind to private equity, but new data suggests that things could turn around soon.