Margin debt is the amount of money an investor borrows from their broker via a margin account. Margin debt is often seen as a measure of investor sentiment and risk appetite. High levels of margin debt can signal confidence, but extreme spikes may also indicate excessive speculation, increasing the risk of market instability.
Tax filing season may be over for many, but tax planning is an important focus year-round. Consider post-tax season strategies including optimizing deductions or adjusting retirement contributions. Our Bill Cass shares some tax planning ideas to consider.
I’m not someone who believes you should let offensive things go by. Look for your opportunity and be ready!
A successful single-pane-of-glass strategy not only enhances compliance but also improves operational efficiency and agility in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
As President Donald Trump’s trade war continues, Canadian equities are poised to outperform their US counterparts, portfolio managers argue.
New home sales reached a six-month high in March while the median price fell for a second straight month.
In this video, I break down the No. 1 thing you should focus on for organic growth: ensuring your marketing efforts are strategic, effective, and aligned with your long-term goals.
While many investors have been scared away from tech giants at the center of this year’s equity rout, the companies are likely to continue plowing money into buybacks that will offer at least one source of continuing support for the stocks.
Big US banks are navigating a choppy environment just two years after the last round of turmoil, this time with almost no one questioning the industry’s ability to ride out whatever is coming.
Private lenders led by Apollo Global Management Inc. and Blackstone Inc. are providing a $4 billion loan to support Thoma Bravo’s acquisition of Boeing Co.’s flight navigation unit and other digital assets, according to people with knowledge of the deal.
Kestra Private Wealth Services (Kestra PWS), a registered investment adviser subsidiary of Kestra Financial, Inc., today announced it has welcomed Turas Wealth Partners (Turas), a wealth management firm led by father-son duo John and Shea Marmion, to its platform.
Theoretical forecasts and earnings announcements may provide initial insights as to the impact of current tariff proposals, although estimates may be imprecise.
Despite mounting evidence of disinflation and a weakening economy, Chair Powell’s tone remains too hawkish—and I believe that’s a mistake. The latest inflation readings came in soft, money supply growth continues to undershoot, and even jobless claims are inching higher.
Many investors are wondering what to think of the volatility and uncertainty that has been pulsing through financial markets over the past few weeks.
In financial markets, few technical patterns generate as much attention and anxiety as the death cross.
To say that it has been a tumultuous year in Canada would be an understatement. The country’s business model, which relies heavily on commerce with the United States, has been put under severe stress by the American administration.
Stock markets have been rattled by trade war tensions and economic uncertainty driven by US tariff policies. Yet history suggests that equities have usually performed well in the aftermath of peak market volatility.
Practically every financial meltdown or crisis can be traced back to a misunderstanding of which assets are “risk-free.” Investors think they have a risk-free asset — it could be a mortgage-backed security, shares in a Bernie Madoff fund, Greek debt — and are surprised when it turns out not to be.
For simplicity’s sake, let’s boil down the multiple questions facing Apple today into just one: How much are Americans willing to spend on an iPhone?
With many of the big financial reports out of the way, the S&P 500 blended EPS growth rate for Q1 stands at 7.2%. Thus far only 12% of S&P 500 constituents have released results.
It’s been another strong year for ETF demand. ETFs gathered approximately $350 billion of new money year-to-date through April 16.
A reintroduction of SLR relief to balance treasury market stability and systemic risk would likely produce several market effects.
BNY’s Ben Slavin provides an in-depth look at recent ETF trading and flows, and unpacks the latest on the ETF share class structure and product innovation. VettaFi’s Kirsten Chang highlights five noteworthy ETF launches.
For financial advisors, moving to independence and an RIA means navigating a sea of decisions, including business model types and vision.
Join the experts at Alger for an educational webcast covering the power of innovative technology, even amid volatile and uncertain markets.
Gas prices were down for a second straight week, falling to a one-month low. As of April 21st, the price of regular and premium gas were each down 3 cents from the previous week.
Andrew Leigh is a very good storyteller, making “How Economics Explains the World” an easy and fun read. In the hands of someone unfamiliar with basic economic reasoning, it might lead them to pursue economics further. Even if you’re farther along in your economic education, we almost always benefit from relearning things we already know, but in a new light.
No matter what form of compensation you take, it is impossible to eliminate “conflicts” to the extent assumed by the proponents of a new fiduciary standard.
Back in 1980, fear persuaded me that gold was a sure thing. I forgot an essential caveat—there are no sure things in investing.
Bitcoin advanced to the highest level since early March, fueling optimism that the biggest digital token is finally breaking free of a longstanding tendency to move in tandem with US tech stocks.
Tesla Inc. investors reeling from one of the stock’s worst-ever quarters are once again looking for Elon Musk to inject excitement back into the firm when it reports results Tuesday, as profits slip and the much-awaited debut of a self-driving car remains months away.
Nomura Holdings Inc. is telling clients to stay invested through the turmoil that’s pervaded financial markets during the escalating trade tensions. With its $1.8 billion acquisition of an asset management business, the Japanese brokerage is putting its money where its mouth is.
Fifth district manufacturing activity slowed further in April, according to the most recent survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The composite manufacturing index fell nine points this month to -13 after falling ten points in March, marking the largest two-month decline since early 2022. This month's reading was worse than the forecast of -6.
If the US slides into recession, banks will be ready – at least according to commentary on their earnings calls last week.
A global trade war can’t possibly be good news for a city-state whose exports and imports add up to more than 300% of its gross domestic product. Yet there are good reasons to believe that real estate in Singapore may offer a sanctuary to investors fleeing extreme anxiety.
Private equity investors will have to wait even longer before getting back their money back from older funds as global trade turmoil dims hopes of a deal revival, according to the head of Ares Management Corp.’s buyout business.
A divide has recently developed between soft and hard economic data. At a time when conditions are changing rapidly, understanding the difference between the two is terribly important.
Emerging-market (EM) stocks might not seem an obvious choice for anxious investors during a trade war. But history suggests that past volatility peaks have created favorable moments to invest in EM stocks.
The hype cycle around artificial intelligence (AI) often moves faster than the capabilities it touts.
Eitelman began by assessing the health of the U.S. economy through hard and soft data. He explained that hard data refers to measures of actual spending and economic activity, while soft data refers to how companies and consumers respond to surveys.
Tariff uncertainty, a weakening US dollar, and surging Treasury yields are flashing warning signs for investors. Explore how political risks, fiscal policy, and global volatility are reshaping capital flows and market confidence.
In this video, Chuck Carnevale, Co-Founder of FAST Graphs, aka Mr. Valuation compares three growth stocks: NVIDIA Corp (NVDA), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and Broadcom (AVGO), focusing on their valuations and market metrics.
A fundamental lesson in finance is a security’s price should be the present value of all future cash flows. Cash flows typically consist of a regular string of dividend payments and an assumed liquidation value at the end of the time horizon.
We’ve expected a recession for more than a year now. Simply put…the Era of Easy Everything is Over. Expanding deficits and easy money (that have lifted the economy since COVID) are no longer with us. At the same time, tariff negotiations have created an unbelievable amount of uncertainty.
U.S. defensives and international lead.a
Compare corporate and municipal bonds, including risks, returns, and tax benefits. Learn which bond type fits your investment goals.
In general, European countries have infused so much socialism and regulation into their economies that their economic growth has lagged behind the U.S. As a result, their GDP per capita is a third lower than in the U.S.
On this episode of the “ETF of the Week” podcast, VettaFi’s Head of Research, Todd Rosenbluth, discussed the SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY) with Chuck Jaffe of Money Life. The pair discussed several topics related to the fund to give investors a deeper understanding of the ETF overall.
Four of the nine indexes on our world watch list have posted gains through April 21, 2025. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is in the top spot with a year to date gain of 9.03%. Germany’s DAXK is in second with a year to date gain of 5.35% while China's Shanghai is in third with a year to date gain of 0.88%.
These are scary times. No surprise, the typical advice is to stay the course — that it will all work out fine — but those near retirement should take heed.
Active management has not disappeared — it has simply evolved. Rather than focusing on outdated stock selection methodologies, today’s most effective active strategies center on active portfolio construction and dynamic asset allocation.
As we have learned repeatedly, the Fed will take extensive emergency measures if it perceives liquidity problems. Even above their congressional mandated objective of managing employment and prices, the Fed's top priority is preserving the banks.
Wall Street is already looking past what’s expected to be Corporate America’s slowest gain in quarterly earnings in a year, instead focusing on a number that rarely captures the limelight: capital expenditures.
Banks including Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. can thank the White House’s aggressive disruptions on tariff policy and other issues for record hauls from equities trading in the first quarter, when market volatility began to surge.
The US government hasn’t broken up a company since AT&T in 1982. Now it’s trying to persuade a judge to make Alphabet Inc.’s Google next.
Markets were rattled by tariff announcements in early April. Here are three takeaways for investors considering preferred securities, investment-grade and high-yield corporate bonds.
Nvidia Corp. shares are trading near their lowest valuation of the artificial intelligence era, but a growing list of perils has investors cautious about taking advantage of the dip.
When David Solomon admitted to Ken Griffin that hopes for a surge in companies going public this year had so far been miserably unfulfilled, a nervous laugh rippled through the room.
Inflation risk has been a significant topic of discussion in the mainstream media for the last few years.
In nominal terms, the yellow metal set multiple new all-time highs this week, exceeding $3,300 an ounce for the first time ever on Wednesday. And on an inflation-adjusted basis, gold also notched a new record price, surpassing the longstanding record set in 1980.
Today we are going to look at some of the uncertainties in our world and then explore some ways to gain a little certainty.
President Trump’s tariffs bring déjà vu for the euro-area economy: it’s back to slower growth and lower rates.
Investing in stocks so far in 2025 has not been for the faint of heart. Some market indices have undergone wild swings, flirting with bear-market territory
U.S. trade policy has evolved significantly in a matter of weeks.
The first quarter of 2025 marked a significant departure from the preceding two years, which had been characterized by an improving global economy and correspondingly positive market returns. Market performance in Q1 was dominated by abrupt, short-term policy shifts rather than longer-term economic trends, and tariffs became the foremost concern for market participants.
Retail sales surged as consumers seemingly bought ahead of tariffs while a volatile stock market experienced a sharp mid-week sell-off.
While the April 2 tariff announcements were more severe than anticipated, Vanguard’s active fixed income managers were well-prepared for the subsequent market reaction.
Less favorable seasonal technicals, increased focus on municipal-specific policy risks, and severe volatility spurred by higher-than-anticipated tariff increases weighed heavilyon sentiment and resulted in deeply negative total returns and significant underperformance versus Treasuries in March and early April.
Talk of a recession is everywhere. The case is simple: Liberation Day delivered the biggest increase in tariffs in a century. Consumer prices will rise. Purchasing power will decline. Recession…right?
Rapid U.S. policy changes pose challenges for investors accustomed to a global financial system anchored in U.S. markets and assets.
In this week’s installment of “Three on Thursday,” let’s explore some of the dynamics surrounding the United States dollar. In an era of inflation, massive debt, large deficits, and threats of tariffs, there are persistent rumors circulating that the dollar is at risk of losing its reserve currency status.
The deferral of “reciprocal” tariffs on most U.S. trading partners suggests that the peak of tariff uncertainty may have passed.
Banks blew Q1 earnings expectations out of the water, benefitting from high trading volumes, but CEO commentary remains cautious for 2025.
If I had a dollar for every time I heard or read the word recession in the last week, well, I’d have enough not to be financially worried about one. Add a dollar for every mention of tariffs and I’d be comfortably flushed with cash.
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Beth Hammack said she’s keeping an open mind about the direction of interest rates because of uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s policies and how they will affect the economy.
Right now we are in an incredibly complicated environment with regard to U.S. tariff policy gyrations and its whipsawing impact on global equity markets. One thing we can confidently assert is that however the trade negotiations play out, there will be higher tariffs and this will be negative for U.S. growth.
Audiences worldwide turn to Netflix for escapism. Wall Street is doing the same.
Canadians poured a record amount into US equities in February, even as a movement to boycott US products and vacations gained momentum.
LPL Financial LLC announced today that financial advisor Steve Jones of Tenacity Investment Group has joined LPL Financial’s broker-dealer, Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and custodial platforms.
This month’s panic-driven selling across municipal bonds — fueled by the boom in ETFs — is proving a mixed blessing for investors in a normally sedate market corner.
One day doesn’t make a trend, but wary small-caps investors may find some comfort in knowing the Russell 2000 Index jumped 8.50% on Wednesday
Cryptocurrency prices, including bitcoin’s, have been turbulent this year. That’s weighed on shares of miners. Some relief could be in sight.
The yield on the 10-year note ended April 17, 2025 at 4.34%. Meanwhile, the 2-year note ended at 3.81% and the 30-year note ended at 4.80%.
US critical minerals stocks have soared this week, getting a boost from signs that the Trump administration will favor a sector that’s become a flashpoint in the trade standoff between the US and China.
Home values fell for the first time in two years in March, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. However, after adjusting for inflation, real home values declined for an 11th straight month, hitting their lowest level since May 2021.
While we remain open to changes in market conditions, as well as periodic “fast, furious, prone-to-failure” advances that can relieve the oversold “compression” produced by market losses, we are presently on high alert for a possibly abrupt and cascading market and economic dislocation in the weeks ahead.
Simply stated, the U.S. doesn’t save and invest enough. As a result, we pay for too many of our imports by borrowing from our trading partners.
In the latest report by the Census Bureau, building permits unexpectedly rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.482 million in March. This marks a 1.6% increase from February but a 0.2% decline compared to one year ago.
Global Markets
Margin Debt: March 2025
Margin debt is the amount of money an investor borrows from their broker via a margin account. Margin debt is often seen as a measure of investor sentiment and risk appetite. High levels of margin debt can signal confidence, but extreme spikes may also indicate excessive speculation, increasing the risk of market instability.
Tax Planning Should be a Focus for All seasons
Tax filing season may be over for many, but tax planning is an important focus year-round. Consider post-tax season strategies including optimizing deductions or adjusting retirement contributions. Our Bill Cass shares some tax planning ideas to consider.
Take Well-Timed Action for the Biggest Impact
I’m not someone who believes you should let offensive things go by. Look for your opportunity and be ready!
The Single Pane of Glass: Unifying Communications Supervision Across Channels
A successful single-pane-of-glass strategy not only enhances compliance but also improves operational efficiency and agility in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
Portfolio Managers See Canada Stock Market as Long-Term Winner
As President Donald Trump’s trade war continues, Canadian equities are poised to outperform their US counterparts, portfolio managers argue.
New Home Sales Reach Six-Month High in March
New home sales reached a six-month high in March while the median price fell for a second straight month.
Want to Drive Organic Growth? Focus on This
In this video, I break down the No. 1 thing you should focus on for organic growth: ensuring your marketing efforts are strategic, effective, and aligned with your long-term goals.
Tech Giants to Plow $500 Billion Cash Hoard Into More Buybacks
While many investors have been scared away from tech giants at the center of this year’s equity rout, the companies are likely to continue plowing money into buybacks that will offer at least one source of continuing support for the stocks.
US Banks Ride Out Market Turmoil Thanks to Capital Buildup They Opposed
Big US banks are navigating a choppy environment just two years after the last round of turmoil, this time with almost no one questioning the industry’s ability to ride out whatever is coming.
Apollo, Blackstone Lead $4 Billion Loan for Boeing Unit
Private lenders led by Apollo Global Management Inc. and Blackstone Inc. are providing a $4 billion loan to support Thoma Bravo’s acquisition of Boeing Co.’s flight navigation unit and other digital assets, according to people with knowledge of the deal.
Turas Wealth Partners Joins Kestra Private Wealth Services To Further Focus on Client Experience
Kestra Private Wealth Services (Kestra PWS), a registered investment adviser subsidiary of Kestra Financial, Inc., today announced it has welcomed Turas Wealth Partners (Turas), a wealth management firm led by father-son duo John and Shea Marmion, to its platform.
Early Impacts of the Trade War
Theoretical forecasts and earnings announcements may provide initial insights as to the impact of current tariff proposals, although estimates may be imprecise.
Powell Downplays Progress, Risks Becoming Trump’s Scapegoat
Despite mounting evidence of disinflation and a weakening economy, Chair Powell’s tone remains too hawkish—and I believe that’s a mistake. The latest inflation readings came in soft, money supply growth continues to undershoot, and even jobless claims are inching higher.
Opportunities
Many investors are wondering what to think of the volatility and uncertainty that has been pulsing through financial markets over the past few weeks.
The Death Cross and Market Bottoms
In financial markets, few technical patterns generate as much attention and anxiety as the death cross.
Oh, Canada
To say that it has been a tumultuous year in Canada would be an understatement. The country’s business model, which relies heavily on commerce with the United States, has been put under severe stress by the American administration.
Gauging the Fear Factor: From Volatility Peaks to Equity Returns
Stock markets have been rattled by trade war tensions and economic uncertainty driven by US tariff policies. Yet history suggests that equities have usually performed well in the aftermath of peak market volatility.
US Bonds Have Never Been Risk-Free, and Never Will Be
Practically every financial meltdown or crisis can be traced back to a misunderstanding of which assets are “risk-free.” Investors think they have a risk-free asset — it could be a mortgage-backed security, shares in a Bernie Madoff fund, Greek debt — and are surprised when it turns out not to be.
What Would You Be Willing to Pay for an iPhone?
For simplicity’s sake, let’s boil down the multiple questions facing Apple today into just one: How much are Americans willing to spend on an iPhone?
Magnificent 7 Earnings Out this Week will Shed Light on Big Tech’s Tariff Concerns
With many of the big financial reports out of the way, the S&P 500 blended EPS growth rate for Q1 stands at 7.2%. Thus far only 12% of S&P 500 constituents have released results.
Risk-Off Fixed Income in Demand in April
It’s been another strong year for ETF demand. ETFs gathered approximately $350 billion of new money year-to-date through April 16.
Balancing Treasury Market Stability and Systemic Risk
A reintroduction of SLR relief to balance treasury market stability and systemic risk would likely produce several market effects.
BNY’s Ben Slavin on ETF Trading, Flows, Share Class Structure, & Innovation
BNY’s Ben Slavin provides an in-depth look at recent ETF trading and flows, and unpacks the latest on the ETF share class structure and product innovation. VettaFi’s Kirsten Chang highlights five noteworthy ETF launches.
3 Considerations for Advisors Branching Out to an RIA
For financial advisors, moving to independence and an RIA means navigating a sea of decisions, including business model types and vision.
Innovation: The Most Powerful Force in the Global Economy?
Join the experts at Alger for an educational webcast covering the power of innovative technology, even amid volatile and uncertain markets.
Gas Prices Down for Second Straight Week
Gas prices were down for a second straight week, falling to a one-month low. As of April 21st, the price of regular and premium gas were each down 3 cents from the previous week.
Is Economics About Everything? A Review of ‘How Economics Explains the World'
Andrew Leigh is a very good storyteller, making “How Economics Explains the World” an easy and fun read. In the hands of someone unfamiliar with basic economic reasoning, it might lead them to pursue economics further. Even if you’re farther along in your economic education, we almost always benefit from relearning things we already know, but in a new light.
Separating ‘Fiduciary’ From ‘Compensation’
No matter what form of compensation you take, it is impossible to eliminate “conflicts” to the extent assumed by the proponents of a new fiduciary standard.
Protect Yourself From Fear-Based Gold Fever
Back in 1980, fear persuaded me that gold was a sure thing. I forgot an essential caveat—there are no sure things in investing.
Bitcoin Rallies 20% During Market Turmoil to Diverge From Tech
Bitcoin advanced to the highest level since early March, fueling optimism that the biggest digital token is finally breaking free of a longstanding tendency to move in tandem with US tech stocks.
Tesla at Risk of a ‘Throwaway Year’ Without a New Narrative From Earnings
Tesla Inc. investors reeling from one of the stock’s worst-ever quarters are once again looking for Elon Musk to inject excitement back into the firm when it reports results Tuesday, as profits slip and the much-awaited debut of a self-driving car remains months away.
Nomura Bets Big on US Market Rebound With $1.8 Billion Deal
Nomura Holdings Inc. is telling clients to stay invested through the turmoil that’s pervaded financial markets during the escalating trade tensions. With its $1.8 billion acquisition of an asset management business, the Japanese brokerage is putting its money where its mouth is.
Richmond Fed Manufacturing Activity Slowed Further in April
Fifth district manufacturing activity slowed further in April, according to the most recent survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The composite manufacturing index fell nine points this month to -13 after falling ten points in March, marking the largest two-month decline since early 2022. This month's reading was worse than the forecast of -6.
As US Recession Looms, Banks Brace for Worse
If the US slides into recession, banks will be ready – at least according to commentary on their earnings calls last week.
Singapore Property May Be a Good Place to Hide
A global trade war can’t possibly be good news for a city-state whose exports and imports add up to more than 300% of its gross domestic product. Yet there are good reasons to believe that real estate in Singapore may offer a sanctuary to investors fleeing extreme anxiety.
Ares Says Cash-Hungry Private Equity Investors Face Big Wait
Private equity investors will have to wait even longer before getting back their money back from older funds as global trade turmoil dims hopes of a deal revival, according to the head of Ares Management Corp.’s buyout business.
The “Soft” Data Gets Softer
A divide has recently developed between soft and hard economic data. At a time when conditions are changing rapidly, understanding the difference between the two is terribly important.
Why Does Volatility Often Lead to Strong Emerging Equity Returns?
Emerging-market (EM) stocks might not seem an obvious choice for anxious investors during a trade war. But history suggests that past volatility peaks have created favorable moments to invest in EM stocks.
Agentic AI: The New Frontier of Intelligence That Acts
The hype cycle around artificial intelligence (AI) often moves faster than the capabilities it touts.
Hard Data Points to Soft Landing: But Confidence Wanes
Eitelman began by assessing the health of the U.S. economy through hard and soft data. He explained that hard data refers to measures of actual spending and economic activity, while soft data refers to how companies and consumers respond to surveys.
Smoke Signals: Dollar Decline, Tariffs and Treasury Yields Surge Signal Market Volatility
Tariff uncertainty, a weakening US dollar, and surging Treasury yields are flashing warning signs for investors. Explore how political risks, fiscal policy, and global volatility are reshaping capital flows and market confidence.
Are These 3 Growth Stocks a Buy at Today’s Prices?
In this video, Chuck Carnevale, Co-Founder of FAST Graphs, aka Mr. Valuation compares three growth stocks: NVIDIA Corp (NVDA), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and Broadcom (AVGO), focusing on their valuations and market metrics.
The Trade-Off in Covered Call Strategies
A fundamental lesson in finance is a security’s price should be the present value of all future cash flows. Cash flows typically consist of a regular string of dividend payments and an assumed liquidation value at the end of the time horizon.
Near Zero Q1, Uncertainty Ahead
We’ve expected a recession for more than a year now. Simply put…the Era of Easy Everything is Over. Expanding deficits and easy money (that have lifted the economy since COVID) are no longer with us. At the same time, tariff negotiations have created an unbelievable amount of uncertainty.
Quarterly Recap Q1 2025
U.S. defensives and international lead.a
Corporate vs. Municipal Bonds: Key Differences Every Investor Should Know
Compare corporate and municipal bonds, including risks, returns, and tax benefits. Learn which bond type fits your investment goals.
Europe Can’t Hide Behind America Anymore
In general, European countries have infused so much socialism and regulation into their economies that their economic growth has lagged behind the U.S. As a result, their GDP per capita is a third lower than in the U.S.
SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY)
On this episode of the “ETF of the Week” podcast, VettaFi’s Head of Research, Todd Rosenbluth, discussed the SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY) with Chuck Jaffe of Money Life. The pair discussed several topics related to the fund to give investors a deeper understanding of the ETF overall.
World Markets Watchlist: April 21, 2025
Four of the nine indexes on our world watch list have posted gains through April 21, 2025. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is in the top spot with a year to date gain of 9.03%. Germany’s DAXK is in second with a year to date gain of 5.35% while China's Shanghai is in third with a year to date gain of 0.88%.
A Warning to Baby Boomers and Others Regarding the China-U.S. Trade War
These are scary times. No surprise, the typical advice is to stay the course — that it will all work out fine — but those near retirement should take heed.
The Evolution of Active Management: From Stock Picking to Active Asset Allocation
Active management has not disappeared — it has simply evolved. Rather than focusing on outdated stock selection methodologies, today’s most effective active strategies center on active portfolio construction and dynamic asset allocation.
Swaps & Basis Trades Signal Mounting Liquidity Problems
As we have learned repeatedly, the Fed will take extensive emergency measures if it perceives liquidity problems. Even above their congressional mandated objective of managing employment and prices, the Fed's top priority is preserving the banks.
Investors Want to Know What Firms Are Spending More Than Earning
Wall Street is already looking past what’s expected to be Corporate America’s slowest gain in quarterly earnings in a year, instead focusing on a number that rarely captures the limelight: capital expenditures.
The Dark Side of Surging Bank Trading Revenue
Banks including Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. can thank the White House’s aggressive disruptions on tariff policy and other issues for record hauls from equities trading in the first quarter, when market volatility began to surge.
Google, DOJ Go Back to Court to Fight Over Search Monopoly Fix
The US government hasn’t broken up a company since AT&T in 1982. Now it’s trying to persuade a judge to make Alphabet Inc.’s Google next.
Market Volatility and Corporate Bonds: 3 Takeaways
Markets were rattled by tariff announcements in early April. Here are three takeaways for investors considering preferred securities, investment-grade and high-yield corporate bonds.
Nvidia Investors Balk at Beaten Down Valuation as Risks Mount
Nvidia Corp. shares are trading near their lowest valuation of the artificial intelligence era, but a growing list of perils has investors cautious about taking advantage of the dip.
Hedge Fund Titans Rattled by US Trade Turmoil Eye Mideast Cash
When David Solomon admitted to Ken Griffin that hopes for a surge in companies going public this year had so far been miserably unfulfilled, a nervous laugh rippled through the room.
Inflation Risk Is Subsiding Rapidly
Inflation risk has been a significant topic of discussion in the mainstream media for the last few years.
Analysts See Gold at $4,000 as Faith in the U.S. Dollar Tumbles
In nominal terms, the yellow metal set multiple new all-time highs this week, exceeding $3,300 an ounce for the first time ever on Wednesday. And on an inflation-adjusted basis, gold also notched a new record price, surpassing the longstanding record set in 1980.
The Uncertainty World
Today we are going to look at some of the uncertainties in our world and then explore some ways to gain a little certainty.
How Tariff Troubles May Hurt Europe’s Growth
President Trump’s tariffs bring déjà vu for the euro-area economy: it’s back to slower growth and lower rates.
Consider Direct Indexing to Offset Pain From Market Volatility
Investing in stocks so far in 2025 has not been for the faint of heart. Some market indices have undergone wild swings, flirting with bear-market territory
How Effectively Can the U.S. Economy Untether From China?
U.S. trade policy has evolved significantly in a matter of weeks.
Why Does Volatility Often Lead to Strong Emerging Equity Returns?
Emerging-market (EM) stocks might not seem an obvious choice for anxious investors during a trade war. But history suggests that past volatility peaks have created favorable moments to invest in EM stocks.
Tariff Tremors, Market Rotations, and the Imperative of Optimization
The first quarter of 2025 marked a significant departure from the preceding two years, which had been characterized by an improving global economy and correspondingly positive market returns. Market performance in Q1 was dominated by abrupt, short-term policy shifts rather than longer-term economic trends, and tariffs became the foremost concern for market participants.
Weekly Economic Snapshot: Pre-Tariff Spending Spike Amid Fed Warning
Retail sales surged as consumers seemingly bought ahead of tariffs while a volatile stock market experienced a sharp mid-week sell-off.
Fixed Income Remains Key to Long-Term Diversification
While the April 2 tariff announcements were more severe than anticipated, Vanguard’s active fixed income managers were well-prepared for the subsequent market reaction.
2025 Muni Outlook: Stay Invested and Remain Nimble
Less favorable seasonal technicals, increased focus on municipal-specific policy risks, and severe volatility spurred by higher-than-anticipated tariff increases weighed heavily
on sentiment and resulted in deeply negative total returns and significant underperformance versus Treasuries in March and early April.
4 Reasons to Believe in This Economy
Talk of a recession is everywhere. The case is simple: Liberation Day delivered the biggest increase in tariffs in a century. Consumer prices will rise. Purchasing power will decline. Recession…right?
Trade Wars and the U.S. Dollar
Rapid U.S. policy changes pose challenges for investors accustomed to a global financial system anchored in U.S. markets and assets.
Three on Thursday: The Dollar Endures: Strength, Stability, and Global Trust
In this week’s installment of “Three on Thursday,” let’s explore some of the dynamics surrounding the United States dollar. In an era of inflation, massive debt, large deficits, and threats of tariffs, there are persistent rumors circulating that the dollar is at risk of losing its reserve currency status.
Trade War Will Take a Toll
The deferral of “reciprocal” tariffs on most U.S. trading partners suggests that the peak of tariff uncertainty may have passed.
Banks Outperformed for Q1 but Strike Cautious Tone for the Rest of 2025
Banks blew Q1 earnings expectations out of the water, benefitting from high trading volumes, but CEO commentary remains cautious for 2025.
Gauging the Fear Factor: From Volatility Peaks to Equity Returns
Stock markets have been rattled by trade war tensions and economic uncertainty driven by US tariff policies. Yet history suggests that equities have usually performed well in the aftermath of peak market volatility.
Are Dividend Cuts on the Horizon in 2025?
If I had a dollar for every time I heard or read the word recession in the last week, well, I’d have enough not to be financially worried about one. Add a dollar for every mention of tariffs and I’d be comfortably flushed with cash.
Fed’s Hammack Sees Wide-Ranging Possibilities for Economy, Rates
Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland President Beth Hammack said she’s keeping an open mind about the direction of interest rates because of uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s policies and how they will affect the economy.
Our Thinking on the Markets
Right now we are in an incredibly complicated environment with regard to U.S. tariff policy gyrations and its whipsawing impact on global equity markets. One thing we can confidently assert is that however the trade negotiations play out, there will be higher tariffs and this will be negative for U.S. growth.
Netflix Defies Big Tech Slump as Wall Street Seeks Tariff Haven
Audiences worldwide turn to Netflix for escapism. Wall Street is doing the same.
Canadian Investment in US Stocks Hit Record in February Despite Trade Tension
Canadians poured a record amount into US equities in February, even as a movement to boycott US products and vacations gained momentum.
LPL Financial Welcomes Tenacity Investment Group
LPL Financial LLC announced today that financial advisor Steve Jones of Tenacity Investment Group has joined LPL Financial’s broker-dealer, Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) and custodial platforms.
ETFs Highlight Ease of Trading in Three-Day Selloff for Munis
This month’s panic-driven selling across municipal bonds — fueled by the boom in ETFs — is proving a mixed blessing for investors in a normally sedate market corner.
Small-Caps May Yet Have Their Redemption Day
One day doesn’t make a trend, but wary small-caps investors may find some comfort in knowing the Russell 2000 Index jumped 8.50% on Wednesday
Bitcoin Miners Hash Rate Move Could Bode Well for Crypto Prices
Cryptocurrency prices, including bitcoin’s, have been turbulent this year. That’s weighed on shares of miners. Some relief could be in sight.
Treasury Yields Snapshot: April 17, 2025
The yield on the 10-year note ended April 17, 2025 at 4.34%. Meanwhile, the 2-year note ended at 3.81% and the 30-year note ended at 4.80%.
Critical Mineral Stocks Rally on Signs Trump Supports Sector
US critical minerals stocks have soared this week, getting a boost from signs that the Trump administration will favor a sector that’s become a flashpoint in the trade standoff between the US and China.
Zillow Home Value Index: "Real" Home Values at Lowest Level Since May 2021
Home values fell for the first time in two years in March, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. However, after adjusting for inflation, real home values declined for an 11th straight month, hitting their lowest level since May 2021.
An Abrupt and Cascading Dislocation
While we remain open to changes in market conditions, as well as periodic “fast, furious, prone-to-failure” advances that can relieve the oversold “compression” produced by market losses, we are presently on high alert for a possibly abrupt and cascading market and economic dislocation in the weeks ahead.
Why Tariffs Won’t Solve Our Trade Problem
Simply stated, the U.S. doesn’t save and invest enough. As a result, we pay for too many of our imports by borrowing from our trading partners.
Building Permits Unexpectedly Rise 1.6% in March
In the latest report by the Census Bureau, building permits unexpectedly rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.482 million in March. This marks a 1.6% increase from February but a 0.2% decline compared to one year ago.