The Federal Reserve held short-term interest rates steady last week. If it does so again at its next meeting in December, it’ll need a better explanation.
Treasuries dipped after an unexpected surge in US job growth led traders to add to wagers that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates when officials next meet in December.
Fears of the worst-case scenario for the AI trade kicked in after the US midterm elections on Tuesday, in which Democrats secured majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives and won control of state houses and governor’s mansions across the country. Many of the winning candidates ran on anti-AI platforms, raising the possibility that the development of data centers could grind to a halt in many places.
The most-read stories in October for Advisor Perspectives were mainly focused on two key topics: retirement and TIPS. The most-read stories in October for Advisor Perspectives were mainly focused on two key topics: retirement and TIPS.
The unprecedented investment boom to build out the infrastructure for artificial intelligence is projected to reach more than $10 trillion, if all current plans are realized. The money is coming from many sources, including corporate cash flows, public equity and debt issuance, private debt issuance, off-balance sheet lease obligations and guarantees to AI data center developers from so-called hyperscalers and the leading chip provider, Nividia Corp.
For years, companies trying to mine or process the rare elements vital to the performance of electric vehicles, drones, medical devices, LEDs, jet engines and computer chips had to fight for every cent.
US state and local government debt is on track to notch its strongest October in more than four decades, as a relief rally follows one of the worst months for the bond market in years.
At least five portfolio managers focused on credit trading at Brevan Howard Asset Management have left the hedge fund firm, the latest sign of fallout from market turmoil.
You do get rewarded for pushing duration out, with a steep increase from 30 days to one year, and a more moderate — but still substantial — increment in return for going out to five years.
US labor productivity accelerated in the third quarter at the fastest pace in a year, suggesting a capital spending boom is translating into greater efficiency at a time when input costs have soared.
Agility Robotics Inc. is set to become the first dedicated humanoid company to go public in the US, marking a major milestone for the emerging category that still has a lot to prove.
US equities plunged Thursday as a rotation out of chipmakers deepened and investors looked past the initial relief rally following the US midterm elections.
The world’s advanced economies could be facing a slow-moving train wreck that they appear powerless to stop. We are no longer producing enough babies.
The push by regulators to launch digital versions of US stocks is a rush job that risks introducing crypto-like dangers into the equity market with few benefits. Hopefully, a rebalanced Congress with senators who are less in thrall to the industry can block this move, or at least press for stronger guardrails.
As AI tools remove friction from administrative tasks, more clients flow into the pipeline, stretching advisor capacity without fortifying the infrastructure required to support it. Every efficiency created for an advisor can generate additional work elsewhere, with much of it landing on client service and operations teams.
Although AI reasoning tools drastically speed up workflow—allowing single individuals to build complex financial platforms—they tend to produce generic consensus, overlook subtle guidance, and push inexperienced users toward crowded, high-risk strategies.
Focus on raising the brand of your firm. We call it “standing out in a crowded market”. Take a look at what you are saying and find ways to differentiate yourself so people become curious and want to learn more about what you can do for them. Websites don’t sell anything but they do tell a story. Make sure your story is a solid one.
Choosing the advisor who will represent you in the market is not an administrative step; it shapes every stage of the transaction that follows. For many founders, it is the first major decision in the sale process and can influence the ultimate outcome as much as any term negotiated at the closing table.
Timing is everything when you’re trying to pull off a mega-deal. And it’s hard to think of a worse moment for semiconductor designer Marvell Technology Inc. to unveil a takeover of laser specialist Lumentum Holdings Inc. at a $115 billion enterprise value.
The world remains in a volatile situation: There’s unrest in France over its deteriorating finances, and big political changes are potentially afoot in the US and Israel. Then there’s the ongoing war with Iran, including increased attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and Houthi strikes against Saudi Arabia.
Google parent Alphabet Inc. is back in the municipal bond market for the second time this year with a $1.5 billion prepaid energy deal.
While US midterm election results historically bode well for stocks regardless of which party wins, some Wall Street strategists are warning clients to temper their bullishness this time around.
What will protect portfolios when U.S. stocks tank, especially when inflation is also a concern? I think real assets like commodities and real estate (especially farmland) will hold up, as will Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS).
The significance of federal debt breaching the 100%-of-GDP threshold is debatable, but if debt keeps rising relative to the economy there is surely a point at which it becomes problematic for the US. In one sense it already has: net interest on the debt accounted for 14% of federal spending during the fiscal year that ended in September, and more than half the $2 trillion deficit.
AI shouldn’t replace a trust officer’s judgment. Together, custom prompt-driven reviews and AI assistants cover the two modes trust officers operate in most frequently: structured reviews and real-time client service.
Fear of losing disability benefits can sometimes be as much of a barrier to opportunity as the rules themselves. Even sophisticated families can find the system difficult to navigate.
Social contracts are written for the population of their day, but while populations change, contracts rarely do. France is now the clearest case study of that collision.
When I introduce the emotional side of money to my financial planning students at Golden Gate University, the most common reaction is shock that it was never part of their formal education.
Once prone to external shocks, Latin America has weathered this year’s geopolitical upheavals largely unscathed.
Oil and natural gas extended a plunge on unconfirmed reports of further diplomacy in the US-Iran conflict. The US approved a draft memorandum of understanding that the Qatari delegation presented to Iran yesterday, the Al Araby news service reported Tuesday, citing sources close to the mediation team.
US stocks were higher after the market opened as Americans headed to the polls on Election Day, with control of both chambers of Congress at stake and investors weighing mounting risks to the artificial intelligence trade.
The Bank of Japan’s decision to accelerate sales of exchange-traded funds could boost its payments to the government, potentially helping Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi finance her costly policy agenda.
Technology took us out of our homes. It gave us a boss, office politics and an alarm clock — and it was awful. We got used to it; we made it work. Now technology might take those jobs away. But perhaps it will also restore the autonomy and flexibility that once defined work.
I spent the majority of my time in the retail bond business during the zero-rate period. The problem during that time was fairly simple. A bond would yield about 1.5%, while a retiree would need about 5%. There had to be a solution, and Wall Street was quick to provide it.
Medicare's annual enrollment period gives advisors an opportunity to revisit healthcare coverage with clients. While advisors needn't become Medicare experts, they can help identify issues that warrant a closer look or consultation with a qualified Medicare professional.
The prolonged impact of raising the Fed Funds rate, coupled with the recent surge in long-term bond yields, is exactly the kind of over-restrictive policy mistake the bond market may be worried about, helping explain the recent decline in long-term yields.
Instead of making defensive, fear-driven claiming choices, financial planners are urged to stress-test retirement plans against a baseline 78% benefit level to ensure essential expenses remain covered.
Investors who own bonds are seeing losses in their accounts. Many are not happy, and many just want out. The losses over the past five years are significant. After the biggest decline in the history of the bond market in 2022, bonds stabilized until this year, when the decline resumed. Here’s why I tell clients that they should be thrilled.
The runup in Apple Inc. shares in recent months has left the iPhone maker little room for disappointment when it reports earnings after the bell on Monday.
When Elon Musk pledged to give a share of SpaceX to each child in the US, the proclamation was met with a certain amount of skepticism. Regardless of Musk’s motivation or whether his promise comes to fruition, he has — inadvertently or not — hit on a worthwhile idea.
Anthropic PBC reported third-quarter revenue of nearly $17 billion as of Sept. 30, a twelve-fold increase versus the same period a year ago that’s set to stoke anticipation for the artificial intelligence lab’s potentially record-breaking IPO.
As gold heads toward its worst annual loss in more than a decade, investors are gauging the odds a political shift in the US will restore the precious metal’s haven allure.
Marvell Technology Inc. has reached a deal to buy data center optics maker Lumentum Holdings Inc. at an enterprise value of $115 billion, one of the biggest tech tie-ups ever, in a race to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom.
US manufacturing activity picked up in October, supported by the strongest production growth in nearly five years.
Wall Street expects Democrats to win at least one of the houses of Congress in the US midterm elections on Tuesday, setting the stage for a potentially volatile ride in the stock and bond markets with artificial intelligence oversight, defense spending and crypto legislation on the table.
Equity investors are meting out some of the harshest punishments ever for companies that miss expectations, just as strategists sound the alarm that earnings growth has likely peaked.
ExxonMobil Holdings Corp. plans to invest more than $100 billion over the next few years to help augment global energy supplies, Chief Executive Officer Darren Woods told CNBC after the supermajor posted blockbuster quarterly results.
Investors were thoroughly unimpressed with Alphabet Inc.’s third-quarter earnings on Wednesday evening. Shares tumbled nearly 11% after the company missed sales and profit expectations. It was a sign, Bloomberg News reported, that Wall Street wasn’t satisfied that Google is seeing enough of a return on its artificial-intelligence bets.
Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh champions parsimony in central bank communications and loathes so-called forward guidance. But he’s said plenty about the future of artificial intelligence: He’s an arch optimist on the technology who thinks it will help him vanquish inflation.
Wall Street’s recent risk aversion toward stocks may have created an opening for a sharp rebound, particularly in technology shares, if Anthropic PBC’s planned initial public offering reignites enthusiasm for artificial intelligence.
