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.

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.

Once again, due to the ongoing lack of fiscal responsibility in Washington, the markets and the economy faced a Government shutdown.

There were two stories that mattered this week: interest rates and the jobs report for September. For the week as a whole, rate increases seem to have taken away from markets, as they tanked on an increase in the U.S. 10-year yield from about 4.6 percent to 4.8 percent.

Risks remain tilted to the downside. Uncertainty about the strength and speed of monetary policy transmission and the persistence of inflation are key concerns. The adverse effects of higher interest rates could prove stronger than predicted, and greater inflation persistence would require additional policy tightening that might expose financial vulnerabilities.

Global central bank hiking cycles have dominated financial market headlines for the last 18 months, keeping many investors on the sidelines, hiding out in cash as inflation and the resulting rate hikes were serious headwinds to returns.

It’s Moving Day for cryptocurrency ETFs. ProShares has launched three crypto ETFs, including the first fund correlated to the performance of the ether.

Rising rates and inflation acted as a wrecking ball to investment portfolios in 2022. U.S. equities and investment-grade fixed income witnessed double-digit declines, leaving investors scrambling for protection.

Higher interest rates aren’t just a thorn in the side of prospective residential real estate buyers and owners. Additionally, commercial real estate is feeling the pangs of a high-rate environment. That could bring out more bears in the sector.

The U.S. Treasury yield curve is currently inverted, with yields on short-term bonds higher than yields on longer-term bonds. Some expect this to unwind with short-term bond yields falling faster than longer-term yields. Amid these expectations, those investors are wondering if they should consider reallocating to shorter-term bonds.

Savvy investors are aware that geopolitical tensions and uncertainty can significantly influence the financial markets.

Following last year’s calamity in the bond market, it’s not surprising that advisors and investors are looking for new avenues through which to source income. That search is leading many market participants to options-based exchange traded funds, including covered call ETFs.

Corporate defaults and bankruptcies are on the rise, but we don't believe it should be a concern for investors who hold highly rated corporate bond investments, like those with investment-grade ratings.

Reshoring and nearshoring are key trends for investors in global markets. As geopolitical tensions escalate and more businesses shift operations away from China, investors are considering the impacts of deglobalization.

With yield curves still inverted, a short-dated high-yield strategy continues to make sense for return-seeking investors with a defensive mindset.