Global equity markets posted modest gains to start the year, driven by selective strength in technology and cyclical areas as leadership rotated. Beneath the surface, performance diverged across companies, sectors, and regions. While macro uncertainty continues to unsettle markets, outcomes are increasingly shaped by company fundamentals.
Monetary policy stayed front and center this week as major central banks kept rates unchanged. What stood out was not the decisions themselves, but how economic momentum is diverging across regions.
Client demand for tax planning is high, yet many advisors may still fall short of meeting expectations. Direct indexing can offer tax benefits such as the potential for tax-loss harvesting but remains underutilized across the advisor community.
At its January meeting, the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) voted to pause its rate-cutting cycle, a move that aligns with recent signs of stabilizing labor markets and easing inflation pressures.
It was a volatile week in financial markets, largely driven by geopolitical developments. Last weekend, the U.S. administration proposed new tariffs on several European countries linked to tensions around Greenland.
Investors were thrown another tariff curveball, with the U.S. administration declaring that unless a deal for the U.S. to acquire Greenland can be reached, a 10% tariff will be imposed on eight European countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland) effective Feb. 1.
U.S. fourth-quarter earnings season began with major banks reporting results that were generally stronger than expected. Most large banks beat earnings forecasts, with many also exceeding revenue expectations, reinforcing our view that the U.S. economy remains in a healthy state.
The U.S. and global economy remain on solid footing. We don’t believe recent geopolitical developments pose a systemic risk to markets at this time
It’s only been a few days since the start of 2026, but global equity markets are already reaching new all-time highs. Major benchmarks—including the Dow Jones Industrial Average in the U.S., Canada’s S&P/TSX Composite Index, and Japan’s TOPIX—posted strong gains this week.
Global equities closed 2025 with solid gains, supported by strong headline returns from the world’s largest firms, along with a surprising combination of smaller companies, many of which handily outperformed the top ten in the MSCI World Index.
Last week delivered welcome news on inflation in the United States. The November report showed headline inflation slowing to 2.7% year-over-year and core inflation easing to 2.6%—both below consensus expectations of 3.1% and 3%, respectively.
The global race to build AI infrastructure has accelerated sharply. Estimated capital expenditures now total more than $5 trillion, equivalent to the annual GDP of Germany.
Last Wednesday, the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) delivered a widely anticipated 25-basis-point rate cut at its final meeting of the year. In the press conference that followed, Chair Jerome Powell emphasized that monetary policy is now much closer to neutral and that the central bank is likely nearing the end of its rate-cutting cycle.
Around this time, most mutual fund and exchange-traded fund (ETF) providers release estimates of their upcoming distributions. We track and aggregate these early numbers to help you better prepare for what to expect.
Many U.S. companies now find their defined benefit (DB) plan in surplus and are exploring practical ways to use that excess funding. While emerging legislation may one day allow transfer from DB to defined contribution (DC) plans, some sponsors are already taking creative action.
This week’s data presented a mixed picture of the U.S. economy as investors look ahead to the Federal Reserve (Fed) meeting next week.
Global equities closed November mixed, as investors began favoring proven earnings power over speculative growth. The MSCI World Index ended roughly flat for the month, with value, small-cap, and dividend-paying stocks outperforming large-cap growth names. Healthcare significantly outpaced information technology by over 12%.
High-quality stocks have underperformed sharply across markets in 2025. For instance, in U.S. small caps, companies with negative earnings have outperformed profitable ones by about 20% since Liberation Day, while the Russell 2000’s rally has favored high-volatility, unprofitable names.
Interest rates are undergoing one of the steepest reversals in half a century. In 2020, governments could borrow for 30 years at just over 1%. Fast forward to 2025 and U.S. 30-year yields have risen above 5% for the first time since 2007.
Markets don’t sleep over the holidays, but they do slow down. Historical trading patterns show consistent liquidity shifts from late November through early January.
The latest U.S. economic data continues to paint a mixed picture. Private-sector employment from payroll processor ADP showed a return to modest job growth in October following a brief contraction.
Amid headline-grabbing AI funding rounds, managers are focusing on specialist infrastructure and supply-chain bottleneck companies with clear order-book visibility and strong pricing power. These include semiconductors and components.
Last week’s main story for markets was the meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Following the talks, both sides announced a modest set of agreements aimed at improving trade relations.
For many investors, the fear of missing out on market gains is usually second to the pain that comes from taking a loss in their portfolios. This is why many struggle to stay invested during rocky markets.
Gold has been top of mind for many investors this week, with prices falling significantly at the start of the week. Despite a strong run in 2025, traditional valuation models suggest gold prices may have become somewhat stretched, creating some fragility in the asset class.
We believe an OCIO partnership is the stronger choice. With broad access to top-tier managers, scale advantages, deep operational infrastructure and critical resources to oversee risk and capital deployment, OCIOs can often take advantages of opportunities that single-strategy boutiques often cannot.
As funded status rises, the idea of plan hibernation may become more attractive, enabling strategic use of pension surplus.
On this week’s edition of Market Week in Review, Global Chief Investment Strategist Paul Eitelman assessed the health of the U.S. economy amid the ongoing government shutdown.
Overfunded pension plans don't have to die—they can live on in a 401(k) plan.
The government shutdown may spark some short-term volatility, but investors aren’t likely to bear the brunt of a red October.
When it comes to managing risk, OCIO providers can’t afford to overlook history.
On this week’s edition of Market Week in Review, Senior Investment Strategist and Head of Canadian Strategy, BeiChen Lin, assessed the health of the U.S. economy. He also explained why the Swiss National Bank held the line on monetary policy and discussed the potential market impacts of a U.S. government shutdown.
On Sept. 9, Russell Investments hosted a webinar examining the rising demand for overlay solutions, how overlay strategies are evolving and how institutional investors are using these tools today.
Senior Investment Strategist and Head of Canadian Strategy, BeiChen Lin, unpacked the latest rate decisions from major central banks. He also assessed the health of the U.S. housing market and potential opportunities in listed real estate.
The U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) cut interest rates by 0.25% today in a decision widely expected by investors. More notably, the central bank’s forecasts reveal a committee starkly divided on the path forward for rates.
In recent years, pension funded status has markedly improved, with average funded ratios surpassing 100%.
On this week’s edition of Market Week in Review, Pierre Dongo-Soria, principal investment strategist for EMEA, unpacked what the latest economic data from the United States could mean for interest rate cuts.
On this week’s edition of Market Week in Review, Global Chief Investment Strategist Paul Eitelman discussed new records for the U.S. stock market as well as the resilience of the American economy. He also covered bond-market volatility in Japan, France and the UK.
The U.S. stock market continues to trade near all-time highs, with performance again concentrated in a handful of the largest, predominantly tech-oriented companies in the S&P 500 Index. Meanwhile, active managers are continuing to underperform.
On this week’s edition of Market Week in Review, Senior Investment Strategist and Head of Canadian Strategy, BeiChen Lin, explained key factors fueling the strong performance in North American stock markets. He also assessed the latest U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) developments and shared upcoming watchpoints for the U.S. and Canadian labor markets.
A full-scale implementation partner does the behind-the-scenes—but critically necessary—work of managing portfolios according to the investment objectives, risk tolerance and preferences set by an investment team. In doing so, they free up time and energy for the investment staff to focus on decision-making.
On the latest edition of Market Week in Review, Global Chief Investment Strategist Paul Eitelman recapped the stock market’s latest record-setting run. He also dug into the health of the global economy and the latest inflation numbers from the United States.
The U.S. economy is slowing down but don't expect a hard landing.
In the latest edition of Market Week in Review, Senior Investment Strategist and Head of Canadian Strategy, BeiChen Lin, unpacks the European Central Bank’s (ECB) latest policy decision, provides an update on U.S. trade negotiations ahead of the August 1 deadline, and previews next week’s interest rate decisions from the Federal Reserve and Bank of Canada (BoC).
On this week’s edition of Market Week in Review, Global Chief Investment Strategist Paul Eitelman discussed key drivers behind the stock market rally.
The valuation of small-cap stocks relative to large caps remains historically attractive, and small-cap recoveries in the past have resulted in meaningful periods of outperformance.
On the latest edition of Market Week in Review, Global Chief Investment Strategist Paul Eitelman explored key drivers behind the strong performance in markets. He also provided an update on a proposed U.S. tax measure.
It’s often said there are only two certainties in life: death and taxes. However, the tax landscape may become somewhat murkier, as the recently passed U.S. House budget bill may potentially lead to some non-U.S. investors paying more taxes than previously anticipated.
The newest generation of college graduates will switch jobs more than a dozen times over the course of their careers. They will juggle side gigs, launch businesses, and step in and out of traditional roles.
When navigating the unknown, an experienced guide can ensure you don’t veer off the path to your chosen destination, can prevent you from stumbling over hazards, and ensure you have the tools you need to finish the journey safely and soundly.
