Join us for our 2027 Market Outlook Symposium, where our panelists will tackle all of these topics and shed light on top strategies aimed at helping your clients reach their financial goals.

High-interest areas like cryptocurrencies and AI-related stocks have faced renewed volatility following the midterm elections, while the recent investigation into Nvidia Corporation (NVDA) has introduced additional unexpected uncertainty for the technology sector and broader equity markets.

Broadly speaking, investors eyeing retirement often have many goals in mind, particularly income. And when inflation, geopolitical uncertainty, and rising interest rates are all playing out at the same time, achieving this can often present a challenge.

Dividend ETFs have long been an investor favorite for their unique defensive flavor and total-return profile in the face of sticky inflation, rising interest rates, and volatile markets. While bonds may struggle with price erosion in rising rate cycles, and growth equities may face valuation compression, dividend stocks can offer resilience through cash flow and lower equity duration.

The S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average (Dow), and Nasdaq Composite are all stock market indexes used to measure the performance of various aspects of the U.S. stock market. The indexes generally rise and fall together; however, the extent of gains or losses produced by each can differ depending on market conditions and the state of the economy.

The flexibility and tax efficiency of the wrapper has helped the ETF ecosystem blossom and the strategies available evolve.

Politicians, particularly when they’re on the winning end of the deal, often say “elections have consequences.” It’s true. And it’s wisdom that advisors and muni bond investors need to remember.

A global tech rout continues to remind investors that volatility can strike at any time. That’s especially true in today’s market environment, where stretched megacap technology valuations and broader equity indices have elevated concentration risk.

Traditionally speaking, when one is choosing to lean into a particular sector of the equity market, they’re going to want to lean into the one that’s offering the best performance.

In recent years, getting tech exposure was easy. You bought an index fund, whether a mutual fund or an ETF, and let the biggest names carry the portfolio. Now, those names make up such a significant share of large-cap indices that advisors are getting nervous. Indeed, many are looking elsewhere for the next stretch of compounding growth typically associated with the tech sector.

Democrats won control of both the House and Senate in Tuesday’s midterm elections, according to The Associated Press. The results set up a divided government for the final two years of President Donald Trump’s term. This could have repercussions when it comes to healthcare stocks.

We have been writing extensively about the rapid evolution of crypto ETFs, and recent data reinforces why digital assets remain top of mind for wealth managers. According to CoinShares, financial advisors hold roughly 55% of Wall Street’s total bitcoin ETF stake at the end of the second quarter, cementing their role as primary drivers of long-term digital asset adoption.

As investor interest in Anthropic’s upcoming IPO grows, ETFs are finding new ways to offer exposure to private companies through derivatives tied to perpetual futures. Recent regulatory developments could accelerate the use of these instruments across the ETF industry, but they also introduce new risks and complexities.

Fixed income ETFs shattered all-time records in October, amassing an unprecedented $74 billion in monthly net inflows. The milestone marked a record sixth consecutive month with more than $50 billion in allocations. This streak never occurred in the industry prior to this year.

Almost three years have passed since the SEC approved spot Bitcoin ETFs, bringing crypto and digital assets investing to a whole new audience. The asset class has evolved in that time, becoming a bigger and bigger part of investor and advisor plans.

While market valuations remain on the loftier side, investors face a familiar dilemma. Chasing pure growth leaves portfolios vulnerable to sharp drawdowns, while hiding in traditional “deep value” risks inheriting mature businesses in structural decline — classic value traps.

In today’s modern financial landscape, market-capitalization-weighted indices dominate the investment ecosystem with trillions of dollars tracking broad market indices such as the S&P 500 and the Russell 1000. However, a research article by RAFI Indices™, adapted from the CFA Institute Research Foundation series The Active Side of Indexing, exposes flaws within cap-weighted benchmarks.

Large-cap stocks may be better built for 5% Treasury yields than their smaller rivals, according to State Street Investment Management’s quarterly outlook. The 10-year yield climbed 0.81 percentage points last quarter to 5.28%, a near 20-year high.

Consumer staples are behaving (in a good way) like their technology counterparts. It may be the latter that’s helping the former. There are currently renewed fears about AI bubbles and hefty spending by hyperscalers. So some investors are trimming tech exposure and heading to more docile pastures, including staples.

The new SPYM ETF mutual fund share class, SPYMX, may yet pick up some strong new flows with its appeal to institutional investors.

Investors often treat growth and dividends as opposing camps, but in practice, this means the two can complement each other.

Advisor Perspectives is launching a new website in January 2027. Learn what’s changing, and what to expect from the updated experience.

Franklin Templeton plans to launch two ETFs Thursday that use stock dividends to buy bitcoin instead of more shares.

Could the near to medium term finally see value ETFs take the starring role back from growth? Value indices have provided some steady returns this year, but the question is, can they accelerate into the new year? Economic headwinds and concentration risk for the AI hyperscalers could see value stocks outperform. The American Century U.S. Quality Value ETF (VALQ) presents a strong candidate to do well if value stocks do.

Gold has traditionally been one of the most popular ways for investors to gain commodity exposure, but its recent weakness highlights the differences across various commodities. While precious metals have struggled, energy and certain agricultural commodities have seen stronger returns. Existing diversified strategies are also giving investors more ways to access commodities beyond traditional gold funds.

Income ETF strategies have exploded in popularity in recent years. Historically, investors have looked to bond coupons to add durability to their portfolios. The explosion of ETF popularity, launches, and adoption, however, has seen some intriguing options join the fray. The Goldman Sachs Municipal Income ETF (GMUB), which hits its three-year ETF milestone next year, represents just such a strategy.

Geopolitical tensions are already driving demand for energy exposure through rising oil and gas prices. Combining this cyclical strength with long-term AI momentum creates a strong potential for noticeable returns.

Record ETF launches are compressing product shelf lives and raising closure risks. Learn the real costs for advisors and clients.

The bond market is flashing levels not seen in nearly two decades. The 10-year Treasury yield is hovering near 5%, while real yields — measured by Treasury inflation-protected securities (TIPS) — are at their highest since before the 2008 financial crisis.

In late October, VettaFi hosted an interactive virtual event featuring market leaders from State Street Investment Management, Janus Henderson, and Horizon. During the presentation, advisor sentiment polls revealed a decisive shift in how many are approaching their fixed income allocation. Higher yields have restored bonds as a compelling asset class. However, advisors were looking for tools beyond a traditional index-based bond ETF.

The S&P 500 has been a reliable index for building exposure to U.S. stocks for years, and for good reason. It’s a valuable barometer for investors who want to make sure they are tracking large-cap U.S. equities.

VettaFi has been recognized as the Best U.S. Index Overall Provider at the ETF Express U.S. ETF Awards 2026, building on a standout year of index innovation, strategic acquisitions, and product milestone growth across the ETP landscape.

The Federal Reserve is engaged in a well-documented battle with high inflation. So, many advisors and fixed income investors are evaluating Treasury inflation-protected securities (TIPS) and related ETFs.

The Magnificent Seven have dominated the technology trade, but investor attention is now shifting toward the MANGOS — a group of companies that place greater emphasis on artificial intelligence (AI) rather than traditional megacap technology.

As investors look beyond U.S. borders for fixed income diversification, Schwab Asset Management is entering the international bond ETF race with the Schwab International Bond ETF (SCIN). Expected to begin trading on the NYSE on October 21, 2026, SCIN pairs international investment-grade bond exposure with an ultra-low 0.06% net expense ratio.

The ETF industry has officially shattered last year’s record for annual product launches. A total of 1,159 new exchange-traded products have debuted year-to-date, eclipsing the full-year record of 1,143 funds set in 2025. With more than two months remaining in the year, the rapid pace highlights issuers’ relentless push to bring innovative strategies to market.

Fed rate hikes could climb further than markets expect, according to T. Rowe Price Capital Markets Strategist Tim Murray.

The Nasdaq-VettaFi Asset Allocation Summit this week included insights from leaders at key asset managers discussing the major decisions that advisors are facing. With costs rising and many investors at or near retirement, fixed income and income ETFs, specifically, took up a big part of the conversation. Leaders from BlackRock, WisdomTree, and Fidelity Investments all shared their views on both the fixed income outlook and the use cases for fixed income ETFs right now.

Fall is officially underway, heralding a season of change — and what a difference three months makes. The past quarter brought a dramatic Federal Reserve policy pivot and notable shifts in market sentiment and ETF trends. But within equities, the most striking reversal occurred inside the AI trade itself.

Discover how strong corporate earnings, AI capex cycles, and 5%–10% fixed income yields outweigh midterm election and Fed rate uncertainties.

The third quarter of 2026 emphasized an increasingly divided macro regime for financial advisors and institutional allocators alike. On one end, broad market hopefulness drove steady capital deployment into broad-market beta, while on the other end, raised rate volatility and geopolitical tension forced strategic pivots across fixed income, real assets, and systematic strategies, according to BlackRock’s Q3 earnings call, released October 14.

Matthew Bielski, founder and CEO of Defiance ETFs, recently joined Scarlet Fu and Eric Balchunas on Bloomberg’s ETF IQ to discuss the Defiance Autism Impact ETF (ASD) and the personal family experience that helped inspire its development.

BlackRock, WisdomTree, and Fidelity Investments had representation at the recent Nasdaq VettaFi Asset Allocation summit.

In a recent webcast, Ari Polychronopoulos, TMX VettaFi’s head of RAFI Indices™, and Brent Leadbetter, TMX VettaFi’s head of RAFI Distribution, discussed growing market concentration risk.

Last week, the NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF (QQQI) crossed $15 billion in assets under management. This major milestone was the result of investor demand. In the first nine months of 2026, the tax-efficient options-based ETF had $7.0 billion in net inflows. With the help of the $13 billion NEOS S&P 500 High Income ETF (SPYI), NEOS has firmly established itself as a premier manager for enhanced income ETFs.

A new peptide ETF launched today, holding the drugmakers behind GLP-1 weight-loss treatments along with the companies that make and deliver them.

The Northern ETF SKOR crossed the $1 billion AUM threshold following $247 million in recent inflows amid surging corporate bond yields.

The recent Nasdaq Vettafi summit on asset allocation saw issuer leaders talk thematic ETFs, AI, and leveraged ETFs.

CLOs simply offer strong yield potential that often outpaces corporate bonds with similar credit ratings. Given that the ‘income’ portion of fixed income is often a key priority for investors, attaining high yield on a consistent basis gives CLOs a compelling use case.

Tokenization has taken hold in money market funds, leaving ETFs room to grow, while Cerulli eyes private markets as the long-term prize.