Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co. are joining rival JPMorgan Chase & Co. in the tapping the US investment-grade bond market after reporting second-quarter earnings.
Softening inflation supports the potential for a Federal Reserve interest rate cut in coming months, but there are complexities below the surface.
The global population has surpassed 8 billion and according to the United Nations, it is projected to reach 9.7 billion in 2050.¹ However, the rate of population growth is slowing and is expected to continue to decline. Seems counterintuitive, no?
Long-time readers know I have not been a fan of the Chevron deference. I think it was one of the worst decisions of the last century. I've been aware of it because I'm in a regulated business.
Worried that inflation is coming down too gradually? The Romans had a not-so-subtle solution: Anyone suspected of ratcheting up prices faced execution. If you’re currently anxious about declining fertility across today’s major economies, they had an answer for that, too: Celibacy was discouraged among women, Vestal Virgins excluded. Offenders might forfeit their inheritance.
Between McDonald’s $5 value meal, Taco Bell’s $7 cravings box and budget breakfasts from Starbucks and Wendy’s Co., fast food chains are fighting hard to win over hungry Americans this summer. Why now? It comes down to price-sensitive customers voting with their wallets and forcing companies to chase traffic to grow revenue and profits.
The expert and you are in a car and the expert is driving. After awhile, you notice that the expert is driving the car by looking through the rearview mirror. Concerned you ask him why he’s not looking ahead as he drives.
I have long admired Jonathan Clements. His columns in The Wall Street Journal introduced me to index-based investing. I was deeply saddened to read his column in HumbleDollar, dated June 15, 2024, that, at age 61, he has been diagnosed with lung cancer that has metastasized to his brain and “a few other spots.”
In his mid-year outlook, Jim Cielinski, Global Head of Fixed Income, recognizes markets were impatient in wanting rate cuts, but the offset is fresh opportunities for investors to capture attractive yields.
I may as well just say it. Based on the present combination of extreme valuations, unfavorable and deteriorating market internals, and a rare preponderance of warning syndromes in weekly and now daily data, my impression is that the speculative market advance since 2009 ended last week.
Bitcoin could be headed for the stratosphere, according to a new report by Bernstein. The global investment firm is predicting that the world’s top digital asset could hit $200,000 by 2025, $500,000 by 2029 and—no, you’re not seeing things—$1 million per token by 2033.
Nadeem Meghji was on honeymoon in late 2022 when the biggest storm to have rocked Blackstone Inc.’s property business hit its peak.
A top risk for investors, elections may see a shift from centrist to more populist policy that could slow exports, raise inflation, and increase volatility in the global markets.
Partnering with firms that have the requisite scale and demonstrated access to top-tier investment opportunities is one way investors can potentially eliminate the J-curve in a private markets investment program.
This week, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) significantly upgraded its profitability projections for airlines in 2024. The trade group now expects net profits to reach $30.5 billion, an increase from $27.4 billion in 2023.
Certain segments of the economy and stock market have experienced much stronger recoveries this year, underscoring a severe bifurcation between the "haves" and "have nots."
By championing innovation, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and driving a holistic growth strategy, a CGO can propel your firm towards achieving its growth targets and securing its competitive edge.
You’ve probably heard the term “direct indexing.” It seems like everyone is talking about it. You’ve probably also read that sales of direct indexing products are booming. But what exactly is direct indexing?
As the global economy builds on its recovery this year, markets may see increased volatility due to divergent central bank policies, geopolitics and election outcomes.
Market inefficiencies create opportunities for active managers. We believe there are more mispriced companies in small cap growth than in other equity markets, and we have developed an approach that allows us to capitalize consistently when we find them.
Personalized messaging has a powerful impact. Our Kevin Murphy believes it is time for the financial services industry to deliver personalized solutions and advice.
The news of Bill Walton’s death from brain cancer hit me hard. In the Portland Memorial Coliseum, there were 12,665 seats, and I had one of those top-row nose-bleed seats for the sixth game of the NBA finals in 1977.
I’m fresh off the plane from Las Vegas—and no, I wasn’t hitting the slots, though the city’s Harry Reid International Airport sure hit the jackpot with a record-breaking 57.6 million passengers last year.
The two largest emerging markets have taken very different paths, echoing the divergence in the economic and demographic landscape for these two countries.
Few advisors are prepared for the massive change coming to the advisory profession. It will not be a slow rollout over decades. In three to five years (if not sooner), how advisors do business will fundamentally change.
The rise of electronic trading and growing popularity of portfolio trading has had an unintended consequence for the US corporate bond market: making private credit even more attractive.
Despite the availability of advance directives, many patients still receive aggressive, life-sustaining interventions that may not align with their preferences or improve their quality of life.
The U.S. repurchase agreement, or “repo” market, provides more than $3 trillion in short-term funding each day. Most repo transactions are overnight and are collateralized by Treasuries.
In this issue of Sinology, Andy Rothman offers his perspective on two key questions.
Faced with the greatest challenge of the 21st century, America is giving up.
On the heels of Apple’s latest earnings report, the Wall Street Journal published an article titled “Apple is Buffett’s Best Investment,” which discusses how Apple became an oversized investment of Warren Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway.
Shifting dynamics among global economies and markets present a range of opportunities for multi-asset portfolios.
Most platforms for alternative investments are just concerned with getting advisors access to those investments. But advisors need education on the role alternatives can play in asset allocation and how creating portfolios that complement traditional assets drive business growth. My guest today will discuss:
Another strong quarter in markets led to another stellar performance for the Momentum and Growth factors.
Large international index funds do not account for geopolitical risk. Corruption has costs, and in this age of conflict with rising tensions in the Middle East, Russia, Ukraine and elsewhere, investors are faced with a daunting landscape while US markets are near highs. Should investors ride the momentum or transition and rotate to sectors that represent greater value and higher forward expected returns? The traditional international funds are attractively valued relative to the US but are fraught with risk. Today we will hear from Julie Cane and Chris Browne from Democracy Investments to discuss democracy as a factor in international investing.
Reviewing the basics can keep you from being caught off guard if your investment is returned to you before the stated maturity date.
In the competitive financial advisory landscape and ongoing quest for new clients, advisors often miss an obvious opportunity – the children and grandchildren lying within their existing clientele.
Research from various scientific fields suggests that many of our fears about death are unfounded or exaggerated.
Earnings growth, a driver of long-term stock market performance, seems to be expanding beyond a handful of U.S. equities, supporting more broad-based market performance.
The global investment landscape is set to be transformed in the months ahead as the trajectories of major economies diverge more noticeably.
Two regional banks emerged as winners last year as deposit runs shook their industry. Their fortunes have diverged since: New York Community Bancorp Inc. required a frantic rescue last month. First Citizens BancShares Inc. has stretched its rally to more than double in value.
When a spouse dies, many women face severe financial hardship despite being part of a married couple for decades. This "widowhood penalty" results from men failing to ensure their wives are financially secure if tragedy strikes.
Over the past 70 years, rising government debt generally has been accompanied by weaker economic activity. But it's not a simple relationship.
Gold staged a blinding comeback this week, surging to fresh all-time highs above $2,200 an ounce.
In a world of information overload, financial advisors face a significant challenge in holding the attention of clients and prospects. This article, from an entertainment/TV industry veteran, provides practical advice on how advisors can use video to deliver their message succinctly and stand out in a crowded market.
For this edition of Bull vs. Bear, Karrie Gordon and Nick Peters-Golden debate whether alts deserve portfolio allocation in 2024.
Changes in China's economic policy tend not be communicated prior to implementation. What can we expect from China's stock market in response to any shifts?
Gold staged a blinding comeback this week, surging to fresh all-time highs above $2,200 an ounce. The rally, which has added around 10% to gold’s value since mid-February, caught many market watchers off-guard.
Based on the valuation measures we find best-correlated with actual subsequent S&P 500 total returns across a century of market cycles, the stock market presently stands at valuation extremes matched only twice in U.S. financial history.
