The stage looks set for a taper without any tantrums.
The analytic framework for providing retirement income planning advice must use marginal tax rates and not tax brackets.
After already registering the worst monthly losses in almost a year so far in September, little relief appears in sight for investors adhering to the 60/40 stock-bond portfolio strategy.
Engine No. 1 sent shock waves across corporate America in May when the fledgling investment firm won a boardroom battle with Exxon Mobil Corp., securing three seats on the oil and gas giant’s board after purchasing only about $40 million of its stock.
The new dual thrust of Chinese policy – redistribution plus re-regulation – will subdue the entrepreneurial activity that has been so important in powering China’s dynamic private sector. Without animal spirits, the case for indigenous innovation is in tatters.
On Monday, stocks solidly cracked below the 50-dma, but the bounce off the lows has investors asking if it’s “time to buy?”
There are five steps to every message you present. This sequence will help you in constructing any presentation for any group. In fact, it doesn’t matter whether you are speaking to a college class, a peer group, or to seniors for a seminar on Social Security.
Investors and financial advisors alike want to understand the fascinating trends that are transforming the investment industry.
Against the backdrop of a potential Evergrande failure, gold and Bitcoin look very attractive as stores of value, and both happen to be on sale right now.
Today, I want to show you how richly valued the market is and then review some of the top risks that could force it downward. Like those sandpiles I talk about, we don’t know exactly what will trigger a collapse. We know something will do it. Sandpiles don’t grow to infinity.
The recent issues with China Evergrande Group have raised concerns over the broader health of China’s real estate market, the potential risk to its financial system and, more broadly, whether this could trigger a global financial problem. In our latest Q&A, Portfolio Manager Teresa Kong, CFA and Investment Strategist Andy Rothman provide their views and insights.
For years climate scientists have warned about the ferocious wildfires and hurricanes that are now overwhelming many communities.
An enduring mystery of 2021 markets showed signs of unwinding Thursday, with divergent signals on economic growth in stocks and bonds beginning to harmonize.
With COVID-19 still a top employer concern, protecting workers’ health and well-being naturally comes first. But the pandemic’s impact isn’t limited to only physical and mental health: financial wellness is also ailing. The crisis has exacerbated the problem, but it’s not exactly a sudden occurrence.
People can be just the worst borrowers, failing to pay what they owe especially if defaulting doesn’t cost them their house or their car. That’s why credit cards charge eye-watering interest rates and late fees.
President Biden’s sweeping package of tax increases will get passed this year, according to Andy Friedman. But it will get a “major haircut,” he said.
It’s becoming more and more difficult to be in the fossil fuel business. On both sides of the Atlantic, lawmakers and unelected bureaucrats are turning up the heat, so to speak, on companies over the issue of climate change.
The inflation outlook has become a hotly debated topic in recent months. So far, this has had only a minor impact on financial asset pricing, but bond yields may be a coiled spring at risk of painfully adjusting higher when investors eventually discover inflation is an issue.
People in this category equate net worth with their self-worth. They may hold beliefs such as, "The higher your earnings, the more successful you are."
Using a risk tolerance questionnaire to establish a retirement income strategy is akin to your doctor checking your pulse to measure your cholesterol. There is nothing wrong with checking your pulse, but it is an inappropriate test for the situation. We propose an alternative test – the RISA – to select the best deaccumulation approach.
House Democrats’ plan to limit a favorite tax break for private equity -- but not do away with it entirely as President Joe Biden had proposed -- is more restrictive than it first appeared, according to investment advisers and attorneys who’ve examined the details of the proposal.
After 40-years of economic erosion, there are still deficit deniers.
Review the latest Weekly Headings by CIO Larry Adam.
When diversification is a core principle for successful investing, what stops women from offering their talents in finance and investment careers?
Grim as things seem, most of us are in better shape than we’d be in a higher rate environment. Before inquiring about the strength of the product purchased from my local cannabis outlet, let me explain.
In a win (but not a complete victory) for “team transitory,” the Consumer Price Index rose less than expected in August (+0.3%, up just 0.1% excluding food and energy). Areas that were running hot a few months ago (used cars, vehicle rentals, car insurance, airfares) retreated.
House Democrats have proposed a higher top individual tax rate and changes to the capital gains tax. Both are a long way from becoming law.
Revenge spending (verb): to overindulge after a period of restriction. Sound familiar?
The numerous proposals around tax policy in the upcoming budget debates mean it’s an opportune time to discuss tax-smart strategies with your clients.
The bond market has been in hibernation for months, and investors may have become complacent about risks.
It's been a good year for U.S. stocks, but is the run nearing an end?
Dividend Aristocrats that look very attractively valued today. I often get asked if I could give a list of my best stocks to invest in. Unfortunately, that is a very loaded question simply because the best stocks (businesses) are not always the best investments.
The most recent data on inflation shows prices rose last month by the smallest amount since January, but that doesn't mean consumers are in the clear.
Are These 2 Stocks Better Than Bonds? Can a case really be made to use blue-chip dividend paying stocks as bond substitutes? This is a very controversial question that has existed in the investment community since I have been involved over the past 50 years.
The active/passive debate frequently focuses on equities, where active approaches have historically underperformed passive strategies. The story is decidedly different in the world of fixed income, where active managers can more easily exploit mispricing and other inefficiencies.
Several policy-related risks loom in September and October that may lead to an increase in market volatility. The debt ceiling needs to be raised (likely by mid-October), the government needs to be funded to avoid a shutdown by the end of September...
Jeffrey Gundlach’s highest conviction investment idea is that the dollar will head lower over the long term. That will lead to a strong rally in emerging equities, and they will outperform U.S. stocks.
As the Democrats’ budget bill takes shape, higher education policy is once more a point of contention.
Investors often ask our team at Smead Capital Management what we spend our time on. We believe reading is the best use of our time to learn and think about the way that we can profitably apply capital for our investors.
Real interest rates on Treasuries have been strongly negative throughout 2021. But why do investors keep piling into these negative “real” yielding assets? BlackRock’s systematic investment experts decode the markets to reveal why rates are so disconnected from fundamental values and what it means for your bond portfolio.
COVID-19 has increased inequality and aggravated social problems across emerging market economies, fueling populist pressures—but several emerging countries share features that make them particularly vulnerable. Assessing key environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics can help identify potential pressure points.
With real rates trading below zero right now, many yield-starved investors are being forced into riskier and riskier assets, including high-yield junk bonds. But even these are no longer offering a positive real return, what with inflation at multiyear highs.
There are several “paradigm shifts” impacting markets today, according to Templeton Global Macro CIO Michael Hasenstab. He outlines how central banks might approach tapering of pandemic-driven asset purchases, and the potential investment risks and opportunities he sees.
If you've read our two most recent Monday Morning Outlooks, you know we raised our forecast for the S&P 500, but lowered our forecast for real GDP growth. How can that be?
To understand how generational gaps impact your marketing strategy, we’re diving into the digital media that can be used to connect with prospects in different age groups.
It’s unfortunate but true: Influential Republican politicians are playing another round of political chicken that could easily lead to a damaging brush with default on the national debt.
When a client says, "Things would get better if I had more money" or "More money will make me happier," they are a money worshiper. Here is how to work with them.
Among the most persistent questions I hear is why we don’t just adapt to the reality that the Federal Reserve will never again “allow” the market to experience a serious decline. The problem with this view is that it rests on the premise that Federal Reserve policy supports the market in a clear-cut and mechanical way, when its effectiveness actually relies on the speculative psychology of investors.
How do you choose between corporate and municipal bonds? Both have characteristics that can be useful in your portfolio, depending on your goals and circumstances, but they’re not right for every situation.
