The eclipse of the dollar, and with it the ability of the US to borrow on a scale that would cripple any other country, has been long predicted. For at least half a century, skeptics have counted on something — or someone — coming along to knock American assets from their perch. Don't plan for a requiem just yet.
The S&P 500 Index posted its best month of the year in November, with a clear election result and a “no-surprise” Fed rate cut providing support.
Annuities can provide a guaranteed lifetime income stream in retirement, no matter how long you live. They thrive under high interest rate environments and are currently offering the highest payouts seen in years.
Last week’s market volatility was not surprising for readers of these commentaries, as I anticipated a jarring adjustment to readouts from the Fed Dot Plot that suggested less rate cuts in 2025.
The C-suites and boardrooms of corporate America should be on high alert entering 2025.
America’s national debt would have horrified Ronald Reagan.
Over the last decade, U.S. large cap growth stocks have been far and away the best performing major financial asset in the world.
The Federal Reserve’s recent meeting signaled a notable shift in its monetary policy approach.
People often make a distinction between “good debt” and “bad debt,” in terms of both personal finances and public spending.
Emerging markets-focused investors have had little to celebrate over the past year.
If you happen to be a Bitcoin skeptic, you’re not alone. A recent Pew Research survey found that 63% of Americans are not confident in the reliability or safety of cryptocurrencies in general.
Index funds emerged in the early 1970s and were designed to match rather than beat the market. For decades, they were associated with the capitalization-weighted (CW) market indexes that defined their investment approach.
As we near the end of 2024, researchers, businesses, and investors have begun to question the overheated artificial intelligence sentiment.
Since we are not going to publish Weekly Economics on December 27, 2024, we will take this opportunity to say farewell to 2024 and to all our readers, we want to wish you a very happy holiday season and a very prosperous New Year 2025!
Has the U.S. economy diverged from the global economy, or are a lot of economic canaries in coalmines keeling over and warning the U.S. is soon to catch down?
On this episode of the “ETF of the Week” podcast, VettaFi’s Head of Research Todd Rosenbluth discussed the iShares Nasdaq Top 30 Stocks ETF (QTOP) with Chuck Jaffe of Money Life. The pair discussed several topics related to the fund to give investors a deeper understanding of the ETF overall.
This is the first part of a series of Bloomberg Opinion columns exploring the risks related to the US’s rapidly expanding debt and budget deficit.
From start to finish, 2024 was a year of change, with a multitude of implications for investors.
Private credit firms want more than corporate lending. The largest are laying the groundwork to finance everything from auto loans and residential mortgages to chip manufacturing and data centers in an effort to swell the size of the market by the trillions.
Surely one of the silliest things that happened in tech stocks in 2024 was the sudden tumble in Nvidia Corp. shares moments after its fiscal second-quarter earnings release in August.
Central banks’ climbdown from the post-pandemic inflation peaks commenced amid both optimism and trepidation.
Almost exactly one year after sparking a furious rally in financial markets, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell did the exact opposite on Wednesday, staking out a cautious view on interest-rate cuts in 2025 that stunned investors.
At a time when the American consumer’s resiliency has been questioned amid signs of a slowing economy, Walmart Inc. has thrived. The world’s largest retailer, famed for its discount prices but increasingly known for its pursuits in advertising and an online marketplace, is headed for its best year since 1998.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently blocked the merger of Albertson’s and Kroger, which are the two largest stand-alone grocery chains.
At the time of year where everyone is reflecting on the things that matter most to them in their personal lives, it is important to also consider what matters when it comes to investing. In this investment commentary, Johnson Financial Group shares what really matters as you put your money to work.
Brent Olson and Thomas Ross, fixed income portfolio managers, believe that high yield bonds offer comfortable driving for now, but investors might need to negotiate more difficult terrain later in 2025.
Last weekend, the Cathedral of Notre Dame reopened after being severely damaged in a fire five years ago. It took thousands of craftsmen and a reported €840 million to restore the iconic structure.
Every year, most investors face a near-certain reality: taxes on their investment portfolio.
While analysts are currently very optimistic about the market, the combined risk of high valuations and the need to rebalance portfolios in the short term may pose an unanticipated threat.
The clouds hanging over Boeing’s operations finally appear to be clearing.
Joel Liu, J.D. Head of Advanced Sales MassMutual Strategic Distributors, discusses the impending wealth transfer.
The transition from bank-dominated lending to a diversified financing ecosystem offers unprecedented opportunities for private credit investors.
In his 2025 investment outlook, Head of U.S. Securitized Products John Kerschner shares his U.S. securitized outlook, identifying the key trends he believes will drive investment returns in the year ahead.
“Should I hire a financial advisor?” people often ask Jon Fee. The answer is never “No.” But sometimes the answer is “Maybe.”
To improve potential returns and mitigate risks, investors should choose from the widest range of opportunities.
An enduring image from 2024 will be the capture of the SpaceX booster rocket by the Mechazilla robot arms on its return to Earth. This achievement served as a powerful metaphor for the year: the improbable not only became possible but redefined expectations.
Better than expected economic data in November appears to be thwarting the FOMC's efforts to engineer lower short-term interest rates.
Here are six key areas where AI can make a transformative impact on financial advisory practice.
Strong 2024 performance may be tough to replicate given tight credit spreads, but we still have a favorable view on corporate bond investments given the strong economy.
Amid concerns about the impact of rising deficits on U.S. Treasuries, it helps to differentiate bond investments by maturity, credit rating, and global relative value.
Might another market liquidity event be on the horizon? While there is generally good liquidity in the financial system, there are some nascent signs that problems could arise.
On this episode of the “ETF of the Week” podcast, VettaFi’s Head of Research Todd Rosenbluth discussed the Neuberger Berman Short Duration Income ETF (NBSD) with Chuck Jaffe of Money Life. The pair discussed several topics related to the fund to give investors a deeper understanding of the ETF overall.
A resilient US economy and deepening geopolitical tensions around the world are making asset managers rethink their expectations for a weaker dollar.
he economic-policy consensus that prevails in the US is right about one thing.
I am (mostly) bullish on crypto and (usually) skeptical of higher taxes, especially on capital gains.
Whether you want to buy or rent, finding an affordable, comfortable home can be extremely difficult, if not impossible.
Just a few short years (months?) ago, few would have believed it possible. But it happened: Bitcoin has traded above $100,000 for the first time ever.
Five of Franklin Templeton’s specialist investment managers provide their annual outlooks for the global economy and key asset classes, including global equities; global fixed income; global infrastructure; the macro fixed income environment; municipal bond market; high yield bond market; small cap equities; U.S. dollar; U.S. economy; and U.S. equities.
Getting a stay of execution doesn’t mean you’re no longer on death row.
Our Cash Indicator methodology acts as a plan in case of an emergency. This is analogous to the multiple safety systems in a modern automobile, which includes an airbag. Importantly, each of these systems work together to potentially help smooth the ride.
