Morgan Stanley’s debt bankers increased revenue 93% in the fourth quarter, by far the biggest jump on Wall Street and capping a record year for that business.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. blew through expectations for equities-trading revenue, posting an all-time Wall Street record of $4.31 billion in the final three months of last year.
Despite strong U.S. equity returns and continued enthusiasm around AI, 2025 marked a turning point in market leadership. Paul Vella examines the fading dominance of mega-cap tech, the resurgence of international equities, and the role diversification played in delivering more durable outcomes for investors.
Fixed income performed well in 2025, but we are proceeding cautiously, as we believe headwinds in the new year could cause the rally to stall.
Most DC plan participants share the same goal of a comfortable retirement. It’s the journey that differs and much depends on personal investment knowledge, risk comfort level and other qualities, according to the latest research by AllianceBernstein (AB).
Defaults among auto loans are noteworthy because these had been seen as a safe form of lending. Living without a car is impossible in much of the United States; in the GFC, borrowers were more likely to surrender their home than their car.
At the heart of value investing is the concept of buying an undervalued stock that appears to be mispriced by the market and holding that stock until its intrinsic value is reached. Investors determine intrinsic value in several ways, including analyzing a company’s financial statements, evaluating management, and identifying competitive advantages.
Raymond James Chief Economist Eugenio J. Alemán evaluates economic conditions heading into 2026.
Market experts from the WisdomTree recently discussed how the market is responding to the latest headlines, and where opportunities lie.
DoubleLine CEO/CIO Jeffrey Gundlach looked back at 2025 and ahead in 2026 for opportunities, with charts to support his assertions.
In a year where moderation, not momentum, may define returns, options-enhanced ETFs offer an attractive way to stay invested while monetizing the more limited upside many expect.
Bank of America Corp.’s equity traders posted their best fourth quarter ever as the company reaped the benefits of volatile markets and net interest income topped analysts’ estimates.
The bullish AI narrative that dominated in 2025 is unlikely to continue overshadowing other lingering uncertainties, many of which reflect deeper structural shifts. Traditional factors underlying economic activity will be increasingly sidelined by national-security concerns, geopolitics, and domestic political machinations.
The US economy remains resilient. The gross domestic product (GDP) growth estimate from the Atlanta Federal Reserve (Fed) GDPNow model as of January 8 shows 5.4% real growth for the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025.
Mao Zedong once warned that power grows out of the barrel of a gun. In recent decades, global institutions and markets that make kinetic interventions less common. But when those mechanisms fail, power will fill the void.
Drew O’Neil discusses fixed income market conditions and offers insight for bond investors.
LPL Research takes a look at fourth quarter earnings season as it unofficially kicks off this week with a dozen banks and asset managers in the S&P 500 slated to report.
On this episode of the “ETF of the Week” podcast, VettaFi’s Head of Research, Todd Rosenbluth, discussed the iShares Systematic Alternative Active ETF (IALT) with Chuck Jaffe of Money Life. The pair discussed several topics related to the fund to give investors a deeper understanding of the ETF.
John Davi, Founder & Chief Investment Officer at Astoria Portfolio Advisors, highlights the firm’s 10 ETFs for 2026. Ryan Barksdale, Head of Active Equity Product at Vanguard, and Kim Gailun, Head of Equity Boutiques at Wellington Management, discuss their collaboration in bringing Vanguard’s first active equity ETFs to market.
As the S&P 500 continues its record-breaking ascent into early 2026, financial advisors are prioritizing diversification.
Growth in this new era isn't about hoping for the next referral; it’s about building a client experience so proactive and so clear that your clients feel like you are seeing around corners for them.
Big banks begin reporting tomorrow with JPMorgan Chase. Fundamentals may need to be robust to match the sector's recent Wall Street gains, and loan demand could get a close look.
We just closed another banner year for asset prices. The S&P 500 was up 16% in 2025, and many overseas exchanges saw gains of more than 25%. Bond prices rose, and most housing markets held onto high values. There were even some signs of recovery in commercial real estate.
What happened in Venezuela last weekend may turn out to be the most consequential energy and geopolitical event of the decade. In a swift, coordinated operation that stunned the world, U.S. forces captured Venezuela’s longtime socialist dictator, Nicolás Maduro.
The materiality of ESG factors differs across sectors and markets. Investors need to understand how.
“Party like it’s 1999” is a phrase made famous by the musician Prince’s 1982 song, which experienced a renaissance amid Y2K fears and has since entered the lexicon meaning to celebrate intensely because the future is uncertain.
As index investing continues to evolve, it does not have to be towards ever-expanding complexity. Sometimes progress comes from asking simpler questions and answering them consistently.
The ETF universe continued to expand in 2025, with a growing number of high-income products incorporating options strategies to enhance payouts. However, for many investors and advisors, traditional ETFs that own dividend-paying stocks remain a core component of a well-rounded portfolio.
IRMAA (Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amounts) acts as a penalty on prosperity, lightly touching the truly wealthy and passing over the poor and those doing okay. It is a dagger aimed at the heart of affluent professionals who diligently saved for retirement and are now drawing down their ample 401(k) funds.
Retirement planning often focuses on risks: not saving enough or outliving hard-earned savings, enduring a sharp market downturn and possible surprise expenses. While these pitfalls are very real, it’s understandable that they may make individuals hesitant to spend their savings in retirement.
We find that roughly two in five Americans are on track to meet their retirement spending needs. But retirement readiness is not black and white. The typical American will have a $5,000 annual spending shortfall in retirement. That means possibly needing to cut back on spending, work a year or two longer, tap into home equity, or lean on family.
Living in a bipolar economy is hard. Last year saw wild swings in attitudes about the economy and financial markets. Not a bad year overall, but it was a rough ride at times. Today and next week, we’ll look ahead to 2026, drawing on my expert network and my own ideas as well.
The removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro under “Operation Absolute Resolve” has materially improved the country’s outlook by breaking a long-standing political and economic impasse that had prevented reform, external engagement and debt resolution.
Well-known factors such as value and momentum are widely recognized to have predictive power. Advanced systematic approaches, however, seek to identify additional drivers of performance—including proprietary factors—to integrate into their multifactor models.
The ETF ecosystem grew once more in December with more than 100 new launches joining the fray. Three funds invite a closer look.
A stunning rally in Venezuelan assets after US forces removed president Nicolas Maduro from power has showcased how unprepared the local market is to absorb the new wave of attention.
In 2025, the S&P 500 delivered double-digit returns for a third straight year. Heading into the fourth year of the bull market, Raymond James Chief Investment Officer Larry Adam identifies 10 themes to watch in 2026.
In a turbulent 2025 dominated by US trade policy shocks and geopolitical tensions, the global economy proved resilient. Fears of tariff-related slowdown and renewed inflation proved misplaced, as growth surprised to the upside and inflation continued to soften.
In 2026 new tax deductions and inflation adjustments impact tax brackets, rates and contribution limits. Our Bill Cass talks about what is changing in 2026 and shares planning considerations.
2025 capped off another strong year for fixed income ETFs, as ongoing market uncertainty pushed more investors into the safe confines of bonds. When it came to inflows, it was Vanguard that was well-represented with four funds cracking the top 10.
JPAPM forecasts the global fixed income ETF market to grow to $6 trillion by 2030, up from approximately $3.2 trillion today.
Now that 2025 has come to an end, let’s take a look at the top 10 most-read charts of the year.
After three consecutive years of increasing stock prices, it can feel comfortable and certainly satisfying to ride the trend. Investors may want to capture the boon rather than be complacent with it. Long-term financial health can go hand-in-hand with the opportunities the markets have laid out.
The backdrop for Europe’s bonds remains favorable—even as technological change creates new challenges.
The probability of strong earnings and growth-friendly policies should make emerging markets attractive to investors in 2026, in the view of Templeton Global Investments.
Midterm election years have a rhythm that fixed income investors should recognize. While at first glance yields may seem unpredictable, a closer look reveals a pattern in how they behave throughout these periods.
As investors stepped away from the tape to hang their final holiday decorations, pack their bags to visit loved ones, and prepare for the New Year, markets fell quiet over the last two weeks of 2025.
There’s a lot of collective wisdom about the challenge of forecasting markets and the economy. Warren Buffet once famously said: “”Forecasts may tell you a great deal about the forecaster; they tell you nothing about the future.”
Miles Lewis, Chip Skinner, Kavitha Venkatraman, Steven McBoyle and Francis Gannon talk about what they see in store for US small-cap stocks in the coming year.
Current and potential clients notice advisors who are thought leaders with a strong personal brand, but thought leadership is more than just the communication shared from a podium or social media platform — it’s also one-on-one conversations and small gatherings that drive change in individuals’ lives.
