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Where Did The New Middle Class Citizens Go?
The "well known fact" with regards to oil over the last decade read like this: because of huge GDP growth in emerging markets like China, there were going to be 400 million new middle class citizens born of uninterrupted prosperity; they were going to want all the autos, consumer goods, $10,000 watches and food that Americans have.
Allocating to Alternative Investment Strategies
by Nathan Rowader of Forward Investing,
Following the market declines in 2008 and 2009, many investors have shown interest in alternative investment strategies such as hedge funds and mutual funds that employ hedge fund-like strategies. These types of strategies have been around a long time, but until recently their use among individual investors has been somewhat limited.
Who Should Go to the Bowls?
When I was a kid there were just four year-end college football bowl games. Today there are 39. Perhaps the title of this piece should be Do we need holiday football bowls at all? But I guess they wouldnt produce them unless there was a demand for them from the cities, hoping to get some travelers, to the sponsors, hoping to get some attention, to the teams, seeking to cap a successful season, and to the fans, who are just looking to have some fun and experience a last hurrah for this years heroes.
Weekly Market Summary
by Urban Carmel of The Fat Pitch,
Coming into this week, SPY had been above its 5-dma for 30 days in a row. This was a new record, unlike any streak the index has ever seen. We reviewed prior examples of these streaks earlier; our conclusion was that the streak rarely marked the top in the market, meaning there were higher highs immediately ahead after the streak ended. But the index also struggled in the following weeks, often trading lower.
Unintended Consequences of Staying Early Termination Rights
The topic of too big to fail has been an intense area of focus for policymakers and market participants, and for good reason: Everyone has a vested interest in avoiding a repeat of the 2008 financial crisis and its corresponding aftershocks.
The Evaluation of Common Stocks
by Kendall Anderson of Anderson Griggs,
I have met many financially secure families over the years. Most earned this financial security by working hard, while saving as much as possible, for a very long time. Some inherited a safety net, some married into wealth, and a few lucky people just did everything right at the right time. What I have not come across is anyone who gained financial security quickly in a short period by investing in the capital markets. I know there are a few of these wonder kids somewhere on the planet, but I havent met them.
Gross versus Gundlach: Who Has More Skill?
by Robert Huebscher,
If rocket science has a counterpart in financial analysis, it is in the quantitative analytics from companies like Boston-based Northfield Information Services. Last week, I spoke with Dan di Bartolomeo, founder and CEO, to see if he could detect skill or luck among the two biggest fixed-income managers: Bill Gross, when he managed the PIMCO Total Return Fund (PTTRX), and Jeffrey Gundlach, manager of the DoubleLine Total Return Fund (DBLTX).
Asia's Deepening Capital Markets
by Robert Horrocks of Matthews Asia,
The drivers of economic growth, the region's small- and medium-sized enterprises, are finally gaining access to capital through alternative funding sources outside of just banks. Retail investors are accessing increasingly diverse products in which to store their savings and build wealth. Institutions are demanding long-dated assets to match their liabilities? Are we finally seeing more stable local demand in Asia's local capital markets?
Flows Potential: Fund Managers Remain Under-Weight Japan
by Jeremy Schwartz of WisdomTree, Inc.,
The recent bout of aggressive monetary policy easing by the Bank of Japan (BOJ), combined with the direct purchases of equities by the Japanese Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), has brought on a new period of positive sentiment toward Japanese equities.
Why the Risk-Reduction Benefits of Bond Ladders Have Been Overstated
by Joe Tomlinson,
Proponents of bond ladders argue that they will significantly improve the security of financial plans. Others contend that the risk reduction benefits are merely a mirage. I side with the latter view and will explain why.
How AQR's New Fund Adds Value - An Alternative Approach to Alternatives: Investing with Style
by Larry Swedroe,
The conventional justification for alternative investments has been their ability to effectively diversify against core equity and fixed-income allocations. But, in many cases, the empirical data doesn't support that view. A new fund provides a different way to obtain returns from sources that have low to negative correlation to stocks and bonds, as well as each other - an alternative to alternative investment vehicles.
Weekly Market Summary
by Urban Carmel of The Fat Pitch,
SPX, DJIA and RUT ended the week nearly unchanged from last week. NDX, which was unchanged last week, gained 1.5%. It's hard to say trend is not bullish: SPX, DJIA and NDX all made new highs intra-week; RUT briefly traded above its early September high before closing lower.
Municipal Market Perspectives
by Team of SMC Fixed Income Management,
The most surprising and impressive asset class performance has been generated by long-term municipal bonds. Most pundits were calling for negative market performance again this year following the sharp 2013 sell-off; no one we know of (ourselves included) foresaw the stellar returns achieved through the years first ten months.
A First Look at Morningstar's Analyst Ratings
by Robert Huebscher,
Overwhelming academic evidence documents the difficulty in distinguishing skill from luck among actively managed mutual funds. Despite this fact, many vendors have attempted to identify those that will beat their benchmarks and deliver excess risk-adjusted returns. Noteworthy among those vendors is Morningstar, which offers forward-looking "analyst ratings." We've evaluated the predictive ability of the first vintage of those ratings, which were published three years ago.
Capital Raising in the MLP Sector Remains Active
We continue to see evidence that underpins our long term positive outlook on MLPs and midstream energy infrastructure companies. The need for new midstream infrastructure remains significant and announcements of large projects continue to be made. New export markets for U.S. hydrocarbons continue to develop and offer new profit opportunities for MLPs.
Emerging Markets Trends: Whats Negative for One Market May Boost Another
by Steve Cao of Invesco Blog,
Economic conditions have continued to deteriorate in emerging markets, and corporate earnings forecasts have fallen. Overall, emerging markets were down 4.3% in the third quarter, underperforming the developed world. In the midst of this negative news, however, were seeing a few bright spots start to emerge, and weve been able to add holdings that, in our view, became mispriced during market volatility.
Weekly Market Summary
by Urban Carmel of The Fat Pitch,
It's hard to argue that the price action of US equities is not bullish. SPX and DJIA ended the week at new highs. NDX stayed near the new highs it made last week, apparently digesting its gains. NDX was flat for the week while SPX and DJIA added another 1%. This is mostly reflected at the sector level as well. Financials, technology, industrials and transports are cyclical leaders all making new highs this week. But what is curious is that the market is being led more by defensives. Staples, utilities and healthcare are also at new highs. Since the September 19 top, SPX has added 1%, but defen
Outrunning the Bear: An Active Managers Survival Guide
Two long-time friends go up in the mountains on a hunting trip. At 4:30 A.M. of the second day, one of the men wakes up at one end of the tent to find his buddy dressing and putting on his running shoes at the other end. He asks him what he is doing. His friend says, There is a bear outside our tent. The other guy exclaims, You cant outrun a bear! His friend replies, I dont have to outrun the bear, I just have to outrun you.
Trick or Treat? Slow Global Growth Hits Cyclical Sectors Hardest
by Francis Gannon of The Royce Funds,
As of October 13, the small-cap Russell 2000 Index was down 12.9% from its 2014 high on July 3a double-digit correction not seen in more than three years. With the U.S. economy slowly improving and Fed tapering winding down as scheduled, what is driving this pullback? Co-Chief Investment Officer Francis Gannon talks about economic growth beyond our borders and how it has been playing a role in shifting investor sentiment.
Got Loans?
?We believe select investors looking to reposition portfolios may benefit from a move to senior secured floating rate loans.
CLOs have been an important source of demand in the market, and even with more strict risk retention rules just announced under Dodd Frank, we think demand will remain strong.
While the Fed has criticized some banks for not following their leveraged lending guidelines, Fed members themselves, in our view, do not appear concerned about loans having a major impact on financial stability.
On Top of the Market
The third quarters seventh straight gain for the S&P 500 did not come easy. Investors wrestled with geopolitical turmoil in Ukraine and the Middle East, and the eventual end of the Federal Reserves (the Fed) bond buying program. U.S. small-cap stocks were volatile and fell into negative territory, year-to-date.
Retirement: How To Avoid Outliving Your Savings
With over 10,000 Baby Boomers retiring every day, a pattern that will continue for the next 20 years, retirement savings continues to be one of the most important issues of our day. With 76 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964 the Baby Boom Generation saving enough for retirement is critically important.
Loomis Sayles Core Plus Bond Fund: Navigating Dynamic Markets with Tactical Flexibility
The global economic cycle is a perpetual force influencing interest rates, credit availability and capital markets. For core plus managers who seek to generate total return by balancing liquidity and risk, these undulations pose a clear challenge.
The Economy: October Viewpoint
The U.S. economy continues to move forward in its slow but steady recovery. Despite the Federal Reserve ending their bond buying program in October, demand for U.S. fixed income continues to be robust. The recent downward movement in the stock markets has some investors talking correction once again, and growth concerns overseas finally seem to affecting the performance of the domestic markets. We believe there is still more room for improvement for foreign economies, while the U.S. seems to be a more stable environment.
Five Ways to Keep Out of the Bond Liquidity Trap
by Douglas Peebles of AllianceBernstein,
Bond investors are used to managing interest-rate risk and credit risk. But the financial crisis should have taught us that there are times when liquidity risk can be just as important to manage. Now is one of those times.
Is Smart Beta Smart Enough?
As smart as smart beta might be, it is not smart enough to answer the most important question in beta management. The key to successful beta management, regardless of whether the beta is smart or dumb, depends primarily on the choice and timing of beta. A strategy that focuses on smart beta without consideration for full beta management seems very likely to underperform.
Five Ways to Keep Out of the Bond Liquidity Trap
The good news is that liquidity risk is manageableand can even offer attractive opportunities, given the right time horizon. When liquidity dries up in one sector, it can be plentiful in another. If managed properly, it can be an additional source of returns. Here are five things investors can do to stay afloat.
How M&A Resurgence May Unlock Value
Growth is a strong motivator for initiating mergers and acquisitions (M&A). For years, businesses created progressively more complex organizations, acquiring or expanding into unrelated business lines, consequently often suppressing overall company valuations. The complexity of melding disparate corporations appeared to make it exceedingly difficult for investors to evaluate companies true worth. In the present period of slow U.S. economic growth, a new trend in M&A has emerged, as many companies are reversing these moves, benefiting stock prices, investors and, potentially, the
What PIMCO Management Changes Mean for Investors
by Team of Charles Schwab,
Bill Gross resigned from his role as PIMCOs Chief Investment Officer to join Janus Capital. The PIMCO funds on the current edition of Schwabs Mutual Fund OneSource Select ListTM are not managed by Gross. There are no PIMCO ETFs currently on Schwabs ETF Select ListTM. A list of funds formerly managed or co-managed by Gross is available below.
Vision 1994
by Mark Headley of Matthews Asia,
Twenty years ago, Paul Matthews decided to launch two Asia ex-Japan mutual funds in the U.S. and create what is today the Matthews Asia Funds. One was a core Asia ex-Japan growth fund with a mid-capitalization bias. The other fund was a unique portfolio with a focus on Asian convertible bonds. Thus began the journey of the Matthews Pacific Tiger and the Matthews Asian Growth and Income Funds.
Uncertainty in markets, economy puts focus on stock picking
The U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) has indicated it will stop buying U.S. Treasury bonds and mortgage-backed securities the taper of its QE3 program by the end of October. The Fed also has said it will keep interest rates at a very low level for a considerable time.
Forget Active vs. Passive: It's All About Factors
We just love a good debate, and there seems to be quite a heated debate at the moment about the relative utility of passive versus active investing. Perhaps this debate is as timeless as investment management itself, but a flurry of recent studies may have finally armed passive advocates with enough ammunition to settle the argument once and for all.
Fed Forecasts Sub-3% Economy for the Next Three Years
The Feds policy committee announced last Wednesday that it will end its massive QE bond buying program at the end of next month, thus paving the way for the first Fed funds rate increase sometime next year. This was not a surprise. The Feds gargantuan balance sheet will peak near $4.5 trillion in Treasury and mortgage-backed bonds at the end of October.
Jeremy Siegel vs. Zvi Bodie: Does Equity Risk Decrease Over Time?
Stocks should be the asset class of choice for the long run, according to Wharton Professor Jeremy Siegel - and he has provided the data to prove it. But that paradigm has been challenged by Boston University Professor Zvi Bodie and others, who have shown that stocks become riskier the longer one owns them. Either view has profound implications for whether equity allocations should increase or decrease over time. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we provide guidance for the advisory profession.
Weekly Market Update
by Team of Castleton Partners,
In a week defined by increased rate volatility, Treasury yields ended mixed, as the yield curve continued to flatten. Registering its first monthly decline in over a year, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) continued to support a benign inflationary environment, further supporting long-dated instruments. With global inflation subdued, central banks around the world remain more concerned about lapsing back into recession than about frothy risk markets and potential bubbles.
Alternative Approaches for Managing Emerging Market Equity Portfolios
The shortcomings of indexing are especially evident in frontier markets, where some very small markets have significant weights. This paper discusses three approaches for targeting inefficiencies in emerging markets. These approaches are designed to fit together and complement each other within an investment portfolio. Overlap is generally minimal, so investors may reasonably employ all three.
Michael Aronstein on the Fed's Latest Mistake
by Robert Huebscher,
Since the Fed began its post-crisis monetary easing, a cult of second-guessers has emerged. The most extreme cry of "dollar debasement" or admonish that markets are doomed for hyperinflation. The more reasonable view, articulated by Michael Aronstein at a recent conference for financial advisors, is that near-zero interest rates and QE have distorted markets, but it is unclear when or how that will impact investors.
Banking on the Growing Strength of the Financial System
by Dave Ellison of Hennessy Funds,
Thiscommentary explores the U. S. financial systems profound changes. In 2007, the financial system began to unravel due to excessive leverage, credit risk and overall business complexity. As we look forward, we see a potentially more stable profit picture developing for these firms. And, a rising interest rates environment has historically translated to increased revenue for banks and financial institutions. Dave Ellison believes the financial sector is ripe with opportunity.
Results 2,651–2,700
of 3,303 found.
