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“You’re Going to Need a Bigger Boat”: Alpha and Interest Rates
Caution has been the dominant sentiment among investors in recent times even as equities have continued to march along. But as the prospect of rising US interest rates becomes ever more real, Brooks Ritchey, senior managing director at K2 Advisors, Franklin Templeton Solutions, takes a look at how some individuals and institutions are changing their guarded approach. He says alternative investments could find increased interest among savvy investors as interest rates start to tick higher.
Gundlach on Today's Surprising Driver of Bond Prices
by Robert Huebscher,
Inflationary pressures could ultimately trigger an uncontrollable spike in interest rates, according to Jeffrey Gundlach, but such predictions are likely at least five years too early. In the short run, he identified the key driver that will keep rates low - the strong performance of European bond markets.
Weekly Market Update
by Team of Castleton Partners,
After a strong summer rally, the first two weeks of September have not been kind to US financial markets, with both stock and bond markets generating negative returns. In the month to date, ten year Treasury yields have risen twenty five basis points to 2.60%, the highest such level since the first week of July.
Growing Income and Wealth with High-Dividend Equities
High-dividend equities have significant advantages for growing income and wealth: getting sufficient yield, keeping up with inflation and outliving available funds. Such a portfolio produces higher income per dollar invested, growing income and principal over time, higher total returns, lower volatility and a reduced risk of outliving savings.
Back in the Saddle Again: Time to Pull in the Reins?
by Liz Ann Sonders of Charles Schwab,
Interest rates and seasonal tendencies are taking some attention away from the stronger economy and pose short-term risks for the stock market. Another pullback would be welcome from a sentiment perspective and would not dent our longer-term optimism that we are in a secular bull market that still has room to run. But just as fear has been the strongest emotion keeping many investors out of this bull market, greed is an emotion to rein in as well.
Risk Revisited
In April I had good results with Dare to Be Great II, starting from the base established in an earlier memo (Dare to Be Great, September 2006) and adding new thoughts that had occurred to me in the intervening years. Also in 2006 I wrote Risk, my first memo devoted entirely to this key subject. My thinking continued to develop, causing me to dedicate three chapters to risk among the twenty in my book The Most Important Thing. This memo adds to what Ive previously written on the topic.
The Long-Term Value of Active Management in the Small-Cap Space
by Chuck Royce of The Royce Funds,
As the ongoing debate about the effectiveness of active management, especially since the proliferation of ETFs and index funds, continues unresolved, it is difficult for us not to be biased. Our focus, however, remains solely on long-term outperformance and the interests of our shareholders, and we believe the best way of accomplishing this is through careful stock selection and having an absolute standard.
The Demise of Active Management is Greatly Exaggerated
Financial advisors and registered investment advisors feel severe pressure to throw in the towel on manager selection methodologies and accept index returns. Yet, many of these stories forget one central concept: indexes are actually inexpensive actively-managed portfolios. Every actively managed fund is an index itself.
Event Driven Managers Encounter a Short-Term Hiccup
After a period of very strong deal activity during the first half of 2014, traders and investors were hit with arbageddon in early August. Arbageddon struck after a series of large deals fell apart, sparking concern that the pickup in activity from earlier in the year was coming to an abrupt halt. Activity since that time would suggest otherwise, and it appears that the M&A train is back on course.
Correcting a Common Misconception about Alternative Investments
by Walter Davis of Invesco Blog,
A common misconception about alternative investments is that these investments have failed anytime they underperform the stock market. Investors need to know that alternative investments are designed to achieve returns that are more consistent and less volatile than those of the stock market on a long-term basis across multiple market cycles.
Dynamic and Durable Growth Part 4: The Coming Mobile Advertising Boom
by Ido Cohen of Invesco Blog,
This is the fourth in a four-part series examining dynamic and durable growth themes that affect the US economy and present opportunities for investors. The first post examined the biotech revolution, the second explored the enormous implications of shale energy, and the third looked at the impending mobile data tsunami.
Toward the Sounds of Chaos
Stock market volatility is always a scary thing. Investors nearing retirement fear their nest eggs will evaporate. Younger investors saving for a home or a childs college education fear their families futures might be in doubt. However, history suggests that allowing volatility to overrule a good investment plan tends to lead to poor performance. Its not volatility itself that generally leads to poor longer-term performance, but rather it appears to be investors emotional reactions to volatility that ultimately lead to poor performance.
Municipal Market Perspectives
Heightened international unrest and the likelihood of accelerating economic weakness in Europe will provide further support for fixed income securities. It is unlikely central banks will move from their current accommodative monetary positions anytime soon. Since we do not anticipate a meaningful upward move in Treasury rates, municipal bond prices should also benefit. Yields are likely to remain close to current levels and even possibly move lower. Strong market technical factors will also provide support.
Long/Short Funds Go 'Unhedged' in Energy
by Brian Payne of Fortigent,
Over the course of 2014 investors have come to notice the increase in net exposures amongst long/short equity managers. Many investors have grown somewhat wary of this development. Given the markets relatively uninterrupted run-up since late 2012, it is rational to think that these types of strategies might naturally lower their overall net exposure.
Weekly Market Update
by Team of Castleton Partners,
In a week devoid of meaningful economic data, financial markets were once again led by intensifying geopolitical events. With stock indices across the globe recording losses of 1%-3% on the week, US ten year yields declined to a low of 2.35% on Fridaya new low for 2014 and the lowest such point since June 2013. Since the onset of the Ukraine crisis in February, and later followed by the Iraq/ ISIS and the Israel/ Gaza conflicts, global sovereign yields have declined to levels unthinkable at the turn of the year.
Dynamic and Durable Growth Part 3: The Mobile Data Tsunami
by Ido Cohen of Invesco Blog,
This is the third in a four-part series examining dynamic and durable growth themes that affect the US economy and present opportunities for investors. The first post explored the biotech revolution, and the second looked at the enormous implications of shale energy. The final post will examine the coming mobile advertising boom.
US Stocks Make 31 Record Highs in 2014, But Investors Panic During 3% Selloff
US stocks as defined by the S&P 500 made 31 record highs in 2014, most recently on July24th. Through Friday afternoon, stocks declined 3.3%, which is to say less than the decline of 4.2% we saw in April of this year, and decline of 5.6% in January.
Dynamic and Durable Growth Part 2: The Enormous Implications of Shale Energy
by Erik Voss of Invesco Blog,
This is the second in a four-part series examining dynamic and durable growth themes that affect the US economy and may present opportunities for investors. The first post explored the biotech revolution, and the third and fourth posts will discuss the massive changes in mobility.
Index funds beat active 90% of the time. Really?
My last article suggested six ways in which retired and retiring investors may be lulling themselves into a false sense of comfort. They do this by adhering to ideals that were originally postulated many years ago, and which today still have some merit. But theyve become clichs to a point where their foundation is no longer questioned when it needs to be. They are myths which need to be busted
Second Quarter 2014 Investment Commentary
by Team of Litman Gregory,
Overall, our macro view and assessment of the risks and returns across the major asset classes has not changed meaningfully since last quarter. We continue to see the U.S. and global economies on a slow path of recovery from the 2008 financial crisis. ... Despite our more positive fundamental outlook, we also continue to view the markets as too dependent on central bank largesse, too short-term focused, and too complacent about the risks and imbalances that remain in the global economy in the aftermath of the financial crisis.
The Outlook for MLPs and Midstream Energy Infrastructure Continues to Look Bright
The quarter saw a number of positive developments that underpin our long term positive outlook on MLPs. Firstly, the need for new midstream infrastructure remains significant, and a number of announcements of large new projects highlighted that this need is not abating. Also, a significant new development in the quarter was the emergence of new export markets for ethane and condensate which will entail associated infrastructure development and other possible profit opportunities for MLPs.
High Stock Dividends: A Competitive Retirement Income Solution
by C. Thomas Howard of AdvisorShares,
Sufficient yield, keeping up with inflation, and outliving the funds available are three major concerns facing investors who are building a retirement portfolio. A high dividend yield equity portfolio can provide a competitive approach to addressing each of these concerns.
Dynamic and Durable Growth - Part 1: A Biotech/Pharma Revolution
by Janet Luby of Invesco Blog,
This is the first in a four-part series examining dynamic and durable growth themes that affect the US economy and may present opportunities for investors. The remaining three blog posts will examine the enormous implications of shale energy and the massive changes in mobility.
Does Active Management Succeed in International Small-Caps?
by Team of The Royce Funds,
Divergent conclusions about the relative success of active management in the international small-cap universe prompted us to do our own examination, which stresses the importance of choosing the appropriate benchmark and evaluating the consistency of a fund's performance over long-term time periods.
U.S. Equities Continue to Look Attractive: Equity Investment Outlook
by Team of Osterweis Capital Management,
As we sit down to write this Outlook we are struck by two trends: the consistency of the economic recovery in the U.S. and the dramatic escalation of geopolitical turmoil. Whether these two trends will collide to derail the bull market is an open question, but usually geopolitical flare-ups have only short-term effects and do not overwhelm long-term economic trends. Thus, they tend to appear as hiccups in stock market progress.
2014 Another Ho Hum Year from Hedge Funds
by Ryan Davis, Brian Payne of Fortigent,
Through the first six months of the year, hedge funds have generated a positive, albeit somewhat modest return. According to data compiled by Hedge Fund Research, the Fund Weighted Composite of hedge funds in their universe had generated a 3.2% return, compared to the S&P 500s 7.1% gain. While not terrible on a standalone basis, many investors had greater hopes for the asset class following five straight calendar years of underperformance versus the broad equity markets.
Mid-Year Review: Interest-Rate Sensitive Stocks May Correct With First Fed Rate Hike
by Rick Golod of Invesco Blog,
With the recent strength in the economy and decline in the unemployment rate, the probability that the Federal Reserve (Fed) increases rates in the first half of 2015 is rising, in my opinion. Given the volume of media noise about this, its understandable that many investors are still worried about the stock markets potential for correction.
Red Shoots - Today's Top Investor Concerns (Also Known as the Investors "Dirty Dozen")
A while back, we published a list that we continually update at Sungarden. We call them Red Shoots. They are essentially the opposite of a set of conditions which gave investors hope that not all was lost, in the throes of the financial crisis of 2008. Those reasons for optimism were called Green Shoots, like a patch of short green grass about to show up on the dirt area you will one day call your lawn. Red Shoots are the opposite: they are the reasons for extreme caution when the market and many investors seem to be forgetting that security prices are not a one-way propositi
Fireside Chats
by Jeffrey Saut of Raymond James,
While I was in the Pacific Northwest and Canada most of last week, I did have the privilege of listening to J.P. Morgans (JPM/$55.80/Strong Buy) Chief Market Strategist last Monday. Dr. David Kelly has long been known for his keen insights on the equity markets, with JPMs senior portfolio managers like George Gatz and Tom Luddy steering their mutual funds, on said strategic views, to outsized gains for many years.
Physics Envy
Economists have long sought to identify a deterministic "natural law" of markets in the same way that physicists have discovered natural laws such as gravity and electromagnetism. This is sometimes referred to as "physics envy". If economists could identify a deterministic natural law of markets then we would be able to make useful and accurate predictions. Sadly no such law exists. Human actions are not governed by simple predictable laws.
Analysis of Ayres and Curtis Critique of 401(k) Plans
In our previous article we reviewed [Professors Ayres and Curtis's paper Beyond Diversification: The Pervasive Problem of Excessive Fees and 'Dominated Funds' in 401(k) Plans] (John M. Olin Center for Studies in Law, Economics, and Public Policy Research Paper No. 493). Our purpose in that article was simply to describe what Professors Ayres and Curtis are saying. In this article we evaluate their findings and proposals, discussing the limits of and possible objections to their conclusions.
The New Neutral: Investment Implications for Insurance Companies
by David Braun of PIMCO,
Low rates are unhelpful to an industry with legacy long-term liabilities containing rigid embedded credited rates; they exacerbate asset-liability mismatches and pressure earnings margins. Insurers may want to recalibrate their expectations of future interest rates, as well as broad bond and equity market returns. In The New Neutral, with beta from stocks and bonds likely to be relatively low, insurers should look to enhance buy-and-hold return potential via active management.
Weekly Market Update
by Team of Castleton Partners,
Geopolitical headlines, coupled with renewed stress in European markets, led to a strong rally in US Treasuries last week. Further supporting the decline in interest rates was the perceived dovish overtone to the minutes of the June Federal Open Market Committee meeting.
Energy: Shale Generates Tectonic Changes
by Stephen Toy of Invesco Blog,
The shale revolution, only seven or eight years old, has been the catalyst for a tectonic change in US energy production and policy. It has also created a new paradigm in US manufacturing, launched a renaissance in the chemical industry, and is driving infrastructure spending. So how do we think about the shale revolution in terms of investing? Its twofold.
New Analysis of 401(k) Plan Performance and Fees
In the paper Professors Ayres and Curtis conclude that 401(k) plan participants suffer significant losses from (1) sponsor-fiduciary fund menu construction decisions, (2) participant asset allocation mistakes and (3) high fees on plan investment options. To remedy this problem they make several innovative proposals for changes in the rules for 401(k) plan fund menu construction.
India and Indonesia: Change, Challenge and Opportunity
by Jack Deino of Invesco Blog,
In both India and Indonesia, leaders are facing intense pressure from markets and investors to initiate reforms that are real rather than merely cosmetic. Our outlook is somewhat more bullish for India, but we believe change can lead to opportunity in both countries.
The New Normal of Healthcare Spending
by John Mauldin of Mauldin Economics,
A rather interesting shockwave came across the newsfeeds this week. I was actually doing a TV interview when the host announced that GDP was down 2.9% for the first quarter. There was not much else I could do but note that that was a really bad, ugly, terrible, not very good number.
How Road Construction Can Help With Portfolio Construction
by R. Scott Dennis of Invesco Blog,
Investors have long looked to real estate to provide income potential, hedge against future inflation and provide diversification to traditional stock and bond portfolios. More recently, an increasing number of investors have been expanding their horizons and including real assets in their portfolio construction as well such as infrastructure and master limited partnerships (MLPs). At Invesco Real Estate, we believe the US and the world is heading for a building boom that would bode well for real assets.
Rethinking Revenue Sharing
by Daniel Notto of AllianceBernstein,
While revenue sharing may be a legitimate way to pay for the costs of operating a plan, both US courts and the Department of Labor (DOL) have made it clear that plan sponsors have a significant responsibility as fiduciaries to fully understand, evaluate and monitor their revenue-sharing arrangements and determine whether they are reasonable. Therefore, the most prudent response for plan sponsors may be to rethink the practice of revenue sharing altogether.
How Proactive Advice Increases Client Loyalty
by Dan Richards,
You can certainly have clients walk away feeling good about staying the course, but you have to typically work harder to get clients to buy into that than to making shifts in their portfolios. Here are five proactive conversations you can have with clients.
How Morningstar Category Flux Impacts Peer Group Analysis
Morningstar's mutual fund categories are among the most frequently cited for peer group performance and investment approach comparisons. Our study, however, has found that membership in a Morningstar category can evolve considerably over time.
Red Sky in the Morn', Junk Bond Investors Be Warn'd.
by Bryce Fegley of Saturna Capital,
Investor appetite for income has pushed yields and spreads on high-yield bonds to very low levels, while corporate borrowers have fed that demand with record issuance of new debt. On top of low yields and heavy issuance, bond dealers have retreated from corporate bonds in response to new financial regulations. As a result of these factors, we believe now is a particularly risky time to invest in high-yield bonds. Here we offer some of our suggestions for seeking income and yield with less risk.
Weekly Market Update
by Team of Castleton Partners,
With geopolitical risks abound, financial markets were resilient yet again last week, thanks to the mostly dovish tone struck by the Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve and its Chair, Janet Yellen. Despite recent economic indicators registering a pickup in growth and inflation, namely CPI, the FOMC reiterated its lower for longer theme in managing interest rate policy.
The Bond Trap
by Peter Schiff of Euro Pacific Capital,
The American financial establishment has an incredible ability to celebrate the inconsequential while ignoring the vital. Last week, while the Wall Street Journal pondered how the Fed may set interest rates three to four years in the future (an exercise that David Stockman rightly compared to debating how many angels could dance on the head of a pin), the media almost completely ignored one of the most chilling pieces of financial news that I have ever seen.
A Contrarians View of Value: Pharmaceuticals
by Kevin Holt of Invesco Blog,
The pharmaceuticals industry is in the midst of a renaissance. Patent expiration concerns, pipeline disappointments and setbacks, and a highly uncertain regulatory backdrop have forced managements to rethink the way they have historically conducted business. In this environment, certain companies stand out to us as deep value opportunities businesses whose stock prices dont reflect our view of their long-term potential.
Gundlach: A Big Moment for the Economy and the Markets
by Robert Huebscher,
The benchmark 10-year Treasury bond is an attractive investment, according to Jeffrey Gundlach, although its yield is likely to stay between 2.2% and 2.8% for the remainder of the year. Despite that narrow range, Gundlach foresees pivots in other parts of the investment landscape.
A Simple Explanation for DALBAR's Misleading Results
For a number of years, DALBAR has been publishing a report that purports to show that investors make bad decisions and, as a result, their investments underperform the market by several percentage points. It has captured headlines for years, perpetuating the myth that individual investors invest poorly, and therefore they do much worse than the market average. There's just one thing, the DALBAR result is wrong.
Results 2,701–2,750
of 3,303 found.
