Currently, the Three Tactical Rules are a “flashing yellow light” - a roughly neutral rating which represents a slight downgrade.
Our Cash Indicator methodology acts as a plan in case of an emergency. Importantly, each of these systems work together.
After entering the year with a cautious outlook, managers have become more defensively postured as the U.S. tariff policy has increased uncertainty.
Market headlines may change daily, but the role of a financial advisor remains remarkably consistent: to be the calm in the storm, the strategist with a plan and—most importantly—the voice of reason when clients need it most.
Over years, the US cemented its position as an exceptional source of earnings growth that fueled outsize equity returns. Many investors are now questioning whether the US will retain its advantages as President Trump’s trade policies add uncertainty to the outlook across industries.
In light of the announcement that Warren Buffett is stepping down, we thought it very useful to share some of the keynote talk I did at the University of Nebraska-Omaha Business School last Friday night (thanks to its wonderful director, Robert Miles).
May 8, VettaFi will host an Income Investment Strategy Symposium. Income is top of mind for many investors.
Private equity transaction volumes remain limited despite predictions for a boom in 2025. With interest rates remaining elevated and the economic backdrop increasingly uncertain, executing acquisitions and IPOs is proving a challenge, leading financial sponsors to hold portfolio companies for longer.
This video provides an update on the monthly moving averages we track for the S&P 500 and the Ivy Portfolio after the close of the last business day of the month.
Tracking marketing metrics isn’t about labeling efforts as a success or failure — it’s about identifying opportunities to tweak and improve what’s already working. By understanding the data, you can make informed decisions that enhance your outreach and client engagement.
A time-honored signal heeded by Wall Street’s credit industry — the weekly flow of money — is breaking down.
Sam Altman’s reputation for spin was out in full force this week in a published “letter to employees” announcing that he was abandoning plans to turn OpenAI into a for-profit company. Instead, it will “continue to be overseen and controlled” by its nonprofit board.
It was a glimpse of a very appealing future: A sleek 18-wheeler powered by Aurora Innovation Inc. trundled down Interstate 45 from Dallas to Houston last week with a trailer full of goods and a completely empty cab. At long last, autonomous trucking may have arrived.
Over the past two weeks, the market has had a furious nine-day rally, the longest winning streak in 21 years.
Most economists and portfolio managers are cautious when discussing gold. Its handling and transaction costs are high, and it pays no interest or dividends.
So what has caused such a surge in international returns versus the U.S. so far this year? Is it just short-term noise, reversion to the mean, or something more systematic? If the last few months were purely short-term noise, we will soon know, as U.S. stocks will resume dominance.
Record gold prices drove first-quarter demand in 2025 to the highest level since 2016.
Vanguard’s David Sharp marks the firm’s 50th anniversary, explores recent investor behavior, and highlights several new fixed income ETFs. VettaFi’s Stacey Morris analyzes the rollercoaster year for energy ETFs.
Join the experts at Alger for a product spotlight on their new innovation ETF, INVN, which tracks the Alger Russell Innovation Index.
With investors experiencing heightened anxiety about their financial futures, your approach can make the difference between client retention and attrition. This comprehensive guide from our senior consultants explores actionable strategies for effective client communication during market volatility.
This article focuses on asset-based fees that cover both advice and investment-related costs, which is a model that I believe is best-suited for most individuals, as advisors can add value across multiple dimensions.
For investors looking to add bonds, muni bonds remain an attractive option for an ideal blend of yield and stability.
After months of public pressure, OpenAI walked back part of its effort to create a more conventional for-profit company, but its restructuring plans still have not received the blessing of a major stakeholder: Microsoft Corp.
Markets clawed back early losses in April, but one thing has become clear – policy uncertainty and risk isn’t fading, it’s spreading.
A key valuation metric touted by legendary investor Warren Buffett is signaling that equities are relatively cheap, bolstering the case that the sizzling rebound in US stocks has room to run.
You’ve built your book. Refined your process. You know how to serve clients and grow your business. But what if your current firm is acting like an outdated piece of equipment? One that doesn’t match how you actually operate? One that limits what’s possible?
If you’ve been inside a Walmart, Target or Home Depot in the past week, you may not realize that a trade war is underway between the U.S. and China, the world’s two largest economies. Store shelves are well stocked, and prices have largely held steady.
This week marks the first 100 days of President Trump’s second term in office—and what a rollercoaster it has been for the financial markets! While presidents often enjoy a ‘honeymoon period’ at the start of their tenure, Trump wasted no time ‘flooding the zone’ by pushing forward many of his key initiatives.
US markets struggled in the first half of April due to tariff-related worries. The second half saw rallies amid policy reversal.
Warren Buffett is retiring, but his investment advice is likely to carry weight for years to come.
On this episode of the “ETF of the Week” podcast, VettaFi’s Head of Research, Todd Rosenbluth, discussed the PIMCO Multisector Bond Active ETF (PYLD) 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.
While tariff negotiations may well bear fruit eventually, investors today are trying to figure out the impact of changing trade pacts on GDP growth, interest rate levels, the value of the dollar, and the ability of the Treasury to refinance $9.2 trillion of our $36 trillion federal debt in 2025.
Shockingly, given that I thought most readers would find interest rate swaps dull or wonky, we have received a few emails asking for more information. Given the importance of liquidity to all markets and how interest rate swap spreads are a good liquidity barometer, it's worth giving you that “coming article” now.
Citigroup Inc. is ramping up lending to private equity and private credit groups, working to catch up with peers like JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. after the bank spent years on the sidelines.
In investing, success is often judged by numbers—returns on investment, percentage gains, and the ability to outperform benchmarks like the S&P 500. However, some investors frequently pursue a peculiar set of “awards” without realizing the pitfalls they embody.
Last week's economic data arrived against the backdrop of a buoyant stock market enjoying a nine-day winning streak — its longest since 2004.a
While the S&P 500 index was almost unchanged in April, the dollar remained extremely weak, ending the month down over 4%.
April was a volatile and policy-sensitive month in the markets. Every week, my colleagues and I were joined by Professor Jeremy Siegel to discuss how macroeconomic data, Federal Reserve policy and the variety of tariff proposals from President Trump shaped sentiment and the investment landscape.
Economic data can be soft or hard. “Soft” data reflects attitudes, expectations, opinions, and feelings. It’s a step removed from the “hard” data reflecting actual events. Soft data is still valuable because future expectations shape the hard data that follows.
For decades, U.S. Treasuries have been universally regarded as a benchmark and a safe haven asset during periods of turmoil.
At the end of April, U.S.-listed ETFs gathered approximately $360 billion of new money.
The world’s biggest exchange-traded fund just got its biggest endorsement yet.
Uncertainty reigned through April and likely will continue to do so, at least in the near term. Markets have reacted, both negatively and positively, to every headline coming out of Washington.
Like sailors lured by the Sirens' song, today’s investors risk being captivated by seductive narratives in the market. While diversification remains a time-tested strategy for building wealth, we examine the risks and returns investors are embracing today.
In the early years of the artificial intelligence (AI) race, performance benchmarks told a clear story: a handful of frontier models, developed by a few dominant labs, consistently outperformed the rest. In 2024, that changed.
Vanguard is well-known for making investing more accessible, affordable, and efficient for investors over the past 50 years.
In the latest ETF 360, VettaFi’s Kirsten Change interviewed THOR Funds founding principal and CIO Brad Roth. They discussed two index-based strategies calibrated to manage downside risk. Accordingly, downside protection and risk management are top of mind in today’s unusual market environment.
Morgan Stanley is working on a plan to add cryptocurrency trading to its E*Trade platform, in what would be the most significant move by a major US bank to help everyday customers buy into the asset class since the Trump administration began removing regulatory barriers.
The US economy’s contraction last quarter was something of a head fake, driven by a surge in imports as businesses tried to front-run tariffs.
Famous gold skeptic Warren Buffett is right about the dangers of inflation when it comes to non-producing assets, but he’s never been a fan of gold. Monetary Metals has transformed gold into a productive asset by generating a yield on gold, paid in gold, proving Buffett wrong about gold and giving investors new ways to own this timeless asset.
