While we sympathize with consumers who have had difficult interactions with the healthcare system, we believe that much of the antipathy toward health insurers is misplaced. Their role as middlemen is a vital and increasingly important one in a U.S. healthcare system that struggles to balance between the incentives of providers and consumers.
When dealing with digital assets it’s important to keep records and consult a tax professional. Our Bill Cass explains the taxation rules around cryptocurrency.
Since May 2020, inflation (CPI) has gone from a low of 0.1% to a high of 9.1% and back to 2.8%. It is no wonder why any investor might at least pause in this period of uncertainty.
The global economy is undergoing an unprecedented wave of industrial and infrastructure expansion, driving relentless demand for commodities across energy, metals and agriculture.
The parallels between the AI narrative driving the current market and the dot-com bubble of a quarter century ago raise important concerns for investors.
For taxable investors with sizable gains in their brokerage accounts, the decision when to realize that capital gain is intensely personal—depending of course on individual circumstances, while also factoring in market return expectations and the prevailing tax structure.
Changing market narratives in the third quarter led to ongoing market volatility.
Inflation uncertainty makes it tricky to foresee the Fed's next moves. In moments like these, it may be time to turn to active fixed income.
The Chicago Fed's National Activity Index is a monthly indicator designed to gauge overall economic activity and related inflationary pressure. It is a composite of 85 monthly indicators across four broad categories. The CFNAI is a forward-looking indicator that suggests how the economy will likely look in the near term and has been called one of the "most important and overlooked economic numbers". The index is constructed so a zero value for the index indicates that the national economy is expanding at its historical trend (average) rate of growth. Negative values indicate below-average growth, and positive values indicate above-average growth.
Electronic market makers like Citadel Securities LLC and Jane Street Group have been gobbling up market share from investment bank rivals, but to really get ahead they’ll need a helping hand. They might be about to get it from a surprising source: Some of those same banks.
In 2024, the S&P 500 delivered a total return of 25%, while gold finished the year up 27%. This marks the first time in recent financial history in which gold and stocks achieved gains exceeding 25% within the same calendar year.
This week, and according to many, Federal Reserve (Fed) officials jumped onto the uncertainty bandwagon, along with consumers and businesses, waiting for more policy clarity from the Trump administration.
As policy uncertainty grows, we consider how tariffs and other government actions might impact inflation, interest rates, and market sentiment.
Morale has taken a quick turn for the worse since the middle of February.
The stock market sell-off appears to be signaling a recession. However, we believe the bond market disagrees.
The $5 trillion industry is embarking on a campaign to change the way taxes for indebted businesses are tallied. Leading lobbyists want to tack two letters — DA — back to an earnings formula used to help calculate tax deductions, a change potentially worth billions.
Though you may not agree with my view on all seven of these terms, it may be beneficial for you and your clients to at least consider them.
The world is a risky place, and high-yield debt spreads to safe US Treasury securities are close to historic levels of stinginess, signaling complacency in markets — at least on the surface. But legendary investor Howard Marks says that’s the wrong way to look at it and long-term investors should consider allocations to credit.
In spite of severe polarization on so many issues, there is at least one thing that Americans agree on across the entire political spectrum, left, right, and center. That is: At some point in the past sixty years, or so, something major went wrong with the US economy and it is still causing problems today.
On April 2, the U.S. is preparing to announce additional tariffs on a wide range of imports and countries. Here's the assessment of those policies, and their possible impacts.
With a name reflecting its expertise in smart indexing, Indexperts is carving out a balanced strategy that recognizes market realities.
Green bond issuers tend to excel at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, per a Bank for International Settlements study.
Recently, downside-protected ETFs have garnered a lot of investor attention. These products are long the stock market – via different indexes – and use options to create downside-protected payoffs.
Quantitative easing has created serious inflation threats. The only way out is to increase tax receipts and reduce government spending, neither of which is in the Fed’s purview. Otherwise, serious inflation lies ahead, regardless of Fed actions.
This week, and according to many, Federal Reserve (Fed) officials jumped onto the uncertainty bandwagon, along with consumers and businesses, waiting for more policy clarity from the Trump administration – and who could blame them with policies in daily flux?
The theme among so many writers seems to be “vibe shift.” And indeed, there is a concern the economy is slowing and may even be in a recession.
Despite recent pullbacks, history shows that periods of market fear often present opportunities, as seen with Amazon, Apple and Nvidia in past downturns.
Investment-grade floating-rate notes prices tend to be more stable than their fixed-rate counterparts, so they may be worth considering during periods of volatility.
We have certainly seen an uptick in this sentiment accompanying the increase in market volatility since the start of the year.
The equity market tends to see a correction every 18 months. If it's not a recession-induced bear market, it may be a buying opportunity.
For the second meeting in a row, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decided to keep rates unchanged, leaving the Fed Funds trading range at 4.25%–4.50%.
On the latest edition of Market Week in Review, Director and Global Head of Solutions Strategy, Van Luu, discussed the latest rate decisions from key central banks. He also talked about fiscal reform in Germany and reviewed recent U.S. market performance.
US Treasuries consolidated gains in a choppy trading session with markets remaining confident that policymakers at the Federal Reserve are still on a path toward lower interest rates.
The Fed held the federal funds rate steady and signaled two rate cuts this year, despite expecting inflation to remain elevated.
Muni issuers are generally sound, so cuts in aid would be felt but dealt with.
It's been full steam ahead for active ETFs, with total assets now rapidly approaching the $1 trillion milestone.
Tariffs among developed countries could mean emerging market (EM) assets like bonds could garner interest.
After years of poor decision-making, the federal government’s $1.64 trillion student loan program is in critical condition. Congress needs to stanch the bleeding — and give serious thought to overhauling this flawed system for the longer term.
Human stupidity is the one thing you can rely on in financial markets. I recently read a great piece by Joe Wiggins at Behavioral Investment, which discusses why “Investing is hard.”
In the understatement of 2025 thus far, the headlines emanating from Washington, D.C., have been fast and furious. Whether they be tariff-related, involving federal government cuts or geopolitical in nature, there has been a headline for many facets that investors could think of.
Recession fears have risen sharply of late as economic soft data have rolled over, upping the risk that hard data start to catch down.
Receiving an unexpected gift or inheritance is something that people may dream about. Our Bill Cass discusses some key considerations if that dream becomes reality and you do receive a financial windfall.
A creative look at the parallels between March Madness and the bond market.
Since our last update of our ‘Three Tactical Rules’ on February 4, equity markets have been under pressure as the S&P 500 has retraced more than 23% of the rally that started October 2023.
In this week’s edition, we shift our focus to another critical segment of the ABS market: those tied to consumer loans, such as credit cards and auto loans.
Bond investors will look for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to hit just the right notes in his Wednesday remarks to keep up the momentum behind a rally in the $29 trillion Treasury market.
The Trump administration isn’t satisfied with the mayhem it has already inflicted on global trade and investment.
Customization is an integral part of direct indexing. The technology behind it can make or break the experience for clients and advisors alike. We dive into the features and functions that make the best tools.
As of the end of trading on Thursday, March 13, the S&P 500 closed down 10 percent from its all-time high, marking an official correction. It was the first correction since October 2023—17 months ago.
One of the textbook drivers of alpha is an information edge. Having more information, advanced ways to use that information, and the ability to react to it before anyone else has been a massive advantage throughout the history of markets.
