The notoriously saturated $7.7 trillion ETF industry is this year poised for the second-highest number of closures, as the pandemic-era day trading boom fizzles out.
Both supply and demand of workers will prevent a surge in unemployment rates.
The global economy is still overwhelmingly powered by fossil fuels, with more than 80% of primary energy sourced from coal, oil, and gas, as of 2021.
The Canadian economy is buckling under the weight of higher interest rates, household debt and immigration.
In mid-September, Rockefeller Asset Management, the asset management arm of Rockefeller Capital Management, and KraneShares, a leading global ETF provider specializing in China, climate, and uncorrelated assets, launched the KraneShares Rockefeller Ocean Engagement ETF (ticker: KSEA). The fund invests in public companies with significant impact on oceans and ocean resources, reflecting the meaningful investment opportunities within the blue economy.
KSEA aims to generate competitive returns and improve ocean health through shareholder engagement activity focused on pollution prevention, carbon transition, and ocean conservation. Holdings include companies from diverse sectors such as aquaculture, commercial fishing, waste management, renewable energy, and logistics, among others.
My guest, Casey Clark, will discuss this new ETF.
India is once again leading flows into US exchange-traded funds tracking emerging markets, boosting one of the most popular trades in 2023 as declining US yields and a weakening dollar turn investors toward assets in the developing world.
November was kind to fixed income investors as bonds posted their best month of 2023. High yield corporate debt participated in that rally as highlighted by the fact that the largest junk bond exchange traded fund is higher by nearly 4.3% over the past month.
I previously discussed a slate of recessionary indicators with high correlations to recessionary onsets. However, as we head into 2024, many Wall Street economists predict a “soft landing” or “no recession” outcome for the economy.
Across Wall Street, analysts and investors had cheered 2023 as the year of emerging markets, only to be burned by a relentless climb in US Treasury yields. Now, as the Federal Reserve looks set to end its most aggressive monetary tightening campaign in a generation, they’re at it again.
Even with $2.4 trillion in ETF assets spread across more than 400 ETFs, there’s a pending offering from BlackRock that caught my eye.
Back in the Great Financial Crisis era, someone quipped that the federal government had become a giant hedge fund with an army attached. That wasn’t far off. Various agencies and entities were absorbing all kinds of risky assets to stabilize an overleveraged system.
Our 2023 Manager ESG Survey shows that transparency around DEI data is increasing among investment managers. The results reveal that equity product managers in particular are more inclined to share DEI data compared to managers in other asset classes.
There is broad agreement that economic damages will increase with warming, but there is substantial disagreement on the magnitude of these damages.
The private equity industry’s push into credit is so well advanced that no one bats an eyelid when the same buyout firm is invested in the debt and equity of the same portfolio company.
While equity styles go in and out of favor, quality companies continue to serve clients as a core holding, resilient to economic headwinds and market drawdowns. For long-term investors searching for a durable equity solution, we believe quality is “the real McCoy"
If investors needed another sign the heyday for meme stocks has passed, an exchange-traded fund designed to ride the pandemic-era rise of retail traders is shuttering after just two years.
On this episode of the “ETF of the Week” podcast, Tom Lydon discussed the iShares MSCI EAFE Small-Cap ETF (SCZ) with Chuck Jaffe of “Money Life.” The pair talked about several topics regarding the fund to give investors a deeper understanding of the ETF overall.
Our immense progress in improving society’s standard of living over the last several centuries was possible because of advances in the discovery and production of energy. To assume that will continue is a grave error.
ESG fund managers who turned to big tech as a low-carbon, high-return bet are growing increasingly anxious over the sector’s experimentation with artificial intelligence.
It’s the major casualty of November’s sizzling stock rally: Investor caution.
Growth prospects for renewable energy will be a central plank of discussions when world leaders start gathering next week in Dubai for COP28.
For the better part of two years, investors have been primed with hope of a “Fed pivot” that will presumably restore easy monetary policy and supportive conditions for the financial markets.
Fossil fuels, particularly oil, are difficult to replace due to their availability, affordability and energy density. Low-carbon alternatives, like solar energy, need large amounts of space to produce comparable amounts of energy to oil.
A new psychological contract is transforming the modern workplace, highlighted by an increase in collective actions and changing employee expectations.
Investors were given plenty of opportunities to fret about the outlook for technology giants this earnings season. Instead, they doubled down on a strategy that has worked all year: piling into the biggest stocks
A movie that I’m quite fond of is 25th Hour, a Spike Lee joint about three friends in post-9/11 New York City. One of them, played by Barry Pepper, is a bond trader.
Advisor Perspectives, the premier digital publisher for the financial advisory profession and a recent addition to the fast-growing VettaFi lineup of research and educational offerings, today announced that it has been ranked as the most-read electronic newsletter among financial advisors for the fifth year in a row by Erdos Media Research’s Financial Advisor Media Outlook and Usage Study (FAMOUS).
In the context of fighting inflation, the “‘final mile”’ represents the successful and sustainable achievement of a central bank’s inflation target. Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute, opines on the Fed’s ability to reach it.
In a recent VettaFi Viewpoints video episode, Dave Nadig, a financial futurist at VettaFi, sat down with Pat Chiefalo, head of ETFs & Indexed Strategies at Invesco Canada, to talk all things cross-border investing to give investors a deeper understanding of what is going on in Canada.
The labor market is undoubtedly deteriorating and sending signals that have been historically valuable warnings that a recession is coming.
With its $33.7 trillion debt and trillion-dollar budget deficit, the US’s deteriorating fiscal situation is impossible to ignore. To simply balance the budget, a 29% across-the-board cut in spending would be necessary, even if the tax cuts enacted by the Trump administration are allowed to expire at the end of 2025.
Third-quarter earnings announcements have almost come and gone, with yesterday being the last big burst of companies. Some key firms have yet to announce, like Nvidia and Walmart, but everything I’m seeing says it surpassed expectations.
As I write this, we’re just about three months out from kicking off Exchange 2024 in Miami, Florida. Obviously, I and the whole team here at VettaFi would love it if you came.
Senior Investment Analyst Ashley Fritz addresses three major misconceptions around ESG investing in the EM corporate space.
Emerging-market borrowers are piling back into global bond markets, selling about $20 billion in dollar notes in just a few days, all too aware that the window of opportunity may snap shut as suddenly as it opened.
Here are tips for handling prospect objections and how every advisor can improve client meetings.
With less than two months left in 2023, this maybe another disappointing year for broad-based ex-US developed market equity funds. This includes a slew of passive exchange traded funds.
Just six metrics can effectively assess sovereign issuers’ sustainability and provide guidance for both issuers and investors.
The doves lined up last week guiding the S&P500 up 5.85%, marking the best week of performance for the year. A busy week of data began with the quarterly refunding announcement from the Treasury.
We’ve always intended for the unique collaboration between AllianceBernstein (AB) and Columbia University to serve the broader asset-management industry. Asset owners and managers alike are eager to explore the complex issues of climate change and its potential effect on investments and investment decision-making.
Global investing is easily accessible through the financial markets. Many investors prefer to stick to companies and industries they are familiar with.
Exploring federal budget data is a journey through endless rabbit holes, some of which are eerily close to Alice in Wonderland insanity. Countless variables interact in unexpected ways. Seemingly small changes can cascade into billions of dollars within a few years.
If you're close to retiring, beware of the little-known sequence-of-returns risk that could take a huge slice out of your retirement income.
I’ll share some important insights gleaned from many decades of working in the advisory profession and being both an insider and an outsider.
The team responsible for assembling BlackRock Inc.’s model portfolios is favoring the stock market’s largest companies, potentially unleashing a flood of billions of dollars into technology shares.
Dividends play an important role in generating equity total return. Since 1926, dividends have contributed approximately 32% of total return for the S&P 500, while capital appreciations have contributed 68%. Therefore, sustainable dividend income and capital appreciation potential are important factors for total return expectations. The S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index exhibits both capital growth and dividend income characteristics, as opposed to alternative income strategies that may be pure yield or pure capital-appreciation oriented.
Amid soaring interest rates in the U.S., third-quarter issuance of ESG, sustainability, and related debt declined. But annual issuance of such debt is poised to be elevated — a theme that could carry over into 2024.
Our 2023 Manager ESG survey reveals that while more investors are implementing engagement and proxy voting strategies, there is still room for improvement.
Identifying problems is great. Identifying solutions is even better, especially when the politicians who are supposed to be solving our big problems don’t even try.
In smart beta, we find that factor returns—net of changes in valuation levels—are much lower than recent performance suggests. In fact, many of the most popular new factors (some 458 at last count) have succeeded solely because they have become more expensive.
The US Federal Reserve thinks it can take a break. As Fed officials see it, they need only sit back and wait while the monetary tightening they’ve already done gradually takes hold, slowing the economy and pushing inflation back down to the central bank’s 2% target.
Inflation has been coming down since its peak in the summer of 2022. Because the U.S. has so far avoided a recession, soft-landing hopes have risen along with the decline in inflation.
In this article, Portfolio Managers Jonathan Curtis and Ryan Biggs share their insights on where they see opportunities in digital transformation and how they are thinking about the relative attractiveness of public and private company investment opportunities.
Forging connections with beneficiaries sends the message that you not only safeguard the individual's interests but genuinely care about the long-term prosperity of their family. Here’s how this benefits your client and your firm – and how to do it effectively.
While environmental, social, and governance criticism remains elevated (and loud) and interest rates are affecting the performance of the related equities and exchange traded funds, ESG-committed investors can find relief on multiple fronts.
US stocks carry too much risk and buying Treasuries will pay off, according to M&G Plc as the $402 billion fund house navigates the brutal selloff in global markets.
US consumers have kept buying these things despite high inflation and the contractionary policy of the Federal Reserve, and they deserve thanks not only for the recession that still has not come, but for the fast pace of recent economic growth.
Private credit is being sought—with the goals of income and capital preservation—to achieve real capital growth and drive portfolio returns among retail and institutional clients alike.
The calendar third quarter of 2023 was a messy one for financial markets at large, and we were not immune to its lack of charms. Nonetheless, it’s been a pretty good year for our small-cap strategy.
The longer the U.S. debt is left to grow, the harder it will be to correct.
For the 90 days ending October. 20, the S&P 500 Energy Index jumped 6.1%, while the broader S&P 500 slumped nearly 7%. Due in part to geopolitical concerns, oil prices are trending higher, providing support to the energy equity thesis.
There are reasons to be cautious in many markets, but low volatility and high/sustainable dividend stocks can help mitigate risk while providing income and equity exposure. The Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions Team weighs in.
In the past week, the price of physical gold has continued to rise. According to Kitco, on October 16, 2023, the price of gold was valued at around $1,922 an ounce, and it began Monday morning just above $1,970.
The relationship and the recent divergence between real rates and stock valuations is critical. Be ready for the historical trend to reassert itself.
A successful RIA hired a designer and spent $200,000 on a new logo as part of a project to create a new digital presence.
Investments in alternative energy have become unattractive due to higher interest rates, not changes in government policies, adoption or pricing of green technologies.
On Monday, the 10-year Treasury yield climbed over 5%, a 16-year high. It’s a level few would have predicted during the long run of rock-bottom interest rates that followed the Great Financial Crisis.
U.S. equities have ruled the roost for the better part of the last decade, but another region may emerge as the leader if the business cycle changes.
Should you opt for transactional tactics that promise immediate results, or invest in transformational strategies that build a lasting business? Should you focus on short-term success or long-term sustained strategy?
Investors who snapped up shares of Nvidia Corp. at the bottom of last month’s swoon got a harsh reminder of the multiple forces pushing and pulling on the chipmaker’s business prospects.
ESG isn’t a new concept. In recent years, it’s gained more attention and assets thanks partly to the proliferation of related ETFs.
Russell Investments’ 2023 Manager ESG Survey, now in its ninth year, continues to offer valuable insights into the evolving landscape of ESG practices within the investment management industry.
The $25.8 trillion market for US Treasury debt is like the circulatory system for the world’s financial markets — everything else relies on it. In recent years blockages have occasionally formed, and central banks have had to step in to restore the money flow.
The U.S. economy’s remarkable resilience is complicating the lives of investors and the Federal Reserve. Despite war-disrupted commodity markets and one of the most aggressive monetary tightening phases in modern history, economic activity has remained strong.
A multi-asset approach to sustainable investing brings a broad and more balanced palette to paint with.
In 2021, almost two-thirds of respondents said they considered environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when investing. In 2022, that number was 60%, and this year it’s 53%, according to the annual ESG Attitudes Survey from the Association of Investment Companies.
Is there a lesson here for financial advisors? Indeed, there are two.
Japanese profits have benefited from the prolonged deleveraging of Japan Inc. The reduction in debt coupled with exceptionally low interest rates has allowed cash flow to impact the bottom line.
The Federal Reserve faces potential policy pitfalls ahead as it wrestles with how to respond to investor angst about the US government’s $33.5 trillion mountain of debt.
With lots of chatter in the United States around the potential for a soft landing, Jeff Schulze, Head of Economic and Market Strategy at ClearBridge Investments, shares his thoughts on the matter and the overall state of the US economy in our latest “Talking Markets” podcast.
Women are still underrepresented among economics majors and in a range of professions.
As my team and I talk with our clients, we’ve reflected on how generative AI can help enhance client service, decision-making, and more.
Value-conscious, historically-informed, full-cycle investors place a great deal of emphasis on the relationship between the price an investor pays today and the cash flows they can expect to receive in the future. The reason is simple.
Psychology in markets is always fascinating. In February 2009, I wrote “8 Reasons For A Bull Market.” While in hindsight, it is easy to see that was the right call, overall, psychology was highly negative at the time.
Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Research Analysts Ashley Allen and Bryant Dieffenbacher discuss the food, water and energy sectors and what their convergence means for investors.
We see promising potential in countries with younger populations and forward-looking policies, such as India, Indonesia, and Mexico.
Savvy investors are aware that geopolitical tensions and uncertainty can significantly influence the financial markets.
Reverting to old fiscal rules will create a strong economic headwind for Europe.
The spike in bond yields presents an opportunity for fixed income investors to earn capital gains and diversify portfolios.
By placing personalization at the forefront, advisors make the financial journey more than just a series of transactions – it becomes a curated experience tailored to each client.
Sustainable Investing
Bursting of Pandemic-Stock Bubble Fuels Big Wave of ETF Closures
The notoriously saturated $7.7 trillion ETF industry is this year poised for the second-highest number of closures, as the pandemic-era day trading boom fizzles out.
Loosening Labor
Both supply and demand of workers will prevent a surge in unemployment rates.
The Energy Transition and What It Means for Institutional Investors
The global economy is still overwhelmingly powered by fossil fuels, with more than 80% of primary energy sourced from coal, oil, and gas, as of 2021.
Weighty Matters for Canada
The Canadian economy is buckling under the weight of higher interest rates, household debt and immigration.
The New “Clean Ocean” ETF
In mid-September, Rockefeller Asset Management, the asset management arm of Rockefeller Capital Management, and KraneShares, a leading global ETF provider specializing in China, climate, and uncorrelated assets, launched the KraneShares Rockefeller Ocean Engagement ETF (ticker: KSEA). The fund invests in public companies with significant impact on oceans and ocean resources, reflecting the meaningful investment opportunities within the blue economy.
KSEA aims to generate competitive returns and improve ocean health through shareholder engagement activity focused on pollution prevention, carbon transition, and ocean conservation. Holdings include companies from diverse sectors such as aquaculture, commercial fishing, waste management, renewable energy, and logistics, among others.
My guest, Casey Clark, will discuss this new ETF.
India Boosts Emerging Market ETFs as US Yields Dip, Dollar Falls
India is once again leading flows into US exchange-traded funds tracking emerging markets, boosting one of the most popular trades in 2023 as declining US yields and a weakening dollar turn investors toward assets in the developing world.
Prudence Still Necessary in Bond Market
November was kind to fixed income investors as bonds posted their best month of 2023. High yield corporate debt participated in that rally as highlighted by the fact that the largest junk bond exchange traded fund is higher by nearly 4.3% over the past month.
Recessionary Indicators Update. Soft Landing Or Worse?
I previously discussed a slate of recessionary indicators with high correlations to recessionary onsets. However, as we head into 2024, many Wall Street economists predict a “soft landing” or “no recession” outcome for the economy.
Yield Hunt Is Finally Back On for Buyers in Emerging Markets
Across Wall Street, analysts and investors had cheered 2023 as the year of emerging markets, only to be burned by a relentless climb in US Treasury yields. Now, as the Federal Reserve looks set to end its most aggressive monetary tightening campaign in a generation, they’re at it again.
A Pending BlackRock ETF to Watch
Even with $2.4 trillion in ETF assets spread across more than 400 ETFs, there’s a pending offering from BlackRock that caught my eye.
Healthcare, a Minor Major Problem
Back in the Great Financial Crisis era, someone quipped that the federal government had become a giant hedge fund with an army attached. That wasn’t far off. Various agencies and entities were absorbing all kinds of risky assets to stabilize an overleveraged system.
Diversity in Investment Management: What Are the Latest Trends and Insights?
Our 2023 Manager ESG Survey shows that transparency around DEI data is increasing among investment managers. The results reveal that equity product managers in particular are more inclined to share DEI data compared to managers in other asset classes.
The Energy Transition, Part 3: Implications for Economies and Markets
There is broad agreement that economic damages will increase with warming, but there is substantial disagreement on the magnitude of these damages.
What If Lending to Your Own Buyout Gets Sticky?
The private equity industry’s push into credit is so well advanced that no one bats an eyelid when the same buyout firm is invested in the debt and equity of the same portfolio company.
Quality: The Real McCoy
While equity styles go in and out of favor, quality companies continue to serve clients as a core holding, resilient to economic headwinds and market drawdowns. For long-term investors searching for a durable equity solution, we believe quality is “the real McCoy"
Meme-Stock ETF Shuts After Failing to Attract Day Traders
If investors needed another sign the heyday for meme stocks has passed, an exchange-traded fund designed to ride the pandemic-era rise of retail traders is shuttering after just two years.
iShares MSCI EAFE Small-Cap ETF- SCZ
On this episode of the “ETF of the Week” podcast, Tom Lydon discussed the iShares MSCI EAFE Small-Cap ETF (SCZ) with Chuck Jaffe of “Money Life.” The pair talked about several topics regarding the fund to give investors a deeper understanding of the ETF overall.
The Physical Limits to Society’s Progress
Our immense progress in improving society’s standard of living over the last several centuries was possible because of advances in the discovery and production of energy. To assume that will continue is a grave error.
‘AI Blowback’ Angst Grips ESG Investors Who Bet Big on Tech
ESG fund managers who turned to big tech as a low-carbon, high-return bet are growing increasingly anxious over the sector’s experimentation with artificial intelligence.
Wall Street Throws Caution to the Wind to Keep Up With Stock Rally
It’s the major casualty of November’s sizzling stock rally: Investor caution.
Climate Funds Look to Regain Footing After Three Down Years
Growth prospects for renewable energy will be a central plank of discussions when world leaders start gathering next week in Dubai for COP28.
Soft Selling a Hard Landing
For the better part of two years, investors have been primed with hope of a “Fed pivot” that will presumably restore easy monetary policy and supportive conditions for the financial markets.
The Energy Transition, Part 2: The Transition Challenge
Fossil fuels, particularly oil, are difficult to replace due to their availability, affordability and energy density. Low-carbon alternatives, like solar energy, need large amounts of space to produce comparable amounts of energy to oil.
A Changing World: The New Psychological Workplace Contract
A new psychological contract is transforming the modern workplace, highlighted by an increase in collective actions and changing employee expectations.
Big Tech’s $2 Trillion Rally Saves Nasdaq From Correction
Investors were given plenty of opportunities to fret about the outlook for technology giants this earnings season. Instead, they doubled down on a strategy that has worked all year: piling into the biggest stocks
25th Hour
A movie that I’m quite fond of is 25th Hour, a Spike Lee joint about three friends in post-9/11 New York City. One of them, played by Barry Pepper, is a bond trader.
VettaFi’s Advisor Perspectives Named Most Read E-Newsletter for Financial Advisors for Fifth Consecutive Year by Erdos Media Research
Advisor Perspectives, the premier digital publisher for the financial advisory profession and a recent addition to the fast-growing VettaFi lineup of research and educational offerings, today announced that it has been ranked as the most-read electronic newsletter among financial advisors for the fifth year in a row by Erdos Media Research’s Financial Advisor Media Outlook and Usage Study (FAMOUS).
Inflation—the Final Mile
In the context of fighting inflation, the “‘final mile”’ represents the successful and sustainable achievement of a central bank’s inflation target. Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute, opines on the Fed’s ability to reach it.
Cross Border Investing? Asset Allocation, Factors & Volatility
In a recent VettaFi Viewpoints video episode, Dave Nadig, a financial futurist at VettaFi, sat down with Pat Chiefalo, head of ETFs & Indexed Strategies at Invesco Canada, to talk all things cross-border investing to give investors a deeper understanding of what is going on in Canada.
Does Rising Unemployment Signal a Recession?
The labor market is undoubtedly deteriorating and sending signals that have been historically valuable warnings that a recession is coming.
How America Can Get Its Debt Back Under Control
With its $33.7 trillion debt and trillion-dollar budget deficit, the US’s deteriorating fiscal situation is impossible to ignore. To simply balance the budget, a 29% across-the-board cut in spending would be necessary, even if the tax cuts enacted by the Trump administration are allowed to expire at the end of 2025.
VettaFi Voices On: Third-Quarter Earnings Season
Third-quarter earnings announcements have almost come and gone, with yesterday being the last big burst of companies. Some key firms have yet to announce, like Nvidia and Walmart, but everything I’m seeing says it surpassed expectations.
Exchange 2024: How Do You Build on Sand?
As I write this, we’re just about three months out from kicking off Exchange 2024 in Miami, Florida. Obviously, I and the whole team here at VettaFi would love it if you came.
EM Corporates & ESG: A Surprisingly Strong Opportunity Set
Senior Investment Analyst Ashley Fritz addresses three major misconceptions around ESG investing in the EM corporate space.
A $20 Billion Week Marks Market Reopening for EM Bond Sales
Emerging-market borrowers are piling back into global bond markets, selling about $20 billion in dollar notes in just a few days, all too aware that the window of opportunity may snap shut as suddenly as it opened.
How to Stop Taking Client Objections Personally
Here are tips for handling prospect objections and how every advisor can improve client meetings.
It Pays to Be Selective With Developed Market Equities
With less than two months left in 2023, this maybe another disappointing year for broad-based ex-US developed market equity funds. This includes a slew of passive exchange traded funds.
Six Metrics Light the Path to Sustainability for Emerging-Market Sovereigns
Just six metrics can effectively assess sovereign issuers’ sustainability and provide guidance for both issuers and investors.
Lining Up The Doves
The doves lined up last week guiding the S&P500 up 5.85%, marking the best week of performance for the year. A busy week of data began with the quarterly refunding announcement from the Treasury.
Investing Lessons from Climate School, Class of 2023
We’ve always intended for the unique collaboration between AllianceBernstein (AB) and Columbia University to serve the broader asset-management industry. Asset owners and managers alike are eager to explore the complex issues of climate change and its potential effect on investments and investment decision-making.
Navigating Global Equity Markets
Global investing is easily accessible through the financial markets. Many investors prefer to stick to companies and industries they are familiar with.
What Could Go Wrong?
Exploring federal budget data is a journey through endless rabbit holes, some of which are eerily close to Alice in Wonderland insanity. Countless variables interact in unexpected ways. Seemingly small changes can cascade into billions of dollars within a few years.
Timing Matters: Understanding Sequence-of-Returns Risk
If you're close to retiring, beware of the little-known sequence-of-returns risk that could take a huge slice out of your retirement income.
A Birthday Reflection – Five Life Lessons
I’ll share some important insights gleaned from many decades of working in the advisory profession and being both an insider and an outsider.
BlackRock’s $100 Billion Model Makers Are Betting on Megacaps
The team responsible for assembling BlackRock Inc.’s model portfolios is favoring the stock market’s largest companies, potentially unleashing a flood of billions of dollars into technology shares.
S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats: The Importance of Stable Dividend Income
Dividends play an important role in generating equity total return. Since 1926, dividends have contributed approximately 32% of total return for the S&P 500, while capital appreciations have contributed 68%. Therefore, sustainable dividend income and capital appreciation potential are important factors for total return expectations. The S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index exhibits both capital growth and dividend income characteristics, as opposed to alternative income strategies that may be pure yield or pure capital-appreciation oriented.
ESG Bond Market Poised to Rev Up
Amid soaring interest rates in the U.S., third-quarter issuance of ESG, sustainability, and related debt declined. But annual issuance of such debt is poised to be elevated — a theme that could carry over into 2024.
ESG Engagement Survey – Creating a Complete Picture
Our 2023 Manager ESG survey reveals that while more investors are implementing engagement and proxy voting strategies, there is still room for improvement.
Debt Scores
Identifying problems is great. Identifying solutions is even better, especially when the politicians who are supposed to be solving our big problems don’t even try.
How Can “Smart Beta” Go Horribly Wrong?
In smart beta, we find that factor returns—net of changes in valuation levels—are much lower than recent performance suggests. In fact, many of the most popular new factors (some 458 at last count) have succeeded solely because they have become more expensive.
The Federal Reserve’s Pause Could Go Terribly Wrong
The US Federal Reserve thinks it can take a break. As Fed officials see it, they need only sit back and wait while the monetary tightening they’ve already done gradually takes hold, slowing the economy and pushing inflation back down to the central bank’s 2% target.
Sticky Inflation Is Likely if There Is No Recession
Inflation has been coming down since its peak in the summer of 2022. Because the U.S. has so far avoided a recession, soft-landing hopes have risen along with the decline in inflation.
Public and Private Avenues: How Franklin Equity Group Sees Digital Transformation
In this article, Portfolio Managers Jonathan Curtis and Ryan Biggs share their insights on where they see opportunities in digital transformation and how they are thinking about the relative attractiveness of public and private company investment opportunities.
Connecting with Beneficiaries: Nurturing Trust for Multigenerational Success
Forging connections with beneficiaries sends the message that you not only safeguard the individual's interests but genuinely care about the long-term prosperity of their family. Here’s how this benefits your client and your firm – and how to do it effectively.
ESG Still Priority Among CFOs
While environmental, social, and governance criticism remains elevated (and loud) and interest rates are affecting the performance of the related equities and exchange traded funds, ESG-committed investors can find relief on multiple fronts.
Treasury Rout Lures M&G to Buy More as US Stocks Seen Too Risky
US stocks carry too much risk and buying Treasuries will pay off, according to M&G Plc as the $402 billion fund house navigates the brutal selloff in global markets.
Why No Recession Yet? Thank the US Consumer
US consumers have kept buying these things despite high inflation and the contractionary policy of the Federal Reserve, and they deserve thanks not only for the recession that still has not come, but for the fast pace of recent economic growth.
Opportunities in Private Credit for Institutional Investors
Private credit is being sought—with the goals of income and capital preservation—to achieve real capital growth and drive portfolio returns among retail and institutional clients alike.
Lines in the Yield Sand
The calendar third quarter of 2023 was a messy one for financial markets at large, and we were not immune to its lack of charms. Nonetheless, it’s been a pretty good year for our small-cap strategy.
A Deep Dive Into U.S. Debt
The longer the U.S. debt is left to grow, the harder it will be to correct.
Investors Still Enthusiastic About Energy Sector
For the 90 days ending October. 20, the S&P 500 Energy Index jumped 6.1%, while the broader S&P 500 slumped nearly 7%. Due in part to geopolitical concerns, oil prices are trending higher, providing support to the energy equity thesis.
The Case for Low Volatility and High Dividend Equities in International Markets
There are reasons to be cautious in many markets, but low volatility and high/sustainable dividend stocks can help mitigate risk while providing income and equity exposure. The Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions Team weighs in.
Gold’s Rally Spreads Into Gold Miner ETFs
In the past week, the price of physical gold has continued to rise. According to Kitco, on October 16, 2023, the price of gold was valued at around $1,922 an ounce, and it began Monday morning just above $1,970.
Real Rates Drive Stock Prices
The relationship and the recent divergence between real rates and stock valuations is critical. Be ready for the historical trend to reassert itself.
The $200,000 Logo and Other Marketing Disasters
A successful RIA hired a designer and spent $200,000 on a new logo as part of a project to create a new digital presence.
What Happened to ESG Stocks?
Investments in alternative energy have become unattractive due to higher interest rates, not changes in government policies, adoption or pricing of green technologies.
New Age for Treasuries Means 6% Yield Isn’t ‘Out of the Picture’
On Monday, the 10-year Treasury yield climbed over 5%, a 16-year high. It’s a level few would have predicted during the long run of rock-bottom interest rates that followed the Great Financial Crisis.
Expanding (Investment) Horizons: The Case for Investing Globally
U.S. equities have ruled the roost for the better part of the last decade, but another region may emerge as the leader if the business cycle changes.
Transactional versus Transformational Marketing
Should you opt for transactional tactics that promise immediate results, or invest in transformational strategies that build a lasting business? Should you focus on short-term success or long-term sustained strategy?
Nvidia Dip-Buyers Burned by US Chip Battle With China
Investors who snapped up shares of Nvidia Corp. at the bottom of last month’s swoon got a harsh reminder of the multiple forces pushing and pulling on the chipmaker’s business prospects.
Work to Be Done to Improve ESG Adoption
ESG isn’t a new concept. In recent years, it’s gained more attention and assets thanks partly to the proliferation of related ETFs.
2023 Manager ESG Survey: Climate Risk Dominates
Russell Investments’ 2023 Manager ESG Survey, now in its ninth year, continues to offer valuable insights into the evolving landscape of ESG practices within the investment management industry.
How to Keep the Treasuries Market Functioning
The $25.8 trillion market for US Treasury debt is like the circulatory system for the world’s financial markets — everything else relies on it. In recent years blockages have occasionally formed, and central banks have had to step in to restore the money flow.
U.S. Economic Outlook, October 2023
The U.S. economy’s remarkable resilience is complicating the lives of investors and the Federal Reserve. Despite war-disrupted commodity markets and one of the most aggressive monetary tightening phases in modern history, economic activity has remained strong.
Seeking Balance in Sustainable Multi-Asset Investing
A multi-asset approach to sustainable investing brings a broad and more balanced palette to paint with.
The Tyranny of ESG Has Run Its Course
In 2021, almost two-thirds of respondents said they considered environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when investing. In 2022, that number was 60%, and this year it’s 53%, according to the annual ESG Attitudes Survey from the Association of Investment Companies.
Two Lessons from a Jar of Jellybeans
Is there a lesson here for financial advisors? Indeed, there are two.
Japan: The Land of the Rising Profits
Japanese profits have benefited from the prolonged deleveraging of Japan Inc. The reduction in debt coupled with exceptionally low interest rates has allowed cash flow to impact the bottom line.
Wall Street Worries Over Swelling US Debt Put Fed in Tight Spot
The Federal Reserve faces potential policy pitfalls ahead as it wrestles with how to respond to investor angst about the US government’s $33.5 trillion mountain of debt.
Anatomy of a Recession Update: Threats to a Soft Landing
With lots of chatter in the United States around the potential for a soft landing, Jeff Schulze, Head of Economic and Market Strategy at ClearBridge Investments, shares his thoughts on the matter and the overall state of the US economy in our latest “Talking Markets” podcast.
Gender Studies Earn The Nobel Prize
Women are still underrepresented among economics majors and in a range of professions.
How to Use AI Without Compromising Your Brand’s Identity
As my team and I talk with our clients, we’ve reflected on how generative AI can help enhance client service, decision-making, and more.
When the Bough Breaks
Value-conscious, historically-informed, full-cycle investors place a great deal of emphasis on the relationship between the price an investor pays today and the cash flows they can expect to receive in the future. The reason is simple.
Bond Valuations Are Cheap.
Psychology in markets is always fascinating. In February 2009, I wrote “8 Reasons For A Bull Market.” While in hindsight, it is easy to see that was the right call, overall, psychology was highly negative at the time.
Sustainable Resource Nexus: Analyzing the Convergence of Food-Water-Energy on Financial Markets
Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Research Analysts Ashley Allen and Bryant Dieffenbacher discuss the food, water and energy sectors and what their convergence means for investors.
There’s More To Emerging Markets Than China
We see promising potential in countries with younger populations and forward-looking policies, such as India, Indonesia, and Mexico.
Weaponized Migration And Its Implications For Investors
Savvy investors are aware that geopolitical tensions and uncertainty can significantly influence the financial markets.
A Return To The EU’s Old Ways
Reverting to old fiscal rules will create a strong economic headwind for Europe.
Understanding the Rise in Bond Yields: Implications and Opportunities for Investors
The spike in bond yields presents an opportunity for fixed income investors to earn capital gains and diversify portfolios.
Capturing Investor Mindsets to Create a More Meaningful Investing Experience: “The Change Maker”
By placing personalization at the forefront, advisors make the financial journey more than just a series of transactions – it becomes a curated experience tailored to each client.