For many wealth advisors, workplace retirement plans are either a burden or an afterthought, according to John Kutz, National Retirement Plan Strategist at Franklin Templeton. He and his team explore why embracing these plans can benefit their practice, and their clients.
While some stocks may seem expensive, there are areas of opportunity that feature attractive valuations and growth catalysts, according to the Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions team.
ETF Trends interviewed three sources about active ETFs, why financial advisors are opting for these investment solutions for clients, and how these factors have changed in recent years. Each source responded to the same questions in their respective interviews.
The September Federal Reserve meeting provided few surprises, but ongoing uncertainty about the Fed's next move may mean more volatility ahead.
Thematic ETFs have come a long way since they made their full debut in the ETF ecosystem.
August's ZHVI came in at $349,770, up 0.47% from July and up 0.40% from August 2022. However after adjusting for inflation, the real figures are 0.09% month-over-month and -6.45% year-over-year. Nominal home values have increased for 5 straight months while "real" home values have only increased for 3 straight months.
Customization is increasingly important across a number of industries. For advisors, the ability to create personalized portfolios that can meet the specific demands and preferences for investors is going to be vital. Join the professionals at Envestnet and VettaFi as they unpack the latest in direct indexing innovation.
Labor strikes aren’t cheap. Equipment sits idle. Supply chains get gummed up. Workers lose wages, shareholders lose profits, governments lose tax revenue. All these effects can have an adverse impact on economic growth, employment and inflation.
The Franklin Templeton Fixed Income team believe that issuers that think critically about the environment in which they operate could outperform throughout the full market cycle compared with those who are slower to adapt.
Banks have reemerged as a potential pain point for the investment community, as rating agencies recently embarked on a downgrade cycle in the sector.
To widen your audience, deepen client bonds, and carve out a strong market presence, a webinar strategy is your ticket to success.
US five- and 10-year yields rose to the highest levels since 2007 after hotter-than-anticipated inflation data in Canada and rising oil prices added to global concerns about resurgent price pressures.
Given the uncertainty over a recession, there are other incremental steps that investors may want to consider instead. These include making adjustments to a portfolio’s market beta and credit exposure.
A return to the Great Moderation Era looks unlikely, which might lead to an increasingly volatile—and somewhat unfamiliar—inflationary, economic, and geopolitical landscape.
Celebrating an exciting milestone: Franklin Income Fund turns 75. Learn more about this flagship strategy and read some fun facts from back in 1948.
Rather than reacting to financial challenges and opportunities as they arise, local entrepreneurs are embracing new perspectives on change management by preparing for change beforehand.
Now seems like a good time to talk about wrappers and which ones are best for different situations. How do you decide whether to use an ETF, a mutual fund, or something else?
The FOMC will make some close calls and tough decisions.
Confidence is returning to the bond markets and one sign is corporations’ willingness to start taking on debt again with new issuance.
Despite substantial growth and huge advancements in public policy support, clean energy has had an abysmal stretch in the stock market the last two and a half years.
Rising interest rates are giving sellers an opportunity to broaden their opportunity set.
Here’s how I apply behavioral finance to help clients to think differently about their investing.
Warren Buffett has advised investors to be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful. New research confirms Buffett’s admonition.
Credit Research Analysts Greg Schantz and Julian Wellesley dive into why they favor European banks vs US banks and why they see a potential opportunity in Yankee bank bonds.
Economists are playing a game of “can-you-top-this this,” seeing who can ramp up their US economic growth forecasts the most.
Federal Reserve policymakers’ updated forecasts for their benchmark interest rate, due Wednesday, are looming as a key potential decider for a US Treasuries market at risk of a third straight year of losses.
Competing narratives have emerged to describe the state of the U.S. economy.
Soft consumer confidence and property-market woes are playing a large role in the slowdown of China’s economy.
The Northern Trust Economics team shares its outlook for U.S. growth, employment, interest rates and inflation.
AI, with its data analysis and predictive power, can revolutionize investing. However, humans remain a crucial part of the process. Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions provides use cases into how different investors can harness AI to achieve their desired outcomes and workflows.
BlackRock and Human Interest have found that American workers earning less than the national average are not saving due to lack of access to saving tools. Broadening access requires an intuitive and automated approach to retirement savings.
If held until the bond is redeemed (either by call or maturity), the annual yield earned for the life of a bond is known upfront at the time of purchase. Knowing the return on an investment upfront makes long-term financial planning a much easier task.
Hear from Jeff Schulze, Head of Economic and Market Strategy at ClearBridge Investments, about the state of the US economy. Get his perspective on the Federal Reserve’s next potential moves.
Municipals posted negative total returns amid rising interest rates. Issuance exceeded tempered expectations, while demand waned as performance struggled.
The consensus is wrong, and the Fed has not engineered a “soft landing.” A recession is all but certain in the first half of next year, according to Jeffrey Gundlach.
Measuring, anticipating and controlling the cost of healthcare are all difficult.
How long will the Federal Reserve continue quantitative tightening (QT)? How large will its balance sheet be when QT ends? These important questions impact financial market liquidity, the anchor of asset values. We assess the likely path of QT in the years ahead.
For the savvy private wealth investor, portfolio diversity is key to success. Investing in infrastructure is one option that can help you both optimize your portfolio and make a positive and meaningful impact on your local community.
In this first episode, Franklin Templeton Institute’s Tony Davidow discusses the democratization of alternative investments and related topics with CAIA’s John Bowman.
This month, the Census Bureau released its annual report on household income data for 2022. Last year the median (middle) average household income fell by 2.3% to $74,580. Let's take a closer look at the quintile averages, which dates from 1967, along with the statistics for the top 5%.
I've updated this series to include the August release of the consumer price index as the deflator and the monthly employment update. The latest hypothetical real (inflation-adjusted) annual earnings are at $49,010, down 8.1% from over 50 years ago. Hourly earnings are below their all-time high after adjusting for inflation.
Since the beginning of the year, economic data has continued to defy the recession calls of 2022.
ESG has dominated advisors’ minds when it comes to looking at the current generation of young prospective clients. It remains a popular investment approach for millennial and Gen Z clients per surveys.
Higher yields on cash have allowed some de-risking.
Our commentary on household income distribution focuses on average household incomes over the 50+ year history of this data series. The analysis offers some fascinating insights into U.S. household incomes, but misses the implications of age for income. In this update, we examine household income from a different perspective with a focus on age bracket.
Municipal bonds are an often overlooked corner of the fixed income space. Because they are tax exempt, munis give investors efficient, low-risk income. Join the experts at Goldman Sachs and VettaFi for a webcast discussing a muni strategy that prioritizes 1-to-15-year maturities within the investment grade municipal bond universe.
We expect yields to fall later this year and into 2024 as inflation continues to cool.
Today's economic conditions are attractive for BDCs (business development companies), and some benefit from businesses seeking alternative financing sources.
In the final part of our series on global supply chains, portfolio managers Inbok Song and Sherwood Zhang look at the companies that are reconfiguring their networks and portfolio manager Vivek Tanneeru gives his assessment on the investment opportunities.
A hard landing in China would rattle Asian economies.
New research shows that stocks have historically been a poor hedge against inflation over anything but very long horizons.
Innovative provider of custom indexes becomes a key part of a growing suite of VettaFi index solutions, which now power nearly $19 billion in ETFs and other vehicles.
Even though past performance doesn’t guarantee future results, investors should prepare for continued market volatility this month.
On the interest rate front, the Federal funds rate is now close to systematic benchmarks that have historically been consistent with prevailing core inflation, nominal GDP growth, and unemployment.
Tony Davidow, Senior Alternatives Investment Strategist, at Franklin Templeton Institute, shares some takeaways from a panel discussion on the topic.
For some organizations, a partial outsourcing of their investment program is preferable to total outsourcing. Despite this, some OCIO providers will still try very hard to sell companies on a full OCIO solution.
When you step back and think about it, it is hard to believe that this hugely important retirement benefit has only been around for just over 40 years.
Dina Ting, Franklin Templeton ETFs’ Head of Global Index Portfolio Management, explores the positive trends that are making a case for holding UK equities.
A staff report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York titled “Capital Management and Wealth Inequality” comes to some remarkable Marxist conclusions.
Back in the 1980s, President Reagan took enormous political heat (Sam Donaldson comes to mind) for being fiscally irresponsible. His offense? Presiding over a budget deficit that peaked at 5.9% of GDP in Fiscal Year 1983.
Diversifying a portfolio means spreading the investments across a variety of asset classes, industries and geographies.
Your most advanced competitors can efficiently deliver exceptional levels of tax optimization and portfolio personalization to every client, of every size. And they can show that they save or defer more in taxes than they charge most clients in fees. Join Smartleaf and VettaFi for a webcast unpacking what it takes to deliver personalization and tax optimization at scale.
Barclays Plc is trying to work out how to make the best of its payments business in its quest to increase the appeal of its shares. One option is selling a stake in the unit that handles card transactions for shopkeepers and other businesses, Bloomberg News reports.
US regional banks may need to raise significant amounts of additional debt to comply with new regulatory requirements, but the extra capital might not be enough to prevent future failures, according to research published Wednesday.
Crypto exchange-traded-products issuer 21Shares and Cathie Wood’s ARK Investment Management are seeking to offer the first US ETF that invests directly in Ether.
Restricting the money supply will help contain inflation.
In general, portfolios can be split into growth assets and principal protecting assets. Growth assets tend to have greater risk coupled with greater income/reward.
Investors believe that U.S. government debt is risk free. Why shouldn't they? Every economic and financial textbook, media outlet, and bond guru says so.
As multi-asset income investors, we seek to help a wide range of clients meet their income needs. The benefits of an income-centric approach are especially relevant for investors as they enter retirement – and that’s especially true today. We bring that to life with two case studies.
About once a year, I have to address the issue of chasing the “10 Best Days” of the year.
Multi-sector fixed income strategies can deliver significant benefits to investors – including yield enhancement, volatility reduction and diversification of asset-class exposures – because of managers having the freedom to make tactical shifts between fixed-income sub-sectors.
There’s no clearer way to say it. Leave these garbage phrases out of your marketing.
Stocks are up 18.7% year-to-date, which is good news for portfolios and 401(k)s, but did you know that most of the heavy lifting has been done by a very small number of S&P 500 stocks?
Look up the word “cycle” in a dictionary, and you’ll find something like this: “A regularly recurring sequence of events.” Sounds simple, but that definition leaves a lot of ambiguity.
Investment grade bonds from select emerging market sovereigns are solid defensive bets if the US slips into recession and China’s economy worsens, according to Vanguard Asset Services.
For years now, stock traders have been getting so rich betting big companies will get even bigger that they’ve forgotten what a bubble looks like. They’re going to find out thanks to Nvidia Corp.
Advisors can capitalize on the expected transfer of wealth between generations, the expected wave of retirements among older advisors, and referrals from other professionals.
A steady stream of news helped drain enthusiasm from the equities markets through most of August, snapping a five-month growth streak at a time of the year known for cool market performance despite the swelter of its dog days.
Chief Diversity Officer Regina Curry and Franklin Templeton Head of Digital Assets Roger Bayston believe creating workplaces with intentional collaborative, inclusive, and debiasing practices can power great development environments.
Credit balances are not the only consumer indicator running high.
One of the hardest parts of planning for our loved ones with disabilities is getting started. It’s overwhelming. Thinking of who will care for your child when you or your partner cannot is not easy. While we realize no one will care for your child like you do, you need to plan for the day when you no longer can.
In this session, we talk about one tool that may help with some of the financial responsibilities for supporting your loved one while helping them stay qualified for means-tested benefits supplemental security income (SSI) and Medicaid. My guest will introduce the importance of planning ahead and maintaining eligibility for public benefits whether the family is wealthy or has limited means.
The S&P 500 closed August with a monthly loss of 1.71%, after a gain of 3.22% in July.
Adjusted earnings forecasts tend to overshadow reported earnings and add uncertainty to corporate outlooks.
The resilience of US growth, earnings and markets has been the big surprise of 2023. Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute, opines on the factors at play—and whether they will last.
Given their overall credit risk versus safer government debt, corporate bonds may not get enough exposure in a retirement portfolio. However, they can serve a purpose as long as investors are aware of their nuances.
We believe the best way to add value is through relative positioning in sector allocations, individual security selection and along the yield curve, holding duration neutral overall. That approach, however, does not prevent us from having views on interest rates and we think bonds offer good value at current rate levels.
The Fed's asset portfolio is on an uncharted course.
Although high-yield bonds have performed well so far this year, we continue to take a cautious view.
In China’s current economic travails, US and other Group of Seven nations increasingly see evidence of deep-seated structural problems that ultimately will strengthen the West’s hand against a weakening geopolitical competitor.
The Northern Trust Economics team shares its outlook for major markets in the months ahead.
Tax Loss Harvesting
Workplace Retirement Voice: Why Wealth Advisors Should Embrace Workplace Retirement Plans
For many wealth advisors, workplace retirement plans are either a burden or an afterthought, according to John Kutz, National Retirement Plan Strategist at Franklin Templeton. He and his team explore why embracing these plans can benefit their practice, and their clients.
Where to Add Risk in Multi-Asset Portfolios Right Now
While some stocks may seem expensive, there are areas of opportunity that feature attractive valuations and growth catalysts, according to the Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions team.
The Rise of Active ETFs: 3 Experts Weigh In
ETF Trends interviewed three sources about active ETFs, why financial advisors are opting for these investment solutions for clients, and how these factors have changed in recent years. Each source responded to the same questions in their respective interviews.
Fed Pauses but Projects One More Hike This Year
The September Federal Reserve meeting provided few surprises, but ongoing uncertainty about the Fed's next move may mean more volatility ahead.
Thematic ETF Trends to Watch Entering 2024
Thematic ETFs have come a long way since they made their full debut in the ETF ecosystem.
Zillow Home Value Index: "Real" Values Increases for Third Straight Month
August's ZHVI came in at $349,770, up 0.47% from July and up 0.40% from August 2022. However after adjusting for inflation, the real figures are 0.09% month-over-month and -6.45% year-over-year. Nominal home values have increased for 5 straight months while "real" home values have only increased for 3 straight months.
Personalized Index Portfolios: Bespoke client portfolios at scale
Customization is increasingly important across a number of industries. For advisors, the ability to create personalized portfolios that can meet the specific demands and preferences for investors is going to be vital. Join the professionals at Envestnet and VettaFi as they unpack the latest in direct indexing innovation.
More Labor Strife Is Coming to the US Economy
Labor strikes aren’t cheap. Equipment sits idle. Supply chains get gummed up. Workers lose wages, shareholders lose profits, governments lose tax revenue. All these effects can have an adverse impact on economic growth, employment and inflation.
Weathering the Storm: Exploring Climate Change Adaptation and the Investor’s Imperative
The Franklin Templeton Fixed Income team believe that issuers that think critically about the environment in which they operate could outperform throughout the full market cycle compared with those who are slower to adapt.
Do We Really Need to Be Worried About the Banking Sector?
Banks have reemerged as a potential pain point for the investment community, as rating agencies recently embarked on a downgrade cycle in the sector.
Boost Client Engagement and Growth with Webinars
To widen your audience, deepen client bonds, and carve out a strong market presence, a webinar strategy is your ticket to success.
Treasury Yields at Highest Levels Since 2007 on Price Concerns
US five- and 10-year yields rose to the highest levels since 2007 after hotter-than-anticipated inflation data in Canada and rising oil prices added to global concerns about resurgent price pressures.
A Recession Is Possible, but Far From Certain. So How Should You Consider Positioning Your Portfolio?
Given the uncertainty over a recession, there are other incremental steps that investors may want to consider instead. These include making adjustments to a portfolio’s market beta and credit exposure.
Say Goodbye…to Great Moderation?
A return to the Great Moderation Era looks unlikely, which might lead to an increasingly volatile—and somewhat unfamiliar—inflationary, economic, and geopolitical landscape.
A Pioneering Income Strategy Celebrates 75 Years
Celebrating an exciting milestone: Franklin Income Fund turns 75. Learn more about this flagship strategy and read some fun facts from back in 1948.
The Top Five Strategies for Working with Small Business Owners
Rather than reacting to financial challenges and opportunities as they arise, local entrepreneurs are embracing new perspectives on change management by preparing for change beforehand.
VettaFi Voices On: Choosing Your Wrapper
Now seems like a good time to talk about wrappers and which ones are best for different situations. How do you decide whether to use an ETF, a mutual fund, or something else?
Fed Preview: Done, Or More To Be Done?
The FOMC will make some close calls and tough decisions.
Get Active Exposure as Corporate Confidence Returns in Bonds
Confidence is returning to the bond markets and one sign is corporations’ willingness to start taking on debt again with new issuance.
Turbulence on the Path to Transformation
Despite substantial growth and huge advancements in public policy support, clean energy has had an abysmal stretch in the stock market the last two and a half years.
Seller Financing of Real Estate is Back
Rising interest rates are giving sellers an opportunity to broaden their opportunity set.
How I Apply Behavioral Finance to Achieve Better Client Outcomes
Here’s how I apply behavioral finance to help clients to think differently about their investing.
Buffett was Right About Sentiment and the VIX as Predictors of Returns
Warren Buffett has advised investors to be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful. New research confirms Buffett’s admonition.
Shifting Trends Favor European Banks vs. US Banks for the First Time in Years
Credit Research Analysts Greg Schantz and Julian Wellesley dive into why they favor European banks vs US banks and why they see a potential opportunity in Yankee bank bonds.
Bidenomics Is Having an Unusual Effect on Deficits
Economists are playing a game of “can-you-top-this this,” seeing who can ramp up their US economic growth forecasts the most.
Bond Market at Risk of Third Annual Loss Needs a Dot-Plot Rescue
Federal Reserve policymakers’ updated forecasts for their benchmark interest rate, due Wednesday, are looming as a key potential decider for a US Treasuries market at risk of a third straight year of losses.
Schwab Market Perspective: Tension
Competing narratives have emerged to describe the state of the U.S. economy.
China Hits a Speed Bump. Could the Road Ahead Feature More Stimulus?
Soft consumer confidence and property-market woes are playing a large role in the slowdown of China’s economy.
U.S. Economic Outlook, September 2023
The Northern Trust Economics team shares its outlook for U.S. growth, employment, interest rates and inflation.
Copilot, Not Autopilot: How Generative AI Augments, but Doesn’t Replace Active Management
AI, with its data analysis and predictive power, can revolutionize investing. However, humans remain a crucial part of the process. Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions provides use cases into how different investors can harness AI to achieve their desired outcomes and workflows.
Lack of Access Is a Crucial Factor to Preventing Retirement Savings
BlackRock and Human Interest have found that American workers earning less than the national average are not saving due to lack of access to saving tools. Broadening access requires an intuitive and automated approach to retirement savings.
Locking in Target Returns
If held until the bond is redeemed (either by call or maturity), the annual yield earned for the life of a bond is known upfront at the time of purchase. Knowing the return on an investment upfront makes long-term financial planning a much easier task.
Anatomy of a Recession Update: What Is a Recession, Exactly?
Hear from Jeff Schulze, Head of Economic and Market Strategy at ClearBridge Investments, about the state of the US economy. Get his perspective on the Federal Reserve’s next potential moves.
Munis Fall Short Of Seasonal Expectations In August
Municipals posted negative total returns amid rising interest rates. Issuance exceeded tempered expectations, while demand waned as performance struggled.
Gundlach: There Will be a Recession in the First Half of 2024
The consensus is wrong, and the Fed has not engineered a “soft landing.” A recession is all but certain in the first half of next year, according to Jeffrey Gundlach.
Measuring The Cost Of Healthcare
Measuring, anticipating and controlling the cost of healthcare are all difficult.
Fed’s Quantitative Tightening (Qt) Will Face Constraints
How long will the Federal Reserve continue quantitative tightening (QT)? How large will its balance sheet be when QT ends? These important questions impact financial market liquidity, the anchor of asset values. We assess the likely path of QT in the years ahead.
Impact of Local Infrastructure Investments on a Portfolio
For the savvy private wealth investor, portfolio diversity is key to success. Investing in infrastructure is one option that can help you both optimize your portfolio and make a positive and meaningful impact on your local community.
Alternative Allocations: The State of the Alternative Investments Industry
In this first episode, Franklin Templeton Institute’s Tony Davidow discusses the democratization of alternative investments and related topics with CAIA’s John Bowman.
U.S. Household Incomes: A 50+ Year Perspective
This month, the Census Bureau released its annual report on household income data for 2022. Last year the median (middle) average household income fell by 2.3% to $74,580. Let's take a closer look at the quintile averages, which dates from 1967, along with the statistics for the top 5%.
Middle-Class Hourly Wages as of August 2023
I've updated this series to include the August release of the consumer price index as the deflator and the monthly employment update. The latest hypothetical real (inflation-adjusted) annual earnings are at $49,010, down 8.1% from over 50 years ago. Hourly earnings are below their all-time high after adjusting for inflation.
Economic Data Points Diverge
Since the beginning of the year, economic data has continued to defy the recession calls of 2022.
Gen Z Clients: The Active ETF Investing Generation?
ESG has dominated advisors’ minds when it comes to looking at the current generation of young prospective clients. It remains a popular investment approach for millennial and Gen Z clients per surveys.
Higher Rates: Positive Values
Higher yields on cash have allowed some de-risking.
Median Household Incomes by Age Bracket: 1967-2022
Our commentary on household income distribution focuses on average household incomes over the 50+ year history of this data series. The analysis offers some fascinating insights into U.S. household incomes, but misses the implications of age for income. In this update, we examine household income from a different perspective with a focus on age bracket.
Why Municipal Bonds Matter
Municipal bonds are an often overlooked corner of the fixed income space. Because they are tax exempt, munis give investors efficient, low-risk income. Join the experts at Goldman Sachs and VettaFi for a webcast discussing a muni strategy that prioritizes 1-to-15-year maturities within the investment grade municipal bond universe.
Treasury Yields: Where Do They Go From Here?
We expect yields to fall later this year and into 2024 as inflation continues to cool.
High Rates and Lower Bank Lending May Lift BDCs
Today's economic conditions are attractive for BDCs (business development companies), and some benefit from businesses seeking alternative financing sources.
Investing in an Emerging World Order. Part 3
In the final part of our series on global supply chains, portfolio managers Inbok Song and Sherwood Zhang look at the companies that are reconfiguring their networks and portfolio manager Vivek Tanneeru gives his assessment on the investment opportunities.
Spillovers From China’s Malaise
A hard landing in China would rattle Asian economies.
Stocks Have Been a Poor Inflation Hedge
New research shows that stocks have historically been a poor hedge against inflation over anything but very long horizons.
VettaFi Announces Acquisition of EQM Indexes
Innovative provider of custom indexes becomes a key part of a growing suite of VettaFi index solutions, which now power nearly $19 billion in ETFs and other vehicles.
September, The Market’s Most Feared Month, Could Be A Golden Opportunity
Even though past performance doesn’t guarantee future results, investors should prepare for continued market volatility this month.
Central Bankers Wandering in the Woods
On the interest rate front, the Federal funds rate is now close to systematic benchmarks that have historically been consistent with prevailing core inflation, nominal GDP growth, and unemployment.
Investment Ideas—Building Portfolios During Economic Uncertainty
Tony Davidow, Senior Alternatives Investment Strategist, at Franklin Templeton Institute, shares some takeaways from a panel discussion on the topic.
What Do Investment Outsourcing and Ice Cream Have in Common?
For some organizations, a partial outsourcing of their investment program is preferable to total outsourcing. Despite this, some OCIO providers will still try very hard to sell companies on a full OCIO solution.
Remember These Investing Concepts When Planning Your Future
When you step back and think about it, it is hard to believe that this hugely important retirement benefit has only been around for just over 40 years.
Time to Snag UK Equities From the Brexit Bargain Bin?
Dina Ting, Franklin Templeton ETFs’ Head of Global Index Portfolio Management, explores the positive trends that are making a case for holding UK equities.
Widening Wealth and Inequality Gaps Have Limits
A staff report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York titled “Capital Management and Wealth Inequality” comes to some remarkable Marxist conclusions.
Fiscal Madness
Back in the 1980s, President Reagan took enormous political heat (Sam Donaldson comes to mind) for being fiscally irresponsible. His offense? Presiding over a budget deficit that peaked at 5.9% of GDP in Fiscal Year 1983.
Building Resilient Portfolios: The Power of Diversification
Diversifying a portfolio means spreading the investments across a variety of asset classes, industries and geographies.
What it Takes to Deliver Personalized and Tax-Optimized Portfolios at Scale
Your most advanced competitors can efficiently deliver exceptional levels of tax optimization and portfolio personalization to every client, of every size. And they can show that they save or defer more in taxes than they charge most clients in fees. Join Smartleaf and VettaFi for a webcast unpacking what it takes to deliver personalization and tax optimization at scale.
Barclays Has Much at Stake in the Fintech Future
Barclays Plc is trying to work out how to make the best of its payments business in its quest to increase the appeal of its shares. One option is selling a stake in the unit that handles card transactions for shopkeepers and other businesses, Bloomberg News reports.
Regional Banks May Need to Sell $63 Billion in Bonds Under Rule
US regional banks may need to raise significant amounts of additional debt to comply with new regulatory requirements, but the extra capital might not be enough to prevent future failures, according to research published Wednesday.
21Shares and Cathie Wood’s ARK File for First US Spot-Ether ETF
Crypto exchange-traded-products issuer 21Shares and Cathie Wood’s ARK Investment Management are seeking to offer the first US ETF that invests directly in Ether.
Europe: Monetary Rehab
Restricting the money supply will help contain inflation.
In Case You Haven’t Noticed
In general, portfolios can be split into growth assets and principal protecting assets. Growth assets tend to have greater risk coupled with greater income/reward.
Risk-Free Government Debt – Fact or Fiction?
Investors believe that U.S. government debt is risk free. Why shouldn't they? Every economic and financial textbook, media outlet, and bond guru says so.
Why Investors in Retirement May Want to Consider an Income Approach
As multi-asset income investors, we seek to help a wide range of clients meet their income needs. The benefits of an income-centric approach are especially relevant for investors as they enter retirement – and that’s especially true today. We bring that to life with two case studies.
10 Best Days – A Meme For Every Bull Market
About once a year, I have to address the issue of chasing the “10 Best Days” of the year.
Bonds: Bigger, Broader, More Diverse Opportunity Set than Stocks
Multi-sector fixed income strategies can deliver significant benefits to investors – including yield enhancement, volatility reduction and diversification of asset-class exposures – because of managers having the freedom to make tactical shifts between fixed-income sub-sectors.
Six Things Advisors Should Never Say
There’s no clearer way to say it. Leave these garbage phrases out of your marketing.
Is It Time For Investors To Consider Sector Rotation Amid A Tech-Heavy S&P 500?
Stocks are up 18.7% year-to-date, which is good news for portfolios and 401(k)s, but did you know that most of the heavy lifting has been done by a very small number of S&P 500 stocks?
Noble Sacrifices
Look up the word “cycle” in a dictionary, and you’ll find something like this: “A regularly recurring sequence of events.” Sounds simple, but that definition leaves a lot of ambiguity.
Vanguard Sees EM High Grade Debt as ‘Rainy Day’ Bet Amid US Risk
Investment grade bonds from select emerging market sovereigns are solid defensive bets if the US slips into recession and China’s economy worsens, according to Vanguard Asset Services.
Nvidia’s Rally Is Going to Show Traders What a Market Bubble Looks Like, Rob Arnott Says
For years now, stock traders have been getting so rich betting big companies will get even bigger that they’ve forgotten what a bubble looks like. They’re going to find out thanks to Nvidia Corp.
Three Opportunities To Grow Your Advisory Business Now
Advisors can capitalize on the expected transfer of wealth between generations, the expected wave of retirements among older advisors, and referrals from other professionals.
Market Still in an Uptrend Despite Cool August Performance
A steady stream of news helped drain enthusiasm from the equities markets through most of August, snapping a five-month growth streak at a time of the year known for cool market performance despite the swelter of its dog days.
Dimensions & Insights: Blockchain and Fintech Expand With Diversity and Inclusion
Chief Diversity Officer Regina Curry and Franklin Templeton Head of Digital Assets Roger Bayston believe creating workplaces with intentional collaborative, inclusive, and debiasing practices can power great development environments.
Checking The Health Of Consumers
Credit balances are not the only consumer indicator running high.
ABLE Accounts for the Disability Community
One of the hardest parts of planning for our loved ones with disabilities is getting started. It’s overwhelming. Thinking of who will care for your child when you or your partner cannot is not easy. While we realize no one will care for your child like you do, you need to plan for the day when you no longer can.
In this session, we talk about one tool that may help with some of the financial responsibilities for supporting your loved one while helping them stay qualified for means-tested benefits supplemental security income (SSI) and Medicaid. My guest will introduce the importance of planning ahead and maintaining eligibility for public benefits whether the family is wealthy or has limited means.
Moving Averages: S&P Finishes August Down 1.7%
The S&P 500 closed August with a monthly loss of 1.71%, after a gain of 3.22% in July.
Investors Beware—Earnings Forecasts Omit Stock Compensation
Adjusted earnings forecasts tend to overshadow reported earnings and add uncertainty to corporate outlooks.
Quiet Shifts in Corporate Debt May Explain This Year’s Big Economic Surprise
The resilience of US growth, earnings and markets has been the big surprise of 2023. Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute, opines on the factors at play—and whether they will last.
Corporate Bonds Can Be a Part of a Retirement Portfolio
Given their overall credit risk versus safer government debt, corporate bonds may not get enough exposure in a retirement portfolio. However, they can serve a purpose as long as investors are aware of their nuances.
The Top 10 Reasons to Like Bonds Now
We believe the best way to add value is through relative positioning in sector allocations, individual security selection and along the yield curve, holding duration neutral overall. That approach, however, does not prevent us from having views on interest rates and we think bonds offer good value at current rate levels.
What's Ahead For The Fed's Balance Sheet?
The Fed's asset portfolio is on an uncharted course.
High-Yield Bonds: Yields Are Up, But Risks Remain
Although high-yield bonds have performed well so far this year, we continue to take a cautious view.
The US, Allies See Opportunity and Risk in China’s Slowing Economy
In China’s current economic travails, US and other Group of Seven nations increasingly see evidence of deep-seated structural problems that ultimately will strengthen the West’s hand against a weakening geopolitical competitor.
Global Economic Outlook: Slow Motion
The Northern Trust Economics team shares its outlook for major markets in the months ahead.