Home prices continued to trend upwards in September as the benchmark 20-city index rose for a eighth consecutive month. The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index revealed seasonally adjusted home prices for the 20-city index saw a 0.7% increase month-over-month (MoM) and a 3.9% increase year-over-year (YoY). After adjusting for inflation, the MoM was reduced to 0.1% and the YoY was reduced to -2.9%.
CIO designate Sean Taylor gives his take on what Asia has to offer global and emerging markets investors, from growth, to diversification, to innovation.
A new psychological contract is transforming the modern workplace, highlighted by an increase in collective actions and changing employee expectations.
It’s true – first impressions are everything, and when it comes to your website, they happen in a flash.
Just six metrics can effectively assess sovereign issuers’ sustainability and provide guidance for both issuers and investors.
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.
Today, one in three of the 65-69 cohort, nearly one in five of the 70-74 cohort, and nearly one in ten of the 75+ cohort are in the labor force.
Alarm bells sounded Friday when we learned that the US unemployment rate rose to 3.9% for October, well above the 50-year low of 3.4% that it hit earlier in the year. The latest reading is still very low, so what’s with the doomsayers telling us a recession has arrived?
Let’s break down three key principles when designing or selecting illustrations to support your client communications outreach.
At a recent educational event organized by Franklin Templeton, Franklin Templeton Institute’s Senior Alternative Investment Strategist Tony Davidow hosted a day of panels that focused on alternative investments.
Being left solely responsible for wealth through divorce or widowhood later in life comes with its own set of responsibilities, opportunities, and challenges. As with so many financial life events, it is often the emotional challenges that are the hardest.
The typical American is a lot richer now than they were just before the pandemic — and this improvement is at least partially due to government support for families and businesses in 2020 and 2021.
Contrary to popular belief, “women” and “pre-retirees” are not niches. Here are tips for narrowing a niche that is too broadly defined.
Recently, a newly divorced woman in her 50s asked me if I knew of any good books for middle-aged, single woman of wealth.
The world is becoming an increasingly diverse place, especially the societies that we live in and we invest in. It’s not just about social equity that companies need to focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion; it’s really about business fundamentals.
Earlier this October, VettaFi announced that the Susan G. Komen Foundation would be the cause of the month. October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. VettaFi is pleased to announce that it will be taking its support to the next level.
Since taking a big leap upward in the 1940s and 1950s, the homeownership rate in the US has been remarkably steady since the 1960s, with close to two-thirds of households owning their homes.
I’ve identified nine skills and practices that will help you become a great leader and foster a culture that’s conducive to developing future leaders, not just followers.
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.
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.
According to Gary Gensler, chair of the SEC, a market crash caused by artificial intelligence is “nearly unavoidable.” Like many other regulators, he has called for new regulations on AI to prevent such dire scenarios.
There is a growing movement among investors to align their portfolio to their values or belief systems. Advisors can use Direct Indexing products and Separately Managed Accounts to help their clients pursue faith- or values-based investing.
Women are still underrepresented among economics majors and in a range of professions.
How worried should we be about AI and what should we do about it? There is risk on both sides: of not taking warnings about AI seriously enough, and of taking them too seriously.
Older workers can still be a source of relief for tight labor markets.
Making the case for municipal bonds today with Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute.
Economics is still a male-dominated profession. Among full professors, only 1 out of every 8 is a woman. Among assistant professors, women are a little less than 1 in 3, similar to their share of undergraduate economics majors.
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.
India will need to think beyond physical assets to continue its growth.
The degree of success of muni impact bonds often stems from showing issuers how they’ll be graded.
Private infrastructure offers unique investment characteristics and potential diversification benefits for portfolio construction.
One of the longer-term consequences of the looming government shutdown isn’t getting the attention it deserves: The youngest potential recruits are receiving yet another reminder of the challenges of public service, and at a time when they are desperately needed.
Environmental, social, and governance policies and investing have become targets of political derision. That doesn’t dampen the need for corporations and governments to pursue agendas tied to climate change and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
To better understand the growth mindset as it applies to your practice, look at some common misunderstandings, contrasting them with the outlook predicated by the proper mindset.
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.
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.
Let me share some reminders about what needs to be in place for team members to thrive and stay inspired.
Why has there been a reluctance within the advisory profession to actively collect, much less leverage client experience feedback?
It’s an important time for Medicare beneficiaries to optimize their healthcare coverage and costs, and financial advisors are in the perfect position to guide clients through this crucial planning opportunity.
Private credit lenders are just getting started in the world of consumer and asset based finance, according to Rob Camacho, Blackstone Inc.’s co-head of asset based finance within the firm’s Structured Finance Group.
New tests are making it easier for doctors to detect cancer and provide targeted treatments.
Communications should be planned and thoughtful. Rarely – if ever – should a serious message be delivered without warning.
Xylem is a leading innovator of water solutions. This Knowledge Leader harnesses smart technology to provide water, wastewater, and energy solutions to a diverse range of sectors, from agriculture and aquaculture to commercial buildings and energy.
Things are not exactly going China’s way these days. One incident after the other has led to a virtual collapse of international investments in China, but that could potentially be the more benign outcome of the ongoing Chinese debt crisis.
This article explores how promoting individual strengths and skills, advocating for enhanced diversity and inclusion, fostering a collegial environment, encouraging diversification, and attracting a broader range of clients helps RIAs stand out in a competitive industry.
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.
China's economy may have spillover effects on global economic and earnings growth, but it's unlikely to lead to global financial contagion and send stock markets materially lower.
Many advisors are now providing customized wealth management services to their clients and their families, often across multiple generations.
We have almost 400 advisors at TAG now and we have 399 different business models and we embrace that because we are fiercely independent.” – April Booth
With more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, April Booth’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Don’t miss this episode of Cambridge Stronger as April shares how she ‘accidentally’ found her way into the industry and what true independence means to her and the financial professionals she serves. As Partner and Chief Operating Officer (COO), April also walks listeners through what to expect as a transitioning financial professional and how the TAG team offers support. She also highlights her experience as a member of Cambridge’s Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Advisory Council and offers advice to next-gen financial professionals.
Advisors and investors typically allocate to index funds and exchange traded funds linked to well-known benchmarks, such as the S&P 500, in the name of diversification. After all, these funds are homes to hundreds of stocks and those sizable rosters imply some level of diversity.
Despite the increasing popularity of self-directed brokerage accounts (SDBAs) within 401(k) plans, recent data reveals that women are under-utilizing this investment tool.
Let’s look at the keys to creating a successful podcast.
My last three letters reviewed Neil Howe’s new book about the Fourth Turning. Today we’ll look at another set of patterns observed by my friend George Friedman in the geopolitical realm. George’s view of how patterns shape countries is different but not inconsistent with Neil’s generational cycles.
Progress toward a sustainable world would be hamstrung without the backing of global banks and their sponsorship of green and sustainable bonds.
Young workers are struggling to find jobs, despite labor shortages.
Advisors are using tax-managed products for tax-sensitive clients. In this interview, we learn how tax-managed products maximize the after-tax returns for investors to help them get to their goals with greater certainty.
The Agg is supposed to be to bonds what the S&P 500 Index is to equities. But it is an insufficient gauge for measuring the bond universe.
A team of scientists claimed to have created a breakthrough material that could superconduct electricity at room temperatures and ambient pressure. But then people started trying to replicate the experiment.
July was an impressive asset-gathering month for ETFs. Much of the heavy lifting was done by the industry’s largest ETFs.
Investors planning for retirement are facing seven significant challenges.
Many advisors are using longevity assumptions that are less conservative than they think.
With inflation falling and growth slowly grinding lower, time is running out on many global central bank tightening cycles – especially for the Federal Reserve (Fed) that meets next week.
The Northern Trust Economics team shares its outlook for U.S. growth, employment, interest rates and inflation.
Inspired by the modest market turbulence late last year, I just couldn’t resist trying my hand at a daily financial column. Only the names have been changed to protect the clueless.
Financial companies that help address some of the world’s most pressing socioeconomic challenges deserve attention from sustainability-focused investors.
Transitioning to a green net-zero economy requires climate solutions that enable the economy to decarbonise, such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, and recycling technologies.
Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer and a prominent player in the field of cloud services, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. This Knowledge Leader has redefined the landscape of e-commerce and technology.
When they tell me that “balance” is working 14-16 hours every day and being available for the clients and the firms all weekend, every weekend, I have an issue.
The Fed is executing its playbook according to plan – get interest rates up quickly, keep tightening albeit at a more moderate pace, and then hold rates steady to allow real rates to nudge higher as inflation recedes.
In what's quickly become one of my favorite annual traditions at Russell Investments, I survey our associate base for their summer reading recommendations every year around this time.
Churchill Asset Management invests in middle-market companies. It is part of Nuveen, and it raises capital from investors through comingled funds, separately managed accounts, business development companies (BDCs) and collateralized loan obligations (CLOs).
In February, Nuveen and Churchill announced the launch of PCAP, a BDC that offers individual investors access to private capital investments across the U.S. middle market. My guest today, Alona Gornick, works with advisors who invest in this space. She will discuss the market environment and how advisors are approaching it, the risk-return profile for this type of investment, and the questions advisors should ask as they approach this opportunity.
Tech giant Microsoft is on a mission to use technology to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices drive growth and groundbreaking innovation. As business change accelerates, deploying intentional DEI actions develops diverse thinking and new ideas that can break new ground and build business resiliency.
Amgen sells its products to healthcare providers, including physicians or their clinics, dialysis centers, hospitals, and pharmacies in over 100 countries but primarily in the US.
Depending on who you ask, the word bond can either refer to a specific type of financial instrument, or when capitalized, your favorite British Secret Service agent. For this guide, we’ll be talking about the lowercase version, which represents one of the largest financial markets in existence.
Work from home benefits the employer and the employee. But society may be better off if we all show up in the office.
Here are four steps financial advisors can take to improve financial literacy for women.
In 1852, Karl Marx said, "Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please; they do not make it under circumstances chosen by themselves but under circumstances directly encountered and transmitted from the past."
Evan Harp sat down with financial advisor Ramona Maior. Maior reflected on how financial advisors can better serve LGBTQ+ clients. She offered a number of quick and useful tips for advisors.
New research shows that those who invest in stocks with positive environmental, social and governance (ESG) scores have improved the behavior of those companies.
With June being Pride Month, advisors and market participants are paying renewed attention to strategies relevant to the LGBTQ+ community.
A conversation with Dave Nadig, Financial Futurist, VettaFi and Kevin Gopaul, President, BMO Exchange Traded Funds
Many economists have been forecasting a recession for 2023 due to tightening monetary policy. But that recession has not arrived yet.
Today, a similar phenomenon goes on behind the scenes in developing artificial intelligence: Humans label much of the data used to train AI models and they often babysit those models in the wild too, meaning our modern-day machinery isn’t as fully automated as we think.
Remember Web 3.0? No? Allow ChatGPT to refresh your memory: Web 3.0, according to GPT-4, is “the next frontier in internet technology, characterized by decentralized, user-centric applications that prioritize data privacy and foster seamless, interconnected experiences.”
Quarterly Macro Themes, a quarterly publication from our Macroeconomic and Investment Research Group, spotlights critical and timely areas of research and updates our baseline views on the economy.
You can achieve your business goals via a sale or merger so long as you clearly access and articulate what you don’t want – essentially, your deal breakers.
Women & Planning
S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index: Continues to Trend Upward in September
Home prices continued to trend upwards in September as the benchmark 20-city index rose for a eighth consecutive month. The S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index revealed seasonally adjusted home prices for the 20-city index saw a 0.7% increase month-over-month (MoM) and a 3.9% increase year-over-year (YoY). After adjusting for inflation, the MoM was reduced to 0.1% and the YoY was reduced to -2.9%.
Why Asia Matters
CIO designate Sean Taylor gives his take on what Asia has to offer global and emerging markets investors, from growth, to diversification, to innovation.
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.
Is Your Website Attracting or Repelling Ideal Clients?
It’s true – first impressions are everything, and when it comes to your website, they happen in a flash.
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.
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.
Demographic Trends for the 50-and-Older Work Force
Today, one in three of the 65-69 cohort, nearly one in five of the 70-74 cohort, and nearly one in ten of the 75+ cohort are in the labor force.
Why My Recession Rule Could Go Wrong This Time
Alarm bells sounded Friday when we learned that the US unemployment rate rose to 3.9% for October, well above the 50-year low of 3.4% that it hit earlier in the year. The latest reading is still very low, so what’s with the doomsayers telling us a recession has arrived?
Use Visuals to Boost Client Communications
Let’s break down three key principles when designing or selecting illustrations to support your client communications outreach.
Alternative Allocations: Lessons Learned From Institutions
At a recent educational event organized by Franklin Templeton, Franklin Templeton Institute’s Senior Alternative Investment Strategist Tony Davidow hosted a day of panels that focused on alternative investments.
Suddenly Single, With Wealth – Is There a Problem? Part Two
Being left solely responsible for wealth through divorce or widowhood later in life comes with its own set of responsibilities, opportunities, and challenges. As with so many financial life events, it is often the emotional challenges that are the hardest.
A Strong Safety Net Helps the Whole US Economy
The typical American is a lot richer now than they were just before the pandemic — and this improvement is at least partially due to government support for families and businesses in 2020 and 2021.
How to Narrow Your Niche
Contrary to popular belief, “women” and “pre-retirees” are not niches. Here are tips for narrowing a niche that is too broadly defined.
Suddenly Single, With Wealth – Is There a Problem Here? Part One
Recently, a newly divorced woman in her 50s asked me if I knew of any good books for middle-aged, single woman of wealth.
Diversity of Thought A New Approach to Equity Alpha
The world is becoming an increasingly diverse place, especially the societies that we live in and we invest in. It’s not just about social equity that companies need to focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion; it’s really about business fundamentals.
Sign Up for Exchange and Support the Fight Against Breast Cancer
Earlier this October, VettaFi announced that the Susan G. Komen Foundation would be the cause of the month. October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. VettaFi is pleased to announce that it will be taking its support to the next level.
With Housing, Millennials Have Much to Complain About
Since taking a big leap upward in the 1940s and 1950s, the homeownership rate in the US has been remarkably steady since the 1960s, with close to two-thirds of households owning their homes.
Nine Skills of a Leader Who Creates More Leaders
I’ve identified nine skills and practices that will help you become a great leader and foster a culture that’s conducive to developing future leaders, not just followers.
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.
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.
Stop Worrying That AI Will Cause the Market to Crash
According to Gary Gensler, chair of the SEC, a market crash caused by artificial intelligence is “nearly unavoidable.” Like many other regulators, he has called for new regulations on AI to prevent such dire scenarios.
How To Talk to Your Clients About Values and Faith-Based Investing
There is a growing movement among investors to align their portfolio to their values or belief systems. Advisors can use Direct Indexing products and Separately Managed Accounts to help their clients pursue faith- or values-based investing.
Gender Studies Earn The Nobel Prize
Women are still underrepresented among economics majors and in a range of professions.
Was the Unabomber Right About the Dangers of AI?
How worried should we be about AI and what should we do about it? There is risk on both sides: of not taking warnings about AI seriously enough, and of taking them too seriously.
Uneasy Un-Retirements
Older workers can still be a source of relief for tight labor markets.
Investment Ideas—Is the Muni Comeback Still in the Making?
Making the case for municipal bonds today with Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute.
Goldin Took Women’s Careers From Economic Sideshow to Mainstream
Economics is still a male-dominated profession. Among full professors, only 1 out of every 8 is a woman. Among assistant professors, women are a little less than 1 in 3, similar to their share of undergraduate economics majors.
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.
What’s Holding Back India’s Economy?
India will need to think beyond physical assets to continue its growth.
How Muni Impact Investors Can Help Issuers Ace Their ESG Tests
The degree of success of muni impact bonds often stems from showing issuers how they’ll be graded.
Unlisted Infrastructure – Highway to Diversification
Private infrastructure offers unique investment characteristics and potential diversification benefits for portfolio construction.
US Government Needs a Youth Movement. A Shutdown Won’t Help.
One of the longer-term consequences of the looming government shutdown isn’t getting the attention it deserves: The youngest potential recruits are receiving yet another reminder of the challenges of public service, and at a time when they are desperately needed.
Why ESG Investing Still Matters
Environmental, social, and governance policies and investing have become targets of political derision. That doesn’t dampen the need for corporations and governments to pursue agendas tied to climate change and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Developing a Growth Mindset: Why It Matters
To better understand the growth mindset as it applies to your practice, look at some common misunderstandings, contrasting them with the outlook predicated by the proper mindset.
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.
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.
How to Ensure Team Members Strive and Thrive
Let me share some reminders about what needs to be in place for team members to thrive and stay inspired.
The Magnetic Power of Client Feedback
Why has there been a reluctance within the advisory profession to actively collect, much less leverage client experience feedback?
Five Mistakes Advisors Make During Open Enrollment (And How to Avoid Them)
It’s an important time for Medicare beneficiaries to optimize their healthcare coverage and costs, and financial advisors are in the perfect position to guide clients through this crucial planning opportunity.
Blackstone Says Private Credit Is Coming for Asset-Based Debt
Private credit lenders are just getting started in the world of consumer and asset based finance, according to Rob Camacho, Blackstone Inc.’s co-head of asset based finance within the firm’s Structured Finance Group.
The Future of Cancer Detection
New tests are making it easier for doctors to detect cancer and provide targeted treatments.
A Lesson in Poor Communication
Communications should be planned and thoughtful. Rarely – if ever – should a serious message be delivered without warning.
Pioneering Water Solutions for a Thirsty World
Xylem is a leading innovator of water solutions. This Knowledge Leader harnesses smart technology to provide water, wastewater, and energy solutions to a diverse range of sectors, from agriculture and aquaculture to commercial buildings and energy.
How serious is the Unfolding Chinese Debt Crisis?
Things are not exactly going China’s way these days. One incident after the other has led to a virtual collapse of international investments in China, but that could potentially be the more benign outcome of the ongoing Chinese debt crisis.
Cultivating Growth, Diversity, and Sustainable Success
This article explores how promoting individual strengths and skills, advocating for enhanced diversity and inclusion, fostering a collegial environment, encouraging diversification, and attracting a broader range of clients helps RIAs stand out in a competitive industry.
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.
China: Contagion or Contained?
China's economy may have spillover effects on global economic and earnings growth, but it's unlikely to lead to global financial contagion and send stock markets materially lower.
C Is for Customized Experience and Family Wealth Planning
Many advisors are now providing customized wealth management services to their clients and their families, often across multiple generations.
Independence Doesn’t Mean Being Alone
We have almost 400 advisors at TAG now and we have 399 different business models and we embrace that because we are fiercely independent.” – April Booth
With more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry, April Booth’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Don’t miss this episode of Cambridge Stronger as April shares how she ‘accidentally’ found her way into the industry and what true independence means to her and the financial professionals she serves. As Partner and Chief Operating Officer (COO), April also walks listeners through what to expect as a transitioning financial professional and how the TAG team offers support. She also highlights her experience as a member of Cambridge’s Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Advisory Council and offers advice to next-gen financial professionals.
Equal-Weight Flexes Diversification Credibility
Advisors and investors typically allocate to index funds and exchange traded funds linked to well-known benchmarks, such as the S&P 500, in the name of diversification. After all, these funds are homes to hundreds of stocks and those sizable rosters imply some level of diversity.
Women Are Under-Utilizing Self-Directed Brokerage Accounts
Despite the increasing popularity of self-directed brokerage accounts (SDBAs) within 401(k) plans, recent data reveals that women are under-utilizing this investment tool.
A Sound Idea: Use a Podcast to Build Your Business
Let’s look at the keys to creating a successful podcast.
Storms and Patterns
My last three letters reviewed Neil Howe’s new book about the Fourth Turning. Today we’ll look at another set of patterns observed by my friend George Friedman in the geopolitical realm. George’s view of how patterns shape countries is different but not inconsistent with Neil’s generational cycles.
Financing a Sustainable World: Global Banks Take Center Stage
Progress toward a sustainable world would be hamstrung without the backing of global banks and their sponsorship of green and sustainable bonds.
Putting Young People To Work
Young workers are struggling to find jobs, despite labor shortages.
The Future of Tax-Managed Investing
Advisors are using tax-managed products for tax-sensitive clients. In this interview, we learn how tax-managed products maximize the after-tax returns for investors to help them get to their goals with greater certainty.
Pig in the Poke? Why It’s Time to Bag the Agg
The Agg is supposed to be to bonds what the S&P 500 Index is to equities. But it is an insufficient gauge for measuring the bond universe.
The Quest For Zero Energy Loss And The Fusion Frontier
A team of scientists claimed to have created a breakthrough material that could superconduct electricity at room temperatures and ambient pressure. But then people started trying to replicate the experiment.
Which ETFs Saw Unexpected Demand in July
July was an impressive asset-gathering month for ETFs. Much of the heavy lifting was done by the industry’s largest ETFs.
The Seven Great Challenges to Retirement Plans
Investors planning for retirement are facing seven significant challenges.
You Are Underestimating Longevity… and How Uncertain It Is
Many advisors are using longevity assumptions that are less conservative than they think.
Financial Markets Approaching an Inflection Point
With inflation falling and growth slowly grinding lower, time is running out on many global central bank tightening cycles – especially for the Federal Reserve (Fed) that meets next week.
U.S. Economic Outlook, July 2023
The Northern Trust Economics team shares its outlook for U.S. growth, employment, interest rates and inflation.
Sex, Lies, and the Financial Media
Inspired by the modest market turbulence late last year, I just couldn’t resist trying my hand at a daily financial column. Only the names have been changed to protect the clueless.
Do Financials Have a Role in Sustainable Equity Portfolios?
Financial companies that help address some of the world’s most pressing socioeconomic challenges deserve attention from sustainability-focused investors.
Weighted Average Green Revenue (Wagr): Integrating Climate Solutions into Portfolio Construction
Transitioning to a green net-zero economy requires climate solutions that enable the economy to decarbonise, such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, and recycling technologies.
Spotlight Amazon: The Jungle Where Innovation Roars
Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer and a prominent player in the field of cloud services, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. This Knowledge Leader has redefined the landscape of e-commerce and technology.
Work-Life Balance is Impossible
When they tell me that “balance” is working 14-16 hours every day and being available for the clients and the firms all weekend, every weekend, I have an issue.
The End of the Fed’s Tightening Cycle Is Drawing Near
The Fed is executing its playbook according to plan – get interest rates up quickly, keep tightening albeit at a more moderate pace, and then hold rates steady to allow real rates to nudge higher as inflation recedes.
Take a Look and Pick a Book: Introducing Our 2023 Summer Reading List
In what's quickly become one of my favorite annual traditions at Russell Investments, I survey our associate base for their summer reading recommendations every year around this time.
The Trends in Private-Credit Investing
Churchill Asset Management invests in middle-market companies. It is part of Nuveen, and it raises capital from investors through comingled funds, separately managed accounts, business development companies (BDCs) and collateralized loan obligations (CLOs).
In February, Nuveen and Churchill announced the launch of PCAP, a BDC that offers individual investors access to private capital investments across the U.S. middle market. My guest today, Alona Gornick, works with advisors who invest in this space. She will discuss the market environment and how advisors are approaching it, the risk-return profile for this type of investment, and the questions advisors should ask as they approach this opportunity.
Spotlight Microsoft: A Symphony of Innovation
Tech giant Microsoft is on a mission to use technology to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems.
Dimensions & Insights: How To Drive Innovation and Growth From Everywhere
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices drive growth and groundbreaking innovation. As business change accelerates, deploying intentional DEI actions develops diverse thinking and new ideas that can break new ground and build business resiliency.
Amgen: Are Its Golden Days Over?
Amgen sells its products to healthcare providers, including physicians or their clinics, dialysis centers, hospitals, and pharmacies in over 100 countries but primarily in the US.
Beginner’s Guide to the Bond Market
Depending on who you ask, the word bond can either refer to a specific type of financial instrument, or when capitalized, your favorite British Secret Service agent. For this guide, we’ll be talking about the lowercase version, which represents one of the largest financial markets in existence.
Return to the Office or Else!
Work from home benefits the employer and the employee. But society may be better off if we all show up in the office.
Four Steps to Improve Financial Literacy for Women
Here are four steps financial advisors can take to improve financial literacy for women.
The Red, White, and Blue Swan
In 1852, Karl Marx said, "Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please; they do not make it under circumstances chosen by themselves but under circumstances directly encountered and transmitted from the past."
How Advisors Can Better Serve LGBTQ+ Clients
Evan Harp sat down with financial advisor Ramona Maior. Maior reflected on how financial advisors can better serve LGBTQ+ clients. She offered a number of quick and useful tips for advisors.
ESG Investors Improve Corporate Behavior
New research shows that those who invest in stocks with positive environmental, social and governance (ESG) scores have improved the behavior of those companies.
Consider CDEI as LGBTQ+ Investment Ideas
With June being Pride Month, advisors and market participants are paying renewed attention to strategies relevant to the LGBTQ+ community.
VettaFi Viewpoints: Dave Nadig, BMO’s Kevin Gopaul on Canadian ETF Innovation
A conversation with Dave Nadig, Financial Futurist, VettaFi and Kevin Gopaul, President, BMO Exchange Traded Funds
Second Quarter 2023 Economic and Market Outlook: A Tale of Two Economies
Many economists have been forecasting a recession for 2023 due to tightening monetary policy. But that recession has not arrived yet.
The Ghost in the Machine Shouldn’t Be AI
Today, a similar phenomenon goes on behind the scenes in developing artificial intelligence: Humans label much of the data used to train AI models and they often babysit those models in the wild too, meaning our modern-day machinery isn’t as fully automated as we think.
What’s the Best Use for Crypto? Let AI Figure It Out
Remember Web 3.0? No? Allow ChatGPT to refresh your memory: Web 3.0, according to GPT-4, is “the next frontier in internet technology, characterized by decentralized, user-centric applications that prioritize data privacy and foster seamless, interconnected experiences.”
Quarterly Macro Themes Research Spotlight on What’s Next
Quarterly Macro Themes, a quarterly publication from our Macroeconomic and Investment Research Group, spotlights critical and timely areas of research and updates our baseline views on the economy.
Know the Deal Breakers Before Selling Your Practice
You can achieve your business goals via a sale or merger so long as you clearly access and articulate what you don’t want – essentially, your deal breakers.