Ed Perks and Gene Podkaminer of Franklin Templeton’s Multi-Asset Solutions team discuss the attractions of alternative assets that can offer natural portfolio diversification. Over a longer-term horizon, they continue to believe global stocks have greater performance potential than global bonds, or alternatives, but this outlook will not be reached along a smooth path.
Franklin Small Cap Value Fund Portfolio Manager Steve Raineri gives five reasons why he thinks small-capitalization (small-cap) value stocks could perform well as the US economy continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emerging markets overall felt a dose of optimism in August amid hopes for a COVID-19 vaccine, continued easy monetary policy globally and improving economic data pointing toward recovery. Our emerging markets equity team breaks down the key trends, news and events it has an eye on, and shares its latest market outlook.
The Franklin Templeton-Gallup Economics of Recovery Study has unveiled many insights about US consumer attitudes and behavior in the wake of COVID-19. Our Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai examines findings from the survey’s second pulse, including encouraging signs confidence has found a floor.
Despite reaching all-time highs above $2,000 per troy ounce this summer, gold prices might still have room to run, according to Franklin Equity Group’s Steve Land. In addition, he shares some reasons why the current environment could present new opportunities for gold-focused miners to redefine themselves as stronger businesses.
Our Emerging Markets Equity team’s Michael Lai and Elizabeth Wu take a look at a new breed of innovative enterprises in China that could transform health care outcomes in the years ahead.
This November’s US presidential election pits Donald Trump against Democratic nominee Joe Biden, a longtime politician who represents a more progressive policy approach. Our Head of European Fixed Income David Zahn breaks down the implications of the US election for Europe, and why many of Biden’s policies line up more closely with European views.
Many pundits have talked about “the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” but what does it mean? Franklin Equity Group’s Matt Moberg explains how the current pace of innovation is driving productivity gains—and accelerating economic growth.
Our Head of Equities Stephen Dover explains why he thinks possible changes to the US political landscape could lead to further bouts of market volatility.
There are five evolving growth themes that could generate considerable economic value over the next five to 10 years.
Many investors seem to have misperceptions when it comes to Russia’s economy and the companies located there. Our Emerging Markets Equity Institutional Portfolio Manager Nicole Vettise explains how Russia’s economy offers investors a mix of old and new industries, and compelling areas of investment opportunity as a result.
Some emerging markets have been coping with the COVID-19 crisis better than others, and their economies are in different stages of recovery. Our emerging markets equity team highlights a few—and offers thoughts on why the pandemic has accelerated some existing fundamental and technological trends.
The world is waking up the 4th Industrial Revolution, with the impact of COVID-19 accelerating many changes already underway, says our Head of Equities, Stephen Dover. He opines on how underlying fundamental disruptions in our economy can present opportunities for active investors.
As the global economy continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still opportunities for investors, says Franklin Equity Group Portfolio Manager Don Huber. He has an eye on international companies able to navigate the crisis period—particularly those in regions where recovery is happening faster.
Our Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai unveils the first insights from the new Franklin Templeton–Gallup research project on the behavioral response to the COVID-19 pandemic and implications for the recovery.
Digital transformation was already underway prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the resulting economic crisis has caused an acceleration, according to Franklin Equity Group’s Jonathan Curtis. He shares where his team is looking for potential opportunities within technology during the current period and beyond.
As China’s equity markets gradually open up to foreign investors, Chinese companies could face greater scrutiny, according to Franklin Templeton Emerging Markets Equity’s Michael Lai. He weighs in on some emerging trends he’s seen in regard to environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues there.
The unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 economic disruption has made traditional gauges of economic developments woefully inadequate, says our Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai. She highlights the need to look deeper into new ways of examining the path toward recovery...
Our Head of Equities, Stephen Dover, gives his take on how COVID-19 has accelerated economic changes and explains what may have caused the stock markets’ second-quarter ascent.
Our Emerging Markets Equity CIO Manraj Sekhon provides the team’s midyear outlook, including how secular trends driving opportunities in emerging markets have accelerated because of the COVID-19 crisis.
The global market outlook is already hazy in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the upcoming US presidential election adds another layer of uncertainty.
With inefficiency comes opportunity, according to Franklin Templeton Fixed Income’s Nicholas Hardingham and Robert Nelson. They consider the emerging market debt landscape, and what the remainder of the year could bring for the asset class.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact economies across the globe as they emerge from lockdowns, including emerging markets.
Pricing dislocations and adjustments between companies, industries, regions and asset classes due to the impact of COVID-19 offer opportunities for select hedged strategies, according to K2 Advisors.
In the municipal bond market, the issuance of green bonds has provided an attractive solution for investors interested in socially responsible investments while also receiving the tax-exempt income benefit municipal bonds offer. Franklin Templeton’s Municipal Bond team provides an overview of green bonds, including potential benefits and risk considerations.
For most US governors, June typically brings political fireworks when state legislatures hammer out final budgets for the next fiscal year.
Dislocations resulting from the pandemic shine a light on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, which can be used as an additional tool to identify leading companies from the laggards, according to Franklin Templeton’s Global Head of ESG, Julie Moret.
The US Federal Reserve (Fed) recently announced it would purchase individual corporate credit bonds. David Mann, our Head of Capital Markets, Global ETFs, makes a case for using smaller ETFs to accomplish that goal.
Deficits are rising across the developed world as governments aggressively loosen their purse strings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. But what are the ramifications of all this debt?
As emerging markets cope with the COVID-19 epidemic, Franklin Templeton’s Emerging Markets Equity team considers three new realities they see in the emerging markets today. This second post in a three-part series examines how emerging markets have diversified their economies.
Franklin Templeton’s 2020 US Retirement Income Strategies and Expectations survey revealed the importance of having a plan to help reduce financial-related stress—particularly relevant amid today’s uncertainties. Our Felix Touchard discusses some findings of the survey, and how respondents feel about their financial future.
Innovation has always been a key driver for the biotechnology industry. Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is still significant progress in the discovery and development of innovative drugs.
Our Head of Equities, Stephen Dover, gives his take on why value and growth investing are not different strategies.
After the shock of COVID-19, when will the global economy return to a sense of normalcy? Franklin Templeton Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai examines some key economic activity indicators in the wake of the pandemic. She shares data on recent changes in US consumer behavior which seem to signal people are eager to go back to normal life.
The European Commission has unveiled a sweeping new €750 billion coronavirus fiscal rescue package, including the issuance of new bonds. David Zahn, our Head of European Fixed Income, calls it groundbreaking.
Like most asset classes, mortgage-backed securities (MBS) have seen heightened volatility over the past two months as the world copes with COVID-19 and investors look to reduce risk. The MBS market managed to stabilize amid help from the US Federal Reserve, which purchased these and other securities in a broad support program.
With markets starting to make a comeback, our Multi-Asset Solutions CIO Ed Perks looks ahead to second half of the year, including the implications of the US economy opening up, the ongoing impact of the massive monetary and fiscal response, and the risk for a wave of downgrades and defaults.
As European economies slowly start to come out of coronavirus lockdowns, it could be some time before growth returns to pre-crisis levels, according to David Zahn, our Head of European Fixed Income. He says the crisis has been another test for the European Union...
Our Head of Equities Stephen Dover gives his take on the new globalization, how the US Midwest may be the next emerging market, and what he thinks it means for strategic industries and supply chains.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how global consumers learn, shop, travel and work, as well as how they fulfill entertainment and health care needs. Franklin Equity Group’s John Remmert and Donald Huber share which trends they think are permanent and which are likely just a phase.
COVID-19 has taken a toll on human lives as well as the global economy, with the latest US employment figures revealing a shocking number of job losses in April.
The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the importance of financial market risks that fit within the realm of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors—namely disaster preparedness and health risks.
While there still isn’t complete clarity surrounding the Federal Reserve’s purchases of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), it did recently release a bit more information. David Mann, our Head of Capital Markets, Global ETFs, attempts to solve the mystery of which ETFs the Fed might be buying—and when.
Some market observers have speculated many companies could cut dividends as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t still opportunities for yield-seeking investors, says Franklin Equity Group’s Nick Getaz and Matt Quinlan.
Some investors use a set-it-and-forget-it approach to their portfolios, but there are times when the asset mix may need to be recalibrated to achieve one’s goals.
As headlines revolve around the impact of the coronavirus and the costs of government spending packages to keep the economy afloat, the state of Social Security is one thing we can find at least some assurance in, says Gail Buckner, our personal retirement and financial planning strategist.
As the COVID-19 pandemic evolved during the first quarter, the municipal bond market experienced one of its most volatile periods in years. Here, the Franklin Municipal Bond Department shares how they plan to navigate the market, which they think is likely to show signs of distress and elevated volatility for some time.
When times of turmoil hit, most investors become risk-averse, seeking safety over opportunity for higher returns. The coronavirus-driven crisis is no different in that regard. However, John Beck, our director of fixed income, London, sees some striking differences between this and other crises, and offers some thoughts on where he thinks taking some risk today might make sense.
Our Head of Equities Stephen Dover explains why he sees many signs of hope for a global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. He also shares highlights from a conversation between Templeton Global Equity Group CEO Dr. Sandy Nairn and Professor Gerry Graham, a world expert in immunology.
