Overall, the net effect of this is that funded status stayed roughly the same, likely frustrating sponsors who saw assets rise without a corresponding increase in funded position.
Limited supply and high demand for high-yield municipal bonds may adversely impact an investor’s financial position. Plan now for potential client conversations about exposure to lower quality tax-exempt securities.
Markets around the world are tumbling on fears that the coronavirus could significantly derail global economic growth.
In light of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, we examine whether a rebound in China’s economy is still possible this year.
This is going to be one of those years where we believe behavior—for advisors and clients—is going to really matter. At Russell Investments, we believe one of the biggest detriments to a client’s return is their own behavior.
Here’s how the SECURE Act may impact your clients. Plan now for these conversations.
Like the three little pigs building their houses, financial advisors have many choices of how they will build their books of business. Many of the most successful advisors embrace fee-only wealth management. In this blog post, we put some numbers to these theories.
Learn more about the remarkable lives and contributions of three leading African American economists.
What makes an investment philosophy or product ESG-friendly? The answers may surprise you.
The past decade has been one for the record books. There has been unprecedented change in almost every aspect of life including technology, transportation, politics, etc.
With Brexit day finally here, the focus turns to trade negotiations between the UK and the EU.
What can advisors learn from institutional investors? Try these four key moves.
Conventional wisdom has long held that value stocks and growth stocks work in different ways, and therefore wouldn’t be found in the same mutual fund. In recent years it has become increasingly difficult to tell the difference between a value and growth manager’s portfolio.
Has passive investing helped drive the outperformance of mega-cap stocks?
Maybe you don’t have a goals-based tracking and reporting system, but you want to have illustrations to show whether a client is on track (or not) to meet their goals.
As the worries mount, it’s worth addressing whether these concerns are truly warranted, or overblown to an extent. Let’s dive right in and tackle this, as well as look at how much of a handbrake such a high level of debt may have on Chinese growth.
Central bank easing and the cooling China-U.S. trade war have set the scene for a global economic rebound in 2020. Our forecast pushes the risk of recession into late 2021, giving equity markets modest upside potential for 2020.
With simmering trade tensions, sputtering growth worldwide and a historically long, but slow, U.S. economic expansion, investors will have to brace themselves for a challenging investment environment in 2020. Change, adaptability and diversification are the key words. Here are steps you can take early in 2020 to position your investment program well for the rest of the year.
A few months ago, we published a paper called Institutional investor best practice by 2025. In this paper, we addressed how investors will need to fundamentally change how they approach capturing opportunities, mitigating risks and managing costs within their investment portfolios to set themselves up for success in 2025 and beyond.
Seven things to know about the new U.S. retirement legislation.
As the year winds to a close, take a look back with us at our top ten favorite blog posts of the year—the thought leadership pieces that sparked the highest levels of engagement among our readers.
Once upon a time—of all the good days in the year, on Christmas Eve—old Ebenezer Scrooge sat busy in his counting-house. Rise from your bed, O Investor and hear first from our very own Ghosts of Investing Past, Present and Yet to Come.
If beta is a racehorse, many investors often assume it takes care of itself in the race toward investment objectives. But doesn't the skill of the jockey matter as well?
While the election outcome was quickly reflected in the pound exchange rate, the direction from here depends on what kind of relationship Boris Johnson really (really) wants to have with the EU. Find out more from our currency expert.
Considering investment outsourcing? Our CFO weighs in on key and peripheral issues to contemplate.
What steps are needed to help build a successful portfolio? One of our divisional directors shares his perspective.
As the clock ticks toward 2020, the overall economic picture remains muddled. Ongoing trade tensions and slumping global growth have cast a cloud of uncertainty over the globe, and forward-looking return expectations continue to look less than impressive.
Nearly every aspect of the advisory industry is undergoing some form of transformation today—spelling an opportunity for those advisors who are committed to continuously evolving their approach.
Throughout the year we asked leading bond and currency managers to consider valuations, expectations and outlooks for the coming months.
The news media, bank executives, the U.S. Federal Reserve (the Fed) chairman and even presidential candidates have made remarks about the recent spike in short-term funding rates. What caused the spike and why is it important?
The U.S. Federal Reserve (the Fed) cut interest rates again—its third such move in as many meetings—lowering its benchmark rate to a target range of 1.50% to 1.75%.
Among the 20 largest US-listed corporate DB sponsors, General Electric Company ended 2018 with the third lowest funded ratio at 75.6%.¹ This is a precipitous decline from 2007, when their funded ratio was the third highest among this group at 129.1%. Over that time period – when the average funded ratio dropped about 20 percentage points - GE's dropped by over 50 percentage points.¹ How did this happen?
Are equity managers reconsidering their exposure to more expensive growth stocks? Check out the latest insights from our manager research team.
If you’re committed to helping your clients achieve their financial outcomes, don’t avoid discussing taxes.
Quitting tobacco is good for your health. But how is it for your portfolio?
The United Nations-supported PRI has made strides in changing the global attitude to responsible investing.
Amid ongoing trade tensions and slumping growth worldwide, the global macroeconomics and geopolitical outlook remains highly uncertain—suggesting that an environment of low rates, sluggish growth and high valuations may linger well into 2020.
Learn the potential benefits of a harmonized investment approach to your organization's DB and DC plans.
Is home-country bias limiting your portfolio’s (future) potential? Here's why we believe global diversification should be an integral part of an investor’s portfolio.
Heading into the fourth quarter, our outlook remains cautious as markets continue to grapple with both trade and Brexit uncertainty.
The Fed lowered interest rates for the second time this year at the conclusion of its FOMC meeting. Is another cut possible before year-end?
An industry veteran—and slacker—shares his perspective on reaching and communicating with Generation X clients.
While the clear majority of mutual funds provide daily liquidity, it's not guaranteed. This is why understanding the potential risks to liquidity is key.
Why listed infrastructure? Let’s follow the logic chain: Equity-market volatility, low fixed-income yields and increased economic uncertainty all stand as potential stumbling blocks that threaten to derail even the best-laid of plans.
Taxes are going to cost you a lot this year. By how much, you're wondering? Let’s start first by looking back.
The importance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in investment decisions continues to grow exponentially—to the point where an understanding of ESG now appears critical to carrying out a skillful investment process.
What’s the difference between a tax-aware, tax-efficient or tax-managed approach to investing? See why it matters and why we believe managing for taxes can make a difference for investors.
As China embarks on a transition to a more consumption-based economy, its health is likely to have an increasing impact on the well-being of the global economy.
While cash can be comforting, it may come at a cost to an investor’s ending wealth.
