Asset Allocation

A robust growth backdrop, a key input for cross-asset positioning, benefited from pent-up demand and an accommodative fiscal policy stance.

As banks pull back from many types of lending, demand for capital is outpacing supply, providing the best potential opportunities in private credit since the GFC.

Don’t look now, but markets are once again getting excited about the prospect of potential rate cuts. Following months defined by rising rates, investors are looking forward to inflation cooling sufficiently for the Fed to finally cut.

In this video, Chuck Carnevale, Co-Founder of FAST Graphs, a.k.a. Mr. Valuation, will be discussing the potential of food stocks as investments. He will cover more than 25 food stocks and provide a high-level analysis of their performance and potential.

VettaFi will be hosting an Alternatives Symposium tomorrow, November 28. We are covering a range of alternative topics.

Q3 earnings season had many familiar refrains relative to the year’s first two quarters. One difference was a return to positive earnings growth for the first time since Q3 2022. Still, the market wasn’t unanimously cheering the results.

As I wrote this blog, the S&P 500 index is up roughly 17% year-to-date. Most likely, your portfolio isn’t. This is a common frustration among many investors in the market this year in particular.

This is an exciting time for artificial intelligence and robotics stocks, with many companies reporting and some major news announcements. This week, for the Disruptive Theme of the Week, I reached out to VettaFi’s Senior Research Analyst, Zeno Mercer, for an update on the latest developments in AI and robotics.

Exchange has assembled an impressive lineup of keynote speakers. The conference is just around the corner, with the financial services community gathering February 11-14 in Miami Beach. Here’s what to expect from the keynote speakers.

CIO designate Sean Taylor gives his take on what Asia has to offer global and emerging markets investors, from growth, to diversification, to innovation.

Fixed income ETF demand has been strong in 2023 led by Treasury ETFs. However, advisors have been rewarded by turning to alternatives in the fixed income space, such as those focused on the collateralized loan obligations (CLOs) market.

The S&P 500 has rallied in recent days and was up close to 20% for the year. However, heading into 2024, many advisors are exploring a range of investment ideas that offer exposure beyond the stock market.

Dina Ting, Franklin Templeton’s Head of Global Index Portfolio Management, sheds light on the benefits of single-country ETF allocations against what has been a rocky macro backdrop and discusses ways to re-evaluate potential opportunities in terms of tax-loss decision-making.

For the better part of two years, investors have been primed with hope of a “Fed pivot” that will presumably restore easy monetary policy and supportive conditions for the financial markets.

Following the surge in inflation, the most aggressive Fed tightening cycle since the 1980s and multi-decade lows in business and consumer confidence, calls for a U.S. recession have been prevalent all year.

Is the Federal Reserve nearing the end of its rate-hiking cycle? The U.S. central bank is giving investors mixed messages. The Fed has recently paused its rate hikes and said it would keep interest rates between 5.25% and 5.5%.

U.S. inflation cooled more than expected, and bond markets rallied, but the Fed is likely to remain in a long pause.

Using LOGICLY data, we look at two of Direxion’s leveraged gold miners ETFs and their key features.

Individuals are increasingly looking for more tailored investment solutions, so it makes sense for plan fiduciaries to consider a more personalized approach, according to John Kutz, National Retirement Plan Strategist. He says personalization may be the ticket to better retirement outcomes.

Portfolios with large allocations to alternatives can have many benefits. However, alternative allocations can deviate meaningfully from policy, particularly during periods of equity-market turbulence.

Though inflation continues to cool, there remains a potentially longer road ahead to get to the Fed’s desired 2%. In an environment of uncertainty and elevated inflation, the inclusion of managed futures in a portfolio made a significant difference in the last few years as modeled by DBi recently.

We believe that an OCIO provider should have the capability to handle any type of investment assignment. However, most OCIO providers do not have the ability to do this.

Year-to-date, technology has outperformed the broader market largely given the prevalence of low leverage, high profitability and consistent earnings across many names in the mega-cap tech space.

Gold has a longstanding reputation as an asset that holds its value during inflationary times. It also offers diversification benefits that can be useful in such conditions.

The recent pause in interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve could finally signal an end to monetary policy tightening. But fixed income investors can keep on reaching for high yield opportunities with a pair of active ETFs from American Century.

In the latest episode of the Alternative Allocations podcast series, Franklin Templeton’s Tony Davidow has an insightful conversation with the firm’s CEO, Jenny Johnson, regarding the burgeoning opportunities in alternative investments, especially in the current financial climate.

In our 2024 outlook, bonds emerge as a standout asset class, offering strong prospects, resilience, diversification, and attractive valuations compared with equities.

Like some advances earlier this year, the market's current surge hasn't been defined by strong breadth underneath the surface—which will be key for a sustained, durable advance.

We speak with ClearBridge Investments’ Jeff Schulze about a topic on many investors’ minds: the 10-year US Treasury yield and the path of monetary policy. He also shares his views on the latest US retail sales data and whether consumer resilience will last into 2024.

Senior Investment Analyst Ashley Fritz addresses three major misconceptions around ESG investing in the EM corporate space.

Good news – the earnings recession is over! After three consecutive quarters of negative earnings growth, 3Q S&P 500 earnings are on pace to climb 5% YoY. If sustained, this would be the best quarter of earnings growth since 2Q22.

Treasury yields have dropped as weak economic data suggests the Federal Reserve may begin cutting the federal funds rate target earlier than previously expected.

A China ‘Recovery’: How important is the loss of confidence within China itself?

With 10-year Treasury yields having retreated noticeably in recent weeks, there’s a sense that things could be turning for the better in the bond market. Should that sentiment prove accurate, it could invite renewed risk appetite in select corners of the fixed income space.

In an economic environment characterized by rising interest rates and a forecasted slowdown, the fixed income asset class has emerged as a beacon of opportunity.

Higher interest rates and inflation are likely to usher in a decade of policy restraint, limited liquidity and macro volatility, pressuring equities and motivating investors to reconsider tactical asset allocation and embrace real assets.

VettaFi’s Alternatives Symposium is set for Tuesday, November 28. VettaFi has been holding monthly symposiums that have become the go-to destination for advisors looking to get the best thought leadership on the market.

Starting in 2024, IBM will replace its 401(k) plan matching contributions with a new benefit earned within its overfunded DB plan, which has been frozen since 2008. This move essentially un-freezes the tech giant's DB plan.

New investors are overwhelmingly choosing ETFs as their investment vehicle of choice. Between June 13 and June 28, Charles Schwab conducted a comprehensive survey of 2,200 investors for its 2023 ETFs and Beyond Study.

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.