Join the experts at Kraneshares and VettaFi for a webcast digging into how advisors can more strategically deploy allocations to China and benefit from broad emerging markets exposure.
Join the experts at VettaFi for an interactive webinar featuring Bob Minter and Dan Magnusson from abrdn, as they discuss current market events and their impact on the commodity asset class, how emerging markets are helping to drive commodity investment opportunities, and where commodities may fit within a diversified portfolio.
A key measure of how much bond investors are compensated for holding long-term debt turned positive for the first time since June 2021, reflecting steep increases in longer-maturity Treasury yields.
China’s goal of self-reliance will certainly rely on innovation. Right now, the second-largest economy sits firmly atop the list of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) when it comes to innovation on a global scale.
Private infrastructure offers unique investment characteristics and potential diversification benefits for portfolio construction.
Investors that missed out on this year’s dizzying rally in Nvidia Corp. have an attractive entry point this month.
The Northern Trust Economics team shares its outlook for major markets in the months ahead.
Energy and Gold Produces Face Increasing Pressures, Crimping Supply.
We started RBA in 2009 primarily because we thought the US stock market was entering one of the biggest bull markets of our careers. However, most investors did not agree with our bullishness. Now, risk aversion seems a thing of the past.
Six of the eight indexes on our world watch list posted gains through September 25, 2023. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 finished in the top spot with a YTD gain of 25.23%. The U.S.'s S&P 500 finished in second with a YTD gain of 13.42% while India's BSE SENSEX finished in third with a YTD gain of 7.72%.
The Big Myth is the remarkable, and largely untold, story of how America fell in love with market fundamentalism.
The hit TV series “That 70s Show” aired from 1998 to 2006 and focused on six teenage friends living in Wisconsin in the late 70s.
Some seven weeks ago, hedge fund investor Bill Ackman laid out his rationale for shorting long-term US bonds, and I took exception.
Bond investors face the crucial decision of just how much risk to take in Treasuries with 10-year yields at the highest in more than a decade and the Federal Reserve signaling it’s almost done raising rates.
When it comes to sheer equities performance over the last 30 years, there’s no denying the United States compared to the rest of the world. However, that could be changing according to one hedge fund manager.
Many of the speakers and attendees were bullish on the physical metal, pointing to gold’s resilience in the face of a very strong U.S. dollar and multiyear-high yields.
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook said the use of artificial intelligence in the economy presents many unanswered questions for policymakers though there is some evidence that it could improve labor productivity.
Fund managers have been avoiding emerging markets (EM), especially when it comes to China. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities that exist.
The Federal Reserve weighs the data while investors wonder: Is the rate-hike cycle over?
With the rapid pace of urbanization, there’s an increasing demand for efficient and sustainable power solutions, and ABB’s advancements in smart grids and renewable energy integration are pivotal in meeting the demands of this transition.
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.
Given concentration risk, understanding what a strategy and portfolio owns is more important than ever in current markets.
During a five-day tour of India earlier this month, Nvidia Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang visited four cities, dined with tech executives and researchers, took numerous selfies, and sat for a one-on-one conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the AI sector.
In State Street Global Advisors’ recent Gold ETF Impact Study, the firm reported that “36% of surveyed investors don’t invest in gold because they don’t know enough about the ways that they can invest in gold.”
The biggest growth companies continue to increase their concentration in major equity indexes this year. It’s not surprising that investors are starting to rethink their exposure to large-caps, given concentration risk and ongoing market uncertainty.
Thematic ETFs have come a long way since they made their full debut in the ETF ecosystem.
The European Central Bank is likely at or very near its peak policy rate, but we don’t expect rate cuts in the near term.
What’s inside an ETF really matters. This is an argument I’ve been making for more than a decade. However, with the growth of alternatively weighted index ETFs and actively managed products, this has become even more notable.
Investors have had a lot thrown at them this year: more Federal Reserve tightening, a regional banking crisis, and geopolitical turmoil. And yet US stock indexes are on track for a stellar year.
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.
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?
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.
Join the experts at VettaFi and KraneShares for an exploration of China’s cleantech and how it could be positioned for tremendous growth in the coming years.
In a significant turnaround for its aviation sector, Mexico’s air safety rating was upgraded from Category 2 back to Category 1 by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The upgrade could be a game-changer, offering opportunities for both Mexican airlines and their U.S. joint venture partners.
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.
Now, is it an oversimplification to say that the upgrade to GDP growth is just down to Taylor Swift and Beyoncé? It is, to a degree, no matter how popular they are—and they are very popular indeed.
Bearish China traders have had the upper hand for most of the year. Still, easing deflation could give bulls a glimmer of hope.
Last week the World Gold Council reported that central banks continued to add to their global gold reserves during the month of July. The World Gold Council also highlighted that China, Poland and Turkey were among the countries that were the largest buyers of gold during the month.
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.
Inflation averaged 1.8% in the ten years pre-COVID. Don’t expect inflation to average that low in the decade ahead. Not until the US finds a way to repeat the 1980s policy mix.
Expectations of central-bank interventions are helping to steady emerging-market currencies, even as traders adjust to a higher-for-longer regime for developed market interest rates.
ETFs are the instrument of choice for millions of investors in the U.S. Through a single trade and for a relatively low price, an investor gains broad exposure to a market, sector or niche.
From the dense Amazon jungle to wide stretches of Malaysian palm oil plantations, agricultural practices have been stripping the world of vital forests for decades.
When I first read about the discovery of a vast new deposit of lithium in a volcanic crater along the Nevada-Oregon border, I can’t say that I was surprised.
Known as “onsemi” for short, this Knowledge Leader is a global leader in intelligent power and sensing solutions for industries ranging from automotive to industrial, and from 5G & cloud power to medical solutions.
PIMCO’s Global Advisory Board discusses economic and geopolitical factors shaping the long-term global outlook.
There has been lots of speculation lately regarding China’s economic “decline” or potential economic “perils,” so much so that newspaper articles about the coming demise of China’s miracle economic growth over the previous decades continue to take (our) time away from other, perhaps, more important topics.
While there are lots of reasons to celebrate the growth stocks inside the NASDAQ 100 index, some advisors might be looking for alternatives to the market-cap weighted index ETFs that reduce their risk profile. Thankfully there are some choices to consider.
Changes in sentiment may drive the performance of the Eurozone equity markets, even with disappointing economic data.
Concern over China’s sputtering economy has created a “dramatic shift” in investors’ equity allocation — a rush toward the US and an exodus from emerging markets, Bank of America’s latest global fund manager survey showed.
We expect yields to fall later this year and into 2024 as inflation continues to cool.
The U.S. dollar has dropped to its lowest level against other currencies in 15 months. In this environment, a wide range of assets stand to profit, not least of which is the AI-infused U.S. technology sector. However, no space stands more ready to benefit from this environment than emerging markets..
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.
Oil has entered a new uptrend after finally breaking out from nearly a year-long bottom formation. Support from OPEC+, notably Saudi Arabia’s one million barrel per day production cut for the remainder of the year, has been a major driver of the rally.
Traders in the $325 billion industry for emerging-market exchange-traded funds are shifting cash toward strategies that focus on brighter spots in the developing world as China’s economy stumbles.
The S&P 500 Index’s surprise 16% rally this year is rewarding traders who bought in early and punishing those who’ve remained skeptical. But fear of a downturn remains.
Even though past performance doesn’t guarantee future results, investors should prepare for continued market volatility this month.
Greetings from Europe. I promised to write a letter describing my personal investment portfolio. I still plan to, but it won’t be this week.
Launches of emerging-market equity funds that exclude China have already reached a record annual high in 2023, as investor concerns grow over weak returns as well as the risks of investing in the nation.
Tony Davidow, Senior Alternatives Investment Strategist, at Franklin Templeton Institute, shares some takeaways from a panel discussion on the topic.
Apple Inc. is by far the world’s largest company, but the trend toward artificial intelligence is poised to upend the power rankings on Wall Street, according to Needham.
Dina Ting, Franklin Templeton ETFs’ Head of Global Index Portfolio Management, explores the positive trends that are making a case for holding UK equities.
The August jobs report confirms the labor market's continued slowdown, which is for now consistent with the Fed's soft-landing desires—but not without warning signs.
August saw modest market pullbacks across the board, as investors were nervous about risk.
For months, megacap tech shares powered US stocks to dizzying gains. The market’s engine is now starting to sputter.
Factory order numbers had previously been a source of positivity for the U.S. economy. The tough turn for the economy should remind investors of active ETFs’ ability to respond to a market downturn.
Powell’s recent Jackson Hole Summit speech was mainly as expected. Well, except for the part where Powell obfuscated the truth behind the surge in inflation.
Diversifying a portfolio means spreading the investments across a variety of asset classes, industries and geographies.
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.
As soft-landing calls engulf Wall Street, traders are betting that a market calm will endure across investing strategies — despite the latest selloff in US stocks and bonds.
In the second part of our series on global supply chains, portfolio managers Inbok Song and Peeyush Mittal examine the regions and countries that may benefit from industries and companies shifting operations.
Seven mega-cap US-based companies – Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Nvidia, Tesla, and Meta (Facebook) – have stayed top of mind for many investors this year.
The BRICS’ invitation to six more nations to join their group is an important initiative promoting greater global influence for major EM countries.
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.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been top-of-mind for investors for much of 2023, fueling a strong rally in the S&P 500. While it may take time for AI to have a similar impact on small cap stocks, we share the market’s enthusiasm and believe AI has the potential to become one of the most disruptive secular growth trends ever.
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.
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.
We believe idiosyncratic credit events may occur over the next 12 months, but systemic bank risk is remote.
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.
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.
Actively managed exchange-trade funds are set to launch in Tokyo next week, with one asset manager focusing its strategy on corporate Japan’s effort to elevate shareholder returns.
First, let me start with a tweet by Larry Summers, though this chart has been passed around by Andreas Steno Larsen and others.
Emerging Markets
Right-Sizing China Exposure In Emerging Markets
Join the experts at Kraneshares and VettaFi for a webcast digging into how advisors can more strategically deploy allocations to China and benefit from broad emerging markets exposure.
Investment potential at the intersection of commodities and emerging markets
Join the experts at VettaFi for an interactive webinar featuring Bob Minter and Dan Magnusson from abrdn, as they discuss current market events and their impact on the commodity asset class, how emerging markets are helping to drive commodity investment opportunities, and where commodities may fit within a diversified portfolio.
Treasury ‘Term Premium’ Gauge Positive for First Time Since 2021
A key measure of how much bond investors are compensated for holding long-term debt turned positive for the first time since June 2021, reflecting steep increases in longer-maturity Treasury yields.
China Sits Firmly Atop Global Innovation Index
China’s goal of self-reliance will certainly rely on innovation. Right now, the second-largest economy sits firmly atop the list of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) when it comes to innovation on a global scale.
Unlisted Infrastructure – Highway to Diversification
Private infrastructure offers unique investment characteristics and potential diversification benefits for portfolio construction.
Nvidia’s Worst Month in a Year Is a Gift For Bulls
Investors that missed out on this year’s dizzying rally in Nvidia Corp. have an attractive entry point this month.
Global Economic Outlook: China Casts a Shadow in the East…and West
The Northern Trust Economics team shares its outlook for major markets in the months ahead.
Biden Administration Expands War on Critical Natural Resources
Energy and Gold Produces Face Increasing Pressures, Crimping Supply.
Investors’ Shift From Fear to Greed Presents Historic Opportunities
We started RBA in 2009 primarily because we thought the US stock market was entering one of the biggest bull markets of our careers. However, most investors did not agree with our bullishness. Now, risk aversion seems a thing of the past.
World Markets Watchlist: September 25, 2023
Six of the eight indexes on our world watch list posted gains through September 25, 2023. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 finished in the top spot with a YTD gain of 25.23%. The U.S.'s S&P 500 finished in second with a YTD gain of 13.42% while India's BSE SENSEX finished in third with a YTD gain of 7.72%.
How America Fell in Love with the Power of the Free Market
The Big Myth is the remarkable, and largely untold, story of how America fell in love with market fundamentalism.
“That 70s Show”
The hit TV series “That 70s Show” aired from 1998 to 2006 and focused on six teenage friends living in Wisconsin in the late 70s.
Ackman Doubles Down on Bond Short That’s Still Flawed
Some seven weeks ago, hedge fund investor Bill Ackman laid out his rationale for shorting long-term US bonds, and I took exception.
Bond Market Faces Quandary After Fed Signals It’s Almost Done
Bond investors face the crucial decision of just how much risk to take in Treasuries with 10-year yields at the highest in more than a decade and the Federal Reserve signaling it’s almost done raising rates.
Hedge Fund Manager Sees Opportunities in International Equities
When it comes to sheer equities performance over the last 30 years, there’s no denying the United States compared to the rest of the world. However, that could be changing according to one hedge fund manager.
Why Junior Gold Stocks Could Be Gearing Up For A Glittering Performance
Many of the speakers and attendees were bullish on the physical metal, pointing to gold’s resilience in the face of a very strong U.S. dollar and multiyear-high yields.
Fed’s Cook Sees Signs of AI Improving US Labor Productivity
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook said the use of artificial intelligence in the economy presents many unanswered questions for policymakers though there is some evidence that it could improve labor productivity.
Despite Fund Managers Exiting Emerging Markets Assets, Opportunities Exist
Fund managers have been avoiding emerging markets (EM), especially when it comes to China. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities that exist.
Quarterly Market Outlook: A Delicate Balance
The Federal Reserve weighs the data while investors wonder: Is the rate-hike cycle over?
Wired for the Future
With the rapid pace of urbanization, there’s an increasing demand for efficient and sustainable power solutions, and ABB’s advancements in smart grids and renewable energy integration are pivotal in meeting the demands of this transition.
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 Importance of Valuations in High Concentration Markets
Given concentration risk, understanding what a strategy and portfolio owns is more important than ever in current markets.
Nvidia CEO Touts India as Major AI Market in Bid to Hedge China Risks
During a five-day tour of India earlier this month, Nvidia Corp. Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang visited four cities, dined with tech executives and researchers, took numerous selfies, and sat for a one-on-one conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the AI sector.
Gaining Leveraged Exposure to Gold
In State Street Global Advisors’ recent Gold ETF Impact Study, the firm reported that “36% of surveyed investors don’t invest in gold because they don’t know enough about the ways that they can invest in gold.”
Looking to Large-Caps: Where Do We Grow From Here?
The biggest growth companies continue to increase their concentration in major equity indexes this year. It’s not surprising that investors are starting to rethink their exposure to large-caps, given concentration risk and ongoing market uncertainty.
Thematic ETF Trends to Watch Entering 2024
Thematic ETFs have come a long way since they made their full debut in the ETF ecosystem.
ECB Prioritizes Fighting Inflation Above Avoiding Recession
The European Central Bank is likely at or very near its peak policy rate, but we don’t expect rate cuts in the near term.
Being Different From Index ETFs Can Add Value
What’s inside an ETF really matters. This is an argument I’ve been making for more than a decade. However, with the growth of alternatively weighted index ETFs and actively managed products, this has become even more notable.
Big Seven Face Test on How Far Rally Can Run
Investors have had a lot thrown at them this year: more Federal Reserve tightening, a regional banking crisis, and geopolitical turmoil. And yet US stock indexes are on track for a stellar year.
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.
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?
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.
Clean Tech Investing Opportunities from China: the World Leader in Renewable Energy
Join the experts at VettaFi and KraneShares for an exploration of China’s cleantech and how it could be positioned for tremendous growth in the coming years.
Why Mexico’s Category 1 Air Safety Status Spells Good News For Investors
In a significant turnaround for its aviation sector, Mexico’s air safety rating was upgraded from Category 2 back to Category 1 by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The upgrade could be a game-changer, offering opportunities for both Mexican airlines and their U.S. joint venture partners.
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.
Barbie, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and the Economic Outlook
Now, is it an oversimplification to say that the upgrade to GDP growth is just down to Taylor Swift and Beyoncé? It is, to a degree, no matter how popular they are—and they are very popular indeed.
Easing Deflation Could Give China Bulls Some Hope
Bearish China traders have had the upper hand for most of the year. Still, easing deflation could give bulls a glimmer of hope.
Central Banks and Investors Are Interested in Gold
Last week the World Gold Council reported that central banks continued to add to their global gold reserves during the month of July. The World Gold Council also highlighted that China, Poland and Turkey were among the countries that were the largest buyers of gold during the month.
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.
Our Stagflationary Future
Inflation averaged 1.8% in the ten years pre-COVID. Don’t expect inflation to average that low in the decade ahead. Not until the US finds a way to repeat the 1980s policy mix.
Emerging Markets Boosted by Interventions as Rate Fears Grow
Expectations of central-bank interventions are helping to steady emerging-market currencies, even as traders adjust to a higher-for-longer regime for developed market interest rates.
What’s the Right Price for an ETF?
ETFs are the instrument of choice for millions of investors in the U.S. Through a single trade and for a relatively low price, an investor gains broad exposure to a market, sector or niche.
Tree Spotting: Detecting Deforestation Risks One Company at a Time
From the dense Amazon jungle to wide stretches of Malaysian palm oil plantations, agricultural practices have been stripping the world of vital forests for decades.
A Huge Lithium Discovery That Economists Were Expecting
When I first read about the discovery of a vast new deposit of lithium in a volcanic crater along the Nevada-Oregon border, I can’t say that I was surprised.
From Motorola’s Shadow to Global Luminary
Known as “onsemi” for short, this Knowledge Leader is a global leader in intelligent power and sensing solutions for industries ranging from automotive to industrial, and from 5G & cloud power to medical solutions.
Shifting Macro Trends in the Aftershock Economy
PIMCO’s Global Advisory Board discusses economic and geopolitical factors shaping the long-term global outlook.
Is China’s Economy in Bad Shape?
There has been lots of speculation lately regarding China’s economic “decline” or potential economic “perils,” so much so that newspaper articles about the coming demise of China’s miracle economic growth over the previous decades continue to take (our) time away from other, perhaps, more important topics.
NASDAQ 100 ETF Exposure Comes in Many Forms
While there are lots of reasons to celebrate the growth stocks inside the NASDAQ 100 index, some advisors might be looking for alternatives to the market-cap weighted index ETFs that reduce their risk profile. Thankfully there are some choices to consider.
Europe Sentiment: So Bad It's Good
Changes in sentiment may drive the performance of the Eurozone equity markets, even with disappointing economic data.
BofA Survey Shows ‘Dramatic Shift’ Toward High-Flying US Stocks
Concern over China’s sputtering economy has created a “dramatic shift” in investors’ equity allocation — a rush toward the US and an exodus from emerging markets, Bank of America’s latest global fund manager survey showed.
Treasury Yields: Where Do They Go From Here?
We expect yields to fall later this year and into 2024 as inflation continues to cool.
Emerging Markets and a Falling Dollar: Risk Assets Around the World Stand to Benefit from a Weaker U.S. Currency
The U.S. dollar has dropped to its lowest level against other currencies in 15 months. In this environment, a wide range of assets stand to profit, not least of which is the AI-infused U.S. technology sector. However, no space stands more ready to benefit from this environment than emerging markets..
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.
Breaking Down the Breakout in Oil
Oil has entered a new uptrend after finally breaking out from nearly a year-long bottom formation. Support from OPEC+, notably Saudi Arabia’s one million barrel per day production cut for the remainder of the year, has been a major driver of the rally.
ETF Investors Pour Cash Into EM’s Non-China Growth Engines
Traders in the $325 billion industry for emerging-market exchange-traded funds are shifting cash toward strategies that focus on brighter spots in the developing world as China’s economy stumbles.
Fear of Stock Market Dive Creeps Back as Hedging Costs Climb
The S&P 500 Index’s surprise 16% rally this year is rewarding traders who bought in early and punishing those who’ve remained skeptical. But fear of a downturn remains.
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.
Cycle Review
Greetings from Europe. I promised to write a letter describing my personal investment portfolio. I still plan to, but it won’t be this week.
China Is Being Left Out by a Record Number of New EM Stock Funds
Launches of emerging-market equity funds that exclude China have already reached a record annual high in 2023, as investor concerns grow over weak returns as well as the risks of investing in the nation.
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.
Apple Risks Getting Overtaken by Bigger AI Players, Needham Says
Apple Inc. is by far the world’s largest company, but the trend toward artificial intelligence is poised to upend the power rankings on Wall Street, according to Needham.
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.
Piece of Work: Dissecting Labor Market Trends
The August jobs report confirms the labor market's continued slowdown, which is for now consistent with the Fed's soft-landing desires—but not without warning signs.
Looking Back at the Markets in August and Ahead to September 2023
August saw modest market pullbacks across the board, as investors were nervous about risk.
Apple’s China Troubles Catch Fund Managers Chasing Rally
For months, megacap tech shares powered US stocks to dizzying gains. The market’s engine is now starting to sputter.
As U.S. Stocks Drop on Bad Data, Eye Active ETFs
Factory order numbers had previously been a source of positivity for the U.S. economy. The tough turn for the economy should remind investors of active ETFs’ ability to respond to a market downturn.
Powell’s Speech Obfuscates The Truth Behind Inflation
Powell’s recent Jackson Hole Summit speech was mainly as expected. Well, except for the part where Powell obfuscated the truth behind the surge in inflation.
Building Resilient Portfolios: The Power of Diversification
Diversifying a portfolio means spreading the investments across a variety of asset classes, industries and geographies.
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.
Traders Unfazed as Soft-Landing Calls Stoke Bets on Market Calm
As soft-landing calls engulf Wall Street, traders are betting that a market calm will endure across investing strategies — despite the latest selloff in US stocks and bonds.
Investing in an Emerging World Order. Part 2
In the second part of our series on global supply chains, portfolio managers Inbok Song and Peeyush Mittal examine the regions and countries that may benefit from industries and companies shifting operations.
Factors & the Magnificent Seven
Seven mega-cap US-based companies – Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Nvidia, Tesla, and Meta (Facebook) – have stayed top of mind for many investors this year.
BRICS' Expansion: A Journey of a Thousand Miles
The BRICS’ invitation to six more nations to join their group is an important initiative promoting greater global influence for major EM countries.
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.
Artificial Intelligence: A Seismic Secular Growth Opportunity
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been top-of-mind for investors for much of 2023, fueling a strong rally in the S&P 500. While it may take time for AI to have a similar impact on small cap stocks, we share the market’s enthusiasm and believe AI has the potential to become one of the most disruptive secular growth trends ever.
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.
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.
Local Government Financing Vehicles: A Growing Risk for China’s Economy?
We believe idiosyncratic credit events may occur over the next 12 months, but systemic bank risk is remote.
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.
Local Government Financing Vehicles: A Growing Risk for China’s Economy?
We believe idiosyncratic credit events may occur over the next 12 months, but systemic bank risk is remote.
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.
Active ETFs Cash In on Corporate Reform in Japan
Actively managed exchange-trade funds are set to launch in Tokyo next week, with one asset manager focusing its strategy on corporate Japan’s effort to elevate shareholder returns.
Global Economic Outlook: Slow Motion
The Northern Trust Economics team shares its outlook for major markets in the months ahead.
Inflation vs. Deflation—What’s at Stake
First, let me start with a tweet by Larry Summers, though this chart has been passed around by Andreas Steno Larsen and others.