Markets are always changing — and sometimes the rules of finance do, too. I believe markets are efficient, which means my investment portfolio is pretty much all index funds. My enthusiasm for indexing is based on evidence from the Before Times, when the question of a corporation’s index-worthiness was straightforward.
Exchange-Traded Products
The importance of hedging foreign currency exposure in your equity portfolio
Join the experts at CIBC & Precidian Investments for a product due diligence session exploring their ADRhedged ETF (ADRH).
Inside the Fastest-Growing Corner of the Income ETF Market
If you’d rather get ahead of where income allocations are heading than read about them in next quarter’s flow report, this is the session.
Core portfolio strength may matter more than ever
Join the experts at Harbor Capital and PanAgora for a product due diligence session exploring the Harbor PanAgora Dynamic Large Cap Core ETF (INFO).
The autocallable ETF journey from niche to noteworthy
Join the experts at GraniteShares to hear all about their autocallable ETF suite and find out how it could improve your income conversations with clients.
The Mid-Year Renewable Energy Market Update: War, AI and the Ongoing Energy Transition
Join the experts at SS&C ALPS Advisors and CIBC Private Wealth for a product due diligence session covering the ALPS Clean Energy ETF (ACES).
The S&P 500 Buyback Aristocrats: Quality Through Consistency
Join ProShares Global Investment Strategist Simeon Hyman and team for a discussion on how consistent share repurchases may reflect important characteristics of a company.
Open vs. Closed AI: What Advisory Firm Leaders Need to Know
Before your firm starts using AI across operations, client service, reporting, or advisor workflows, there’s one basic question leadership needs to answer: what kind of AI are we talking about?
State Street Goes Heads Up With Qs, Launches Nasdaq 100 ETF
Investors now have more optionality when looking for Nasdaq 100 exposure. State Street Investment Management (SSIM) just launched the State Street SPDR Portfolio Nasdaq 100 ETF (QNDX). It will invariably go heads up with the Qs, namely the Invesco QQQ ETF (QQQ) and the Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF (QQQM).
Treasury Yields Snapshot: June 26, 2026
The yield on the 10-year note finished June 26, 2026 at 4.38% while the 2-year note ended at 4.07%.
The Quiet Boom in Autocallable ETFs
GraniteShares and VettaFi are coming together for a state-of-the-category briefing: the flow data behind the surge, the structural reasons advisors are making room in income sleeves, how the category has held up across different rate and volatility regimes, and the diligence questions worth asking before adding it to a model.
AI Trade’s Bruising Week Forces Investors to Be More Selective
This roller-coaster week for tech stocks from Seoul to New York fueled by extreme investor positioning and worries over chip demand is sending a strong signal: the case for the artificial-intelligence trade is still strong, but the days of everything going up in a straight line appear to be over.
Bitcoin Bottom Hunters Fear Fresh Pain After $1.3 Trillion Rout
Bitcoin’s collapse is forcing crypto veterans to confront the question every bear market eventually asks: when does mass panic create a buying opportunity? The answer, according to many of the investors and analysts who have lived through previous boom-and-bust cycles, is: not yet.
Private Credit, Explained
Private credit is having a moment in the headlines. Higher interest rates and a pullback in certain types of bank lending have pushed more financing activity into private markets. Investors may be left with a simple question: What exactly is private credit?
AI Is a Secular Growth Unicorn
AI is both a foundational technology and the ultimate replacement product, which we believe explains why it has attracted unprecedented levels of capital and why the investment opportunities are so compelling.
A ‘Warsh’ Out at the Fed
New Fed Chair Kevin Warsh is already reshaping policy communication by reducing forward guidance, questioning the dot plot’s future and emphasizing real-time data, potentially increasing Treasury market volatility.
How Russell 2000 High Income ETF ITWO Is Outperforming
The ETF landscape includes plenty of exciting ETFs. Not all, however, can claim to combine high current income and outperformance. The ProShares Russell 2000 High Income ETF (ITWO) has done just that so far this year with its innovative approach to covered calls.
Rosenbluth Discusses Thematics & RAFI Acquisition on Schwab Network
VettaFi currently has index products tied to ETFs issued by American Century, Victory Capital, and ALPS ETFs, but the addition of RAFI products issued by Invesco and PIMCO that are fundamentally weighted is really exciting, according to Rosenbluth.
Two Measures of Inflation: May 2026
Inflation remains a hot topic, directly impacting everything from your grocery bill to interest rates. As of the latest data, two key inflation gauges — the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) — show that prices are still above the Federal Reserve's 2% target, with the core PCE at 3.4% and core CPI at 2.9%.
Could the U.S. Be the Frog in the Pot?
What if the debt crisis investors have feared is not still ahead, but already here, unfolding in plain sight? In his June insight, Richard Bernstein, Global Head of Macro & Customized Investing, makes the case that the market may already be penalizing U.S. fiscal excess, not through a dramatic collapse, but through a slow burn with real consequences for investors and the broader economy.
Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Index: Activity Continued to Increase in May
The Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Survey revealed regional activity continued to increase in May. The composite index came in at 8 this month, down slightly from 10 in April but still indicating continued expansion.
Alphabet’s Dow Debut Shows Index Headache in Tech-Driven Economy
Alphabet Inc.’s addition to the Dow Jones Industrial Average marks another step in the benchmark’s effort to catch up with a market increasingly defined by Big Tech.
This Elevated International ETF Looks Compelling Right Now
The international ETF landscape has become quite popular with investors over the last year. Investors flocked to ex-U.S. equity opportunities over the last 12 months, driven by high domestic valuations and persistent concentration risk. By contrast, emerging and international markets have both offered lower costs and healthy diversification.
Can Active Management Make a Difference With Municipal Bonds?
In broad terms, there appears to be little headline risk facing advisors and income investors mulling municipal bonds. All 50 states carry investment-grade credit ratings, confirming that their credit quality remains solid.
New Home Sales Drop 7% in May
New home sales fell more than expected in May while the median price rose for a second straight month.
Tech Stocks Lead Bounce After $1.3 Trillion Rout on Nasdaq 100
US technology stocks rebounded, lifting key indexes, after the latest flareup of concerns about the scale of the artificial-intelligence-fueled rally wiped nearly $1.3 trillion from the market capitalization of Nasdaq 100 companies over the first two days of the week.
Thornburg Expands ETF Suite With New Premium Income Builder Fund
THOR builds upon the success of the firm’s Thornburg Investment Income Builder Strategy, bringing that same income generation expertise into a flexible, actively managed ETF.
Benchmarks Are Broken: Why Antiquated Methodologies Fail Fixed Income
While the market-cap methodology has been the guiding principle for equity index creators, it’s increasingly viewed as a structural error in the world of fixed income. Today, TMX VettaFi is helping to spearhead a growing movement of index innovators who are inclined to challenge the fixed income status quo.
Beyond AI: Where Investors Can Still Find Dividend Growth in 2026
The corporate world is awash in capex. Leaders in the artificial intelligence (AI) arms race are pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into tech projects, and uncertainty surrounds their profitability. For now, the market rewards this use of cash, but it’s not without pitfalls. Share buybacks, for instance, are seen as a net loser, while the S&P 500® dividend yield has sunk toward all-time lows near 1%.
Gas Prices Back Below $4
Gas prices fell for a sixth straight week, reaching their lowest level in three months. As of June 22nd, weekly prices were down 14 cents for regular and down 15 cents for premium gasoline.
When Flows Meet a Hawkish Fed
Here’s the setup most investors are underrating right now. Over the next two weeks, the tape will trade on plumbing rather than fundamentals. We just cleared the largest options expiration in history. Quarter-end pension selling comes next, and then July 1 reopens the passive-money firehose into a market that already routes forty cents of every S&P 500 dollar into ten stocks.
Richmond Manufacturing Index: Flat Activity in June
Fifth district manufacturing activity was flat in June, according to the most recent survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. The composite manufacturing index fell nine points points to 4, marking the third consecutive positive reading. This month's reading was below the forecast of 8.
Crypto Critic Nouriel Roubini Finds a Use for the Blockchain
Nouriel Roubini, the economist known for predicting the 2008 financial crisis and later for his sharp criticism of crypto, is putting one of his investment products on the blockchain.
SpaceX Launches Starfall Mission for In-Space Manufacturing
SpaceX launched a demonstration mission Tuesday to send a reusable capsule into space and then recover it, part of a new program that may allow the Elon Musk-led company to tap into the emerging market of in-space manufacturing.
The Bond Market’s Skepticism of Burnham Is a Warning
All of this is a warning to other developed markets with debt levels on the verge of exceeding their gross domestic product. Following the Truss chaos of four years ago, the market has decided to approach the UK through a lens of always assuming the worst, a default that continues to cost British taxpayers in the form of higher interest rates.
Unlocking Active Alpha in Fixed Income with Fidelity
The fixed income environment continues to project uncertainty, as higher-for-longer interest rates persist amid sticky inflation. Investors may want to lean on the expertise of active managers when deciding between an active and indexed fund.
Emerging Markets to Spike as Oil Prices Dip? Try GSEE
A real, potentially lasting U.S.-Iran deal appears to be on the horizon for the first time in many weeks of on-, then off-again negotiations. Should this be the deal that does it, or another one in the near term, oil prices will respond. In fact, they’ve already dropped in response to the news that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen.
40 Years of Forecasts: Focus on Principles Over Predictions
Important investment decisions should always be based on investment principles, not predictions. Principles form the foundation of a sensible long-term financial plan and are timeless rules.
Physical AI & Global Reshoring Beyond the Humanoid Hype
Humanoid robots grab headlines, but they are just a fraction of the physical AI ecosystem. Autonomous robots, drones, cobots, and eVTOLs are rapidly scaling across industrial and defense sectors.
A Quarter Century of Data Says the Airline Opportunity Could Just Be Getting Started
On Monday, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. and Iran have reached a peace deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the 21-mile chokepoint through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply normally flows.
Meet the New Boss. Different from the Old Boss.
Chris Galipeau discusses high-conviction insights that go beyond media headlines.
Why the Bond King is Betting on Hikes, Hype & Global Rotation
Discover why DoubleLine's Jeffrey Gundlach is urging a structural defensive rotation into emerging markets and international assets.
World Markets Watchlist: June 22, 2026
Seven of the nine indexes on our world markets watch list posted year-to-date gains through June 22, 2026.
Space ETFs: How SpaceX Is Reshaping the Theme
The emergence of leveraged ETFs tied to Space Exploration Technologies (more familiarly known as SpaceX) points to strong investor demand for concentrated exposure.
Covered Call ETFs Have Boomed – But Can They Be More?
Investors have plenty of reasons to celebrate the covered call ETF boom. Covered call strategies have offered new ways to add income to portfolios. Challenges in fixed income were a catalyst for assets to flow into traditional covered call ETFs.
AI Downsides Dominate Discourse
At graduation ceremonies, audiences are often reminded to limit their audible reactions and hold applause, so that all graduates’ names can be heard. But a few viral videos this year showed a new disturbance to be managed: graduating students booing speakers if they extolled the virtues of artificial intelligence (AI).
Social Insecurity, Surprise Edition
We all know that Congress is never going to allow Social Security not to be paid. This begs a number of questions. Will the shortfall be addressed by tax increases, benefit reductions, increasing the retirement age, changing the inflation measures, means testing or some combination of these and other solutions?
Weekly Economic Snapshot: A Hawkish Hold in a High-Stakes Market
As the summer economic landscape takes shape, investors are navigating shifting monetary policy, stubborn inflation pressures, and unexpected market momentum. This week’s snapshot breaks down the most critical updates and data releases from the past week to give you a clear view of where the economy is heading.
The Warsh Fed—Return to Orthodoxy
Kevin Warsh came out as a hawk during his first press conference as Federal Reserve (Fed) chair. Franklin Templeton Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai believes that he may be the most hawkish chair since Paul Volcker. Warsh stressed that the Fed can and will bring inflation back to 2%, and signaled his preference for a smaller balance sheet and no forward guidance—a welcome return to more orthodox monetary policy.
U.S.-Australia Agreement Underscores Importance of Rare Earths
Exposure to critical minerals, specifically rare earths, provides an opportunity for investors to capitalize on growth and diversify their portfolios simultaneously. However, there are also geopolitical implications that investors should know about as well. In particular, more nations are reducing their reliance on China.
EM Debt—What Reserve Managers Should Keep in Mind
Reserve managers' decisions on EM debt go beyond investment potential—they must also weigh considerations such as governance, resources and liquidity.
Chair Warsh and a New Era for the Fed
In Kevin Warsh’s first meeting as Fed Chair, the FOMC held on rates but made significant changes to both their economic projections and the nature of today’s Fed statement. And today’s press conference shows there is a lot more change to come.
CLOse encounters of the liquid credit kind
Join Reckoner Capital Management for a product due diligence session covering the Reckoner Yield Enhanced AAA CLO ETF (RAAA) and its active approach to liquid credit.
Are We All Active Investors Now?
Markets are always changing — and sometimes the rules of finance do, too. I believe markets are efficient, which means my investment portfolio is pretty much all index funds. My enthusiasm for indexing is based on evidence from the Before Times, when the question of a corporation’s index-worthiness was straightforward.
Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index Rebounded in June
The latest Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index showed activity rebounded in June, with the index rising 10.7 points to 10.3. The latest reading marks the fifth positive reading in the past six months and was better than the forecast of 9.8.
Actively Navigate Shifting Growth in EM With FFEM
Higher-for-longer interest rates and ongoing geopolitical friction make navigating emerging markets (EM) and capturing their growth potential a trying task. This is where investors can shift the onus of EM investing to experienced portfolio managers, with an active fund such as the Fidelity Fundamental Emerging Markets ETF (FFEM).
SpaceX Stole the Show, but These Market-Moving Events Could Drive Stocks Next
It’s a busy finish to the first half on the corporate event calendar. The bulls have the lead, but the bears have had their moments of glory so far this year. A handful of key AGMs, conferences, and earnings events will keep investors on their toes amid a colorful macro backdrop.
AI’s Exponential Power Demands Could Make This ETF a Winner
Participate in artificial intelligence (AI) investing long enough and you’re apt to hear plenty about this disruptive technology’s substantial power demands. Market participants know the anecdotes. For instance, some data centers consume more power than states. Another one: Data centers in aggregate consume more power than nearly all of the world’s countries.
Embracing Sustainability May Benefit Business
Green life, sustainable mutual funds, buying local, the “buy nothing” movement, plastic-free living, eco-fashion, electric vehicles. You’ve seen all the headlines about reducing your impact on the planet, but you may be wondering how you can best implement a greener workplace in a way that considers the needs of your business, employees and clients or customers.
Why We’re Staying at the Tech Party…and What Would Make Us Leave
The questions in our inbox have gotten louder lately. Are we reliving 1999? Has the tech rally reached the dangerous ‘Euphoria’ bubble stage we first discussed in our 2026 Outlook? And is the recent surge in initial public offerings (IPOs)— led by SpaceX on Friday— diluting existing holders just as valuations were already drawing scrutiny?
Tech Stock Climax
In my 45 years in the investment business, we’ve observed numerous peaks of excitement. In 1987, a bull market that started at a 1982 bottom below 800 on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) peaked at 2,722. It then crashed 43% in 78 days.
Fed Watch: The Changing of the Guard Finally Arrives
Once again, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decided to remain ‘on hold’, keeping the fed funds trading range at 3.50%-3.75%. This result was largely expected by the markets. Of course, one of the more notable aspects to this gathering was that it represented Kevin Warsh’s first official policy meeting as Fed Chairman.
Zillow Home Value Index: First Decline in Nine Months
Home values fell for the first time in nine months in May, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. Additionally, after adjusting for inflation, real home values dropped even more sharply, remaining at their lowest level in over five years.
The Big Four Recession Indicators: Real Retail Sales
Nominal retail sales were up 0.88% month-over-month and up 6.88% year-over-year in May. However, after adjusting for inflation, real retail sales were up 0.41% month-over-month and up 2.60% year-over-year.
Retail Sales: Consumer Spending Up for Fourth Straight Month
According to the Census Bureau’s Advance Retail Sales Report, consumer spending climbed for the fourth straight month in May. Headline sales rose 0.9%, almost double the projected 0.5% growth and marking an acceleration from April's 0.4% rise.
Compliance Without an AI Blind Spot
Compliance risks happen when AI-enabled workflows expand faster than their governance model. It becomes a blind spot when AI solutions are built faster than the organization’s ability to map them against the right regulatory, operational, and data-governance controls.
Pending Home Sales Jump to 6-Month High
The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) pending home sales index jumped 3.8% in May to 76.8, marking its fourth consecutive monthly gain and highest level in six months.
Apple Investors Are Tired of AI Promises, Want Tangible Progress
Apple Inc. investors are losing patience with the company’s talk about becoming a more formidable presence in artificial intelligence and want to start seeing some results.
SpaceX Extends Gains Into Fourth Day as Post-IPO Rally Hits 58%
SpaceX gained for a fourth straight day, cementing the company’s place among the world’s most valuable stocks after it surpassed Amazon.com Inc.
The Sandbox Problem
The instinct when deploying any new technology is to start small. Run a pilot. Test with a subset of data, a single team, or a simplified version of the real workflow. That instinct is sensible — but with AI agents, it carries different risks than those that exist with traditional software.
JPMorgan Converts $950M to Active NY, CA Muni ETFs
This week J.P. Morgan Asset Management launched two actively managed municipal bond ETFs focused on California and New York debt, offering investors a way to earn tax-free income inside a more flexible and transparent fund structure.
Bull Market Pullback: Why The 4.5% Dip Held The 50-DMA
The catalyst that turns a healthy pullback into something deeper won’t be a single oil-soaked CPI print. It’ll be the moment forward earnings expectations start to roll over while valuations sit at the high end of history. We aren’t there yet.
Guggenheim Returns to ETF Market With Two New Income Funds
On Monday, June 15, Guggenheim Investments debuted a pair of new fixed income ETFs. Each of these new funds offers an active take on the fixed income space. This may help investors looking to amplify portfolio yield.
Markets Rally as Investors Weigh Inflation, the Fed and SpaceX IPO
Markets returned to positive territory for the week, with the turning point occurring Thursday after the announcement of a potential deal with Iran that would extend the ceasefire while reopening the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since February 27.
JPMorgan Converts $950M to Active NY, CA Muni ETFs
J.P. Morgan converted two mutual funds into active muni ETFs for California and New York investors seeking tax-free income.
Building Permits Inch Down 0.7% in May, Lower Than Expected
Building permits inched down 0.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.413 million in May. The latest reading missed the forecast of 1.420 million.
Housing Starts Sink to 6-Year Low
Housing starts sank 15.4% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.177 million, the lowest level in six years. The latest reading was significantly lower than the projected 1.430 million.
Gold Looks Oversold. Is This the Contrarian Moment Investors Have Been Waiting For?
Gold has always had a way of testing investors’ expectations. Just when the headlines appear most supportive—inflation is rising, geopolitical risk is escalating and confidence in fiat currency is being questioned—gold can suddenly move in the opposite direction.
Not All Diversification Strategies Are Equal
Advisors searching for diversification from a concentrated S&P 500 Index often reach for equal-weight strategies. However, a new report argues that all equal-weight approaches are not interchangeable.
SpaceX Shares Land in ETF Portfolios
Several ETFs have added exposure to Space Exploration Technologies (SPCX) after the aerospace giant completed the largest initial public offering in market history. Trading on the Nasdaq, SpaceX surged 19% from its initial $135 offering price to close at $160.95 per share, notching a historic $2.1 trillion valuation. Actively managed ETF vehicles were able to use their operational flexibility to add positions in SpaceX at its debut.
BCSM: Where Small-Cap Upside Meets Large-Cap Stability in an Active ETF
Join Baron Capital for a product due diligence session covering Baron SMID Cap ETFTM (BCSM).
The IPO Boom: Where Will the Money Come From?
The IPO market is bubbling with excitement. The headlines surrounding the IPOs are hyperbolic, banker fees are enormous, and social media is teeming with bullish sentiment on how high the new shares may trade after going public. While that is all great for clickbait, nobody is asking the most important question. Where will the money come from?
US Bonds Rally as Traders Trim Fed Rate-Hike Bets on Iran Deal
Treasuries advanced as investors dialed back expectations for Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes following news of a deal to halt the Iran war.
NAHB Housing Market Index: Affordability Challenges Continue
Builder confidence edged lower in June as ongoing affordability challenges continue to affect the housing market. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Housing Market Index (HMI) fell 2 points from May to 35 this month, marking the 26th consecutive negative reading.
Unlocking Smart Beta Innovation: TMX VettaFi to Acquire RAFI Indices
VettaFi’s core mission is to provide the index and distribution solutions that help asset managers build, grow, and navigate the markets with precision. Last week we took a massive, transformational step forward. TMX VettaFi signed a definitive agreement to acquire RAFI Indices from Research Affiliates, the undisputed pioneer of fundamental indexing and smart beta strategies.
Empire State Manufacturing Survey: Modest Growth in June
Manufacturing activity rose modestly in New York State, according to the Empire State Manufacturing June survey. The diffusion index for General Business Conditions remained positive but dropped 13.9 points to 5.7, falling short of the 13.2 forecast.
Buyable Pullbacks. Be Prepared.
Chris Galipeau discusses high-conviction insights that go beyond media headlines.
Inflation Sends Mixed Signals: Manageable for the Federal Reserve, Painful for Consumers
This week’s inflation data highlights a growing disconnect between how markets interpret inflation and how consumers experience it. The May Consumer Price Index (CPI) report delivered a nuanced message: While headline inflation accelerated, core inflation remained relatively contained, an outcome that provides some comfort to policymakers.
Looking Beyond SpaceX: 3 Thematic ETFs to Consider
Given all the interest and hype over the SpaceX IPO, many advisors and investors have been increasingly gravitating towards thematic ETFs that focus on the space industry. Given that the SpaceX IPO is the largest IPO in history, this should not come as a surprise to anyone.
Opportunities Emerge in a Higher-Yield World
Recent economic data continues to point to a resilient U.S. economy. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.3% in May, while payrolls increased by 172,000 jobs. Hiring remained strongest in leisure and hospitality, though there were also encouraging signs from more cyclical areas of the economy.
Schwab Market Perspective: Mid-Year Outlook
During this time of year, we like to take stock of what happened in the first half of the year and compare it with the expectations we had at the beginning of the year when we published our full-year outlooks.