Rising profits could bring more fixed income investors to corporate bonds if the profit outlook remains rosy.
In the U.S., first-quarter earnings season is in the books, but there are still some reports to be delivered by big-name ex-US companies, including several from China.
Walmart kicks off retail earnings season as high interest rates and inflation raise concerns over continued robust consumer spending.
Questions are being asked about the US managed care industry, but some businesses are equipped to rise to the challenge.
Sanctions have not been as powerful as expected.
Anticipation is one of those mental states that can result in either relief, or disappointment. We may anticipate the results of a test, for example, and feel relieved if the results are good, or disappointed if they are not.
For families saving for college, 529 plans remain popular. Our Bill Cass shares some key facts about 529 plans.
The path to the US’s energy future is becoming obvious. Over time, nuclear will become one of, if not the primary, sources of energy feeding our ever-growing demand for electricity. China and India are far ahead of the US on this, with hundreds of new reactors slated for construction.
With the potential for higher-for-longer yields across countries, we see the global fixed income opportunity set as the most attractive in years.
An elevated or rising rate environment creates pockets of opportunity within asset classes such as closed-end funds.
Market participants often focus on the Magnificent Seven's earnings growth, share price performance and stock valuations.
When it comes to the financial markets, investors have a litany of investment vehicles to choose from. The choices are nearly unlimited, from brokered certificates of deposit to complex derivative instruments.
The U.S. repurchase agreement, or “repo” market, provides more than $3 trillion in short-term funding each day. Most repo transactions are overnight and are collateralized by Treasuries.
The dollar's strength, particularly against major Asian currencies, has triggered a wave of skittishness in financial markets. Can anything be done to stem the greenback's rise, and even if something can be done, should it?
Investors have seemed transfixed lately by endless news headlines on the path of monetary policy. But fiscal policy outcomes have far-reaching impacts on long-run growth and fundamentals in the world’s economies. On that score, many regions continue to wrestle with the challenges of deficits and debt.
Skepticism is warranted when inflation stories exclude bad news.
The finance world can get complicated, especially for the passive or uninterested investor. Let’s face it, some of us are not curious about sports, movies, exercise, reading, or other things while others of us carry a passion for them.
Investors are understandably frustrated by listed real estate investment trusts (REITs). The S&P Real Estate Select Sector Index is off 2.1% over the past three years, belying real estate’s reputation as an inflation-fighting group.
Active ETFs seem to be everywhere right now following a big boom over the last few years. While active ETF strategies have been available for many years, the so-called ETF rule in 2019 kickstarted ETF development.
Last week was quiet on the economic and data front. The one high frequency data indicator we did receive was jobless claims, which ticked up after a dull stretch of near constancy. The jobless claims figure came in at 231,000, which is at the higher end of my preferred range of 200-240k.
You will find it very difficult to find good value in stocks in a bull market like we’ve had since 2008. As Warren Buffett says – “You cannot invest in what’s popular and expect to do well.”
Happy National Small Business Day! Every year on May 10, small businesses are officially recognized for their contributions to the US economy. And rightfully so. Small businesses are the backbone of the US economy.
ESG integration is a trend financial markets are familiar with, but that doesn’t mean all asset classes are at the same levels of progress. ESG means different things to different people, and its integration into equity investment does not represent the same journey experienced in fixed income.
Franklin Templeton Institute’s Tony Davidow discusses democratization of alternative investments and the lessons learned from institutions that have historically used alternatives with Matt Brown, Founder and CEO of CAIS.
AI adoption will dent the fight against climate change.
Bank lending standards are still restrictive, underscoring the Fed's view that financial conditions remain tight and any resulting economic weakness could keep rate cuts in play.
One theory making the rounds is that if President Trump gets back into office, inflation is going to surge.
Markets seem to have been basking in the spring sun as they wait for the approaching summer heat, so to speak.
In this issue of Sinology, Andy Rothman offers his perspective on two key questions.
The latest FOMC meeting caused a stock rally as Jerome Powell turned more “dovish” than expected. While Powell did note that progress on inflation has been lackluster, the announcement of the reversal of “Quantitative Tightening” (QT) excited the bulls.
Any way you care to measure it, the United States has the world’s largest economy. It is not, however, the fastest-growing economy. And growth rates matter because, other things being equal, a faster-growing economy might eventually challenge US leadership.
Premiums and discounts are a popular metric to gauge the trading health of an exchange-traded fund (ETF). David Mann, our Head of Global ETFs Product and Capital Markets, updates his views on this metric with football (aka soccer) analogies from across the pond.
As an advocate of sound fiscal policy and a strong believer in the power of free markets, I find Argentina’s recent economic overhaul under President Javier Milei not just refreshing but essential in today’s world of bloated government spending.
As long as ETFs stay true to their original mindset of solving investor problems, growth is the only path forward. Current product development suggests that’s the most likely case.
Amit Dholakia of Franklin Mutual Series explains why some US capital goods companies may be off to the races after years of merely plodding along.
As institutional investors, we most often represent risk as standard deviation or tracking error. But when we implement changes in our portfolios, the real-time risk happens much faster.
Active management can help investors address some of the especially tricky issues in sustainable equity portfolios.
Do presidents and prime ministers make economies? Or do economies make presidents and prime ministers? 2024 is a year of significant elections, with more voters heading to the polls worldwide than ever before.
US housing has weathered surging mortgage rates. Thin inventory and pent-up demand could create opportunity.
Legislation is driving a renewed focus on workers without workplace savings plans, creating opportunities for both wealth advisors and retirement specialists. Our Retirement Strategist Mike Dullaghan discusses the trends.
Life is full of surprises. If you don’t have a crystal ball, you can’t really predict what may come next in your life—or in the markets. That’s why we should always be prepared for any potential situation.
Investors have been obsessed with when the Fed will cut and how many rate cuts there will be this year and over the entire cycle.
In this PIMCO Perspectives, we examine how the return of elevated bond yields comes at an opportune time to consider shifting out of cash.
Hong Kong's prospects are closely linked to the outlook for China.
A recap of the important drivers, along with our views on how things will play out over the rest of the year.
Stocks, bonds, currencies and commodities have made significant moves in the past few months. Find out what factors to consider when deploying or redeploying capital from Franklin Templeton Institute’s Stephen Dover.
We think the intersection of hope and fear offers opportunity across asset classes and market segments. Tapping into it, however, requires in-depth research and a discerning eye. Waiting for a clarion bell to ring before deploying capital might leave investors a step behind.
Over the last five years, financial markets grappled with two generational upheavals—the Covid pandemic and the subsequent inflation surge post the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Rather than wait for interest rate cuts, some companies are opting to simply offload debt, which could be a boon for corporate bonds.
The tendency of high earners to spend their money rather than looking to build up their net worth is known as the wealth paradox.
