This month, our experts discuss how Federal Reserve tightening has historically affected the markets; whether European stocks might be worth a second look; and the news from the most recent Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. We provide the supporting documentation for all claims summarized below in the linked articles.
Catherine LeGraw and B.J. Brannan of GMO's Asset Allocation team discussed the role of liquid alternative strategies in today's investment landscape.
According to the latest SPIVA U.S. Scorecard report, broader isn’t always better for active managers. Following a volatile start to the year, the S&P 500 rebounded sharply in the second quarter to gain 10% through June 30 thanks to robust corporate earnings.
Silver has already demonstrated that it can make large moves in both directions, and volatility is likely to remain part of the picture. But after the recent correction, the technical setup is becoming considerably more constructive.
Pacing isn't pausing. Calls to "pace the frontier" mean slowing the release of powerful artificial intelligence (AI) models to test and control them better, not halting development or spending.
Advisors outsourcing at least 20% of assets reported saving 9.1 hours per week, or approximately 473 hours annually. WisdomTree research found 90% of investors welcomed third-party model portfolios, suggesting clients may be more comfortable with outside expertise than advisors expect.
We are never going to get rid of the FOMC for political and practical reasons. For those of us who would like to see the market set rates without an FOMC intervening, this is as good as it’s going to get.
Janus Henderson Investors today announced two senior investment appointments that will further deepen the firm’s leadership across its global equities franchise.
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates this week, in part to reset consumer expectations on inflation. Their work is likely not done, as there is a negative surprise coming for many consumers, especially in rural America. Winter is coming, and that means the return of home heating bills. Depending on how you heat your home, your bills could be much higher this winter.
Gold rallied alongside Treasuries as a slump in oil prices helped ease concerns about inflation, following the Federal Reserve’s first interest-rate hike since 2023.
The Federal Reserve (Fed) made something clear this week that markets had been reluctant to accept. Apparently, the easing cycle isn't paused, it's over for now.
Open any market commentary today and the conversation is dominated by giants. Mega-cap technology companies command outsized shares of major indexes, and the private markets tell a similar story, as we watch companies increasingly staying private well past the point where they once would have gone public.
After years of trying to convince developers and investors that it’s a viable alternative to Miami and Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale’s pitch is starting to resonate.
The S&P 500 wrapped up the week with a loss of nearly 1%, ending lower for a second straight week.
Join Defiance ETFs’ Brendan Cavanaugh, CFA, and VettaFi’s Kirsten Chang as they discuss how advisors can gain exposure to companies advancing autism care.
Nominal retail sales were up 1.2% month-over-month and up 6.0% year-over-year in August. After adjusting for inflation, real retail sales were up 0.8% month-over-month and up 2.6% year-over-year.
Artificial intelligence is advancing at a stunning, and perhaps uncontrolled speed. Last week, Evan Hubinger, the Alignment Science Lead at the AI company Anthropic estimated a greater than 10% chance that AI could eliminate humanity within a decade. Jakub Pachocki, Chief Scientist at OpenAI, recently observed 'The core problem in AI research is that of alignment - getting the AI to ‘try to do the right thing’ by human standards…
A spinout from the family office for the billionaire owners of US construction giant Michels Corp. is expanding its public equities strategy with a fund focused on US infrastructure.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. founder Warren Buffett is stepping down as the company’s chairman to be replaced by his son Howard, effectively ending roughly six decades at the helm of the conglomerate.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is delivering on its promise to swiftly move forward with crypto rules after a landmark digital asset bill failed to advance in the Senate this week.
Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh had ground to make up on Wednesday — and, for the most part, did what was necessary.
Much about the global AI panic — could it really “kill us all by the end of the decade”? — is genuinely new, and thus extra-scary. Then again, the specter of human-engineered extinction is hardly novel; we have about eight decades of experience in thinking about it.
In an environment marked by the Fed’s first rate hike in three years and ongoing market uncertainty, income-focused investors face a unique dilemma. While cash alternatives offer attractive yields in the short-term horizon, they leave portfolios vulnerable to reinvestment risk should the
As ETF strategies continue to expand into new asset classes and structures, the SEC has been taking a closer look at how some of these products fit within existing regulations.
For decades, equity investors have relied on a foundational promise from Corporate America: the continuous return of surplus cash. Dividends and share repurchases represent the two primary ways by which companies deliver tangible value back to shareholders. Yet as we navigate the final stretch of the third quarter of 2026, both channels are signaling a distinct shift toward restraint.
The new investment case for global power, security and affordability. The phrase “energy transition” has served as a useful political and cultural shorthand, but it has become a misleading framework for capital allocation. Franklin Templeton Institute explodes new opportunities for investors—and where shifts in thinking may be needed.
The U.S. Federal Reserve delivered on consensus expectations by raising its policy rate by 25 basis points (bps) at its September meeting.
One of my favorite movies was the Coen Brothers movie, No Country for Old Men. It is the story of a guy who makes off with $2 million stolen by someone else. The ‘someone else’ is a super mean guy with a powerful blow gun. They are both being chased by a policeman. It was the best picture of 2007 and won four Oscars.
A rising S&P 500® might suggest few opportunities for tax-loss harvesting. But unusually wide dispersion among individual stocks is telling a different story—and potentially creating new opportunities for direct indexing.
Municipal bonds might still offer attractive tax-advantaged income and relatively stable credit quality for investors who understand the risks.
Stocks have recently hit new highs, supported by strong earnings growth, but the bond market is sending a more cautious signal.
The recent global bond sell-off may be more than a temporary repricing. Rising government debt, persistent inflation risks and shifting economic expectations could keep longer-term yields elevated relative to the post-financial-crisis era.
In this video The Most Powerful Growth Stock, Chuck Carnevale, co-founder of FAST Graphs and known as “Mr. Valuation,” examines NVIDIA through the lens of growth, valuation, financial strength, and long-term return potential. He explains why growth investing is still value investing when a company’s future earnings justify the price being paid.
Margin debt increased in August to $1.45 trillion after decreasing last month. This marked a 2.6% increase from July and a 37.2% rise compared to the previous year.
The 2026 U.S. midterms are rapidly approaching, with major implications. Muni bonds, in particular, may be impacted.
Vanguard research challenges four myths about women investors, revealing what female clients value from financial advisors, from expertise to collaboration.
Gold clawed back some losses alongside Treasuries as markets stabilized following the Federal Reserve’s first interest-rate hike since 2023.
Huawei Technologies Co. is accelerating the debut of its next-generation AI chip in 2027 by several months as it aims to replace Nvidia Corp. in China and compete on the global stage.
Investors should continue to treat bonds with caution even as the selloff bolsters the case for holding them in multi-asset portfolios, according to strategists at Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
What does Tina Turner have in common with a US Treasury bond? They both show that the meaning of safety is not always straightforward.
Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh on Wednesday presided over the first US interest rate increase since 2023, and rate hikes are generally a package deal, as the aphorism goes.
ETFs are increasingly breaking down the wall between public and private markets. Asset managers are finding ways to “ETF-ize” private equity and pre-IPO holdings — giving retail investors liquid, fractional access to growth opportunities historically restricted to institutional and accredited buyers. As companies stay private longer, the most explosive growth phases of high-profile startups often occur off public exchanges.
The shortened Labor Day trading week brought little cheer for stock and bond investors. Coming off a long weekend that saw increased hostilities between the US and Iran, oil prices pushed higher, topping $100/barrel. Gas and diesel prices also spiked: diesel hit an all-time high of $6/gallon, while regular gas jumped to a Labor Day record of $4.15/gallon.
Advancements in technology, combined with significant stock market gains in recent years, have created a new set of opportunities—and challenges—for investors. For example, investors holding a concentrated position in a highly appreciated stock may face a difficult trade-off between the risk of a market downturn and the potentially significant tax cost of diversifying the position.
The Federal Reserve today unanimously decided to raise its short-term interest rate target by a quarter percentage point to a range of 3.75 – 4.00%, the first hike since mid-2023. The Fed made two key changes to the statement announcing its decision, declaring that “domestic spending has been resilient” and the rate hike “will support a timelier return” to the Fed’s 2% inflation target.
When it comes to personal finance, conventional wisdom says the best way to live is debt-free. There are many important reasons why this is tried and true, but for high-net-worth individuals, lending can be an optimal way to access cash in the near term without sacrificing long-term gains on your assets.
Fed policymakers unanimously voted to raise rates 25 basis points, the first hike since 2023, and vowed to fight inflation. Another hike is seen this year, but 2027 is in question.
Most people have had that moment when they’re walking along outside, enjoying a sunny day, and suddenly something long and twisty on the ground catches their eye. Before they even know what’s happening, their whole body jumps and their brain shouts, “Snake!”
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) decided to raise rates by a quarter-point, bringing the new fed funds trading range to 3.75%–4.00%. The money and bond markets had been pricing in a potential rate hike at this gathering, and Warsh & Co. ultimately determined that such a move was warranted. That said, the ‘rate hike’ story does not end here.
Janus Henderson launched a new international equity ETF on Wednesday, according to a Janus Henderson press release. The Janus Henderson International Core Alpha ETF (JINT) seeks long-term growth of capital across developed markets outside the U.S.
