A surprise 92k decline in February nonfarm payrolls and a rise in the unemployment rate to 4.4% signal some labor market softening, though stronger ISM manufacturing and services readings and still-low jobless claims suggest the broader U.S. growth backdrop remains intact.
The worsening energy shock from the Iran War has raised risks of a more severe crisis. It may resolve quickly, but the longer it persists, the larger the possible economic damage. Asia and Europe are most vulnerable.
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) conducts a massive monthly survey of hundreds of Purchasing Managers, which are the executives responsible for buying the raw materials and supplies that keep companies running.
Iran's de facto closing of the Strait of Hormuz precipitated the latest in a series of energy crises. Since the 1970s, some energy spikes were associated with weak stock markets, but some were not.
One of my most longstanding and controversial opinions is that the move from defined-benefit pensions to defined-contribution pensions was a success. It’s an especially unpopular view amid stories of retirees who fall through the cracks and a grim market that is pruning many retirement accounts, if not retirement dreams.
Back in 2008, executives at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. were zealots for valuing their assets at exactly the prices where they could be sold. Critics said this fervor for fair value inflamed the financial crisis, while supporters argued it helped investors and lenders at least know where they stood.
Volatility in US Treasuries jumped to a nine-month high as the Iran war fanned inflation concerns and upended traders’ expectations on the Federal Reserve’s policy path.
Americans will legally wager $3.3 billion on the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments this year, the American Gaming Association said.
European stocks rose Friday as oil prices slipped below $100 a barrel, following news reports of an Indian tanker’s passage from the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping artery that’s been effectively shut amid the Iran war.
Supported in part by a growing U.S. defense budget, legacy aerospace and defense ETFs are performing admirably. A trio of those funds each have more than doubled over the past three years.
Deep value stocks remain our highest conviction long-only investment idea. Globally, they trade at abnormally wide discounts and offer attractive expected returns in an environment where many equities trade at elevated valuation levels.
In this article, Russ Koesterich notes the year-to-date strength of both cyclical and defensive stocks, a pairing that seems too strange to last.
For the second time in less than a year, the United States is engaged in military conflict in the Middle East. And once again, investors must assess how escalating tensions could affect markets.
A healthy mix of income and growth potential may yield a more effective equity allocation.
As the capital expenditure (capex) race for compute continues, we thought that it would be worthwhile to briefly outline the current state of play facing the well-publicized data center buildout. To understand why so much capex is needed to support artificial intelligence (AI), we must first understand how data centers are built and operated.
Investing is an exercise in decision making under uncertainty. No single signal—no matter how intuitive or well supported by history—captures the full complexity of markets.
The OBBBA expands Section 1202 benefits, allowing certain C-corp business owners to exclude significant capital gains. This complex provision requires specific holding periods and asset tests, making professional guidance essential to maximizing these tax savings.
Volatility spiked as investors questioned the Federal Reserve's next move, adding to existing concerns about private credit markets. Here's why investors shouldn't overreact.
State Street Investment Management is continuing its push into the intersection of public and private credit with the launch of a new ETF.
Please join us to explore key insights from a robust analysis of 2025 ETF market data and trends.
Join Simplify to learn all about the Simplify VettaFi Private Credit Strategy ETF (PCR). Learn where it fits in your portfolio and how you can use it to get unadulterated exposure to private credit.
A key measure of US inflation was tame at the start of the year. But another metric is shaping up to paint a very different picture.
The military conflict in Iran and the Middle East is curtailing the global flow of oil and natural gas. This adds notable pressure to energy prices and the near-term inflation outlook, while also raising questions about countries’ reliance on energy imports and their economic resilience.
Apollo Global Management Inc. is ramping up efforts to give investors more regular insight into the value of its opaque private credit holdings, just as a spate of redemption requests from such funds rattles the wider market.
In this second installment of our series, Chuck Carnevale, co-founder of FAST Graphs and widely known as Mr. Valuation, takes a deeper dive into the S&P 500 to demonstrate how investors can uncover potential opportunities within an otherwise expensive market.
At these levels, valuations are stretched, leaving investors with little potential upside and increased vulnerability to spread widening. In our view, such an environment warrants a shift toward high-quality assets.
North is south, south is west, west is east, east is north, up is down, and down is steady. This week’s employment reports have something for everyone, which is precisely why we should interpret them cautiously.
Prior to the conflict in the Middle East, the U.S. financial markets were being confronted with headlines and attendant concerns surrounding the credit markets.
His time horizon is infinite. His capital is permanent. And the rewards, he argues, should be enormous.
Kitty Hawk, North Carolina is known as the birthplace of aviation. Success did not come overnight. The Wright Brothers spent three years on the Outer Banks experimenting. While they ultimately took flight, the potential downsides of their endeavor were of constant concern.
The size and duration of the oil-price shock are key variables in determining the ultimate impact.
Have no fear—ETFs tracking crude oil, natural gas, and even wholesale gasoline futures are at the ready.
Spring training started in Arizona recently and it reminded us of the 2025 World Series. The series ended a Major League season which was delightful and instructive.
For more than a decade, emerging markets have been a heartbreak for those who place their faith in developing countries. Since 2010, the benchmark MSCI Emerging Markets Index has not outperformed its US counterpart for two consecutive years.
Selling pressure for leveraged buyout loans has been high all year, amid fears that artificial intelligence will damage or even bankrupt the software companies that account for a fair chunk of the market.
Soaring oil prices and the military conflict in Iran are among the primary reasons the MSCI EAFE Index is off nearly 6% over the past month.
Join Alger for a product due diligence session covering Alger AI Enablers & Adopters (ALAI) and exploring all things AI and AI investing.
Chris Tessin, Founder and Portfolio Manager at Acuitas Investments, discusses the firm’s multi-manager approach to global small- and micro-cap investing, as well as the launch of its first ETF, the Acuitas Small Cap Active ETF (AIMS). Bill Mann, Chief Investment Strategist at Motley Fool Asset Management, breaks down three recently launched factor-based ETFs and how they bring The Motley Fool’s “Foolish” investment philosophy to life through systematic stock selection.
Sophisticated email marketing requires automation: welcome sequences for new subscribers, nurture campaigns based on content interests, and reengagement sequences for inactive prospects.
The real value of AI isn’t in doing the marketing for you; it’s in making the process more efficient. Tasks that once required significant time and effort can be simplified and streamlined.
You might want to think about what I often call “internal PR”. Your leaders are focused on other things and are likely unaware of all that is happening directly with their advisors — and definitely with clients.
Amazon.com Inc. has blown the primary market for new debt wide open just days after market volatility, sparked by soaring-then-plummeting oil prices, all but halted issuance. Its mega offering is priced cheaply, for a reason: Too much of a good thing is still too much.
Hedge fund positioning across US equities has created a setup for stocks to rip higher after their recent wobble, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s trading desk.
After months of heavy selling on fears of artificial-intelligence disruption, software stocks appear to have found a bottom — at least for now.
The US and Israel’s war on Iran is forcing world governments to intervene to shore up energy supplies, with ongoing missile fire from both sides disrupting flows through a key waterway.
President Donald Trump said the US will get its first new oil refinery in 50 years with the help of investment from India’s Reliance Industries Ltd.
Adam Hetts and Oliver Blackbourn discuss where they assess the market implications of sustained conflict with Iran, examining energy shocks, inflation pressures, and what prolonged instability could mean for investors.
LPL Research reviews how the Iran conflict is affecting markets, highlighting energy risks, market resilience, and what investors should watch in the weeks ahead.
The “fiat is dying” argument has become a catchphrase narrative among digital asset bulls, gold bugs, and cryptocurrency advocates. That narrative’s core is that central banks have printed vast amounts of money.
If tensions de-escalate soon, there could be relatively little impact on international markets. However, risks will rise if global energy supplies face a prolonged disruption.
