It was a volatile week in financial markets, largely driven by geopolitical developments. Last weekend, the U.S. administration proposed new tariffs on several European countries linked to tensions around Greenland.
Healthcare stocks were rattled by US policy uncertainty in 2025. But signs of resilience have surfaced as the sector reaffirms its defensive strengths and growth potential, sparking a shift in investor sentiment.
According to what has been announced so far, the government plans to restrict future purchases of single-family homes by large institutional investors. It would not force them to sell homes they already own, nor would it affect individual buyers or small landlords.
As we enter 2026, the U.S. economic momentum continues based on the foundation of a solid private sector with fiscal and monetary policies also contributing to growth. As we refine our global asset allocation, we maintain a diversified overweight stance on U.S. equities despite relatively high valuations.
The dollar is in no danger of losing its status as the primary global reserve currency, but de-dollarization is chipping away at its dominance. It’s clear we’re moving toward a “multipolar” world where several currencies, along with gold, are making up a growing share of global reserves.
Recent acquisition deals highlight asset managers’ race to capture the booming demand for model portfolios and outsourced investment solutions.
Year-end S&P 500 price targets implicitly assume continuity and fail to recognize volatility and macro forces that affect markets throughout any given year.
Economists have company when it comes to being upbeat. The consensus economic outlook has led to optimism from analysts, who are forecasting strong earnings growth.
As we begin 2026, I want to address a sector that experienced one of the most dramatic fundamental disruptions in recent years: managed healthcare. Historically, the largest managed healthcare companies have been among the most consistent earnings growers in the market. However, in 2025, many of these companies “hit a wall,” suffering unprecedented declines in operating earnings.
Janus Henderson Group, a leading global asset manager, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of Richard Bernstein Advisors (“RBA”), a research-driven, macro multi-asset investment manager. The acquisition positions Janus Henderson as a leading model portfolio and separately managed account (SMA) provider.
Financial stress often shows up in the bond market well before it becomes visible elsewhere. Equity markets can remain calm while pressure quietly builds underneath the surface.
The whole world may be talking about AI nonstop right now, but that doesn’t mean other tech segments are falling off. Some are actually outperforming. Blockchain ETF BLOK, for example, has significantly outperformed its ETF Database Category average over the last year.
The Trump administration said it’s canceling almost $30 billion of financing from the Energy Department’s green bank after reviewing transactions approved under former President Joe Biden.
Chinese officials have told the country’s largest tech firms including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. they can prepare orders for Nvidia Corp.’s H200 AI chips, suggesting Beijing is close to formally approving imports of components essential to powering artificial intelligence.
Investors were thrown another tariff curveball, with the U.S. administration declaring that unless a deal for the U.S. to acquire Greenland can be reached, a 10% tariff will be imposed on eight European countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland) effective Feb. 1.
When investors think about risk in equity portfolios, the usual suspects come to mind: market risk, sector risk or maybe even macroeconomic risk. But lurking beneath the surface is a less obvious, often underestimated threat—style and factor risk.
Each spring, investors in individual publicly traded companies get a chance to voice their opinions as the companies whose stock they own prepare for their annual shareholders’ meetings.
In the investment business, it’s common to address not only what occurred during the past twelve months but also to provide an assessment of future prospects.
The biggest US banks cut their combined headcount last year by the most in almost a decade as executives sought to keep a lid on costs through what’s typically the biggest expense line item.
Memory and storage stocks are the market’s hottest trade, but investors aren’t sweating the companies’ suddenly elevated valuations as the buildout of artificial intelligence transforms their cyclical nature.
Tokenized shares are conventional assets — stocks, bonds or private loans — whose ownership records are maintained using blockchain software, often with the goal of faster, more automated settlement behind the scenes.
LPL Financial LLC announced today that financial advisors Jeffrey J. Wilson, CFP®, and Michael Sadowski, CFP®, of Wilson Peak Wealth Management Inc. have joined LPL Financial’s broker-dealer and Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) platform and will be leveraging Private Advisor Group’s infrastructure for the next stage of their growth.
Looking ahead to 2026, Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Municipal Bond Director Ben Barber says there are a few key factors that will likely shape the municipal bond market.
With 2025 in the books, it will be a difficult year to top for fixed income exchange-traded funds (ETFs), but Morningstar is predicting more excitement to come. That should keep fixed income investors fixated on what new developments the space brings this year.
Join the experts at Range Fund Holdings for an educational webcast covering the nuclear renaissance.
Our view from the portfolio management desk is that there seems to be a concurrent affordability crisis in the public stock markets as well. The biggest names appear to be “priced for perfection” at this moment.
2025 will go down as another year of record-breaking achievements for exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Among the past year’s highlights was a record number of mutual funds converting to ETFs, as noted by Ben Johnson, Morningstar Head of Client Solutions, via a LinkedIn post.
U.S. fourth-quarter earnings season began with major banks reporting results that were generally stronger than expected. Most large banks beat earnings forecasts, with many also exceeding revenue expectations, reinforcing our view that the U.S. economy remains in a healthy state.
Investors have reaped the benefits of good market conditions in many of the recent years. These periods are ideal for wealth accumulation.
US stocks extended gains on President Donald Trump’s retreat from tariff threats while traders’ appetite for artificial intelligence bets returned.
A quiet but telling shift is unfolding in the crypto derivatives market, as one of the most reliable money-making trades shows signs of breaking down.
Trend-following funds are starting 2026 with fresh momentum, outperforming stocks and bonds after a year of false starts.
Investors are pouring cash into emerging-market funds at a record pace as momentum builds for a rotation out of US assets.
There is a natural human tendency to assume that your generation has it harder than everyone else. Even by those standards, however, baby boomers (and some older millennials) are on the receiving end of an extraordinary amount of resentment.
The key point, in our view, is that this combination of shocks is not likely to be an isolated occurrence in 2026 or beyond.
Despite the broadening-out call in early 2024, narrow market breadth persisted through 2025. In 2025, around one-third of S&P 500 constituents beat the overall Index, but more than 60% are outperforming year to date in 2026.
Residential mortgage loans offer insurers a combination of yield, diversification, capital efficiency and liquidity that we think is difficult to replicate elsewhere in private credit. In a market shaped by structural housing undersupply, strong borrower credit and expanding non-agency issuance, we believe residential mortgages present a timely and scalable opportunity.
As the new year begins, one market theme is already attracting plenty of attention, and that is the dispersion and broadening out in the stock market that has occurred during the first two weeks of trading.
Greenland has reemerged as a center of geopolitical attention. Its location midway between Washington and Moscow, combined with its position along maritime routes linking the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, has long made it a focal point for trade.
The $5 trillion hedge fund industry posted its best returns since the Global Financial Crisis last year, a welcoming reprieve for an asset class that has been overshadowed by the rise of private alternatives. Before declaring the worst is over however, boutique funds have one more myth to bust.
Geopolitical tensions have escalated following President Trump’s renewed intent to acquire Greenland. Franklin Templeton Institute’s Kim Catechis explores the implications.
It was a sea of red to kick off the holiday-shortened trading week yesterday. President Trump’s ambition to annex part or all of Greenland drew backlash from European leaders.
VettaFi’s Head of Research Todd Rosenbluth discussed the T. Rowe Price US Equity Research ETF (TSPA) on this week’s “ETF of the Week” podcast with Chuck Jaffe of “Money Life.”
Join the professionals at Sterling Capital Management for a product due diligence session that explores two unique active fixed income products. One that redefines how investors can approach their core bonds and another that uses a multi-sector strategy.
For newly widowed clients, the question of whether to move or not is rarely just about real estate and finances. It’s about finding a sense of belonging, safety, and identity, and understanding how much emotional change one person can handle at a time.
With the AI market evolving so quickly, leadership is everything when it comes to differentiating the contenders from pretenders. Structured training, clear lists of approved tools, defined data sources and easy-to-understand compliance rules go a long way in building confidence.
A unified platform brings direct client benefits: strategies scale smoothly, adjustments happen safely, and proactive alerts keep portfolios aligned. With fewer handoffs and cleaner data flows, advisors can focus on what matters most, deepening client relationships.
These are times in life where any sort of note, acknowledgement or thoughtful gift is likely to be appreciated. You want to be supportive, but you also want to be careful you are taking your client’s feelings into consideration in all ways possible.
Netflix Inc. shares tumbled in early trading Wednesday after giving a disappointing forecast for earnings in the months ahead as it spends more on programming and works to close its $82.7 billion deal with Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.
US mortgage applications for home purchases climbed last week to the highest since January 2023, suggesting a further easing in financing costs is contributing to a thaw in the housing market.
