Gold appears to be well-positioned for a strong pump that could carry it to new all-time high prices in 2023—and beyond. As you know, I’ve been following and writing about the precious metal market for a very long time, and I see a number of unique catalysts at the moment that could contribute to higher gold prices.
Bitcoin’s surprising fast exit from its “crypto winter” has once again put the notoriously volatile digital currency atop the leader-board in the first quarter for being the best-performing asset class by a wide margin.
Wall Street’s model-portfolio boom appears to have flashed its invisible power for the second time in this week after a once-sleepy Charles Schwab Corp. bond exchange-traded fund received another monster inflow.
When Microsoft Corp. launched its $1 billion Climate Innovation Fund three years ago, it was the lone tech giant pledging serious money to tackle rising temperatures. The dangers facing the planet have since become more acute, and the fund has about $400 million left.
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and JD.com Inc. have begun preparations for a trio of the year’s biggest Chinese debuts, heralding a wave of initial public offerings that promise to breathe new life into the struggling technology industry and Hong Kong’s stock market.
Stocks built on overnight gains and Treasury yields inched lower following today's relatively benign February PCE inflation data.
The investment landscape is pockmarked by intractable statistics that continue to impose strategic and psychological barriers to the short term potential of portfolio alpha.
What are the implications of the ongoing volatility in the banking sector, and what does it mean for markets in Europe and globally?
Elon Musk and an array of public figures have signed their names to an open letter that went viral this week, calling for a six-month pause on training language models more powerful than GPT-4, the technology underpinning ChatGPT.
We’ve been watching slumps ripple through various parts of the economy over the past 18 months: technology startups and stocks, regional banks and growing concern about commercial real estate. Yet we’re still waiting for the wider labor market to feel the downturn.
From the perspective of the U.S. stock market, 2022 was a miserable year (with the S&P 500 declining 19.4%), but until recently, 2023 was shaping up to be a stronger year.
The failures of Silvergate Bank, Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and the current struggles of First Republic and Pacific West Bank have seen bank deposits flee to the perceived safety of large banks.
In hindsight, it was obvious it wouldn’t last. Low interest rates — the result of shifts in the global economy, economic stability, low inflation and monetary policy — couldn’t stay at zero forever.
Ignore short-term market moves and volatility. The biggest investment returns are driven by a handful of outliers in the long run. Growth investing is for patient capital seeking long runways for companies that will ultimately generate outsized returns for investors. Baillie Gifford is uniquely positioned as a global asset manager that is entirely owned by a private partnership. My guest today, Stuart Dunbar, has identified a few technologies that will be important in driving growth in sectors where we will see transformation in the years to come.
The economic signals and a host of geopolitical risks confronting investors suggest that 2023 could be as challenging as 20022 for both stocks and bonds.
Of all the questions that ChatGPT has raised about the future of artificial intelligence, one still reverberates through Silicon Valley: Why couldn’t the industry’s largest technology firms breed an innovative service with a similar kind of impact, especially after amassing some of the world’s largest AI teams?
It’s rarely mentioned, but it’s stunning how often the financial planning profession has foreshadowed the evolution of our social environment.
Recently I saw someone share a clip from their weather app. It said, “Rain expected at 3 pm,” right above a little graphic showing a 30% chance of rain at 3 pm. What’s wrong with that picture?
The U.S. dollar remains the world’s top reserve currency for now, though its share of global central banks’ official holdings has slipped in the past 20 years. By contrast, the yuan’s share of official holdings has more than doubled since 2016.
China’s economy is in the early stages of a gradual, consumer-led recovery. In this issue of Sinology, Andy Rothman outlines why China’s opportunities outweigh risks.
Following recent efforts by central banks and regulators to alleviate the banking crisis, Franklin Templeton Institute’s Stephen Dover and Lukasz Kalwak discuss their thoughts on the implications and outlook for the banking industries in the United States and Europe.
To help understand the current market volatility arising from the collapse of banks in the United States and Europe, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute Stephen Dover provides his answers to three crucial questions.
Stocks fell and volatility rose this morning as banking sector worries persist.
February's new orders for manufactured durable goods came in lower than expected at $268.4B, a -1.0% decline from last month compared with the Investing.com 0.6% estimate. The series is up 2.2% year-over-year (YoY), the smallest yearly increase since September 2020. If we exclude transportation, "core" durable goods were unchanged from last month, worse than the Investing.com 0.2% estimate, and up 1.7% YoY.
Yesterday, the Fed completed its regular meeting and announced that it would increase interest rates by 25 bps, or a quarter percentage point.
Read our latest insight where Dan Suzuki explains what investors need to know about the Silicon Valley Bank collapse.
Income-seeking investors are accustomed to casting wide nets after years of low yields.
U.S. stocks climbed for a second straight day Tuesday, with the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite ending near a five-week high, as jitters over bank instability eased.
Do advisors need to accept that technology will forever be a drag, or can the right approach lead to personal happiness and a more productive practice?
A Singapore-based fintech investment firm is close to raising $100 million to back finance and blockchain startups in China and Southeast Asia.
A question has arisen amid all the bank failures. How, with the bond market enduring its worst spasm of volatility in almost four decades, have benchmark-level stocks managed to glide along, oases of calm?
Banking turmoil continues to rattle the global markets and investor confidence.
CIO Larry Adam outlines the positive events that are outweighing negative developments and looks at dynamics to focus on in the week ahead.
Steve Chiavarone doesn’t want to scare anyone, but what he remembers most from the last banking crisis was how sure most people were that it wouldn’t happen.
Portfolio Manager Andy Acker explains why the healthcare sector could offer an attractive combination of defense and growth in today’s market.
Robust risk management is essential for fixed income investors. In his latest commentary, Marcus Moore explains why our sustainable investing team considers ESG factors as material business risks, similar to the traditional risks they also analyze.
The strongest force standing in the way of nuclear energy is the antiquated, irrational fear of it.
A TIPS is risky in the short term and riskless in the long run, which is precisely the opposite of, and complementary to, a T-bill, which is riskless in the short term but, because of reinvestment rate volatility, risky in the long run.
Sixty-six million Americans currently receive monthly benefits from Social Security, which, if nothing changes, is expected to be insolvent by 2035 at the latest. It’s time for Americans to take a greater role in their own retirement planning.
Just over a year before Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse threatened a generation of technology startups and their backers, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco appointed a more senior team of examiners to assess the firm. They started calling out problem after problem.
U.S. equities are lower as pressure has returned to the banking sector, which remains top of mind.
Implications of SVB and Credit Suisse on the European banking sector—check out highlights from our recent panel discussion with Kim Catechis, Investment Strategist with the Franklin Templeton Institute.
Is upheaval in the banking sector the prelude to a financial crisis, or just the biggest bump yet on the road to restoring order to the economy? Stock investors clinging to hopes this too shall pass are having their tolerance for pain severely tested.
Financial market volatility has followed the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute, shares his thoughts on possible implications outside the United States.
What our experts think about today's market action.
U.S. stocks are falling in pre-market trading as recent banking turmoil on this side of the pond made its way to Europe.
This morning we got the latest Empire State Manufacturing Survey. The diffusion index for General Business Conditions dropped 18.8 points from last month to -24.6. This morning's reading was far below the Investing.com forecast of -8.0. This month's reading marks the fourth consecutive month in contraction territory.
101 Lesson of Structural growth versus recovery growth investing.
China can match the US in artificial intelligence thanks to the expertise of companies from Alibaba to Baidu, joining a global tech transformation that will dwarf the mobile revolution, according to industry pioneer Kai-Fu Lee.
Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio warned Silicon Valley Bank’s failure shows cracks widening in global finance, joining other US billionaires raising the alarm on fallout from the lender’s collapse.
The extreme “tail” risk ahead may be disorienting.
The events that began with Thursday’s tumult in financial stocks and precipitated the FDIC takeover of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank were swift.
Why did Silicon Valley Bank fail?
Let's take a close look at February's employment report numbers on Full and Part-Time Employment.
Your clients need a hero – one who can help them navigate the uncertain world and keep them on track to living their best lives no matter what circumstances they face. That hero should be their financial advisor.
Can we aggressively position assets today that have the potential for strong growth in the next 24 months when a tuition bill is due, without exposing those assets to market risk?
Silicon Valley Bank became the biggest US lender to fail in more than a decade, creating fears of contagion in tech and finance sectors in the US and around the world.
U.S. stocks are extending last week's sharp declines that have come amid worries regarding the ultimate impact on the banking sector of the recent collapses of SVB Financial and Silvergate Capital.
Here’s an update on the latest news involving Silicon Valley Bank and the implications for the Fed and markets, from Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute.
Warren Buffett defended stock buybacks in Berkshire Hathaway’s annual letter, pushing back on those railing against the practice he believes benefits all shareholders.
Like face recognition, artificial intelligence (AI), mRNA vaccines and other modern technology, Bitcoin is a key component of the ongoing, rapidly accelerating digital transformation.
Short sellers are betting against Cathie Wood’s flagship fund more than ever before.
Greg Becker sat in a red armchair at an invite-only conference in Los Angeles last week, legs crossed, one hand cutting through air.
Review the latest portfolio strategy commentary from Mike Gibbs, managing director of Equity Portfolio and Technical Strategy.
U.S. equities are modestly higher in pre-market action following the February labor report that was only modestly above estimates.
U.S. stocks are higher, paring weekly losses though the markets remain choppy following this week's hawkish Congressional testimony from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell.
Investors focusing on climate change often overlook Chinese firms.
The problem with speculation is that there’s usually a gap between the underlying risk and the inevitable outcome.
With the most sell ratings in the Nasdaq 100 Stock Index, Intel Corp. is running ever lower on fans. Things have gotten so bad that even analysts brave enough to recommend buying are striking a cautious tone.
The long-term outlook for stocks remains questionable, as most of my leading indicators of risk assets suggest sub-par performance over the next year or so.
Given the topsy-turvy nature of the market thus far in 2023, it remains crucial for investors to know what they are buying—especially as it relates to growth, value, and quality.
The reversal of decades of economic integration will leave the global economy with higher inflation and reduced growth potential. In this new era, governments, companies, and long-term investors will need to incorporate more sophisticated geopolitical and sociopolitical analyses into their strategies.
I’m writing to ask why the advisory profession isn’t set up to provide more human-oriented support to advisors who are trying to transition.
The question you are asking about AI (“Will AI replace me?”) is wrong. The right one is this…
For decades since the end of the Cold War there have been very limited restrictions on foreign investments by US investors compared to those of other countries.
Clients and prospects are demanding a more flexible, iterative financial planning process that evolves as their financial lives do. That is why my guest today created Elements, a mobile-first, client-centric, financial monitoring platform. Elements builds a one-page financial plan that helps the modern advisor remain in closer, deeper communication with clients as their financial needs shift. It encourages better behaviors with clients that promote financial health by displaying digestible pieces of critical financial data, including debt, savings, spending, insurance, investments, and more.
I will explain what ChatGPT is beyond the headlines, and its capabilities and limitations. I will then share a use case in wealth management and explore whether it will replace human financial advisors.
Read our latest insight to learn why we believe this year's market rally is just speculation and how we are positioning our portfolios for a change in leadership.
Take a look at real (inflation-adjusted) charts of the S&P 500, Dow 30, and Nasdaq composite since 2000. We've updated this through the February 28, 2023 close.
The planet’s billionaires are nearly $2 trillion poorer this year!
As automakers seek stakes in lithium miners to lock in supplies for electric-vehicle batteries, they’re following a path already forged by their shareholders.
Alessio de Longis spent the last three months loading up on risk in his $1.1 billion Invesco Global Allocation Fund. Now, he’s winding down those positions and reversing course back to safety.
Artificial intelligence will reshape how a lot of work gets done.
More women in senior roles will support the long-term success and sustainability of emerging markets.
The fixed-income market’s unblemished record of striking fear into the hearts of equity traders is in danger.
Lufthansa’s blockbuster report is just the latest signal that commercial aviation, one of the hardest-hit industries during the pandemic, may be ready to make a landing again in investors’ portfolios.
The February US services purchasing managers' index (PMI) conducted by S&P Global came in at 50.6 percent, notably up from 46.8 in January and just slightly higher than the Investing.com forecast of 50.5. This morning's reading moves the index into expansion territory after being in contraction for seven months.
Global Investment Strategist Rob Almeida explores how inflation may impact earnings and his outlook for stocks and bonds this year.
In the finance industry, the word “compliance” garners a negative connotation. Indeed, it conjures images of being paddled by a schoolteacher.
Innovative ETFs
The Top Three Catalysts For Higher Gold Prices In 2023
Gold appears to be well-positioned for a strong pump that could carry it to new all-time high prices in 2023—and beyond. As you know, I’ve been following and writing about the precious metal market for a very long time, and I see a number of unique catalysts at the moment that could contribute to higher gold prices.
Bitcoin’s Stealth Rally Puts It Atop the Quarterly Scoreboard Once Again
Bitcoin’s surprising fast exit from its “crypto winter” has once again put the notoriously volatile digital currency atop the leader-board in the first quarter for being the best-performing asset class by a wide margin.
Schwab ETF Logs $4.6 Billion Inflow Amid Quarter-End Shuffle
Wall Street’s model-portfolio boom appears to have flashed its invisible power for the second time in this week after a once-sleepy Charles Schwab Corp. bond exchange-traded fund received another monster inflow.
Microsoft Pushes to Squeeze All it Can From the Last of its Climate Fund
When Microsoft Corp. launched its $1 billion Climate Innovation Fund three years ago, it was the lone tech giant pledging serious money to tackle rising temperatures. The dangers facing the planet have since become more acute, and the fund has about $400 million left.
Alibaba, JD.com Awaken China Tech’s Long-Dormant IPO Machine
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and JD.com Inc. have begun preparations for a trio of the year’s biggest Chinese debuts, heralding a wave of initial public offerings that promise to breathe new life into the struggling technology industry and Hong Kong’s stock market.
Price Growth Slows, Stocks Gain
Stocks built on overnight gains and Treasury yields inched lower following today's relatively benign February PCE inflation data.
T minus 10, 9, 8….
The investment landscape is pockmarked by intractable statistics that continue to impose strategic and psychological barriers to the short term potential of portfolio alpha.
Market Volatility and Developments in the Banking Sector
What are the implications of the ongoing volatility in the banking sector, and what does it mean for markets in Europe and globally?
Elon Musk Wants to Pause AI? It’s Too Late for That
Elon Musk and an array of public figures have signed their names to an open letter that went viral this week, calling for a six-month pause on training language models more powerful than GPT-4, the technology underpinning ChatGPT.
What Makes This Economic Slowdown Different From the Others?
We’ve been watching slumps ripple through various parts of the economy over the past 18 months: technology startups and stocks, regional banks and growing concern about commercial real estate. Yet we’re still waiting for the wider labor market to feel the downturn.
From Crisis Comes Opportunity
From the perspective of the U.S. stock market, 2022 was a miserable year (with the S&P 500 declining 19.4%), but until recently, 2023 was shaping up to be a stronger year.
Will FedNow Enable Greater Deposit Flight from Troubled Banks?
The failures of Silvergate Bank, Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and the current struggles of First Republic and Pacific West Bank have seen bank deposits flee to the perceived safety of large banks.
Biden Has to Learn the Same Lesson as SVB
In hindsight, it was obvious it wouldn’t last. Low interest rates — the result of shifts in the global economy, economic stability, low inflation and monetary policy — couldn’t stay at zero forever.
The New Landscape for Growth Investing
Ignore short-term market moves and volatility. The biggest investment returns are driven by a handful of outliers in the long run. Growth investing is for patient capital seeking long runways for companies that will ultimately generate outsized returns for investors. Baillie Gifford is uniquely positioned as a global asset manager that is entirely owned by a private partnership. My guest today, Stuart Dunbar, has identified a few technologies that will be important in driving growth in sectors where we will see transformation in the years to come.
First Quarter 2023 Economic Review and Forecast
The economic signals and a host of geopolitical risks confronting investors suggest that 2023 could be as challenging as 20022 for both stocks and bonds.
Tech’s AI Armies Are Huge, Yet Struggling to Innovate
Of all the questions that ChatGPT has raised about the future of artificial intelligence, one still reverberates through Silicon Valley: Why couldn’t the industry’s largest technology firms breed an innovative service with a similar kind of impact, especially after amassing some of the world’s largest AI teams?
The Planning Profession is Leading Us to a Better World
It’s rarely mentioned, but it’s stunning how often the financial planning profession has foreshadowed the evolution of our social environment.
Recession Odds Rising
Recently I saw someone share a clip from their weather app. It said, “Rain expected at 3 pm,” right above a little graphic showing a 30% chance of rain at 3 pm. What’s wrong with that picture?
Is This The End Of The Petrodollar?
The U.S. dollar remains the world’s top reserve currency for now, though its share of global central banks’ official holdings has slipped in the past 20 years. By contrast, the yuan’s share of official holdings has more than doubled since 2016.
Sinology: Opportunity and Risk
China’s economy is in the early stages of a gradual, consumer-led recovery. In this issue of Sinology, Andy Rothman outlines why China’s opportunities outweigh risks.
How Is the SVB and Credit Suisse Crisis Affecting the US and European Banking Industry?
Following recent efforts by central banks and regulators to alleviate the banking crisis, Franklin Templeton Institute’s Stephen Dover and Lukasz Kalwak discuss their thoughts on the implications and outlook for the banking industries in the United States and Europe.
The Crucial Questions
To help understand the current market volatility arising from the collapse of banks in the United States and Europe, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute Stephen Dover provides his answers to three crucial questions.
Markets Again Under Pressure
Stocks fell and volatility rose this morning as banking sector worries persist.
Durable Goods Orders Down 1.0% in February, Worse Than Forecast
February's new orders for manufactured durable goods came in lower than expected at $268.4B, a -1.0% decline from last month compared with the Investing.com 0.6% estimate. The series is up 2.2% year-over-year (YoY), the smallest yearly increase since September 2020. If we exclude transportation, "core" durable goods were unchanged from last month, worse than the Investing.com 0.2% estimate, and up 1.7% YoY.
Market Focus Moves from the Fed to Financial Crisis
Yesterday, the Fed completed its regular meeting and announced that it would increase interest rates by 25 bps, or a quarter percentage point.
Some Thoughts on Banks
Read our latest insight where Dan Suzuki explains what investors need to know about the Silicon Valley Bank collapse.
Taming Biases in High-Dividend Equity Strategies
Income-seeking investors are accustomed to casting wide nets after years of low yields.
Stocks Climb Ahead of Fed Meeting
U.S. stocks climbed for a second straight day Tuesday, with the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite ending near a five-week high, as jitters over bank instability eased.
Can Technology Make You Happy?
Do advisors need to accept that technology will forever be a drag, or can the right approach lead to personal happiness and a more productive practice?
GLP-Backed Fund to Raise $100 Million for Asian Fintech Deals
A Singapore-based fintech investment firm is close to raising $100 million to back finance and blockchain startups in China and Southeast Asia.
Stocks Are Shrugging Off Bank Woes With Help From Hedge Funds
A question has arisen amid all the bank failures. How, with the bond market enduring its worst spasm of volatility in almost four decades, have benchmark-level stocks managed to glide along, oases of calm?
Banking, Inflation, and the Fed: Where Do We Go From Here?
Banking turmoil continues to rattle the global markets and investor confidence.
Incremental Progress Emerging in the Banking Sector Fallout
CIO Larry Adam outlines the positive events that are outweighing negative developments and looks at dynamics to focus on in the week ahead.
Bank Crisis Survivors Remember How Fast the Dominoes Can Fall
Steve Chiavarone doesn’t want to scare anyone, but what he remembers most from the last banking crisis was how sure most people were that it wouldn’t happen.
Two Sides of Healthcare, One Strong Investment Case
Portfolio Manager Andy Acker explains why the healthcare sector could offer an attractive combination of defense and growth in today’s market.
Sustainable Investing: Opportunistically Managing Risk
Robust risk management is essential for fixed income investors. In his latest commentary, Marcus Moore explains why our sustainable investing team considers ESG factors as material business risks, similar to the traditional risks they also analyze.
Lies, Damn Lies, and Visions of Nuclear Catastrophe
The strongest force standing in the way of nuclear energy is the antiquated, irrational fear of it.
Riskless at Age 104
A TIPS is risky in the short term and riskless in the long run, which is precisely the opposite of, and complementary to, a T-bill, which is riskless in the short term but, because of reinvestment rate volatility, risky in the long run.
Pension Reform Showdown: Will The U.S. Follow France’s Bold Retirement Age Changes?
Sixty-six million Americans currently receive monthly benefits from Social Security, which, if nothing changes, is expected to be insolvent by 2035 at the latest. It’s time for Americans to take a greater role in their own retirement planning.
The Fed Was Too Late on SVB Even Though It Saw Problem After Problem
Just over a year before Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse threatened a generation of technology startups and their backers, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco appointed a more senior team of examiners to assess the firm. They started calling out problem after problem.
Banking Sector Uncertainty Keeps Pressure on Stocks
U.S. equities are lower as pressure has returned to the banking sector, which remains top of mind.
European Banking Sector—Taking Stock After Silicon Valley Bank and Credit Suisse
Implications of SVB and Credit Suisse on the European banking sector—check out highlights from our recent panel discussion with Kim Catechis, Investment Strategist with the Franklin Templeton Institute.
Crisis Narrative Forcing Out All Others in Bank-Obsessed Markets
Is upheaval in the banking sector the prelude to a financial crisis, or just the biggest bump yet on the road to restoring order to the economy? Stock investors clinging to hopes this too shall pass are having their tolerance for pain severely tested.
Banks and the Butterfly Effect—the Global Ramifications
Financial market volatility has followed the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute, shares his thoughts on possible implications outside the United States.
Bank Worries Strike Again
What our experts think about today's market action.
Stocks Falling as European Banking Worries Flare Up
U.S. stocks are falling in pre-market trading as recent banking turmoil on this side of the pond made its way to Europe.
Empire State Manufacturing Survey: Contraction Continues in March
This morning we got the latest Empire State Manufacturing Survey. The diffusion index for General Business Conditions dropped 18.8 points from last month to -24.6. This morning's reading was far below the Investing.com forecast of -8.0. This month's reading marks the fourth consecutive month in contraction territory.
Chinese Internet – the Boom and Bust Story
101 Lesson of Structural growth versus recovery growth investing.
China Can Quickly Catch Up to US AI, Says Venture Veteran
China can match the US in artificial intelligence thanks to the expertise of companies from Alibaba to Baidu, joining a global tech transformation that will dwarf the mobile revolution, according to industry pioneer Kai-Fu Lee.
Ray Dalio Warns SVB’s Collapse Shows Cracks Widening in Global Finance
Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio warned Silicon Valley Bank’s failure shows cracks widening in global finance, joining other US billionaires raising the alarm on fallout from the lender’s collapse.
Headed For The Tail
The extreme “tail” risk ahead may be disorienting.
The 2022-2023 Regime Change
The events that began with Thursday’s tumult in financial stocks and precipitated the FDIC takeover of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank were swift.
Making Sense of SVB, a Unique Bank with a Classic Problem
Why did Silicon Valley Bank fail?
Full-time and Part-time Employment: A Deeper Look
Let's take a close look at February's employment report numbers on Full and Part-Time Employment.
Be the Superhero Your Clients Deserve
Your clients need a hero – one who can help them navigate the uncertain world and keep them on track to living their best lives no matter what circumstances they face. That hero should be their financial advisor.
An Annuity Can Fund Looming College Tuition
Can we aggressively position assets today that have the potential for strong growth in the next 24 months when a tuition bill is due, without exposing those assets to market risk?
Here’s How SVB’s Collapse Is Reverberating Around the World
Silicon Valley Bank became the biggest US lender to fail in more than a decade, creating fears of contagion in tech and finance sectors in the US and around the world.
Stocks Remain Under Pressure as Banking Worries Remain
U.S. stocks are extending last week's sharp declines that have come amid worries regarding the ultimate impact on the banking sector of the recent collapses of SVB Financial and Silvergate Capital.
Silicon Valley Bank Failure Ripples Through the Market
Here’s an update on the latest news involving Silicon Valley Bank and the implications for the Fed and markets, from Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute.
Buffett On Buybacks
Warren Buffett defended stock buybacks in Berkshire Hathaway’s annual letter, pushing back on those railing against the practice he believes benefits all shareholders.
Bitcoin Is A Key Component Of The Great Digital Transformation
Like face recognition, artificial intelligence (AI), mRNA vaccines and other modern technology, Bitcoin is a key component of the ongoing, rapidly accelerating digital transformation.
Short Bets on Cathie Wood’s ARKK Hit Fresh Record on Rate-Hike Fears
Short sellers are betting against Cathie Wood’s flagship fund more than ever before.
SVB’s 44-Hour Collapse Was Rooted in Treasury Bets During Pandemic
Greg Becker sat in a red armchair at an invite-only conference in Los Angeles last week, legs crossed, one hand cutting through air.
Weekly Market Guide
Review the latest portfolio strategy commentary from Mike Gibbs, managing director of Equity Portfolio and Technical Strategy.
Stocks Trying to Battle Back From a Two-Day Rout
U.S. equities are modestly higher in pre-market action following the February labor report that was only modestly above estimates.
Stocks Chipping Away at Weekly Losses
U.S. stocks are higher, paring weekly losses though the markets remain choppy following this week's hawkish Congressional testimony from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell.
China’s Green Enablers Deserve a Place in Equity Funds
Investors focusing on climate change often overlook Chinese firms.
Pushing Your Luck
The problem with speculation is that there’s usually a gap between the underlying risk and the inevitable outcome.
Intel’s Troubles Run So Deep Even Bulls Are Wary
With the most sell ratings in the Nasdaq 100 Stock Index, Intel Corp. is running ever lower on fans. Things have gotten so bad that even analysts brave enough to recommend buying are striking a cautious tone.
Is Now The Time To Buy Stocks?
The long-term outlook for stocks remains questionable, as most of my leading indicators of risk assets suggest sub-par performance over the next year or so.
Caveat Emptor: Important Market Shifts Underway
Given the topsy-turvy nature of the market thus far in 2023, it remains crucial for investors to know what they are buying—especially as it relates to growth, value, and quality.
Fragmented Globalization
The reversal of decades of economic integration will leave the global economy with higher inflation and reduced growth potential. In this new era, governments, companies, and long-term investors will need to incorporate more sophisticated geopolitical and sociopolitical analyses into their strategies.
Dealing With Unresponsive Vendors
I’m writing to ask why the advisory profession isn’t set up to provide more human-oriented support to advisors who are trying to transition.
You Are Asking the Wrong Question About ChatGPT
The question you are asking about AI (“Will AI replace me?”) is wrong. The right one is this…
The US and China: The Tech Cold War Continues
For decades since the end of the Cold War there have been very limited restrictions on foreign investments by US investors compared to those of other countries.
Breakthrough Technology to Monitor Your Clients' Financial Health
Clients and prospects are demanding a more flexible, iterative financial planning process that evolves as their financial lives do. That is why my guest today created Elements, a mobile-first, client-centric, financial monitoring platform. Elements builds a one-page financial plan that helps the modern advisor remain in closer, deeper communication with clients as their financial needs shift. It encourages better behaviors with clients that promote financial health by displaying digestible pieces of critical financial data, including debt, savings, spending, insurance, investments, and more.
Embracing ChatGPT in Wealth Management
I will explain what ChatGPT is beyond the headlines, and its capabilities and limitations. I will then share a use case in wealth management and explore whether it will replace human financial advisors.
Don’t Speculate on Speculation
Read our latest insight to learn why we believe this year's market rally is just speculation and how we are positioning our portfolios for a change in leadership.
The S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq Since Their 2000 Highs
Take a look at real (inflation-adjusted) charts of the S&P 500, Dow 30, and Nasdaq composite since 2000. We've updated this through the February 28, 2023 close.
Newsletter Volume 16, No. 1 February 2023
The planet’s billionaires are nearly $2 trillion poorer this year!
Tesla, GM Follow Own Shareholders With Push Into Lithium Miners
As automakers seek stakes in lithium miners to lock in supplies for electric-vehicle batteries, they’re following a path already forged by their shareholders.
How a Billion-Dollar Invesco Fund Did a U-Turn After Hot Inflation Data
Alessio de Longis spent the last three months loading up on risk in his $1.1 billion Invesco Global Allocation Fund. Now, he’s winding down those positions and reversing course back to safety.
Is Now The Time To Buy Stocks?
The long-term outlook for stocks remains questionable, as most of my leading indicators of risk assets suggest sub-par performance over the next year or so.
AI Arrives
Artificial intelligence will reshape how a lot of work gets done.
The Value of Women Across the Board
More women in senior roles will support the long-term success and sustainability of emerging markets.
Stock Traders Are Ignoring Blaring Bond Alarms
The fixed-income market’s unblemished record of striking fear into the hearts of equity traders is in danger.
Airline Stocks Are Soaring Over The Negative Headlines, Lifted By Positive Earnings
Lufthansa’s blockbuster report is just the latest signal that commercial aviation, one of the hardest-hit industries during the pandemic, may be ready to make a landing again in investors’ portfolios.
S&P Global Services PMI: Renewed Expansion in February
The February US services purchasing managers' index (PMI) conducted by S&P Global came in at 50.6 percent, notably up from 46.8 in January and just slightly higher than the Investing.com forecast of 50.5. This morning's reading moves the index into expansion territory after being in contraction for seven months.
What's Ahead in 2023?
Global Investment Strategist Rob Almeida explores how inflation may impact earnings and his outlook for stocks and bonds this year.
Compliance Is Not the Enemy
In the finance industry, the word “compliance” garners a negative connotation. Indeed, it conjures images of being paddled by a schoolteacher.