March 14, 2018 Want to Survive a Rising-Rate Environment? Avoid These Mistakes. by Douglas J. Peebles It’s human nature to want to protect your portfolio when the market takes a sharp turn. But too often, bond investors make the wrong choices when interest rates rise and credit cycles end. This can have disastrous consequences for returns. Fixed Income, Rising Rates Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
March 06, 2018 The End Is Near for the US Credit Cycle. Are You Prepared? by Douglas J. Peebles The US corporate credit cycle is nearing its end, and the cycle in parts of Europe isn’t far behind. This can create treacherous conditions for unprepared investors. The first line of defense, in our view, is knowing what to expect. Fixed Income, Rising Rates Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
March 06, 2018 Are US Stocks Disconnected from Earnings? by Frank Caruso There’s a curious anomaly in the US stock market. Shares of highly profitable companies have risen more slowly than their earnings growth has in recent years. This is an important signpost for investors in today’s complex market conditions. Equities, Rising Rates Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
February 28, 2018 With Target-Date Funds, History Does Repeat by Jennifer DeLong Target-date funds played a big part in helping defined contribution (DC) plan participants stay invested through February’s market turmoil. And history does repeat: in the severe 2008–09 financial crisis, these funds kept many participants positioned to take part in a lengthy bull market. Multi-Asset, Target-Date Solutions Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
February 27, 2018 EMD: A Survivor—Past, Present, Future by Shamaila Khan, Christian DiClementi Following a strong 2017, emerging-market debt (EMD) held its own in January despite a sharp rise in US interest rates. That’s no accident. Economic fundamentals have improved dramatically, leaving EMD well positioned to withstand future turbulence. Emerging Markets, Fixed Income, Rising Rates Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
February 26, 2018 Why Defaults Aren’t Likely to Rock High Income’s Boat Worried about rising defaults? There are good reasons not to be. Not only do high defaults not translate into poor high-yield returns, but we don’t expect a slew of defaults in 2018. Fixed Income Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
February 21, 2018 Inflationado? Muni Investors Should Seek Cover by Daryl Clements US inflationary pressures are developing that could be destructive. Investors need to seek protection quickly. But how? For municipal investors, some inflation strategies fall short, leaving portfolios at risk. Fixed Income, Inflation, Municipals Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
February 20, 2018 Why Rising Rates Aren’t a Disaster for Bonds by Matthew Sheridan, Monika Carlson Bond investors get anxious when rates rise suddenly, as Treasury yields have recently. But if your investment horizon is longer than a few months, rising rates are nothing to be afraid of. Emerging Markets, Fixed Income, Rising Rates Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
February 20, 2018 Quality Control: Three Questions for Stocks in a Changing World by James T. Tierney, Jr., Mark Phelps, Dev Chakrabarti Finding high-quality companies is an essential component of many equity strategies. But with revolutionary forces sweeping through key industries, what really defines quality stocks? Investors must think proactively about how to identify quality in a changing world. Equities Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
February 19, 2018 Passive Investing Hurts Emerging-Market Debt Investors Think emerging-market debt might as well be managed passively? Think again. Emerging Markets, Fixed Income Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
February 15, 2018 US Inflation: Signs Are Pointing Up by Eric Winograd Market volatility has spiked recently, driven largely by growing concerns about rising inflation and interest rates. We think the volatility is exaggerated, but we’re not surprised inflation is rising—and rates along with it. Economics, Inflation, Rising Rates Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
February 13, 2018 Why the US Government Should Guarantee Your Mortgages by Michael S. Canter, Janaki Rao Congress may finally be inching toward an overhaul of the US housing finance system. That’s good. But getting reform right is more important than getting it done. To us, that means ensuring the government retains a clearly defined role in the mortgage market. Fixed Income, Policy & Regulation Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
February 12, 2018 Equity Market Sell-Off: Return to Reality? by Dianne Lob, Scott Krauthamer Global equity markets are still hurting from last week’s sell-off. Yet the renewed volatility could mark a return to reality after an unusually long period of steady gains and may even foster a healthier investing environment over time. Equities, Rising Rates Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
February 12, 2018 Rates Are Rising. That’s Good News for Long-Term Bond Investors. Should investors worry about the recent rise in US Treasury yields? If they’re high-frequency bond traders—maybe. But for income-oriented investors with a longer investment horizon, our advice is simple: relax. Fixed Income, Rising Rates Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
February 09, 2018 As Volatility Spikes, Watch the Economy, Not the Market by Eric Winograd The tremors that have battered financial markets recently have been nerve-wracking. But remember, the market is not the economy. Economic growth can persist even when markets decline, and that growth can eventually help to stop the slide. Economics, Equities, Fixed Income Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks
February 08, 2018 China A-Shares: Is Your Emerging-Market Manager Ready? by John Lin As the Chinese New Year begins, investors will welcome the year of China A-shares, soon to be included in the MSCI emerging-market (EM) benchmarks. But put careful consideration into determining which funds are actually ready to join the festivities. Emerging Markets, Equities Likes 0 SHARE Bookmarks