As 2025 progresses, investors and policymakers are navigating a highly complex economic landscape shaped by three powerful and interrelated forces: evolving trade policy, a cautious U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed), and growing concerns over U.S. fiscal discipline.
We continue to believe we are seeing a rare opportunity in EM local debt, and our conviction has been strengthened by the Trump administration’s trade and economic policies, which suggest continued dollar weakness and relative strength for EM local currencies.
It is easy to invest when markets are rallying, but it can be tough for investors to stay in their seats when markets inevitably decline again.
As the second quarter earnings season kicks into gear, Wall Street analysts are forecasting modest earnings growth of 4.8% for companies in the S&P 500.
Every year around this time, we update our Periodic Table of Commodities Returns to reflect the performance of raw materials in the first six months. I’m biased, but few tools do a better job of providing a clear, interactive picture of the commodities landscape than ours.
The right level of regulation requires careful calibration.
Geopolitical flare-ups and a “wait-and-see” Federal Reserve stance have created plenty of noise, but markets continue to defy the headlines with a balanced global allocation and improving sentiment indicators.
Tokenization of real assets might make liquidity problems even more obvious. Making assets digital doesn't mean they'll be easier to sell or trade. It could just highlight how hard they really are to sell, and it won’t change the market demand either.
Next week, the Q2-2025 earnings season will begin in earnest as a barrage of S&P 500 companies report, starting with the Wall Street money center banks on Tuesday and Wednesday. Since earnings drive the market by supporting investor expectations, what should investors expect? Let’s dig into the details.
Fixed income benchmarks have two fundamental flaws. First, their exposures prioritize the needs of borrowers rather than investors. Second, they tend to expose investors to the biggest risks at the worst times.
The resilient job market has supported stock gains, but Washington policy has been a primary market driver so far this year.
As investors try to determine the policy direction of the Trump administration, there is good reason to believe there will be a lot of back and forth.
There’s a connection between our willingness to let the debt problem fester and investors throwing their money into a wildly overvalued stock market. In both cases, we’ve grown way too comfortable with uncertainty.
The second quarter’s rapid recovery from April’s market volatility reminds us how powerful a systematic rules-based approach to tax management can be.
ClearBridge Investments believes tariffs remain the key risk to corporate profits in the second half of the year and is less concerned about geopolitical events or the outlook for fiscal and monetary policy.
Uncertainty has not impaired overall economic performance.
Now that we're more than halfway through 2025, let's take a look at the top 10 most-read charts so far for the year.
Last week, the iShares Flexible Income Active ETF (BINC) reached a significant milestone and became the latest member of the $10 billion of the active fixed income club.
Most of us are not prepared for the incredible degree of change Artificial Intelligence (AI), combined with automation, is bringing to society.
A full three months since President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcements sparked panic in financial markets, macro developments have been benign. The passage of the Big Beautiful Bill has brought clarity on the fiscal outlook, but uncertainty on trade negotiations remains. Franklin Templeton Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai explains what this means for investors going forward.
Three ETF strategies that launched in June stand out, bringing something interesting to the table for investors.
The valuation of small-cap stocks relative to large caps remains historically attractive, and small-cap recoveries in the past have resulted in meaningful periods of outperformance.
Compelling bond yields and diverging equity returns offer building blocks for effective strategies.
One of the more storied headlines this year has been President Trump’s disappointment with the Fed for not cutting rates. We should all know by now that the President cannot fire a Fed Chair simply because he/she is not lowering interest rates to their liking.
Considering the spate of sizable inflows into spot bitcoin ETFs and the recent ebullience surrounding equities, some investors are vexed by recent lethargy displayed by the largest cryptocurrency.
As we reach the midpoint of 2025, we reflect on the notably volatile trajectory of bond yields so far this year, considering the potential opportunity for tax-aware fixed income investors to harvest losses.
After mid-level performance in Q1, financials sector earnings are seen slowing in Q2, according to analysts, though favorable signs like the yield curve could help margins.
We are in a period of market greed right now, even if you haven’t noticed it.
Franklin Mutual Series shares its mid-year outlook, focusing on corporate fundamentals as a catalyst to unlock value in the midst of ongoing market volatility.
As we head into the second half of the year, expect record stock buyback activity for companies in the S&P 500.
Liberation Day seems like a lifetime ago. But the 90-day pause is almost over, and—thus far—there are few deals that have been consummated.
We expect tariff policy to remain a key part of the narrative pushed by the administration.
In this month’s issue, Franklin Templeton Emerging Markets Equity explains how markets in many regions are weathering US policy uncertainty and offers an upbeat assessment of Vietnam after a recent research visit.
In the weeks leading up to last month’s Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran, oil prices climbed – not due to actual supply disruptions, but in response to a geopolitical risk premium.
In this article, you’ll learn how to evaluate crypto ETFs with the same rigor you apply to traditional investment products.
A new era of regulation is bound to bring high hopes for the crypto bulls. House Republicans are now gearing up for “Crypto Week” – during which the committee has agreed to prioritize digital asset legislation and review several crypto-related bills.
At the recent 2025 Morningstar Investment Conference, CEO Kunal Kapoor highlighted a growing trend that is reshaping the investment landscape.
Our strategy work and quantitative insights suggest the conditions behind more than a decade of U.S. equity outperformance are starting to shift.
Our long-time investors are probably wondering why we haven’t made any gains over the last 18 months.
Looking at the first half of 2025 reveals a nuanced landscape for private equity (PE) and principal investors.
The artificial intelligence investment landscape reached a critical inflection point in Q2 2025, with the ROBO Global Artificial Intelligence Index (THNQ) delivering exceptional returns of 24.4%.
ClearBridge Investments believes positive forces from One Big Beautiful Bill Act passage and future interest rate cuts should soon outweigh negative forces of tariff actions.
Markets rebounded sharply in 2Q 2025 following April’s tariff-driven selloff. Our mid-year market outlook breaks down the recovery, Fed policy, and where to invest next.
Are interest rates too high? A lot of people think they are, and a growing chorus of voices is calling on Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to cut rates.
Elevated interest rates and market uncertainty make for an interesting tandem regarding getting core bond exposure. When considering yield, reinforcing a portfolio to absorb market shocks, or both, consider this active option from Vanguard: the Vanguard Core-Plus Bond ETF (VPLS).
Tariff volatility rocked markets for much of the second quarter, creating pressure on U.S. bonds and equities. In the challenging environment, rife with uncertainty and investor concern, a handful of funds generated significant performance.
How the Matthews Emerging Markets Equity Fund’s strategy helped it achieve outperformance during a historic period for global markets.
The headline employment figure came in stronger than expected and better than feared following the weak ADP report, but the details were far from a blockbuster.
In the latest Alternative Allocations, with guest Brian Ullsperger from Andersen, Tony Davidow examines the traditional 60/40 portfolio and how it can be expanded to include alternatives to meet clients’ needs.
If you’ve been following the mainstream financial media lately, you might think the airline industry is in crisis. From headlines about tariffs and labor costs to geopolitical tensions and delays at Newark Airport, it sounds like air travel should be tanking.
