Geopolitical risks are still lingering in the background, but the story lately has been all about earnings. A strong 1Q26 season, paired with a steady drumbeat of upbeat management commentary, has helped push the S&P 500 to 21 record highs this year.
Artificial intelligence (AI) poses many ethical issues that may translate into risks for consumers, companies and investors. AI regulation, which is developing unevenly across jurisdictions, adds to the uncertainty. The key for investors, in our view, is to focus on transparency and explainability.
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. agreed to have Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. reinsure a book of life insurance policies, freeing up about $6 billion of reserves.
As globalization gives way to reshoring and resurgent resource nationalism, emerging markets may offer fresh alpha opportunities through their ability to supply the raw materials required to fuel the AI boom.
California continues to demonstrate fiscal resilience, supported by strong liquidity balances and the absence of projected cash‑flow borrowing through FY 2026–27. However, Medicaid cost pressures, a progressive tax structure highly sensitive to equity market swings, and constitutional spending constraints remain key differentiators between California and other large states.
Personal income (excluding transfer receipts) was down 0.05% in April and was up 2.68% year-over-year. However, when adjusted for inflation using the BEA's PCE Price Index, real personal income (excluding transfer receipts) was down 0.44% month-over-month and down 1.04% year-over-year.
Bankers are preparing to sell a jumbo debt package to support the $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. It’s a risky deal and comes at a moment when the bond markets have been wobbling.
In the week ending May 23rd, initial jobless claims were at a seasonally adjusted level of 215,000. This represents an increase of 5,000 from the previous week's figure and was higher than the forecast of 211,000.
In a relatively light week for traditional economic data, a mix of corporate earnings, business surveys, Federal Reserve minutes, and the latest read on the consumer from the University of Michigan helped paint an increasingly clear picture for investors.
US growth stocks underperformed in early 2026 amid AI disruption fears and an unresolved conflict in the Middle East. But these stresses could create favorable conditions for selective, diversified investors to unlock long-term growth potential in a rotating market.
Leading with bad news can feel wrong and even confrontational at some level, but the psychology research supports it, the behavioral finance supports it, the career math supports it, and the clients who stay through multiple cycles apply the final confirmation stamp.
Despite these higher costs, a projected 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home this weekend, setting a new record. Close to 40 million will drive while some 3.7 million will fly.
This week marked the passing of former Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank. His signature legislation, the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, was the most recent increment in a long-running history of tighter financial regulation. Some of those rules are now coming under scrutiny, with the goal of making bank lending more competitive.
On May 26, 1896, Charles Dow calculated a simple arithmetic average of 12 industrial stocks and arrived at a closing value of 40.94. Now, exactly 130 years later, that same benchmark has crossed the historic 50,000 threshold.
The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index® fell for the first time in four months in May, dropping 0.7 points to 93.1. Despite the slight dip, the index came in above the forecast of 91.9.
It’s been more than three years since Silicon Valley Bank lost a quarter of its deposits in a day, kicking off a string of bank rescues. The shocking speed of that run was attributed, in part, to the rapid spread of information on social media and the efficiency of digital banking.
After a slowdown earlier in the year, stronger April and May data support the view that weakness in January and February, followed by a rebound in March, was largely weather-related rather than the start of a broader deterioration in housing demand.
Elon Musk has bucked the trend of industrial conglomerate breakups, including such illustrious companies as General Electric and Honeywell International Inc., and decided to form a somewhat unwieldy company that makes rockets, spacecraft, satellites, antennas, modems and now computer chips. With SpaceX’s purchase of Musk’s xAI in February, the world’s leading space company was married to an AI startup and the X social media platform.
For private equity firms, capital flexibility is prized today. Merger-and-acquisition (M&A) activity has cooled, while commodity prices and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven disruption have heated up, creating uncertainty for investors. This makes it more challenging to sell portfolio companies, so private equity firms are holding investments longer. As a result, many firms are turning to net asset value (NAV) loans for capital needs.
While US financial markets brace for what could be the three biggest initial public offerings ever, most entrepreneurship in the US is headed in the opposite direction: New businesses are shrinking.
Industry discussions on Janus Henderson’s ETF lineup are typically centered around its fixed income funds given the firm’s history in this asset class. However, the issuer also has equity ETFs that are garnering attention, which include a fund that’s close to crossing the $1 billion assets under management (AUM) threshold: the Janus Henderson Small-Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF (JSMD).
Recently, Matthew Bartolini, global head of research strategists at State Street Investment Management, sat down with VettaFi to discuss where inflation stands, opportunities within portfolio construction, and much more.
From the April payroll report released on May 8, we realize that not all industries are equally impacted by AI. Diagnostic imaging centers, an area where AI is thought to replace humans, have increased demand for workers, whereas bookkeeping demand has declined in recent years.
Global bond yields are reaching frightening levels due to the continued war in Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Continued high oil prices and the threat of reverberating inflation are causing investors to demand higher yields on government bonds.
Watching your children step into financial independence is one of the most rewarding and complex milestones families experience. As young adults begin earning income, managing expenses, and making major life decisions, the habits and financial knowledge they develop can shape their long-term success.
Stocks’ rally off the March 30 lows has been nothing short of wild, with internal market dynamics showing some performance divergences that we haven’t seen for decades. For example, in the first 6 weeks of the rally, the S&P 500 Growth index beat the S&P 500 Low Volatility Index by more than any other 6-week window on record.
In the past year, new models from industry leaders have continued to boost AI’s capabilities. According to various capabilities tests, Anthropic’s Mythos model has leapfrogged other AI models – including in the ability to thwart or support cyberattacks.
Institutional investors have spent years hearing about the promise of artificial intelligence. That phase is giving way to a more practical question: not whether AI can create more scale, but whether that scale can be governed, validated, and translated into better fiduciary decisions. For OCIO providers, AI without discipline is not an advantage.
The "four horsemen" of the labor market are the unemployment rate, hiring rate, layoff rate, and vacancy rate. Analyzing them together may sharpen investors' read on the economy.
The next generation may inherit substantial assets. Whether they inherit the health to enjoy them — or the burden of managing preventable family health crises — may matter just as much. Advisors who broaden the definition of legacy planning may be better positioned to protect both.
AI is unlikely to replace wealth managers — at least not in the foreseeable future. But it now has the power to expose the gaps between genuine, client-first investment advice and other approaches in a way the industry has not yet seen.
That Buffett cash hoard has also created a lot of speculation, innuendo, and assumptions, which is what I want to walk through in today’s discussion. Primarily, what that cash hoard actually represents, the popular theories explaining it, and what it really costs shareholders to hold.
Student loan debt is a legitimate concern, and the return on a college degree varies enormously by field, institution, and student. The key is to look realistically and specifically at each student’s needs and interests, each family’s finances, and all the sources of funding and support that might be available.
The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) pending home sales index rose 1.4% in April to 74.8, markings its third consecutive increase and highest level since November.
I’ve long been a student of game theory, the branch of mathematics that studies how rational actors make decisions when their outcomes depend on what everyone else does. It’s a helpful framework for understanding markets and geopolitics, and right now, there’s no better place to apply it than Taiwan.
A frequently asked question in recent weeks is whether the market is simply ignoring the risks stemming from the current geopolitical conflict, especially given the spike in oil prices that has pushed inflation pressures higher.
Vanguard research suggests that one practical answer may lie in pairing traditional target-date funds with a modest allocation to deferred-income annuities (DIAs).
You are undoubtedly seeing in the news that high earners are leaving New York, Los Angeles, and other metro areas. This does not begin to address the magnitude of the problem. There are dozens of cities that are trending towards fiscal collapse. Indeed, taxpayers are leaving.
Builder confidence posted a modest gain in May despite persistent affordability challenges and economic uncertainty. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Housing Market Index (HMI) rose 3 points from April to 37 this month, marking the 25th consecutive negative reading.
In our Q2 Equity Market Outlook, we identified healthcare as one area where artificial intelligence (AI) is having tangible benefits and presenting investors with new expressions of the AI investment theme. While healthcare may glean some luster from an AI halo, the investment case is also one of counterbalance to the AI juggernaut.
America is fast becoming a country with two economies: a stagnant one for men and a growing one for women. So far this year, the US has created more than 165,000 private-sector jobs, and 72% of them went to women. To some extent this reflects a structural change in the economy, as growth is in industries more likely to employ women, such as healthcare.
AI is surely the zeitgeist at industry conferences across sectors right now. Emerging technology, increased efficiency, and scalability are all talking points. But so too are headcount reductions, reduced tech-sector free cash flow, and growing worries about a 1990s-like bubble.
What were the key takeaways from last month’s numbers? Our corporate bond specialists look back at the market’s performance and provide incisive commentary to help you make sense of what drove the market—and what may be on the horizon for fixed income investors.
High-growth technology stocks still dominate the investment landscape, fueled by the promise of AI. But recent signs of a broadening market are revealing that more industries beyond just tech are positioned to benefit. We think large-cap value stocks are well-poised for this shift, especially since AI can be both a disruptive and driving force in today’s dynamic market.
Apollo Global Management Inc. announced last week that it will soon provide daily pricing for its private credit. It may not sound like a big move, but its decision to lift the veil on these assets could be the most impactful development in financial markets and investing in a long time.
April delivered a constructive backdrop for preferred securities, with the ICE BofA Fixed-Rate Preferred Securities Index rebounding 2.23% and bringing YTD returns back into positive territory at 0.8%.
The logic of balanced investing is straightforward: equities drive long-term growth, bonds provide income and ballast when stocks fall, and the combination delivers a smoother ride than either asset alone. For decades, the 60/40 portfolio has been the default framework for good reason – it has worked, often brilliantly, across multiple market cycles.
April's employment report showed that 17.5% of total employed workers were part time and 82.5% of total employed workers were full-time.
What does the ratio of unemployment claims to the civilian labor force tell us about where we are in the business cycle and recession risk?
This webinar will examine how RaaS is accelerating deployment across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and facilities management — and what this structural shift means for the competitive landscape and long-term investment opportunity in robotics and automation.
The College for Financial Planning is a degree-granting institution offering various financial certification programs. It provides graduate degree, non-degree and continuing professional education programs for students. Founded in 1972, today it is part of Kaplan Financial and has trained over 165,000 professionals.
The inflation dragon is alive and well. Last November, Donald Trump called himself “the affordability president.” However, it appears that the message is falling flat with your average American.
Beneath the surface, however, the story is more complicated. The economy is still advancing, yet it is doing so with a growing bifurcation between households and sectors, while inflation pressures continue to simmer in the background.
Inflation affects everything from grocery bills to rent, making the Consumer Price Index (CPI) one of the most closely watched economic indicators. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks this by categorizing spending into eight categories, each weighted by its relative importance.
In the current market, broad healthcare exposure means navigating relentless regulatory pressure and drug-pricing reform, a combination that can erode returns quickly. To find true value in this challenging macro environment, investors are increasingly turning to cash as the ultimate truth-teller, specifically, free cash flow (FCF).
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index inched up 0.1 points to 95.9, remaining below the index's historical average for a second straight month.
Inflation surged to 3.8% year-over-year in April, hitting its highest level in nearly three years. The headline figure for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was slightly above the forecast of 3.7%, driven primarily by cost increases in energy, shelter, and food.
Early detection, I believe, is one of the smartest investments you can make, whether we’re talking about your portfolio or your health.
LPL Research explores how a potential Warsh-led Fed could reshape policy, Treasury markets, and volatility amid rising deficits and shifting demand.
Existing home sales were modestly boosted in April, inching up 0.2% following a 2.9% decline in March. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), sales reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.02 million units, falling just short of the projected 4.05 million.
Putting money directly into Trump accounts is fundamentally different: It goes directly to the beneficiaries. Whether it will be more effective at improving prosperity or reducing populist anger is unclear. The public/nonprofit model can be better targeted and address specific societal needs, such as hunger or education.
US employers added more jobs than expected for a second month and the unemployment rate held steady in April, indicating the labor market is holding up despite rising energy costs sparked by the Iran war.
Opening a 529 plan is a tax-advantaged way to set aside money for college. The money you contribute can grow tax-deferred and qualified withdrawals are tax-free.
Something unusual is happening with U.S. inflation data. While the core Consumer Price Index (CPI) has looked relatively cool recently, core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) inflation has risen sharply.
Retirement is a challenge for countless investors and their advisors. A new report from Goldman Sachs has more.
As equity markets transition into 2026, large cap equity portfolio managers share a surprisingly consistent framework — paired with sharp disagreements on where risk and opportunity sit. A survey of large growth, value, and blend managers reveals a market shifting away from simple narratives toward selectivity, fundamentals, and manager skill.
Gen Z is coming of age in a world very different from that of their parents. Advisors who want to connect with this cohort need be conscious, not only of Gen Z’s biases and unique perspectives, but also of their own preconceptions and tendencies.
Despite continued geopolitical gridlock that has kept the Strait of Hormuz largely closed—and pushed West Texas Intermediate crude oil above $100 last week for the first time since the April 8 ceasefire announcement—U.S. equities continued to climb.
Affordability is a major problem that is finally getting the attention it needs. As important is directing that attention at the root cause of America’s cost-of-living crisis: inadequate wages.
The April U.S. Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) from S&P Global rose 1.2 points to 51.0, indicating marginal improvement in the services sector. The latest reading was lower than the forecast of 51.3.
Abel, known as a shrewd operator who’s always looking for ways to improve profits at the $1 trillion conglomerate’s varied businesses, said he had just one thought at the time: The company had already shelled out the money to book the arena for the annual meeting in 2026.
Investors are questioning the staying power of medical technology (medtech) stocks, which have fallen from grace since the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet we think innovation continues to create exciting opportunities in companies that march to a different beat than the rest of the healthcare sector.
What a week this was! On Tuesday, I participated on a panel at the Bitcoin Conference in Las Vegas, where I discussed why Bitcoin miners have a head start in the race for AI compute.
When it comes to investing, it’s the Wild West out there. Our clients are hearing things from less scrupulous members of the financial services industry that appear true on the surface but are really aimed at separating people from their money.
The poor sentiment toward private credit funds has dragged down many high-quality BDCs, as well as weaker ones. The chaos and bad press surrounding private credit funds are not reasons to avoid BDCs. In fact, we think it’s a reason to consider them.
Equity markets are growing more selective around AI exposure this year. In the process, a rotation toward “HALO” sectors deemed less sensitive to AI disruption may be opening an opportunity for investors to diversify beyond AI in value and infrastructure equities.
It’s happening. California looks likely to put a “one-time” tax of 5% on wealth above $1 billion on the ballot in November, and polls suggest it could pass — despite opposition from some economists (not so surprising) and Democratic politicians (more so).
Artificial intelligence might be the most transformative technology ever devised. Exactly how its effects will work through the economy is impossible to say, but serious disruption of one kind or another seems likely. Millions of jobs — in the end, maybe most jobs — could radically change, and many will disappear entirely.
U.S. manufacturing hit a nearly four-year high in April, as the S&P Global PMI climbed 2.2 points to 54.5. This expansion was largely driven by defensive stockpiling as companies braced for supply disruptions and price hikes linked to conflict in the Middle East.
Eli Lilly & Co. surprised Wall Street by raising its annual sales and profit forecast, as demand for obesity medications soared and thousands of patients started taking its new weight-loss pill before advertising for the drug had even begun.
International deep value stocks are a high-conviction, active position across all GMO Asset Allocation portfolios. We define the deep value group of securities as the cheapest 20% of the market, a broad opportunity set that allows us to construct portfolios that are cheaper than traditional value indexes but still high in quality.
Days before his first annual meeting as the chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Greg Abel is facing a problem that seldom confronted his legendary predecessor: a floundering stock price.
Inflation-adjusted gross domestic product increased an annualized 2% in the first quarter after the longest-ever federal government shutdown limited growth in the closing months of 2025, according to an initial estimate issued Thursday by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
For years, Warren Buffett shaped the meeting into something closer to a macro forum layered atop a company update. His commentary, alongside the late Charlie Munger’s sharp mind and entertaining voice, kept Berkshire stockholders and the investing world glued to TV screens on the first Saturday in May.
Here’s where I want to start, because this is the point that almost every government debt analysis, including the article we’re responding to, completely ignores. Government debt doesn’t disappear into a void. By definition, if the Government borrows capital from someone, that capital must flow somewhere.
If venture capital investment is a measure of the economic future, California would seem to have locked things up. In the first quarter of this year — by far the biggest quarter for US VC investment ever — an unheard-of 85% of the money went to California companies, according to the PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor. For all of 2025, California’s share was an also-unprecedented 60%.
Global Head of Securitised Products John Kerschner and Portfolio Manager Ian Bettney from Janus Henderson’s Global Securitised Team examine how CLOs and other securitised credit have weathered recent volatility, and why selectivity and active management remain central to capturing opportunities across the market.
Active ETFs are punching well above their weight in 2026. Despite representing just 12% of total ETF assets, actively managed funds have captured 40% of year-to-date flows, Todd Mathias, head of North America ETF product strategy at Franklin Templeton, told attendees at an April 27 roundtable discussion at the firm’s Manhattan office.
If you have an aging parent whose bills are starting to be neglected, or a client who needs more hands-on financial oversight than a planner provides, you might consider hiring a daily money manager. The American Association of Daily Money Managers can help you find someone in your area.
Every year, hundreds of thousands of life insurance policies lapse or are surrendered for cash. The policyholders walk away with whatever the carrier offers. Their advisors sign off. Their attorneys see nothing. And nobody asks the obvious question. Could this policy have sold for more?
Healthcare
Market Focus Shifts From Earnings to Macro Catalysts
Geopolitical risks are still lingering in the background, but the story lately has been all about earnings. A strong 1Q26 season, paired with a steady drumbeat of upbeat management commentary, has helped push the S&P 500 to 21 record highs this year.
How Investors Can Navigate the Maze
Artificial intelligence (AI) poses many ethical issues that may translate into risks for consumers, companies and investors. AI regulation, which is developing unevenly across jurisdictions, adds to the uncertainty. The key for investors, in our view, is to focus on transparency and explainability.
MassMutual, Nationwide Reach $6 Billion Life Risk-Transfer Dea
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. agreed to have Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. reinsure a book of life insurance policies, freeing up about $6 billion of reserves.
Guided by Fundamentals: Navigating Emerging Markets with Value
As globalization gives way to reshoring and resurgent resource nationalism, emerging markets may offer fresh alpha opportunities through their ability to supply the raw materials required to fuel the AI boom.
California Municipals: What Matters Now
California continues to demonstrate fiscal resilience, supported by strong liquidity balances and the absence of projected cash‑flow borrowing through FY 2026–27. However, Medicaid cost pressures, a progressive tax structure highly sensitive to equity market swings, and constitutional spending constraints remain key differentiators between California and other large states.
The Big Four Recession Indicators: Real Personal Income
Personal income (excluding transfer receipts) was down 0.05% in April and was up 2.68% year-over-year. However, when adjusted for inflation using the BEA's PCE Price Index, real personal income (excluding transfer receipts) was down 0.44% month-over-month and down 1.04% year-over-year.
The Ellison Family’s $49 Billion Ask Is an Acid Test for Markets
Bankers are preparing to sell a jumbo debt package to support the $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. It’s a risky deal and comes at a moment when the bond markets have been wobbling.
Initial Unemployment Claims Up 5K, Higher Than Expected
In the week ending May 23rd, initial jobless claims were at a seasonally adjusted level of 215,000. This represents an increase of 5,000 from the previous week's figure and was higher than the forecast of 211,000.
Stocks Rise on AI Optimism While Fed Signals Higher Rates for Longer
In a relatively light week for traditional economic data, a mix of corporate earnings, business surveys, Federal Reserve minutes, and the latest read on the consumer from the University of Michigan helped paint an increasingly clear picture for investors.
Three Reasons to Stick with Growth Stocks in Rotating Markets
US growth stocks underperformed in early 2026 amid AI disruption fears and an unresolved conflict in the Middle East. But these stresses could create favorable conditions for selective, diversified investors to unlock long-term growth potential in a rotating market.
Why Good Advisors Lead With Bad News
Leading with bad news can feel wrong and even confrontational at some level, but the psychology research supports it, the behavioral finance supports it, the career math supports it, and the clients who stay through multiple cycles apply the final confirmation stamp.
45 Million Americans Hit the Road This Weekend Despite $4.50 Gas
Despite these higher costs, a projected 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home this weekend, setting a new record. Close to 40 million will drive while some 3.7 million will fly.
Bank Deregulation Taking Shape
This week marked the passing of former Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank. His signature legislation, the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, was the most recent increment in a long-running history of tighter financial regulation. Some of those rules are now coming under scrutiny, with the goal of making bank lending more competitive.
130 Years of the Dow: Why It Still Matters for Advisors
On May 26, 1896, Charles Dow calculated a simple arithmetic average of 12 industrial stocks and arrived at a closing value of 40.94. Now, exactly 130 years later, that same benchmark has crossed the historic 50,000 threshold.
Consumer Confidence Dipped in May as Inflation Intensifies
The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index® fell for the first time in four months in May, dropping 0.7 points to 93.1. Despite the slight dip, the index came in above the forecast of 91.9.
Banks Need to Prepare for a High-Speed Run
It’s been more than three years since Silicon Valley Bank lost a quarter of its deposits in a day, kicking off a string of bank rescues. The shocking speed of that run was attributed, in part, to the rapid spread of information on social media and the efficiency of digital banking.
Housing Market 2026: Frozen, Not Broken
After a slowdown earlier in the year, stronger April and May data support the view that weakness in January and February, followed by a rebound in March, was largely weather-related rather than the start of a broader deterioration in housing demand.
Musk Is Leading SpaceX Into the Conglomerate Trap
Elon Musk has bucked the trend of industrial conglomerate breakups, including such illustrious companies as General Electric and Honeywell International Inc., and decided to form a somewhat unwieldy company that makes rockets, spacecraft, satellites, antennas, modems and now computer chips. With SpaceX’s purchase of Musk’s xAI in February, the world’s leading space company was married to an AI startup and the X social media platform.
NAV Loans: Flexibility for Private Equity When Holding Periods Extend
For private equity firms, capital flexibility is prized today. Merger-and-acquisition (M&A) activity has cooled, while commodity prices and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven disruption have heated up, creating uncertainty for investors. This makes it more challenging to sell portfolio companies, so private equity firms are holding investments longer. As a result, many firms are turning to net asset value (NAV) loans for capital needs.
America’s Small-Business Boom Comes Without New Jobs
While US financial markets brace for what could be the three biggest initial public offerings ever, most entrepreneurship in the US is headed in the opposite direction: New businesses are shrinking.
This Janus Henderson SMID-Cap ETF is Creeping Up on $1 Billion
Industry discussions on Janus Henderson’s ETF lineup are typically centered around its fixed income funds given the firm’s history in this asset class. However, the issuer also has equity ETFs that are garnering attention, which include a fund that’s close to crossing the $1 billion assets under management (AUM) threshold: the Janus Henderson Small-Mid Cap Growth Alpha ETF (JSMD).
Matt Bartolini Talks Inflation-Resilient Portfolios & More
Recently, Matthew Bartolini, global head of research strategists at State Street Investment Management, sat down with VettaFi to discuss where inflation stands, opportunities within portfolio construction, and much more.
How AI May Increase Jobs, Not Replace Them
From the April payroll report released on May 8, we realize that not all industries are equally impacted by AI. Diagnostic imaging centers, an area where AI is thought to replace humans, have increased demand for workers, whereas bookkeeping demand has declined in recent years.
Are Climbing Bond Yields a Signal to the Fed to Raise Interest Rates?
Global bond yields are reaching frightening levels due to the continued war in Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Continued high oil prices and the threat of reverberating inflation are causing investors to demand higher yields on government bonds.
Graduation Season and Financial Independence: Helping Young Adults Build a Strong Financial Start
Watching your children step into financial independence is one of the most rewarding and complex milestones families experience. As young adults begin earning income, managing expenses, and making major life decisions, the habits and financial knowledge they develop can shape their long-term success.
The Mag Seven’s Free Cash Flow Withers
Stocks’ rally off the March 30 lows has been nothing short of wild, with internal market dynamics showing some performance divergences that we haven’t seen for decades. For example, in the first 6 weeks of the rally, the S&P 500 Growth index beat the S&P 500 Low Volatility Index by more than any other 6-week window on record.
AI, Market Power, and Diminishing Labor Share
In the past year, new models from industry leaders have continued to boost AI’s capabilities. According to various capabilities tests, Anthropic’s Mythos model has leapfrogged other AI models – including in the ability to thwart or support cyberattacks.
AI Won’t Replace OCIO, It Will Separate Leaders From the Rest
Institutional investors have spent years hearing about the promise of artificial intelligence. That phase is giving way to a more practical question: not whether AI can create more scale, but whether that scale can be governed, validated, and translated into better fiduciary decisions. For OCIO providers, AI without discipline is not an advantage.
Tracking the Four Horsemen of the Labor Market
The "four horsemen" of the labor market are the unemployment rate, hiring rate, layoff rate, and vacancy rate. Analyzing them together may sharpen investors' read on the economy.
The Missing Piece of Legacy Planning: Family Health Capital
The next generation may inherit substantial assets. Whether they inherit the health to enjoy them — or the burden of managing preventable family health crises — may matter just as much. Advisors who broaden the definition of legacy planning may be better positioned to protect both.
AI Might Finally Level the Playing Field for Advisors, Brokers
AI is unlikely to replace wealth managers — at least not in the foreseeable future. But it now has the power to expose the gaps between genuine, client-first investment advice and other approaches in a way the industry has not yet seen.
Buffett Cash Hoard: Why $397 Billion Sits On The Sidelines
That Buffett cash hoard has also created a lot of speculation, innuendo, and assumptions, which is what I want to walk through in today’s discussion. Primarily, what that cash hoard actually represents, the popular theories explaining it, and what it really costs shareholders to hold.
Is Education As Unaffordable As It Seems?
Student loan debt is a legitimate concern, and the return on a college degree varies enormously by field, institution, and student. The key is to look realistically and specifically at each student’s needs and interests, each family’s finances, and all the sources of funding and support that might be available.
Pending Home Sales Up for Third Straight Month
The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) pending home sales index rose 1.4% in April to 74.8, markings its third consecutive increase and highest level since November.
The Game Theory Behind Taiwan
I’ve long been a student of game theory, the branch of mathematics that studies how rational actors make decisions when their outcomes depend on what everyone else does. It’s a helpful framework for understanding markets and geopolitics, and right now, there’s no better place to apply it than Taiwan.
Rising Treasury Yields Challenge AI’s Narrow Market Leadership
A frequently asked question in recent weeks is whether the market is simply ignoring the risks stemming from the current geopolitical conflict, especially given the spike in oil prices that has pushed inflation pressures higher.
Retirement Income Security on Your Terms
Vanguard research suggests that one practical answer may lie in pairing traditional target-date funds with a modest allocation to deferred-income annuities (DIAs).
On the Horizon: America’s Municipal Default Crisis
You are undoubtedly seeing in the news that high earners are leaving New York, Los Angeles, and other metro areas. This does not begin to address the magnitude of the problem. There are dozens of cities that are trending towards fiscal collapse. Indeed, taxpayers are leaving.
NAHB Housing Market Index: Affordability Challenges Persist
Builder confidence posted a modest gain in May despite persistent affordability challenges and economic uncertainty. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Housing Market Index (HMI) rose 3 points from April to 37 this month, marking the 25th consecutive negative reading.
Seeking Innovation Beyond Tech? Insight on Healthcare Stocks
In our Q2 Equity Market Outlook, we identified healthcare as one area where artificial intelligence (AI) is having tangible benefits and presenting investors with new expressions of the AI investment theme. While healthcare may glean some luster from an AI halo, the investment case is also one of counterbalance to the AI juggernaut.
In This Job Market, Women Have the Upper Hand
America is fast becoming a country with two economies: a stagnant one for men and a growing one for women. So far this year, the US has created more than 165,000 private-sector jobs, and 72% of them went to women. To some extent this reflects a structural change in the economy, as growth is in industries more likely to employ women, such as healthcare.
Mid-Quarter Investor Conference Calendar: New Leaders, Same Trends, Big Profits
AI is surely the zeitgeist at industry conferences across sectors right now. Emerging technology, increased efficiency, and scalability are all talking points. But so too are headcount reductions, reduced tech-sector free cash flow, and growing worries about a 1990s-like bubble.
The Fed Sees Dissents Amid a Fluctuating Economy
What were the key takeaways from last month’s numbers? Our corporate bond specialists look back at the market’s performance and provide incisive commentary to help you make sense of what drove the market—and what may be on the horizon for fixed income investors.
Can Value Stocks Offer Resilience to AI Disruption?
High-growth technology stocks still dominate the investment landscape, fueled by the promise of AI. But recent signs of a broadening market are revealing that more industries beyond just tech are positioned to benefit. We think large-cap value stocks are well-poised for this shift, especially since AI can be both a disruptive and driving force in today’s dynamic market.
Apollo’s Pricing Plan Will Transform Private Credit
Apollo Global Management Inc. announced last week that it will soon provide daily pricing for its private credit. It may not sound like a big move, but its decision to lift the veil on these assets could be the most impactful development in financial markets and investing in a long time.
Rates Rally, Spreads Tighten and Preferreds Rebound
April delivered a constructive backdrop for preferred securities, with the ICE BofA Fixed-Rate Preferred Securities Index rebounding 2.23% and bringing YTD returns back into positive territory at 0.8%.
The Case for Liquid Alternatives in Today’s Environment
The logic of balanced investing is straightforward: equities drive long-term growth, bonds provide income and ballast when stocks fall, and the combination delivers a smoother ride than either asset alone. For decades, the 60/40 portfolio has been the default framework for good reason – it has worked, often brilliantly, across multiple market cycles.
A Closer Look at Full-time and Part-time Employment: April 2026
April's employment report showed that 17.5% of total employed workers were part time and 82.5% of total employed workers were full-time.
Unemployment Claims and the CLF as a Recession Indicator: April 2026
What does the ratio of unemployment claims to the civilian labor force tell us about where we are in the business cycle and recession risk?
Robotics as a Service: The Business Model Reshaping Automation
This webinar will examine how RaaS is accelerating deployment across manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and facilities management — and what this structural shift means for the competitive landscape and long-term investment opportunity in robotics and automation.
What Is The College for Financial Planning?
The College for Financial Planning is a degree-granting institution offering various financial certification programs. It provides graduate degree, non-degree and continuing professional education programs for students. Founded in 1972, today it is part of Kaplan Financial and has trained over 165,000 professionals.
Inflation Is Americans' Biggest Financial Worry and It's Not Even Close
The inflation dragon is alive and well. Last November, Donald Trump called himself “the affordability president.” However, it appears that the message is falling flat with your average American.
Equity Gains and Surging Energy Costs Divide U.S. Consumers
Beneath the surface, however, the story is more complicated. The economy is still advancing, yet it is doing so with a growing bifurcation between households and sectors, while inflation pressures continue to simmer in the background.
Inside the Consumer Price Index: April 2026
Inflation affects everything from grocery bills to rent, making the Consumer Price Index (CPI) one of the most closely watched economic indicators. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks this by categorizing spending into eight categories, each weighted by its relative importance.
Free Cash Flow Investing: Why VFLO Holds Merck Amid Healthcare Headwinds
In the current market, broad healthcare exposure means navigating relentless regulatory pressure and drug-pricing reform, a combination that can erode returns quickly. To find true value in this challenging macro environment, investors are increasingly turning to cash as the ultimate truth-teller, specifically, free cash flow (FCF).
NFIB Small Business Survey: Optimism Challenged by Inflation
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index inched up 0.1 points to 95.9, remaining below the index's historical average for a second straight month.
Consumer Price Index: Inflation at 3.8% in April
Inflation surged to 3.8% year-over-year in April, hitting its highest level in nearly three years. The headline figure for the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was slightly above the forecast of 3.7%, driven primarily by cost increases in energy, shelter, and food.
AI Could Save Trillions in U.S. Healthcare Costs. These Companies Are Leading the Way.
Early detection, I believe, is one of the smartest investments you can make, whether we’re talking about your portfolio or your health.
Warsh, Policy Direction, and Treasury Market Consequences
LPL Research explores how a potential Warsh-led Fed could reshape policy, Treasury markets, and volatility amid rising deficits and shifting demand.
Existing Home Sales Modestly Boosted in April
Existing home sales were modestly boosted in April, inching up 0.2% following a 2.9% decline in March. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), sales reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.02 million units, falling just short of the projected 4.05 million.
Trump Accounts Are a New Way to Redistribute Wealth
Putting money directly into Trump accounts is fundamentally different: It goes directly to the beneficiaries. Whether it will be more effective at improving prosperity or reducing populist anger is unclear. The public/nonprofit model can be better targeted and address specific societal needs, such as hunger or education.
US Jobs Rise 115,000 in Strongest Two-Month Gain Since 2024
US employers added more jobs than expected for a second month and the unemployment rate held steady in April, indicating the labor market is holding up despite rising energy costs sparked by the Iran war.
529 Plan Tax Deductions for Every State
Opening a 529 plan is a tax-advantaged way to set aside money for college. The money you contribute can grow tax-deferred and qualified withdrawals are tax-free.
U.S. Inflation Measures Tell Two Different Stories
Something unusual is happening with U.S. inflation data. While the core Consumer Price Index (CPI) has looked relatively cool recently, core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) inflation has risen sharply.
Goldman Sachs’ 2025 Retirement Investing Report: 3 Takeaways
Retirement is a challenge for countless investors and their advisors. A new report from Goldman Sachs has more.
AI, Healthcare, and Volatility: Positioning for 2026
As equity markets transition into 2026, large cap equity portfolio managers share a surprisingly consistent framework — paired with sharp disagreements on where risk and opportunity sit. A survey of large growth, value, and blend managers reveals a market shifting away from simple narratives toward selectivity, fundamentals, and manager skill.
Crossing the Digital Divide: 6 Keys for Marketing to Gen Z
Gen Z is coming of age in a world very different from that of their parents. Advisors who want to connect with this cohort need be conscious, not only of Gen Z’s biases and unique perspectives, but also of their own preconceptions and tendencies.
Stocks Climb Amid Signs of Stabilizing Labor Market
Despite continued geopolitical gridlock that has kept the Strait of Hormuz largely closed—and pushed West Texas Intermediate crude oil above $100 last week for the first time since the April 8 ceasefire announcement—U.S. equities continued to climb.
Overpaid CEOs Are the Wrong Target for Affordability Warriors
Affordability is a major problem that is finally getting the attention it needs. As important is directing that attention at the root cause of America’s cost-of-living crisis: inadequate wages.
S&P Global Services PMI: Marginal Improvement in April
The April U.S. Services Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) from S&P Global rose 1.2 points to 51.0, indicating marginal improvement in the services sector. The latest reading was lower than the forecast of 51.3.
Berkshire Investors Praise Greg Abel at Post-Buffett Meeting
Abel, known as a shrewd operator who’s always looking for ways to improve profits at the $1 trillion conglomerate’s varied businesses, said he had just one thought at the time: The company had already shelled out the money to book the arena for the annual meeting in 2026.
Medical Technology Stocks: Innovation Endures as Valuations Reset
Investors are questioning the staying power of medical technology (medtech) stocks, which have fallen from grace since the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet we think innovation continues to create exciting opportunities in companies that march to a different beat than the rest of the healthcare sector.
Nations Are Scrambling for AI Sovereignty. Bitcoin Miners Hold the Keys.
What a week this was! On Tuesday, I participated on a panel at the Bitcoin Conference in Las Vegas, where I discussed why Bitcoin miners have a head start in the race for AI compute.
Ten Nasty Financial Tricks Predators Play on Our Clients
When it comes to investing, it’s the Wild West out there. Our clients are hearing things from less scrupulous members of the financial services industry that appear true on the surface but are really aimed at separating people from their money.
BDCs: Not All Yield Is Created Equal
The poor sentiment toward private credit funds has dragged down many high-quality BDCs, as well as weaker ones. The chaos and bad press surrounding private credit funds are not reasons to avoid BDCs. In fact, we think it’s a reason to consider them.
Adding AI Resilience to Equity Portfolios
Equity markets are growing more selective around AI exposure this year. In the process, a rotation toward “HALO” sectors deemed less sensitive to AI disruption may be opening an opportunity for investors to diversify beyond AI in value and infrastructure equities.
Taxing the Wealthy Won’t Reduce Their Power
It’s happening. California looks likely to put a “one-time” tax of 5% on wealth above $1 billion on the ballot in November, and polls suggest it could pass — despite opposition from some economists (not so surprising) and Democratic politicians (more so).
Taxing Artificial Intelligence Would Be a Big Mistake
Artificial intelligence might be the most transformative technology ever devised. Exactly how its effects will work through the economy is impossible to say, but serious disruption of one kind or another seems likely. Millions of jobs — in the end, maybe most jobs — could radically change, and many will disappear entirely.
S&P Global US Manufacturing PMI™: Strong Improvement Driven by Stockpiling
U.S. manufacturing hit a nearly four-year high in April, as the S&P Global PMI climbed 2.2 points to 54.5. This expansion was largely driven by defensive stockpiling as companies braced for supply disruptions and price hikes linked to conflict in the Middle East.
Lilly Boosts Sales View to $85 Billion on Obesity-Drug Surge
Eli Lilly & Co. surprised Wall Street by raising its annual sales and profit forecast, as demand for obesity medications soared and thousands of patients started taking its new weight-loss pill before advertising for the drug had even begun.
How A “Big Bet” Remains Poised for Future Outperformance
International deep value stocks are a high-conviction, active position across all GMO Asset Allocation portfolios. We define the deep value group of securities as the cheapest 20% of the market, a broad opportunity set that allows us to construct portfolios that are cheaper than traditional value indexes but still high in quality.
Berkshire’s Ailing Share Price Clouds Abel’s First Annual Meeting as CEO
Days before his first annual meeting as the chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., Greg Abel is facing a problem that seldom confronted his legendary predecessor: a floundering stock price.
US GDP Rose 2% in Early 2026 in Sign of Economy’s Resilience
Inflation-adjusted gross domestic product increased an annualized 2% in the first quarter after the longest-ever federal government shutdown limited growth in the closing months of 2025, according to an initial estimate issued Thursday by the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Berkshire Hathaway at a Crossroads: No Buffett, Record Markets, Big Questions
For years, Warren Buffett shaped the meeting into something closer to a macro forum layered atop a company update. His commentary, alongside the late Charlie Munger’s sharp mind and entertaining voice, kept Berkshire stockholders and the investing world glued to TV screens on the first Saturday in May.
Government Debt: Not What The Doom Crowd Thinks It Is
Here’s where I want to start, because this is the point that almost every government debt analysis, including the article we’re responding to, completely ignores. Government debt doesn’t disappear into a void. By definition, if the Government borrows capital from someone, that capital must flow somewhere.
Is California a Harbinger of the AI Job Disruption?
If venture capital investment is a measure of the economic future, California would seem to have locked things up. In the first quarter of this year — by far the biggest quarter for US VC investment ever — an unheard-of 85% of the money went to California companies, according to the PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor. For all of 2025, California’s share was an also-unprecedented 60%.
Securitised and CLOs: Resilience, Diversification and the Case for Active
Global Head of Securitised Products John Kerschner and Portfolio Manager Ian Bettney from Janus Henderson’s Global Securitised Team examine how CLOs and other securitised credit have weathered recent volatility, and why selectivity and active management remain central to capturing opportunities across the market.
Active ETFs Capture 40% of Flows Despite 12% Market Share
Active ETFs are punching well above their weight in 2026. Despite representing just 12% of total ETF assets, actively managed funds have captured 40% of year-to-date flows, Todd Mathias, head of North America ETF product strategy at Franklin Templeton, told attendees at an April 27 roundtable discussion at the firm’s Manhattan office.
Trusted Help From a Daily Money Manager
If you have an aging parent whose bills are starting to be neglected, or a client who needs more hands-on financial oversight than a planner provides, you might consider hiring a daily money manager. The American Association of Daily Money Managers can help you find someone in your area.
The Fiduciary Question Nobody Is Asking About Life Insurance
Every year, hundreds of thousands of life insurance policies lapse or are surrendered for cash. The policyholders walk away with whatever the carrier offers. Their advisors sign off. Their attorneys see nothing. And nobody asks the obvious question. Could this policy have sold for more?