Eq: Total Market
Value has outperformed the market tremendously for a portion of this year and value managers must be starting to get a little of that old feeling back...see the full story on our partner's site
2021 has posed its fair share of risks to the average portfolio: emerging market disruption, Covid-19 resurgence, slowing economic growth, and rising inflation. However, model portfolios are the solution advisors can utilize to mitigate this risk. Often sought after for their ability for advisors to utilize in order to spend time deepening relationships with clients, a suite of model portfolios have popped up targeted to mitigate risks. For example, EQM Capital launched a variety of modular model portfolios that are risk-based ETFs to better suit clients’ portfolio objectives and preferences.
FINSUM: Model portfolios are expanding and changing in a variety of ways, and this means they can better suit their clients whether that's for their risk level or ESG expansion.
Hedged equity is an increasingly popular term in investing. But what exactly is hedged equity? How can you use hedged equity in a portfolio? What are examples of hedge equity strategies?...see more on our partner's site
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Active ETFs have grown in popularity, doubling in the last two years, and they are starting to reverse the 30-year index trend invented by John Bogle. Mutual fund giants such as Fidelity, T.Rowe Price, Franklin Templeton, and American Century all have opened active funds. Driving this inflow is a series of regulatory changes that protect active fund insights and make them more tax efficient. SEC regulations have allowed semitransparent ETFs to use custom baskets and move around stocks in order to not realize gains. Semitransparent ETFs have better liquidity which allows them to cut the high transactions costs of yesteryear. Some of the fastest-growing funds are Cathie Wood’s ARK Innovation, but JPMorgan’s Ultra-Short Income, PIMCO Enhanced Short Maturity and JPMorgan’s Equity Premium Income. Finally, the current environment is allowing active funds to edge out. Active funds have thematic interests that satisfy investors at lower costs than traditional funds, and pickers outperform when there is high dispersion (as there is now).
FINSUM: Active funds are cutting costs to some of the lowest levels historically and in these tumultuous times that makes them as competitive as ever.
Whether the US’ current bout of inflation is caused by transitory supply-side factors, or trillions of dollars poured into the economy by policymakers, is irrelevant because investors are now tasked with finding a way through the stock market jitters. As inflation rises it eats at yields and the value of fixed coupons falls. To avoid the pitfalls of rising prices look to dividend stocks, whose yields are pushed higher by inflation. Of course not all dividend stocks are created equal and some will outperform in an inflationary environment. The best income stocks are in the financial sector because they benefit from rising interest rates, as their interest rate margins expand in such environments. Energy is next, at least currently. Higher demand boosts prices of oil and gas, which benefits energy sector investors as it is one of the highest dividend payers. These sectors are the most likely to boost their dividends in the rising price environment.
FINSUM: Dividend stocks have no doubt outperformed just about every segment of the bond market, and expanding your dividend holdings may be a good idea as inflation comes in at 20-year highs.
September saw the Vix creep to a 4-month high as the S&P 500 blew off 4.8% of its value. Most investors were hoping for a bounce-back month in October, chalking up September’s poor performance to a checkered history for the opening of autumn. However, they are likely to be remiss as volatility indexes are still climbing. The pullback in September was the largest since March of 2020, when the pandemic began.BofA said that while October is generally a well-performing month when it trails a struggling September, October can drag as well. Debt ceiling negotiations, oil price spikes, and Fed tapering are just a few of the onslaught of headlines which are giving the market fits.
FINSUM: While volatility has yet to hit the peaks of September it is already consistently above its 200-day moving average, which could be a sign of even more volatility to come.