Holiday travel can bring excitement, but it often comes with a range of stressors due to the sheer volume of people traveling. 

1. Book Early and Use Price Alerts: To avoid the stress of skyrocketing fares, it’s crucial to book your holiday travel as early as possible. Setting up price alerts on websites like Skyscanner can help you track fluctuations and snag the best deal when the time is right. 

1. Consider Less-Crowded Destinations: For example, if you’re dreaming of sun and sand, opt for alternatives to crowded hotspots. Instead of Cabo, try Todos Santos for a more relaxed, affordable getaway with fewer tourists. 

1. Have a Backup Plan: Preparing a solid backup plan is key. Consider purchasing travel insurance to cover potential disruptions, and map out alternative routes to your destination in case your flight gets canceled. 

Millions are hitting the road, airports, and train stations, all with the same idea of seeing loved ones or taking a vacation at the same time.

Finsum: I love using flight monitoring services and historical averages to minimize my holiday flight costs. 

Innovator Capital Management has launched a new ETF targeting the Russell 2000, adding to its Managed Floor suite. This ETF offers small-cap exposure with a built-in downside cushion, limiting potential losses to around 10% over a rolling 12-month period. 

Unlike traditional defined outcome ETFs that lock in a fixed downside and upside cap, this fund employs a laddered options strategy for more flexibility and dynamic risk management. As volatility looms due to uncertainties around the election and interest rates, the fund aims to attract investors who are cautious about small-cap risks but still want exposure. 

This move capitalizes on increased investor interest in small-caps while addressing concerns about potential market downturns. Ultimately, Innovator's strategy is designed to provide both growth opportunities and a safeguard against significant losses.

Finsum: Small caps can outperform in a falling rate environment and this could be a great option for new buffer ETF investors. 

CAIS, a leading alternative investment platform for independent financial advisors, has launched CAIS Advisors, a registered investment advisor aimed at improving portfolio construction tools. Headed by Chief Investment Officer Neil Blundell, CAIS Advisors plans to offer advisory services and customizable alternative investment portfolios.

Blundell highlighted the challenges advisors face when integrating alternative investments into broader portfolios and emphasized how CAIS technology simplifies this process. The new division will also introduce multi-manager registered solutions, spanning private equity, real assets, and hedge funds.

 Additionally, CAIS will debut Compass, a tool designed to streamline portfolio construction using alternative investments. These launches were unveiled at the CAIS Alternative Investment Summit.

Finsum: Model portfolios and construction tools can greatly improve advisor effectiveness and efficiency. 

Derek Jeter considered the 2000 World Series, where the Yankees faced the Mets, his most stressful experience, feeling relief rather than joy after winning. He believed losing to the Mets would have forced him to leave Manhattan, reflecting the pressure of maintaining control over the city. 

As the Yankees prepare for the ALCS against the Guardians and the Mets face the Dodgers in the NLCS, there's a chance of another Subway Series. This would be the third time both New York teams made the LCS in the same year, with 2000 being the last occurrence. 

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, formerly with the Yankees, and players from both teams are familiar faces, heightening anticipation. However, both teams remain focused on their current opponents, determined to advance.

Finsum: This could be an absolute electric sporting event in one of the most prominent sports cities in the U.S. 

Around two-thirds of active bond funds outperformed their average passive peers during the 12-month period ending June 30, according to Morningstar's latest Active/Passive Barometer. The report, which examines the performance of over 8,000 funds across various categories, highlighted that intermediate core bond funds led the way, beating passive funds 72% of the time. 

These active bond funds benefitted from narrowing credit spreads and inflation that kept interest rate cuts on hold. However, over a 10- and 15-year horizon, only 45.5% and 15.9% of these funds outperformed, respectively.

Additionally, actively managed real estate funds outperformed their passive counterparts 66% of the time over the same 12 months, with U.S. and global real estate funds seeing strong short-term success.