Displaying items by tag: hedging

We currently find ourselves in an unusual situation, as far as the economy and the financial markets. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Federal Government and Federal Reserve introduced massive fiscal and monetary stimulus programs ... [Read More]

Over 500 institutional investors were surveyed and one of the top 5 most important themes going into 2022 is active management in areas like fixed income markets. A combination of factors are leading to more investment but broadly speaking, it is uncertainty which is having investors leaning into active management. On top of this, active management is preferred as the best strategy in risk management overall. A majority of those surveyed believe high fluctuation in inflows and outflows to passive funds put the market in a more systemically risky position. Despite a dragging start to 2021, 70% of investors said their active funds outperformed passive ones.

FINSUM: Picking stocks is always hard, but increased volatility could give pickers an edge.

Model portfolios allow the feel of tailored experience with the ability to hit wider audiences by addressing the specific risks, features or scenarios investors are concerned about. WisdomTree has been a leader in model portfolio development by providing options across diverse assets such as equity, fixed-income, strategic multi-asset, growth oriented, and dividend options. On top of this they build out scenario focused funds.Their fixed income funds are focusing on shorter duration quality bonds while dipping into alternative credit. They have also developed a variety of international funds that focus on developing countries in order to meet the needs of investors worried the U.S. equity market is too overvalued.

FINSUM: Model portfolios are giving advisors a strong option for targeted concerns that face their clients like volatility and inflation.

Bonds and equities are more correlated than ever and on top of that there isn’t any yield in the bond market these days due to the trillions in QE. Investors are now searching for an uncorrelated hedge to what looks like a looming equity bubble, and private credit markets are giving investors an alternative. High fees, opaque transactions, illiquid markets, and locked up finances are downsizing private credit but more companies are searching for financing partnerships in private markets. Middleman companies like Blackstone and Carlyle Tactical Private Credit can match companies in transactions that wouldn’t be possible in public markets and generate yield that wouldn’t normally be possible. In order to meet the rising demand private creditors are pitching to larger companies that could have access to the public bond market and giving persuasive pitches.

FINSUM: Private credit is the most enticing alternative to the volatile bond market. 

A new study by Alliance for Lifetime Income and CANNEX is shaking the foundation of the standard portfolio construction which uses 60/40 equity bond split to simultaneously grow and protect/provide income. Investors in hypothetical allocation, 20% of their portfolio into equities 14% into real estate and annuities made up the next largest category of 13% followed by CDs, bonds, and alternatives. This overwhelming support for annuities is interesting but even more intriguing iis that nearly 85% of investors were interested in a lifetime guaranteed income annuity or already own one. Advisors should hear their clients desires for annuities rather than push the traditional portfolio allocation. The increased interest in annuities is a growing trend for investors and will be a more prominent feature in the average portfolio.

FINSUM: The pandemic and the current financial landscape has upended what many investors thought of as a safe asset, and guaranteed income (even at a cost) is worth it for many.