In an article for Vettafi, Ben Hernandez discusses why intermediate-term Treasuries could be the best option for fixed income investors given the current market environment. In recent months, long-term Treasuries have considerably weakened as it’s become increasingly clear that the Federal Reserve is not close to pivoting in terms of its rate policy.

This is primarily due to the economy continuing to avoid a recession, while data like the jobs market and consumer spending continue to indicate the economy is expanding. At the same time, the short-end offers generous yields but would underperform in the event that the Fed cuts rates. Another factor is that there is going to be high levels of Treasury supply hitting the market later this year as the government looks to fund its deficit.

Given that both ends of the curve have high levels of risk and uncertainty, investors should consider intermediate-term Treasuries to take advantage of elevated yields while reducing duration risk. 

Historically, these periods of ‘pause’ when the Fed is deliberating its next policy move tend to be volatile. This is even more the case this year given the runup in yields and uncertainty in political and macro arenas. 

Finsum: Intermediate-term Treasuries could be the best option for investors given the risks and uncertainty surrounding the short and long-end. 

One of the biggest long-term issues affecting the energy sector is the growth of electric vehicles. According to the IEA, 50% of new vehicles sold will be EVs by 2030 with EV sales completely displacing traditional internal combustion engines (ICE) by 2050. 

In Q2 of 2023, there was a new record in terms of sales in the US with nearly 300,000 EVs bought which comprises about 7% of the total sold. A big contributing factor is the Inflation Relief Act which offered subsidies for up to $7,500 for select EVs with many states offering additional subsidies.  

Of course, this has major implications for gasoline demand which is a major component of crude oil use. And, it’s one reason why many are betting that global oil demand is peaking and set to decline over the coming decades.

This narrative is even affecting the supply side as many producers are using excess cash flow to pay off debt, distribute dividends, and strengthen their balance sheet rather than invest in new production. However, if this narrative turns out to be preemptive or incorrect, then there is likely going to be major upside for the energy sector.

Finsum: EV sales hit new record highs in Q2 of 2023 in part due to subsidies from the Inflation Relief Act. Whether EV sales keep rising is a major storyline in the energy market. 

In an article for AdvisorHub, Lisa Fu covers Prudential moving $50 billion in client assets from Fidelity’s custody to LPL. As a result, starting late in 2024, 2,600 Prudential brokers will start using LPL as their broker-dealer instead of Fidelity.

It continues to indicate that LPL is focused on growing its broker-dealer business in addition to having the largest network of advisors in the country. The deal is expected to result in around $125 million in costs for LPL but is expected to contribute $60 million in accretive earnings when the transition is completed. 

LPL is boosting its broker-dealer business at the same time that many asset managers are outsourcing these functions to reduce costs. Currently, LPL’s custody unit has $230 billion in assets and has agreements with nearly 1,000 institutions. The firm sees an ultimate opportunity of $5 trillion in custodial assets. 

Fidelity’s agreement with Prudential had an early termination clause which was triggered with the decision to move. It’s expected to be between $6 million and $8 million. Some other perks that Fidelity provided included revenue sharing, research, and preferred pricing. 

Finsum: LPL Financial is growing its custodial business and recently landed $50 billion in client assets from Prudential who is shifting away from Fidelity. 

In an article for Investopedia, Justin Kuepper shared some strategies for financial advisors to grow their practices. This type of planning is important to ensure that daily activities are aligned with your long-term financial goals as well as your client’s. Without consistently investing in these efforts, it’s likely that your practice will start to erode as clients who leave are not replaced. 

Instead, advisors should focus on carving out a specific niche such as focusing on a particular community, industry, or demographic. This will lend more expertise and credibility and lead to more curiosity and comfort from clients and prospects. You will also have less competition and be able to develop a brand which can be difficult given that financial advisors offer many of the same services. 

The next growth strategy is to provide exceptional service to your clients as it can lead to referrals which is the most effective form of marketing. Some advisors make the mistake of focusing too much on new business and see high rates of attrition when existing clients don’t feel valued. Putting these strategies in place also means that advisors don’t need to compromise on price as they will be offering a premium, differentiated service.

Finsum: Growing a financial advisory business takes planning and strategic thinking. Here are some tips to ensure success.

[Webinar] Embrace the Role of Risk Manager with Hedged Equity Solutions

Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at 3 PM ET 

On the heels of the first Fed rate hike since 2018 and a slowing post-pandemic economic expansion, many clients are finding the mantra "keep calm" hard to follow. These times of uncertainty are a great opportunity for financial advisors to strengthen existing relationships and win new clients. But how do you get prospects off the sidelines, keep clients invested and manage risk without limiting upside potential?

Magnifi by TIFIN is excited to be joined by Swan Global Investments and Advisor Resource Council for a virtual panel presented by WealthManagement.com. Join our upcoming webinar for a discussion about:

• Risk drivers and opportunities in the current market environment
• Fed policy and the impact on balanced portfolios
• Embracing the role of risk manager as a competitive advantage 
• How AI-powered technology is transforming investing

Register at WealthManagement.com

Panelists:

Marc Odo

Marc Odo, CFA®, FRM®, CAIA®, CIPM®, FDP®, CFP® is responsible for helping clients and prospects gain a detailed understanding of Swan’s Defined Risk Strategy, including how it fits into an overall investment strategy. His responsibilities also include producing most of Swan’s thought leadership content.

Prior to joining Swan, Odo was Director of Research for 11 years at Zephyr Associates, a leading provider of investment analysis software. He was responsible for developing next generation risk analytics. Prior to that he was a portfolio manager with Accessor Capital Management, a mutual fund company; and part of the investment analytics team at Pacific Portfolio Consulting, an RIA catering to high net worth individuals and ERISA plans. In both positions, Odo was the resident Zephyr expert. He graduated from the University of Washington in 1996.

Jean Paul Lagarde

Jean Paul founded Advisor Resource Council (ARC) Asset Management in 2015 where he leverages expertise in portfolio construction and options contracts to reshape the risk/reward of equity market exposure. ARC manages equity and fixed income SMA strategies that combine the power of artificial intelligence with the intuition of fundamental analysis in the pursuit of better risk-adjusted returns.

Prior to ARC, Jean Paul served as a senior analyst for an RIA/Hedge Fund, as well as a sell-side analyst and institutional salesperson advising clients on their equity holdings.

Jean Paul holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Dallas.

Matt Barley

Matt Barley, RICP® is Director of Advisor Sales at Magnifi by TIFIN. Prior to joining Magnifi in 2020, Matt spent more than a decade in the financial services industry. He was previously a registered representative and investment advisor at Securities America. Before that, he was an advisory consultant at National Planning Holdings and a wholesaler for Jackson National Life.

Matt holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from University of Colorado Boulder - Leeds School of Business, and is a Retirement Income Certified Professional®.

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