New York City’s theater scene is unrivaled, ranging from intimate off-off-Broadway venues to grand theaters like The Gershwin. Broadway remains the pinnacle of this scene, defined by its professional shows in 41 theaters with over 500 seats. 

Each performance offers a unique, unrepeatable experience, making Broadway a global cultural treasure. This fall, several high-profile productions are generating buzz. Thornton Wilder’s Our Town returns to Broadway after 20 years, with a star-studded cast including Jim Parsons. 

Romeo + Juliet is getting a fresh update with music by Jack Antonoff and a stellar lineup led by Rachel Zegler and Kit Connor. Additionally, Sunset Boulevard, fresh from London’s West End, will star Nicole Scherzinger in her Broadway debut.

Finsum: This is a great way to take in the culture in New York, either as a resident or a traveler. 

Advisors today face increasing challenges in helping clients achieve and maintain financial independence. With high U.S. stock valuations predicting lower future returns, and bond yields offering minimal real returns, portfolio strategies need to evolve.

 Clients are also grappling with rising living costs, longer life spans, and elevated housing prices, creating greater financial strain. Factor investing offers a solution, selecting securities based on traits like momentum, quality, and low volatility, which have historically outperformed. 

These strategies can be implemented cost-effectively through ETFs and optimized for tax efficiency within households. Although no factor guarantees success in every market, a diversified approach to factor investing provides a long-term opportunity for outperformance.

Finsum: Factor investing is robust proven strategy that can bring legitacy to new advisors or those looking to expand client adoption. 

Leading up to the much-anticipated rate cut, global investors increased their equity fund purchases, anticipating a rate cut by the Federal Reserve that would kick off a broader cycle of reductions. A total of $5.21 billion was poured into equity funds, slightly below the $6.54 billion invested the previous week. 

The Fed’s 50-basis point rate cut spurred risk appetite, particularly in Asia and Europe, where equity funds attracted strong inflows. Meanwhile, U.S. equity fund sales declined to a four-week low. Sector funds, particularly in financials and tech, saw outflows for the third consecutive week, while bond funds maintained their appeal, continuing a 39-week streak of net inflows. 

Additionally, precious metal funds attracted investors for a sixth week, while energy funds faced a reversal with net sales of $129 million. The data reflects increased confidence in riskier assets and a shift away from money market funds, which saw outflows after six weeks of positive investments.

Finsum: There are still two more rate hikes on the forecast if investors want to take note of these trends in equity markets.

October 12, 2024, is set to be a landmark day for college football, potentially one of the best single-day lineups in the sport’s history. While the playoffs still draw some of the most eyeballs, these matchups are offering a supreme experience to those watching through the television and on the tailgate. 

Major matchups include No. 2 Ohio State facing No. 3 Oregon, No. 6 Ole Miss battling No. 13 LSU, and No. 8 Penn State taking on No. 23 USC. These high-stakes games fall right in the heart of conference play, with playoff implications hanging in the balance. Along with Florida vs. Tennessee and the Red River Showdown between Texas and Oklahoma, this day will undoubtedly shape the landscape of the season. 

Star players and top programs will clash in what could be season-defining battles, making October 12 a must-watch for fans.

Finsum: While the NFL might dominate popularity and ratings, the mystique around these college football days is unparalleled. 

The bond market is experiencing a notable transformation, similar to what the equity market saw with the "barbell effect." Investors are splitting their capital between low-cost passive funds like ETFs and high-return alternatives like private credit, while traditional active managers are struggling to stay competitive. 

Bond ETFs have gained ground, fueled by rising interest rates, offering lower fees and better liquidity. Meanwhile, regulations are pushing banks to offload risky debt, increasing partnerships with private credit firms. 

This shift is spurring innovation, and major players are betting on private credit becoming a mainstream asset class.

Finsum: Seeing how the long-term impact of private credit affects the bond market will be worth monitoring tightly over the coming years but more immediately, this rate cycle.