(New York)

Some analysts think that investment grade (IG) bonds might see some very rough times ahead. In fact, one analyst from Pavilion Global Markets says that IG bonds have “virtually no value proposition under any given economic scenario”. Think about the following package of information taken as a whole: 1. iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF has lost 6.6% this year; 2. IG yields are well below 6.6%; 3. Investors have been pouring money in IG bond mutual funds and ETFs. So IG bonds are losing value much more quickly than they are yielding, which spells a recipe for disaster to some. According to the same analyst “be mindful of the potential for significant outflows in the days to come”.

FINSUM: We can’t say we agree here. While fixed income as a whole looks fragile right now, the losses have provided room for IG bonds to appreciate as the economy and earnings improve. We do not think it will be all bad news.

(Chicago)

There is a very large, but little-discussed issue when going independent. When you move from being an employee advisor to an independent, your health insurance situation can be difficult. Not only is there the issue of keeping your health insurance intact immediately following your departure, but you also need to establish a significant health insurance plan with an insurer that can support your current and future employees. So it is good news to hear that the Financial Services Institute has launched a new program aimed at helping advisors with this transition. Not only will the FSI help with transitioning, but they can also provide cost savings.

FINSUM: This seems like a very good idea. This is an issue for everyone transitioning to owning a small business, not just advisors. Learn more here

(Washington)

This week was a big one for infrastructure stocks. After years of discussion, Biden took action and put forth an eye-opening $3 tn package (in two parts) for American infrastructure. The package would focus on infrastructure, education, work force development, and fighting climate change. The aim is to make the economy more productive. However, for the stock market, one of the immediate benefits is how such government dollars would affect infrastructure stocks. Most specifically, look at the following sectors: machines, construction, and materials stocks.

FINSUM: $3 tn is a great deal of money, and a lot of it will likely flow into the private sector to fulfil these mandates. Time to dig in and pick winners. We will continue coverage on this in the coming week.

(New York)

The Pandemic has shifted the paradigm for many investors as they look to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) to make up a larger share of their portfolio. ESG will shape the future of investing but there is a new way to invest in green companies with a new twist. Sustainably linked bonds (SLB) allow firms to receive money for green energy initiatives but rather they will pay a penalty if they don’t meet expectations. Marilyn Ceci head of ESG development at JP Morgan expects SLB to hit $120-150 billion despite issuance since inception being only around $20 billion. SLB isn’t a threat to ESG as the industry is expected to grow from $270 billion last year to over $400 billion this year, but rather a compliment to the growing industry. ESG's ability to withstand the full business cycle is a testament to its future. FINSUM: SLB’s offer many companies a way to a greener future without an explicit plan, and are a reflection of how large ESG is growing. Other companies need a way to keep up with this burgeoning bond market.

(New York)

Model portfolios provided by third parties have become increasingly popular for advisors, but separating the best from the rest is no easy feat. To help out advisors, Morningstar now has rankings and guides (see them here). Here are five of the top picks from Morningstar: BlackRock Target Allocation ETF, Vanguard CORE, American Funds Growth & Income, American Funds Tax Aware Growth & Income, BlackRock Multi-Asset Income. Other interesting options include the State Street Strategic Asset Allocation and T.Rowe Price Active.

FINSUM: The world of model portfolios has been proliferating enough that scoring and guidance is very useful (just think how hard ETF selection would be without screeners!).