Displaying items by tag: volatility

Veriti Management LLC recently announced it is rebranding as First Trust Direct Indexing. The provider of tax-advantaged, direct indexing solutions also announced the appointment of Robert Hughes as Chief Executive Officer, taking the reins from Veriti Co-Founder and Managing Partner James Dilworth. Hughes will focus on integrating Veriti’s direct indexing capabilities and technology with the extensive resources and distribution network provided by its new affiliate, First Trust Portfolios L.P. Veriti was acquired by First Trust Portfolios last July. The deal lets First Trust bring direct indexing to its advisor clients, while potentially exposing Veriti to a larger market. The affiliation between the two companies comes at a time when there is strong demand for more tax-efficient, personalized investment solutions. First Trust Direct Indexing seeks to turn volatility into an asset through tax loss harvesting strategies, which have the potential to increase an investor’s after-tax returns. Hughes had this to say about the rebranding and his appointment, “First Trust Direct Indexing is well positioned to help advisors solve the dual demands of individualized account customization and a smart approach to seeking tax alpha that can tilt client portfolios to their satisfaction. I’m excited to be joining at a pivotal time for our business and the industry.”

Finsum:Following the acquisition of Veriti by First Trust Portfolios last July, the firm is rebranding as First Trust Direct Indexing and appointing Robert Hughes as CEO.

You can’t talk about the markets in 2022 without mentioning volatility, and it appears investors are just as nervous now as they were last year. That is according to the results of a recent survey from Allianz Life. The firm’s findings in its Quarterly Market Perceptions Study for the fourth quarter of 2022 revealed that 77% of the survey's respondents believe equities will be volatile in 2023, extending the big swings that eventually drove stocks into a bear market in 2022. Stocks were hit hard last year as high inflation prompted the Fed to raise interest rates. The volatility is making most Americans nervous about their retirement portfolios in the face of a potential recession, while inflation is still running hot. In fact, many investors would rather hold onto cash than risk losing money in stocks. Allianz Life found that 64% said they would rather have their money sit in cash rather than endure market swings. The financial services provider also noted that Americans are so concerned about their financial futures that many are halting retirement contributions and are worried about covering their day-to-day expenses. For instance, 65% of respondents said they will adjust their retirement and investment plans if volatility continues, jumping from 57% during the same period last year. Plus, eighty-two percent of Americans are worried that rising inflation will keep hurting their income's purchasing power over the next six months.

Finsum:After suffering crushing losses last year on account of wild market swings, investors are even more concerned about volatility this year, which could result in them sitting in cash and halting retirement contributions.

Amid volatility that wreaked havoc on the market last year, hedge funds lost almost $125 billion worth of assets from performance losses, according to Hedge Fund Research (HFR) data. Investors also pulled their money from hedge funds last year, leading to a net outflow of $55 billion, the largest capital flight from hedge funds since 2016. This is a sharp reversal from 2021 when hedge funds saw $15 billion in net inflows. Volatility in the markets was triggered by high inflation, interest rate hikes, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Investors pulled $40.4 billion out of hedge funds that buy and sell stocks, a strategy that posted the worst performance for the year, losing $112.5 billion. Even macro funds that saw strong performance last year dealt with outflows. Institutional investors pulled $15 billion from these funds, according to HFR. In fact, the only hedge fund strategy that did see an increase in money was event-driven mergers and acquisition and credit funds that saw $4.3 billion in inflows. It was a tough year for performance overall for the hedge fund industry, as the HFRI 500 Fund Weighted Composite Index fell 4.2%. The index tracks many of the largest global hedge funds, marking the worst performance since 2018.

Finsum:The hedge fund industry lost $125 billion last year amid market volatility triggered by high inflation, interest rate hikes, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

According to new survey data from SoFi, more than a third (37%) of investors said they made impulsive investment decisions due to heightened volatility in the market last year, with younger investors significantly more likely to do so. Out of the 1,000 investors surveyed by SoFi, 29% said they bought a lot of investments, 17% said they sold a lot of investments, and 55% did not buy or sell. While impulsive trading during heightened market volatility is normal, it’s exactly what financial experts say not to do as it can hurt your portfolio over the long run. Instead, investors should stick to their investment plan and stay the course. Joel Mittelman, president of Mittelman Wealth Management, previously told Money.com that “Ironically, during a period of extreme volatility is exactly when you need the discipline and structure of some investment plan. Unfortunately, that's often when people throw the plan in the garbage." Investors are often unsuccessful at predicting the market, so staying invested is typically the best way to optimize returns over the long term. Plus, when you stick to your plan, you won’t miss out on the eventual recovery.

Finsum: A recent survey by SoFi found that 37% of investors made impulsive decisions due to the heightened market volatility last year, the exact opposite experts recommend.

In a year when almost every S&P 500 sector was in the red, the energy sector surged 64.56%, according to S&P data. While the portfolios of energy investors looked great, energy bills for the home were another story. High energy prices took a bite out of the household budgets for many. However, a reversal seems to be in play this month. The energy sector is now under pressure as natural-gas prices have fallen more than 60% from their 52-week high due to a warmer-than-expected winter. While energy prices falling is good for household budgets, it’s bad news for energy stock investors. Matt Portillo, head of research at Tudor, Pickering, Holt, told Barron’s that “The warmer-than-expected winter pulled forward the expected decline in natural gas price. Stocks could fall an additional 20% to 30% until they find a bottom.” Wall Street analysts expect more volatility in natural-gas prices in the months ahead, but patient investors can look forward to better valuations for energy stocks in the second half of the year. Paul Diamond, an analyst at Citigroup, wrote in a note Tuesday that “We expect the coming volatility to present a better entry point than is currently available and expect recent volatility to persist through the winter, at which point eyes will turn to the build for next winter.”

Finsum:With natural gas prices falling due to a warmer-than-expected winter, energy stock prices have taken a hit, which could lead to more attractive valuations in the second half of the year.