If you're considering a core bond holding for your portfolio, the Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Institutional Fund (VBTIX) is a strong contender worth a closer look. Launched in 1995 and managed by Joshua Barrickman since 2013, VBTIX offers broad exposure to the U.S. investment-grade bond market and has grown to more than $43 billion in assets. 

Over the past five years, it delivered an annualized return of -0.94%, but has shown moderate volatility, with a five-year standard deviation of 6.26%—notably lower than the category average of 12%, making it a relatively stable option. With an ultra-low expense ratio of just 0.04% and no sales load, the fund is significantly cheaper than most of its peers, though it does require a high $5 million minimum investment. 

VBTIX's beta of 1 suggests it tracks the bond market closely, while its slightly negative alpha (-0.04) reflects challenges in beating the benchmark on a risk-adjusted basis. 

Finsum: For large institutions or high-net-worth investors seeking cost-efficient, diversified bond exposure with low volatility, VBTIX could be a foundational piece of a fixed-income strategy.

The U.S. equity market remains a hotspot for high-growth opportunities, particularly within the AI infrastructure sector, where companies like Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ: SMCI), or Supermicro, are helping shape the next wave of computing. 

Specializing in powerful server and storage systems tailored for AI and high-performance computing (HPC), Supermicro is seeing a surge in demand as enterprises ramp up their investments in AI workloads. Despite a temporary stock slump sparked by a short-seller report and delayed financial filings, an internal review cleared the company of wrongdoing, helping to restore investor confidence. 

Now trading at more than 60% below its peak, Supermicro offers a compelling entry point for investors seeking discounted exposure to cutting-edge AI infrastructure. Its proprietary Data Center Building Block Solutions and liquid cooling technologies give it an edge in energy efficiency and scalability—both crucial in a market increasingly focused on sustainable computing. 

Finsum: The AI era will require a huge amount of infrastructure in order to hold up to the rising demands, investors should consider this cross over. 

As of June 2025, the Federal Reserve has maintained its key interest rate, creating a rare window for investors to take advantage of elevated yields at the short end of the bond curve. 

With short-term yields currently exceeding those of intermediate maturities, ultrashort bond funds have emerged as an efficient way to earn income without assuming significant duration risk. These funds, which typically hold maturities under one year, offer a balance of liquidity, low volatility, and competitive returns. Among the top active strategies is Pimco’s Short-Term fund, which combines nimble credit allocation with disciplined risk management, avoiding complex securities and leaning on deep market expertise. 

For investors seeking tax-efficient income, Vanguard’s Ultra Short-Term Tax-Exempt fund delivers high-quality municipal bond exposure with an ultrashort duration, making it a smart pick in rising rate environments. 

Finsum: These strategies give investors a way to capture attractive yields while staying agile amid ongoing rate uncertainty.

Large-cap companies often have massive reach, but that scale can make sustained growth harder to come by, which is why identifying those with strong competitive advantages is key. Cadence Design Systems (CDNS), for example, has built a dominant position in semiconductor design software, achieving an 85.9% gross margin and 24% billings growth, signaling strong customer demand and profitability. 

Vertiv (VRT), a critical supplier of data center infrastructure, has demonstrated consistent organic growth and improving free cash flow margins, setting it up for long-term operational success without relying on acquisitions. Ingersoll Rand (IR), known for its industrial flow solutions, has significantly improved its efficiency and cash generation, with earnings per share growing faster than revenue, reflecting rising profitability. 

All three companies benefit from strong flywheel effects, where success breeds more success by enabling reinvestment and customer loyalty. With forward P/E ratios ranging from the mid-20s to the low-30s, each stock presents a different value proposition depending on investor preference for growth versus valuation. 

Finsum: These large-cap names offer compelling upside potential regardless of broader market uncertainty.

Financial advice has long been seen as a luxury for the wealthy, but with new technology that’s rapidly changing,  Artificial intelligence is making high-quality financial guidance more accessible, helping advisors serve more people and empowering individuals to take control of their financial futures.

Today, only about 35% of Americans have a financial plan—a gap caused by high costs, limited access, and discomfort around discussing money. Traditional retirement strategies like the 4% withdrawal rule and fixed retirement ages are becoming outdated as lifespans lengthen and economic uncertainty grows. Many people rely on fragmented resources, such as online tools or informal advice, which often fail to create cohesive, personalized strategies.

Here’s where AI steps in:

• It delivers dynamic, real-time guidance tailored to individual life stages, financial goals, and challenges, far beyond what a static plan or annual review can offer.
• It democratizes access to planning tools, enabling younger investors, women, and middle-income families to build strong, personalized financial plans.
• It enhances professional advice by helping wealth managers streamline portfolio management, forecast needs, and deliver hyper-personalized service.

Finsum: For advisors helping clients plan for retirement, the right technology can help anyone make confident, informed decisions about their financial journey.

So far in 2025, silver has climbed over 20%, breaking through $36 per ounce in early June for its highest price in 13 years, while gold has also soared, reaching a record $3,500 in April and gaining nearly 28% year to date. Both metals have attracted investors seeking safety amid global uncertainty, with gold up 47% from June 2024 to June 2025 and silver rising 23% in the same period. 

Analysts see reasons for silver to potentially outperform gold later this year, pointing to strong industrial demand, ongoing supply deficits, and its status as a leveraged monetary hedge. 

Bank of America forecasts silver reaching $40 and gold $4,000 by year-end, while other experts predict silver could even break $49 per ounce by 2025. However, risks remain, including a possible global recession reducing industrial demand, a stronger dollar, and the impact of high interest rates that could hurt all precious metals. 

Finsum: While gold’s rally might be priced in, silver’s combination of industrial and monetary appeal could help it close the gap in the coming months.

The SEC’s Office of the Investor Advocate announced it will examine the increasing use of private equity and other alternatives in retirement accounts as part of its fiscal 2026 objectives. The office has warned that adding private market products to 401(k)s and 403(b)s can pose risks for retail savers, especially in target-date funds and managed accounts. 

Concerns include limited liquidity, incomplete disclosures, and a higher risk of fraud or losses, which the agency will evaluate in relation to fiduciary duties under ERISA. This move follows Senator Elizabeth Warren’s letter to Empower Retirement questioning its plans to offer private equity in its 401(k) products. 

Beyond private equity, the investor advocate’s 2026 agenda will also prioritize improving retail investor disclosures, analyzing China-based VIE structures, collaborating with the SEC’s crypto task force, and using investor research to support rulemaking. 

Finsum: Advisors should aim to ensure retirement plan participants understand the trade-offs of these complex and often opaque investments.

Capital Group and BlackRock both launched new active ETFs this week, reflecting how demand from advisors and asset allocators is pushing active ETF innovation into fresh territory. 

Capital Group unveiled three funds — a large-cap growth ETF, a large-cap value ETF, and a high-yield bond ETF — as it expands beyond its traditional mutual fund business and deepens ties with RIAs seeking tax-efficient, actively managed building blocks for their model portfolios. These new ETFs build on Capital Group’s push to support advisors with tools like its RIA Insider platform and its recent rollout of active ETF model portfolios. 

Meanwhile, BlackRock introduced the iShares Global Government Bond USD Hedged Active ETF, managed by its Global Tactical Asset Allocation team, to help diversify global bond exposure while protecting against currency swings. BlackRock’s new offering taps into growing advisor concerns over concentrated U.S. Treasury allocations and fits within its broader suite of institutional-grade active ETFs. 

Finsum: These launches highlight the shift in advisor priorities toward portfolio construction and model-based solutions, with active ETFs increasingly serving as the core tools for delivering customized, fee-based client strategies.

Closed-end funds (CEFs), around since 1893, function much like pooled mutual funds but differ in that they have a fixed number of shares trading on public exchanges after their IPO. 

Unlike mutual funds, which create or redeem shares daily to match investor flows, CEFs trade like stocks, meaning their prices can swing above or below the fund’s actual net asset value (NAV). This market pricing dynamic allows investors to potentially buy a dollar’s worth of assets for 90 cents, creating attractive opportunities to purchase CEFs at discounts. 

In addition, CEFs can use leverage to amplify returns, which often translates to higher distribution yields than traditional funds. However, investors should generally avoid paying a premium above NAV, just as they wouldn’t pay $1.10 for a dollar. 

Finsum: CEFs trading at reasonable discounts with strong yields may offer a compelling addition to income-seeking portfolios, combining discounted asset value with robust payouts.

There’s something uniquely magical about playing golf in the fall, when the crisp air and vibrant foliage transform each round into a sensory celebration. 

• At The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa in Vermont, brilliant reds, golds, and ambers create a postcard-perfect setting against the backdrop of the Green Mountains. 

• In Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, Jack Frost National Golf Club combines dramatic elevation changes with fiery autumn leaves for unforgettable panoramic views. 

• Arcadia Bluffs in Michigan pairs Lake Michigan’s sweeping shores with a kaleidoscope of colors that makes every fairway feel like an artist’s canvas. 

• Farther south, Linville Golf Club in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains offers golfers a spectacular blend of mountain terrain and rich fall hues, turning each hole into a living painting.

•  Finally, Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club near Portland, Oregon, wraps players in misty mornings and a colorful tapestry of evergreens and deciduous trees, creating an almost mystical experience. 

Finsum: Together, these destinations prove that fall golf is more than a game—it’s a journey into nature’s most beautiful season.