report by BlackRock
Results for ""
Portfolio Construction Insights
[Presentation] How to Build Wealth with a Behavioral Approach to Portfolio Construction | Webinar 2
2020 has been an unprecedented and emotionally-charged ride—the most difficult for advisors in over a decade.
Fixed Income Insights
The Shape of Credit
This piece is approved to use with clients.
In this Q&A, Portfolio Managers Jason England, Nick Maroutsos and Dan Siluk discuss the factors shaping credit markets, from central bank support to potential resilience from financials.
Key Takeaways
- Corporate earnings and cash flows are under strain, but while defaults are likely to increase, they should continue to be largely contained to sub-investment-grade issuers.
- Massive and proactive central bank support measures have injected confidence into markets, but this does not preclude sporadic bouts of future volatility and warrants a selective approach.
- We believe more resilient opportunities are likely to be found in higher-quality, shorter-dated investment-grade issues and continue to favor financial sector bonds and corporates with defensive attributes.
Fixed Income Insights
Building Bond Portfolios on a Strong Housing Market
This piece is approved to use with clients.
Conventional wisdom would suggest that rising unemployment would have discouraged consumers from making large contractual obligations like buying a new home, but the pandemic has affected the way many Americans think about housing. Portfolio Managers John Kerschner and Nick Childs discuss why this is happening and what it could mean for bond investors.
Portfolio Construction Insights
Portfolio Diagnostics Report: Shifting Gears
This piece is approved to use with clients.
For traditional fixed income investors, much of the last 40 years have been a relatively enjoyable ride; the 1980s began with double-digit interest rates that have steadily fallen, creating large amounts of bond return and income as well as crisis management along the way. Instead of investors paying a premium for portfolio crisis management, traditional fixed income paid investors that premium.
Fixed Income Insights
A Mostly Benign Outlook for U.S. Inflation
This piece is approved to use with clients.
The stabilization of U.S. economic growth amid unprecedented fiscal and monetary stimulus has raised questions about the likelihood of inflation returning. Global Head of Fixed Income Jim Cielinski explains why he does not see significant risk of sustained higher inflation materializing in the next few years – but cautions that short-term spikes are possible and that investors should evaluate the diversification that their fixed income portfolios provide.
Fixed Income Insights
November 2020 Fixed Income Market Update
This piece is approved to use with clients.
In our view, while elections have consequences, the consequences are rarely as stark or as predictable as prognosticators suggest.
Fixed Income Insights
October Fixed Income Market Update
This piece is approved to use with clients.
In our view, while economic data has been generally improving, higher frequency data such as elevated jobless claims and small business employment highlight the risk that the recovery could stall absent additional fiscal stimulus. Given tensions and political posturing entering the last stages of election season, short-term we believe risk premiums should be higher on the margin until resolution of the election.
Fixed Income Insights
Interest rates: Lower for longer...or forever?
This piece is approved to use with clients.
On September 16, 2020, the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) left interest rates near zero and signaled that it expects to hold them there through at least 2023, adding outcome based guidance. The statement follows the new long-term policy framework announced by Chair Jay Powell in August at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s annual Jackson Hole conference. The Fed notes that rates will remain near zero “until labor market conditions have reached levels consistent with the Committee’s assessments of maximum employment and inflation has risen to 2 percent and is on track to moderately exceed 2 percent for some time.” We didn’t get a precise definition of what a moderate overshoot would look like, allowing the Fed to retain some flexibility.
Fixed Income Insights
Fixed Income Market Update
This piece is approved to use with clients.
In our view, monetary and fiscal policy have done a tremendous job in papering over fundamental uncertainty. Read more for the news & nuggets