February 7, 2012

Bill Gross: Life-and-death proposition

By Bill Gross

Pimco chief ​explains how most short to intermediate Treasury yields are 'dangerously close to the zero bound,' which implies limited potential room, if any, for price appreciation.

• economy / economics,
• investment strategies

February 7, 2012

Focus portfolios in the middle of the investment risk spectrum

By Jason Pride

U.S. economic engine is humming, but sustainability is still in question; investors can find the most attractive risk-reward opportunities in the center of the risk spectrum, and gain protection in high quality and/or dividend growth equities.

• equities,
• investment strategies,
• markets

February 7, 2012

What advisers should know about ETF model portfolios

By Adam Patti

In 2011, the Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) industry passed a key milestone when total assets invested in ETFs crossed the $1 trillion mark. While the growth of the industry has been impressive, particularly given the market conditions that greeted many ETF launches over the last five years, there is...

• exchange traded funds (ETFs),
• investment strategies

February 5, 2012

Using ETFs to 'reset' bond portfolios

When I began my career in bond asset management, electronic-inventory systems were still in their infancy, so one of my tasks as a junior professional was to monitor the fax machine for the daily broker-generated lists of available offerings.

• investment strategies

January 22, 2012

How to help clients give more strategically

Financial advisers can play an important role in helping philanthropically minded clients enhance their charitable giving. For charities, that would be an especially welcome initiative. According to a recent study by the Nonprofit Research Collaborative, 59% of nonprofits reported...

• investment strategies

January 17, 2012

Jeffrey Saut: Why it's a mistake to be too bearish

By Jeffrey Saut

The turtle makes no progress until it sticks its neck out; I have been sticking my neck out since Thanksgiving, believing the Santa rally was beginning.

• investment strategies

January 17, 2012

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney: Finding returns in 2012

Policy disarray on both sides of the Atlantic has tipped the Euro Zone into a recession, but the global economy will likely avoid recession due to emerging market growth.

• investment strategies,
• Morgan Stanley Smith Barney (MSSB)

January 15, 2012

Dividend-paying stocks are now outperforming bonds

Dividends have long provided an extra boost to stock performance, but it is extremely rare for dividend-paying stocks to stack up as well against bonds, as they are today.

• economy / economics,
• investment strategies

January 10, 2012

John Hussman: The risk of a 'blindside recession'

By John Hussman

Over the past few weeks, investors used to setting their economic expectations based on a "stream of anecdotes" approach have seen their economic views evolve.

• economy / economics,
• investment strategies

January 8, 2012

Picking bonds harder, customization easier

Buying individual bonds for client porfolios used to be easier.The two big factors to consider — duration and credit risk — could be handled in a straightforward manner. Duration decisions could be based on when clients needed funds, or a laddered approach could be...

• investment strategies