The most-read articles on Advisor Perspectives for February covered an eclectic mix of interesting topics, ranging from whether money can buy happiness to what a depreciating dollar could mean for investors.
Artificial intelligence has become one of the defining investment themes of this cycle. Yes, we may be hearing about the AI pullback as a valuation reset. However, that doesn’t change the underlying scale of adoption for this theme. And that’s evident even “under the hood” of ETFs.
Three years after the launch of ChatGPT 3.5, positioning around artificial intelligence-related companies has become a (perhaps “the”) critical decision for equity investors. AI investment spending by companies far exceeds current revenue generation from end-market use cases, leaving highly leveraged players facing existential risks.
February data shows investors abandoning growth strategies for cyclical sectors as value funds attract $15 billion in new assets.
US stocks have flipped the script for international investors since war erupted in the Mideast, handily outpacing the rest of the world after trailing their global peers badly last month.
Credit investors are unwinding long positions worth tens of billions of dollars and jumping into hedging trades.
A great financial economist once tried to convince me that retail investors should not be allowed to buy individual stocks. I strenuously disagreed: Wasn’t this America, the country that encourages risk-taking? Why shut regular investors out of the chance to get rich?
A world where we can cook up AI videos in seconds from the apps on our phones might seem remote from the physical realities of warfare in the seaways of the Persian Gulf. In fact, they’re closely intertwined.
Treasuries fell for a fourth day — lifting yields to the highest levels in several weeks — as rising oil prices ignited inflation expectations and dented the outlook for Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts.
The war in Iran and the risk that it could lead to a wider regional conflict have roiled global financial markets. Oil and European gas prices have spiked while equity markets have seen sharp declines.
For over a decade, the narrative surrounding emerging market (EM) debt has been dominated by a single, overpowering force: the United States Dollar. As the greenback surged from the mid-2010s through the early 2020s, investors seeking yield in emerging markets largely sought shelter in "hard currency" debt—bonds issued by emerging nations but denominated in U.S. dollars.
Tax reform in 2017 reduced the statutory tax rate for corporations from 35% to 21%. As a result, lawmakers had to address taxes paid by noncorporate business owners who are considered “pass-through” entities for purposes of income taxation.
Relying on the kindness of strangers has never been a good business or investment strategy, but it doesn’t mean that people don’t wish that it worked. The main issue with this hope is that it’s foolish to believe that other people’s grace and money will always be there.
After years of trailing their large-cap peers, small-cap stocks have tested the patience of even seasoned investors. But we believe a dramatic improvement in earnings growth driven by lasting change in the US economy is creating sustainable recovery potential for small companies of all types.
Notwithstanding developments in the Iran conflict, there are important leadership shifts still at play within the equity market, which emphasize the importance of diversification.
Markets are responding primarily to uncertainty, with oil prices rising and equities volatile. The economic impact will depend largely on energy supply disruption, particularly whether oil prices remain contained or move sharply higher.
February saw more than 50 new ETF launches according to ETF Database data, with some standout offerings to note.
Join the experts at SS&C ALPS Advisors and VettaFi for a timely discussion on March 5th at 12:30 pm ET as they explore how rising power demand for natural gas and the data center boom is driving new growth for energy infrastructure.
The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games concluded with a familiar hierarchy at the top of the medal table. But in the world of economic indicators, we rarely look at totals without normalizing for scale. The 2026 Winter Games are no different.
It’s been a busy start to the year for investors, as shifting geopolitical risks and rising economic uncertainty led to choppy returns for stocks. Concerns about AI spending and profitability hit technology stocks especially hard. However, other sectors like financials and consumer discretionary have also seen losses to start the year.
The Trump administration has struck a deal that would see Venezuela’s state mining company sell as much as 1,000 kilograms of gold to commodities trader Trafigura, according to people familiar with the matter.
The war in Iran is forcing investors to reevaluate one of their most profitable stock strategies, leading some to conclude that the “Sell America, Buy Asia” trade has reached an inflection point.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission asked leveraged-ETF issuers not to move forward with a new wave of planned funds, using a rare group call Monday to renew its push against increasingly aggressive fund structures.
Intercontinental Exchange Inc. is acquiring a stake in OKX in a deal that values the cryptocurrency exchange operator at $25 billion.
It turns out, the biggest financial victim of President Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran is not the S&P 500, but equity markets across North Asia.
Recessions are a regular part of the economic cycle, which means planning ahead is essential. You can't control the economy, but you can take steps to help protect your savings, manage debt, and keep your goals on track. Here are some smart ways to prepare when the economy shifts.
January is a time to revisit financial plans, make changes, and ensure objectives are being met. This review isn’t about exposing bad financial plans, but instead finding what is outdated and revising.
Investing in financial markets is not for the timid. In a very recent Bond Market Commentary, the Head of Fixed Income Solutions, Nick Goetze, discussed “Preparing for the Storm.”
As markets rotate to favor small caps and international equities, rising risks are likely to make investment discipline even more important for seizing opportunities, write Chris Galipeau and Lukasz Kalwak of Franklin Templeton Institute.
Energy is among the smallest sectors in the S&P 500, representing only about 3.5% of the benchmark’s sector allocations, and yet, it’s energy that’s capturing investor attention this year. A big part of the story centers on oil and natural gas, now in sharp focus due to an ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Gold is going to become increasingly important as the deglobalization and de-dollarization trend that took off last year continues to gain steam, according to a recent report.
As industry experts convened at SFVegas 2026, the world’s largest structured-finance conference, insurers showed up in large numbers, underscoring growing exposure to securitized assets and private credit in portfolios. We also attended the event and returned with a few key takeaways.
The AI narrative often centers on the limitless potential of software. However, the real-world trajectory of the technology is increasingly dictated by rigid physical limitations: copper wiring and data center temperature control.
March came in like a lion. Stock market futures plunged last Sunday night following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. WTI and Brent crude oil had surged 7% by the following morning, along with big gains in gold.
A guide to helping HNW investors align tax efficiency with philanthropy, retirement strategy, and multi-generational wealth transfer planning.
Kirsten Chang, Senior Industry Analyst at VettaFi, unpacks controversial filings for prediction market ETFs and examines the increasingly blurred line between gambling and investing. Chris Marangi, Co-Chief Investment Officer of Value at Gabelli Funds, highlights the recently launched Gabelli Opportunities in Live and Sports ETF (GOLS) and explores the broader investment opportunities across live media, entertainment, and sports.
From real estate to multi-generational planning, learn the key strategies high-net-worth individuals use to maximize wealth and legacy.
Adding tax management services to your practice calls for more than an assessment of potential revenues and client interest. Tax management introduces new compliance demands and sometimes complex business management needs that might not be right for every firm.
Take an educational approach. Underscore how pleased you are about her energy and excitement and how much you want her to be an enthused member of the team. Perhaps you could guide her on how to find opportunities more aligned with your ideal client focus
Transforming a practice built on guardrails and restrictions into a strategic enabler might seem contradictory. But the conditions for this shift have been building, and they're finally converging.
Stocks attempted a rebound Wednesday morning as traders seized on a report that Iranian officials had indirectly reached out to the US about potentially ending the conflict in the Middle East. New data pointing to steadiness in the US labor market also helped fuel gains.
The last time an armed conflict upended the global energy economy, crude spiked past $100 and shares in oil and gas producers rallied for months. A similar trajectory might be unfolding as war rages in the Middle East.
Decades of “regulatory creep” and onerous disclosure requirements have discouraged companies from going public, say leaders of the Securities and Exchange Commission. To revitalize American markets, they plan to pare back those demands, especially for smaller firms. “We need a reset,” Chairman Paul Atkins recently declared.
Most investors, from grandma to the mightiest sovereign wealth funds, own bonds to help steady their portfolio and provide a ready reserve for spending. So, it’s notable when prominent voices start questioning their safety.
If the SaaSpocalypse narrative proves to be more panic than prophecy, the critical task becomes identifying which companies will emerge stronger.
GMO’s Event-Driven Strategy posted a +11.1% return, net of fees, in 2025. This result compares favorably to the returns of our benchmark (the FTSE 3-month Treasury returned +4.4% in 2025) and our peers (the HFRX Merger Arbitrage Index returned +9.6%) over the same period.
The Magnificent 7 stocks have been leading the market for the better part of three years, but time and the evolution of the AI investment cycle are revealing degrees of “magnificence” as fortunes diverge. Active equity investor Ibrahim Kanan is eyeing the race as the baton is passed to the next leg of prospective market leaders.
Looking beyond recent dividend strategies' performance, LPL Research asks and answers the question, “How should I think about dividend stocks or building an equity income portfolio?”
For the second time in a year, the U.S. is involved in a major military conflict with Iran. Again, investors are forced to determine how significant an impact this conflict will have on global markets.
Stocks were choppier in January, but most areas of the market showed gains. The one laggard was large-cap growth, which was strong in recent years and for most of 2025, but trailed other stock indices.
