Portfolio Intelligence

The month of November no doubt brought a fair amount of relief to investors who had been, up to that point, operating under a huge cloud of uncertainty. News that inflation had eased more than expected in October strengthened the case for a pause in interest-rate hikes and sparked a rally in the stock market. While the shift in investor sentiment is encouraging, is it likely to last? Podcast host John P. Bryson, head of investment consulting and education savings at John Hancock Investment Management, posed that question to Emily Roland and Matt Miskin, co-chief investment strategists at John Hancock Investment Management. He also asked them if the recent pullback in inflationary pressures had laid the foundation for rate cuts next year and how advisors should be approaching portfolio positioning in the current environment.

Danielle Roberts, founding partner of the insurance agency Boomer Benefits, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss the ins and outs of Medicare, an important part of many retirees' financial planning. Danielle outlines the different parts of Medicare coverage, addresses common misconceptions, and offers advice to help investment professionals assist clients ahead of potential Medicare changes in 2024 and beyond. She also explores surcharges that Medicare participants may need to pay in addition to their premiums—costs that can have a big financial impact on high-income earners in particular. Finally, Danielle discusses best practices for enrolling in Medicare, explains the options for clients who don’t retire at age 65, and identifies three Medicare missteps that people often make.

Adam A. Weigold, CFA, senior portfolio manager and head of municipal bonds at Manulife Investment Management, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss the state of the municipal bond market and emerging trends in the segment. Adam explains how munis’ primarily retail investor base shapes dynamics in the muni market, and he explores the impact that changes in the economic outlook can have on the market’s high-yield side. The muni specialist discusses how his approach as an active manager seeks to identify the most attractive current opportunities in munis and make adjustments as fixed-income market conditions change. Adam explores the muni market’s current fundamentals and the role that munis may play in potentially enhancing portfolio resilience in the event of an economic downturn. Finally, he assesses current default risks in the muni market and identifies where he’s seeing attractive opportunities in late 2023.

Discussion on rising market volatility and outlook for Q4 2023. Impact of Fed's rate hikes on fixed income and equities. Slowdown in global economic growth, prefer US equities. Advice for Q4 2023: focus on higher quality stocks, avoid high yield, find value in mortgage-backed securities and corporates.

College is an expensive undertaking. In this episode, Peg Keough of College Aid Pro discusses ways to reduce college costs by leveraging financial aid and other resources. She explores why most families don’t apply for financial aid, discusses what families can do to increase potential aid, and unpacks how students can seek to maximize their aid packages. Peg also offers tips on applying for private scholarships and lists best practices for reducing out-of-pocket college costs.

With earnings season coming to a close, our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, join podcast host John P. Bryson to share their market outlook. They discuss the latest data pointing to an economic slowdown in China and the contagion risks that it poses for other markets. The strategists also explore the continued easing of U.S. inflationary pressures, top investment opportunities that they’re seeing now, and risks that investors may wish to watch heading into the fall.

Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, return to the podcast to discuss their market outlook at midyear 2023. Among the topics covered: How will the U.S. Federal Reserve keep inflation in check without risking a recession and what are the implications for fixed-income investors? Where does the U.S. economy stand relative to those of other developed nations? What’s ahead for the U.S. equity market and international markets in the wake of recent gains? Which economic indicators are the key ones to watch now? How does this all affect portfolio positioning for the third quarter and beyond?

What’s so different about artificial intelligence (AI) today than in the past? Stephen Freedman, Ph.D., CFA, FRM, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to explore the current AI boom. Steve, the head of research and sustainability for equities investing at Pictet Asset Management, discusses the evolution of AI while focusing on the new ways that it’s being used today. He also considers AI’s positive disruptive potential, risks that people need to be aware of, and which types of companies and industries may benefit from or be hurt by AI the most. He also analyzes the role of Mainland China and other countries that may seek to harness the power of AI, the prospect of global regulation of AI, and how the technology might help financial professionals.

Lee Small, senior vice president and divisional sales manager at John Hancock Investment Management, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss key challenges that business owners face in planning for ownership transitions. Lee explores the role that financial professionals can play in assisting with exit planning and describes a new John Hancock program, “Empowering Business Owners’ Conversations,” which leverages research conducted by the Exit Planning Institute. Finally, Lee highlights key definitions related to exit planning and describes resources available to help financial advisors better serve business owners.

In this episode, college admissions coach Nancy Steenson joins podcast host John P. Bryson, head of investment consulting at John Hancock Investment Management, to discuss the changing landscape of college admissions and scholarships. Nancy explains the best source of scholarships for college students today, unpacks the difference between a needs-based financial aid scholarship and a merit scholarship, and discusses why knowing the difference is helpful while shopping for colleges. She also explores current college pricing trends and the impact on pricing from enrollment management software, early decision, early action, and merit awards. Finally, she highlights the U.S. Department of Justice’s college admissions oversight role and discusses key changes to important financial aid documents that affect what students pay for college.