Portfolio Intelligence Podcast

Smart use of technology and social media is critical for investment professionals to help clients and grow their business. Brendan Barca, a coach, speaker, and consultant at Brendan Barca Solutions, teaches advisors how to seamlessly enter the digital age through live workshops, webinars, and online courses. In this episode, investment professionals can learn how to work with clients remotely and effectively with tools such as Zoom, WebEx, Google, and LinkedIn.

Fixed‐income investors are making some false assumptions about the market that could negatively affect portfolios, according to Co‐Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA. Using fixed‐income data analytics and market history, the strategists debunk narratives such as the U.S. Federal Reserve tapering its bond purchases will automatically lead to higher U.S. Treasury yields. Listen to this podcast to avoid four fixed‐income myths in today’s markets.

Cheryl I. Smith, Ph.D., CFA, portfolio manager at Trillium Asset Management, and Matthew A. Zalosh, CFA, portfolio manager at Boston Common Asset Management, join the podcast to discuss ESG investment strategy. The portfolio managers delve into the details of using environmental, social, and governance factors in investment portfolios. For example, when it comes to environmental impact, ESG managers are taking a close look at companies’ use of renewable energy, recycling, and resource efficiency. Listen to this episode to get the experts’ perspective on ESG investing.

Financial aid expert Mark Kantrowitz offers some timely wisdom for families with students seeking financial aid. Mark discusses the most common errors families make when filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and he serves up some great tips for applicants to get the most aid possible. As students prepare for the FAFSA filing on or after October 1 each year, Mark’s tips will come in handy to help you avoid leaving money on the table.

Co-Chief Investment Strategists Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, and Emily R. Roland, CIMA, provide their take on the economy and markets so far in 2021, and their outlook on what the rest of the year may hold for investors. The strategists discuss the prospects of tapering from the U.S. Federal Reserve and what it might mean for fixed-income investors. They also offer their best ideas for bond and equity investors as the economy shifts into a midcycle environment.

U.S. Co-Head of Retail Product Steve Deroian shares his insight on the rise of asset allocation model portfolios and how new technology is changing how financial professionals work with clients. Deroian details how third-party model portfolios can help professionals focus more on the relationship building that’s important to clients. Finally, he explains how model portfolios may make sense for specialized approaches such as income generation, lower volatility, and tax-aware investing.

Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, share where they are seeing the most attractive opportunities now in the global equities market. The strategists discuss whether the recent outperformance of value indexes over tech stocks could be a lasting trend. Miskin and Roland also explain why they think international stocks and economic growth could catch up to the United States during the recession recovery, as well as the outlook for the dollar and currency markets.

College admissions coach Nancy Steenson is an expert at helping students and parents navigate this often daunting process. In this episode of the Portfolio Intelligence podcast, she discusses underutilized strategies that students can use and how to find universities that try to lure good students with tuition discounts and scholarships. Steenson also lists helpful tips for the college application process, including how to write effective essays, what to look for in a college, how to prep for standardized tests, and how the pandemic has affected the admissions process.

Frances Donald, global chief economist and global head of macroeconomic strategy at Manulife Investment Management, discusses the outlook for inflation and how rising prices affect both consumers and investors. Inflation can be difficult to measure because different indicators such as the Consumer Price Index may use different price inputs. She explains how government spending and the economic reopening may affect inflation, and also why technology, digitization, and remote working are deflationary forces. Finally, if rates rise further, it’s important for investors to watch the pace of the move and why exactly rates are rising.

Co-Chief Investment Strategists Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, and Emily R. Roland, CIMA, visit the podcast for an update on economic growth and where we could be in the current economic cycle. The strategists explain why consumer spending and the U.S. Federal Reserve’s inflation policies are encouraging signs for investors. They also weigh in on why they like mid-cap and industrial stocks, and how investors are positioning portfolios in this phase of the bull market.