Portfolio Intelligence

Thomas Mucha, geopolitical strategist for Wellington Management, offers an expert and timely opinion of what to look for in November, and how markets may react in various election scenarios. The veteran political and macro economic analyst tells host John Bryson which polls and battleground states he’s watching and how the COVID-19 pandemic may figure into the upcoming elections. Finally, Mucha provides insight into sectors that could be most affected by which party controls the White House and Congress, and why climate change and U.S.-China relations are among the top challenges he sees for the global economy and markets.

As markets continue to mend despite still-difficult economic conditions, Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily Roland and Matt Miskin update host John Bryson on how their investment forecasts are faring in 2020. Their tilt to higher-quality segments of the equities and bond markets have been a tailwind, but high-yield bonds have rebounded more than expected. The strategists also describe why they continue to see a Nike “swoosh”-shaped economic recovery, rather than a rapid V-shaped bounce. Finally, Emily and Matt look ahead to the November election and explain why investors may actually want to pay more attention to the macroeconomic backdrop rather than letting politics influence portfolios.

As exchange‐traded funds (ETFs) continue to grow in popularity, Director of ETF Capital Markets Will Creedon discusses how investors have been using ETFs for tax efficiency during today’s unprecedented volatility. Will gets into the important nuances of how ETFs differ from mutual funds and explains why ETFs are notable for their tax efficiency. He also provides insightful context on ETF liquidity during the extreme volatility in 2020, and offers some trading best practices to keep in mind in fast‐moving markets. Finally, Will and host John Bryson discuss how the pandemic is creating sector dispersion and ETF investment opportunities growing out of that theme. To learn more about John Hancock Multifactor ETFs, visit https://www.jhinvestments.com/etf.

It’s just after quarter end, so Co Chief Investment Strategists Matt Miskin and Emily Roland are back to discuss their latest outlook for capital markets with host John Bryson. Citing a bottoming in U.S. economic data as well as hints of a turn around in earnings estimates, they point at higher‐quality components within tech, communication services, and healthcare, as well as the nascent leadership of mid‐cap stocks.With cash piling up ininvestors’ portfolios, the discussion also dwells on opportunities ininternationa lequities and where to search for yield opportunities in fixed income without incurring excessive risk—particularly areas that are enjoying U.S. Federal Reserve support.

Jay Feeney, chief investment officer at Boston Partners, explores value investing and questions about the persistence of the value premium. According to Jay, when value is out of favor, that’s not the time to lose your conviction in the investing style’s future potential. While the severity of value’s underperformance relative to growth has repeatedly challenged investor expectations in recent years, today’s extreme spreads in valuation between growth and value stocks suggest a rising probability of mean reversion.

Markets have come a long way fast since their late March lows. But with forward guidance from the U.S. Federal Reserve indicating near-zero interest rates through 2022, what does that mean for portfolios looking forward? As Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily Roland and Matt Miskin discuss with host John Bryson, there’s a record amount of cash on the sidelines—$4.7 trillion—and investors want to know where to get the best bang for their buck across the yield curve and economic sectors. Faced with the prospect of a Nike “swoosh”-shaped recovery, in which the economy drops sharply and then slowly rebuilds, Emily and Matt counsel a diversified, balanced approach across stocks and bonds, maintaining a focus on intermediate-term bonds, a neutral stance with respect to value and growth styles, and a continued emphasis on higher-quality opportunities. This podcast is distributed by John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC, member FINRA, SIPC.

In the midst of the pandemic in March 2020, U.S. lawmakers passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which offered $2 trillion+ in stimulus funding for the U.S. economy. While this has been a welcome development for individuals and businesses, the Act itself is a labyrinth of features and eligibility conditions that pose important questions for financial professionals. To outline the basics of the Act’s economic benefits and to offer an interpretation of some of its more complex provisions, John is joined by Chris Frank, head of defined contribution consulting at John Hancock Retirement, and Ed Jastrem, CFP, director of financial planning at the Massachusetts-based registered investment advisor Heritage Financial. The topics at issue range from the expansion of unemployment benefits and the impact on federally backed student loans and mortgages to coronavirus-related retirement plan distributions. In addition, the discussion highlights ways in which the Act is still being interpreted by legal and tax professionals, particularly around distributions and guidance for retirement plans and their advisors.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, global demand for oil has fallen by roughly 30%, according to portfolio manager and energy market specialist David T. Cohen, CFA, of Boston Partners. David joins Portfolio Intelligence host John Bryson to discuss the recent volatility in oil prices, the ins and outs of the oil supply chain, and considerations for investors in energy stocks as the world attempts to move forward with an uncertain economic recovery. This podcast is distributed by John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC, member FINRA, SIPC.

With over 650 million members and 43% of them in decision-making roles, LinkedIn offers a huge reservoir of networking opportunities for financial professionals. Brendan Barca, an independent LinkedIn consultant and career coach, joins host John Bryson to discuss best practices for using LinkedIn to build a business, including tips on how to optimize your online profile and how to deliver a solutions-oriented message that will appeal to prospective clients. This podcast is distributed by John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC, member FINRA, SIPC.

Host John Bryson is joined by Matt Miskin and Emily Roland, co-chief investment strategists at John Hancock Investment Management. In discussing their Market Intelligence outlook for Q2 2020 and beyond, Matt and Emily identify what they consider to be attractive equity and fixed-income opportunities in the making despite the severe economic disruption caused by COVID-19 and the measures taken nationwide to “flatten the curve” of new cases. This podcast is distributed by John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC, member FINRA, SIPC.