Gaining Perspective

Edward Jones and Age Wave’s latest study, “Longevity and the New Journey of Retirement,” explores how the journey of retirement unfolds, the patterns of people’s experience in retirement, and the keys to thriving along the way. Among the findings, nearly 70% of Americans reported wanting to live to be 100 years old. The study also shows how the definition of retirement has vastly changed from that of previous generations. While pre-retirees and retirees viewed their parents’ version of retirement as a time for “rest and relaxation,” more than half of today’s pre-retirees define it as “a new chapter in life.” These insights are intended to contribute to the well-being of retirees and to give Edward Jones’ 19,000 financial advisors a deep understanding of the way its seven million clients think about their needs and priorities across generations. Today, I am joined by Ken Cella, principal of branch development at Edward Jones, to discuss the key findings from the report and how advisors can support clients in planning for longevity and a successful retirement.

The past few decades presented an outstanding market environment for the asset management industry. Global AUM rose at a steady pace between 2001 and 2021, thanks largely to the strength of the world’s equity markets, which were able to rebound even after several severe downturns. And 2021 was even stronger. Global AUM grew at 12% last year, to more than $112 trillion, a growth rate well above the 7% average of the previous 20 years. Last week, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) released its 20th annual report on the global asset management industry, it offers a retrospective analysis of the effects of this strong market – and as the industry enters a more uncertain era, it looks at the expected impact of new technologies such as direct indexing, increasing investor demand for alternative products, and a focus on decarbonization.

We’re here to talk about misconceived notions that advisors have about millennial investors. While it is often reported that millennials are rejecting financial advisors, my guest says this is not the case. The biggest issue that he sees is that financial advisors have minimums that make it difficult to serve millennials at the tail-end of the age bracket (those born between 1990-1996, or age 26 to 32). That cohort typically has not accumulated enough money to meet the minimum requirement needed to work with fee-based advisors.

The best retirement-savings vehicle is one that few have heard about: I bonds. They offer a risk-free yield of 9.62%, yet the amount of I bonds issued is only a small fraction of the total volume of bond issuance by the U.S. Treasury.  My guest today will explain that paradox. This is also the 300th episode of the Gaining Perspective podcast, and no guest would be more appropriate than Zvi Bodie. He has eloquently and persuasively made the case for the financial services industry to provide products that respond to the needs of everyday investors.

Since 1992 the Belkin Report has been helping portfolio managers outperform their benchmark indices, and allowing hedge funds to harvest absolute gains. The BR combines a weekly x-ray of market sector performance with forecasts for each one. Its proprietary forecast model focuses on sectors, groups, and individual stocks, with a particularly strong emphasis on sector rotation. The report also features a macro view on global market developments, with a critical eye on central bank credit operations. The BR’s track record of accurate calls has earned it the attention and loyalty of major investment houses around the world.

In the span of just over two years, the world economy has been stricken by a pandemic and challenged by a military conflict in the heart of Europe. Major historical turning points are nearly always accompanied by fundamental shifts in the economy. The pace of history is accelerating with the global energy transition, urgency to secure reliable supplies of traditional energy, and locking in renewable alternatives. This shift will be driven by technology and innovation.

Since the global financial crisis, assets in private credit have grown exponentially as investors search for yield while protecting against inflation and rising interest rates. Once a small corner of the investment universe, private credit has boomed into a major asset class that does not show signs of slowing. Over the 2010-2020 period, assets grew by 12.8% annually. However, not all private credit is created equal. My guests today will explain how the private credit landscape is quite diverse relative to its publicly traded counterpart, and investors should take time to fully understand the differences within the space.

Mortgage-backed securities (MBS) have taken a hit over the last several weeks with the news of the Fed’s plans to shrink its balance sheet. Today's guest, Dean Smith of FolioBeyond, will discuss why the combination of the rise in Treasury yields and the widening of MBS spreads is continuing to increase the valuations of certain types of mortgage-backed securities. With the expectation that the pace of rate hikes will soon be more aggressive, Dean will explain how the actively managed rising rates ETF, RISR, will benefit and generate alpha. The FolioBeyond Rising Rates ETF (RISR) is up 26.55% YTD (as of 4/13/2022) and is ranked #1 by Morningstar among non-traditional bond strategies.

As expected, on March 16, the Fed signaled its intention to hike the Fed Funds rate by 25bps. My guest today, Matt Dines, the CIO of Build Asset Management, sees three big takeaways from its report. First, the Fed’s guidance on the path of the policy rate telegraphed its commitment to addressing the rising price levels afflicting the economy. Second, the FOMC’s guidance on the Fed Funds rate joined other key and important rate curves in the global financial system in inversion – i.e., the level for longer-dated maturities lies below those that come before them. Third, the strong rally across financial assets after they digested the FOMC's report was an understanding that the "Fed Put" will be in play the next time trouble arises.

Last year, Commonwealth Financial introduced the Brand Studio to help advisors establish a name, logo and website – all the fundamentals to get marketing off the ground. Brand Studio provides advisors with resources and services in a centralized portal and serves as the engine for strategic advisor marketing support. My guest today, Sarah Howes, oversees that effort.