We’re all familiar with inflation. But did you know there’s another form of inflation that’s just as corrosive on our purchasing power and yet is nearly impossible to measure? Read on to learn more.

The ongoing, intensifying supply chain problems are raising costs in ways that add broad inflation pressure everyone will feel. And the zeitgeist in the workplace is literally changing before our eyes.

Supply chains typically aren’t something the average person needs to think about too much. When they’re working, these high-tech, globalized networks of parts suppliers, assemblers, shippers, and distributors allow companies to make and move goods around the world so quickly and cheaply that it’s tempting to take them for granted.

Tomorrow is National Dictionary Day! Whether spoken or written, the power of words is undeniable. And as your Investment Strategy Team, we choose ours wisely, as to not create confusion when communicating our views.

Concerns about China’s slowing economy have focused on issues affecting property and manufacturing. But these are only part of the story. Investors seeking a fuller understanding of the risks and opportunities need to take a broader perspective.

Many mutual funds will distribute capital gains every year—no matter what the market does. As 2021 comes to a close, advisors can begin to prepare their clients for the impact of those distributions and take steps to minimize the tax bite going forward.

I was speaking with an industry friend and colleague the other day, and we got to riffing about music and retirement planning. A free and creative thinker, she said that when talking to clients about future retirement income, the sweet spot timing wise seems to be about five years before clients retire.

GMO Asset Allocation Team examines the fact that although every bubble is unique, classic common threads also run through everyone.

After solid performance in both July and August, the S&P 500 was considerably weaker in September. It was more than just passing weakness, however. The stock market looked much less the cocksure prize fighter than the contender who took a shot to the jaw that wobbled his knees.

September closed with a whimper (from folks hoping the seven-month stretch of positive performance months for the S&P 500 would make it to eight). The month also held true to the history of September being the worst month for performance on average since the index’s inception in 1928.

Saving for retirement is a decades-long endeavor with factors – both excepted and unexpected – that can affect confidence and preparedness. Even though much of the conversation has centered around amassing a nest egg, it’s also important to look at what else can be done to improve retirement readiness for all.

If you like investing in consistent predictable double-digit growth as I do, then you will love Fortune Brands...

Fed funds futures for 2022 and 2023 have broken out to new highs, likely on the back of rising inflation expectations. As things stand now, the market is looking for three hikes by the end of 2023, with the effective fed funds moving from 8bps today to 85bps.

The Delta variant’s impact on supply chains and domestic spending slowed economic activity in the third quarter. Consumer confidence dipped noticeably, and businesses’ outlook dimmed somewhat. Rising inflation, the product of goods and labor shortages, has been a concern.

We all remember the COVID-19 recession which occurred in early 2020. It was a severe recession which saw GDP plunge over 30% last spring during the widespread lockdowns. The good news was the lockdowns ended quickly and the economy recovered all its losses, and then some, in the 3Q of last year. It’s been on a roll ever since.

The strong economic and market trends of the first half of 2021 wavered during the third quarter. The coronavirus delta variant caught up with the US at the height of the summer, just as vaccinations slowed and concerns grew that inflation might flare and persist.

Several key technical indicators show that the recent stock market weakness may be much more concerning than most investors believe.

No. We are not repeating the “Roaring 20’s” analog. Ben Carlson had a recent post asking if the “Roaring 20’s” are already here?

Today's supply and inflation challenges stem from Brexit.

Looking ahead, new sources of inflation may continue to arise. Unless the mounting pressures push inflation to significantly higher levels that would provoke central banks into aggressive tightening, the impact on global stock markets may be a positive.

The rise of environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing is nothing short of extraordinary, according to Yu Meng, Chair of Asia Pacific at Franklin Templeton. As we are constantly reminded by extreme climate change events, he says urgent actions are required from all of parts of society and the economy, including the financial markets.

Need some new ideas about how to attract new clients or get greater share of wallet from ones you already have? Try a few of these on for size.

In 2009, after overly strict mark-to-market accounting rules were altered, we said the Financial Crisis was over. It was hard to get our voice heard, though, because both sides of the political aisle were busy saying the economy stunk.

Given a potential inflationary environment and sell-offs in Chinese equities, we have taken great care to trim weightings in China, and we have made adjustments to reduce holdings with extended valuations and increase holdings that are well-suited to transmit pricing power or have more attractive valuations.

Are inflation forecasts reliable enough to shape policy?

Investors need to understand the differences between Chinese capitalism and Western capitalism in order to properly assess the opportunities in China. Meanwhile, norms in India more closely resemble those in the United States— but India has dramatically larger headroom for growth.

Given the demise of pension plans, and the potential for annuities to serve as a core source of retirement income certainty, I composed the following poem to mix a bit of levity with a purposeful message.

The fact we have the lowest interest rates in 5000-years is indicative of the economic challenges we face.

There is a cost to waiting for interest rates to rise—you may be missing out on higher coupon rates and yields elsewhere. Rather than waiting on the sidelines for yields to rise, investors should consider short-term corporate bonds today—specifically those with fixed coupon rates.

Several events will have major influences on the global economy in the months ahead.