Planning for retirement has historically been focused on saving as much as possible.
Global stocks rose in the first quarter, but volatile trading patterns reminded investors that the road to normal will be bumpy.
Today’s market environment taps into bond investors’ primal fears.
As US inflation expectations grow, many investors are concerned about the potential impact on stocks.
Across the industrial sector, low-carbon investing naturally leans toward renewable energy opportunities, like wind and solar power.
Companies globally are racing to reduce their carbon emissions. But what does it really take to achieve ambitious green targets?
Our brains have a set of built-in shortcuts that influence us every day.
It’s been a long time since investors have had to worry about inflation.
US core inflation likely will be volatile during 2021, as underlying economic forces continue to rebalance from the pandemic.
Our crisis dashboard includes signals from three areas: 1) public health, 2) the consumer sector and 3) financial markets. By pulling big data from traditional sources (earnings growth and gross domestic product, for example) and nontraditional sources (like Google Trends and Glassdoor), we can create a better mosaic of the road back.
The exit from the pandemic will be bumpy. Defensive stocks with attractive valuations can help provide balance through an uncertain recovery.
The recent selloff of US growth market darlings reflects increasing questions about whether their growth potential still justifies exceptionally high valuations. Away from the froth, growth investors can still find solid return potential in quality companies with profitable, sustainable business models.
As more plan participants worry about retirement income security, demand for guaranteed income solutions is growing—and plan sponsors are pondering the options.
Italy’s new prime minister, Mario Draghi, has a well-earned reputation for turning around difficult situations. But can he reverse Italy’s relative economic decline? And what does his program mean for Italian bond yields?
Hydrogen’s potential as an energy source is attracting renewed attention. It may take 20 years or so for the potential to be realized. But the effects are likely to be felt within the planning horizons of most long-term investors—a good reason to start thinking now about the investment implications.
The energy sector is beginning to adapt to the realities of climate change. Who is best positioned for the future?
As COVID-19 vaccines roll out and resrictions lift, a US economic rebound could lead to tighter Federal Reserve policy and higher yields. Municipal bond investors may worry about how rising yields could hurt their portfolios.
We expect US core inflation to surge in the months ahead, as comparisons to low price levels of a year ago cause sizable fluctuations. Ultimately, supply should respond to recovering demand, bringing inflation down and facilitating easy Fed policy.
Despite questions over financing the European Union’s (EU’s) new Green Deal, the green transition is now under way.
Investors have parked record piles of cash on the sidelines amid concerns about valuations and volatility. But short-term safety comes at a price. By defining long-term goals, investors can put idle cash to work despite uncertainty about the path to recovery.
Having strongly underperformed the wider stock market in 2020, high-dividend stocks have shown early signs of a rebound in recent weeks.
The pandemic has accelerated an evolution in bond trading, and it is already making a difference for investors—if bond managers have embraced tech-enabled trading.
The GameStop drama that has rattled US stocks reflects the growing power of individual investors to shape market events. But there are lessons for traditional, long-term investors, too. When markets ignore fundamentals, redoubling a focus on quality is the best way to produce consistent returns while reducing volatility.
The probability of more fiscal relief from Congress has risen—good news for the US economy and a boost to our growth forecast. While risks remain, and it’s too early to talk about the pandemic in the past tense, we’re optimistic the economy can return to more normal footing soon.
As inflows to sustainable equities break new records, here’s what investors should look for to identify portfolios that align with their responsible investing goals.
It may seem shocking, but a simple trip to the local store to pick up fresh produce or clothing could enable human exploitation. For investors, those same connections can exist within their portfolios—and it takes more than a passive effort to root them out.
As China begins the year of the Ox, many investors are wondering whether another bull run is possible in 2021. Given that last year’s rally was extremely narrow, we believe many parts of the market still offer pent-up recovery potential.
For European banks’ stockholders, 2020 was a year to forget. But bank bondholders enjoyed positive returns and may overcome COVID-19 challenges again in 2021, backed by solid balance sheets and supportive regulatory conditions.
Global stocks rebounded sharply from the coronavirus market crash in 2020, but the ride was rocky. With so many risks clouding the outlook, we believe that investors should focus on generating a smoother pattern of returns through the recovery from COVID-19.
Emerging-market stocks rebounded in 2020 even as the COVID-19 pandemic spread globally. As vaccines and other favorable conditions unfold, investors have good reasons to consider EM equities in 2021 while strategically considering their potential risks.
Municipal bond issuers’ financial health and resiliency—which helped in 2020—should support opportunities for active muni investors in 2021.
Small-cap US stocks rebounded sharply in the fourth quarter. Yet the recovery may still be in its early stages—particularly for smaller-cap value stocks—as pandemic risks recede and earnings drivers kick in during 2021.
Credit markets have staged an epic rebound from the depths of March 2020. But in a low-growth, low-yield world, we believe there may be more room to run in 2021.
Now’s the time to put the challenges of 2020 behind us and start the new year with a fresh perspective. While we can’t predict the future, we can break away from old behaviors and be intentional about our choices in the new year.
Emerging-market sovereign debt has rebounded sharply off the lows, but this hard-hit sector offers attractive yields and compelling growth opportunities to discerning investors.
The events of 2020 remind us that life is complicated and fragile and that being prepared really does matter. Could this inspire you to become a character of great significance in the lives of your clients because of how you comfort, lead and inspire them?
Recent SOE bond defaults signal Beijing’s willingness to let markets price risk more accurately.
Income-seeking investors have been frustrated in recent years as US dividend-paying stocks underperformed. But companies that offer strong payouts in a sustainable manner can help investors source surprisingly robust streams of income and equity returns.
Low interest rates and massive stimulus-fueled debt raise investor concerns about potential long-term fallout. But when the cost of capital is this low, it revs up funding for innovation that ultimately fills the pipeline with robust opportunities, especially in technology.
With a greater level of clarity than we’ve had since the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re getting a better sense of how the US economy might shape up over the next few months, into 2022 and beyond. We see three distinct stages over that time frame.
After a difficult winter, we expect the global economy to rebound strongly next year. But structural headwinds remain. Will the post-pandemic bounce trigger a durable and broad-based global reflation?
Healthcare stocks are once again in focus as a result of promising news of COVID-19 vaccines. But investors shouldn’t hunt for the pandemic’s panacea. Focusing on business fundamentals is a much better way to find healthcare stocks with long-term potential than searching for the next big drug.
Global investors have been watching US President-Elect Joe Biden closely for clues as to how his administration intends to conduct relations with China.
Despite lingering uncertainty about corporate earnings growth and economies around the world, global stocks have rebounded from the COVID-19-driven downfall in March. But even following that bounce back, international stocks have lagged their US counterpoints for over the last decade. Could they be reaching an important inflection point? If so, how are astute investors casting a broader net to pinpoint the right companies outside the US?
Join us to hear from an interactive panel of investment experts from AllianceBernstein, who will cover:
As investors look for signs of a return to normalcy from the coronavirus crisis, they have a dizzying array of indicators to choose from. We’ve assembled a group of signals, with the help of big data, that may point the way.
Two recent developments could have big implications for the US economic outlook: general elections and news of very promising progress on a COVID-19 vaccine. To understand the ramifications, we have to distinguish near term from longer term.
States face revenue shortfalls from COVID-19 costs and shutdowns. We look under the hood to assess how some of the most indebted states are faring.
Defensive equities are usually found in sectors that have withstood market shocks, such as utilities and real estate. But as COVID-19 shakes up investment conventions, companies with intangible assets are being more appreciated for their volatility cushion.
A fresh round of lockdowns means a difficult winter lies ahead for the euro area. But three factors caution against excessive pessimism.
The roller-coaster ride of 2020 still has a few twists and turns to navigate. But the massive policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic brought a quick, though incomplete, recovery. With volatility expected to continue, where can investors look for opportunities?
