First Trust

🌎 Global Investment Opportunities You Might Be Overlooking In Episode 35 of the ROI Podcast, Richard Bernstein highlights untapped opportunities in global markets: ✅ Brazil: Dirt-cheap stock markets with room for recovery. ✅ Taiwan: Politically risky but vital to the tech sector. ✅ Korea: Home to some of the world's leading auto and EV companies. 🔑 Key Takeaway: Great opportunities exist beyond the usual focus areas—are you diversifying your portfolio enough? 🎧 https://lnkd.in/gPMetJDq 📺 https://lnkd.in/gMkWU8EE #GlobalMarkets #InvestmentOpportunities #Diversification #ROIPodcast

📉 Inflation, Debt, and Interest Rates: What History Teaches Us In Episode 35 of the ROI Podcast, Richard Bernstein discusses how inflation in the 60s and 70s played a role in reducing debt-to-GDP levels—and why higher rates today don't automatically spell disaster for the federal government. 🔑 Key Insight: It's not just about rising rates; the true challenge lies in what happens to the economy if spending and tax revenues stall. 🎙️ Don't miss this thought-provoking analysis: 🎧 https://lnkd.in/gPMetJDq 📺 https://lnkd.in/gMkWU8EE #EconomicInsights #DebtToGDP #InterestRates #Investing

📊 Worth the Weight? Small and Mid Caps Shine Since July Since Powell's July remarks, smaller and mid-sized companies have outperformed their larger-cap counterparts. From July 9 to December 10, 2024, the S&P SmallCap 600 Index gained 18.00%, while the S&P MidCap 400 Index rose 14.66%, outperforming the S&P 500 (8.82%). Lower interest rates and attractive valuations are driving diversification into smaller market caps. Key highlights: Valuations: SmallCap (P/E 18.52) and MidCap (P/E 18.54) remain more attractive than the Magnificent 7 (P/E 42.43) or the broader S&P 500 (P/E 25.52). 2025 Earnings Growth Estimates: SmallCap earnings expected to grow 17.49%, the highest among major indices. As investors look ahead to 2025, many will be asking: Are smaller companies worth a larger weight in my portfolio? Explore our latest blog post for insights. Read More: https://lnkd.in/g_rZcV-7 #Finance #Markets #Investing #SmallCaps #FirstTrust

📈 November PPI Shows Persistent Inflation Risks Producer prices rose 0.4% in November, with food prices surging 3.1% due to a breakout of bird flu driving egg prices up 54.6%. Excluding food and energy, core PPI increased 0.2% and is up 3.4% year-over-year, accelerating from 1.9% in November 2023. Key takeaways: Service prices led the increase, up 3.9% year-over-year. Prices for goods, excluding food and energy, rose 2.2% over the past year. Inflation risks linger as the Fed prepares for another rate cut next week. Could aggressive rate cuts reignite inflation? Explore our latest post on The Antidote to Conventional Wisdom. Read More: https://lnkd.in/gM5DhK93 #Economics #Inflation #FederalReserve #FirstTrust #MarketInsights

Abundant Reserves, Abundant Losses: Fed's Financials in Q3 December 12, 2024 In this week's edition of "Three on Thursday," we look at the Federal Reserve's financials through the third quarter of 2024. Back in 2008, the Federal Reserve (the "Fed") embarked on a novel experiment in monetary policy by transitioning from a "scarce reserve" system to one characterized by "abundant reserves." In addition to inflation, this experiment has resulted in some other developments that are worrisome. For more insights, click here: https://lnkd.in/gjtnktus #FirstTrust #ThreeOnThursday #Economics #Economy

First Trust Factoid of the Day December 12, 2024 #FirstTrust #Factoid #CoffeePrices #ArabicaCoffee #GlobalDemand #CommodityTrading #CoffeeSupplyDeficit

⚡ The Growing Demand for Electricity: Are We Ready? In Episode 35 of the ROI Podcast, Richard Bernstein highlights a critical challenge: while electricity demand surged in 2024, the U.S. grid is stuck in 1950s technology. 🔧 Real infrastructure needs: Forget food courts and road paving—modernizing the grid is where transformative investments are needed. 📈 With energy demand expected to rise, the conversation around infrastructure is more relevant than ever. 🎧 https://lnkd.in/gPMetJDq 📺 https://lnkd.in/gMkWU8EE #Energy #Infrastructure #Investing #ROIPodcast

🌟 Big Opportunities Ahead! In Episode 35 of the ROI Podcast, Richard Bernstein highlights an exciting trend: Over 70 companies in the S&P 500 are forecasted to grow earnings by 25% or more—and only one is part of the Magnificent Seven. 📊 What does this mean? The opportunity set is expanding, and 2025's fundamentals could be stronger than anticipated. 💡 Don't miss this insightful conversation about finding growth outside the usual suspects. 🎧 https://lnkd.in/gPMetJDq 📺 https://lnkd.in/gMkWU8EE #Investing #FinancialPodcast #GrowthOpportunities #ROIPodcast

📈 Fixed Income Trends: Bond Yields, Inflation, and Real Returns The 10-year Treasury yield has surged 365 bps since its all-time low in 2020, with recent disinflation and easing monetary policy contributing to improved fixed income performance. Seven of the 11 tracked debt categories posted positive total returns since our last analysis, up from just two previously. Key drivers: Disinflation: CPI inflation down to 2.6% in October 2024 from 9.1% in June 2022. Consumer Spending: Record Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales highlight strong demand. Real Yields: Positive for 17 consecutive months, offering investors meaningful income adjusted for inflation. While fixed income markets show progress, inflation remains above the Fed's 2% target, keeping future rate cuts in question. Explore our latest Cash Flow and Carey blog for more insights. Read More: https://lnkd.in/g7zErBKs #FixedIncome #Bonds #Economy #Inflation #FirstTrust

📈 ETF Data Watch: December 2024 Edition November saw robust inflows for US-listed ETFs, with $155.8 billion in net flows, bringing total assets under management to $10.35 trillion. Key highlights: Equity ETFs led the way with $118.4 billion in inflows, driven by US Equity (+$112.4 billion) and strong demand for factor-based ETFs like Growth (+$7.2 billion) and Value (+$6.9 billion). Fixed Income ETFs attracted $29.2 billion, with Core and Multi-Sector Bonds (+$10.1 billion) leading the pack. Commodities ETFs faced outflows of $0.7 billion, primarily from energy-focused funds. For more insights into ETF trends and flows, explore our full ETF Data Watch: December Edition! https://lnkd.in/gpD8uqgn #ETFs #Investing #AssetFlows #FirstTrust #Finance