The US economy surprised expectations in 2024 by maintaining steady growth despite elevated interest rates, a cooling labor market, and political uncertainty tied to the presidential election. It outpaced other Group of Seven nations, with household spending driving much of this resilience. 

Wage growth outstripped inflation, and record household wealth bolstered consumer confidence, even as Americans depleted pandemic-era savings. 

However, challenges loomed: inflation proved stubborn, borrowing costs strained housing and manufacturing, and delinquencies rose among credit-dependent consumers. Labor market signals also hinted at strain, with hiring slowing, job openings shrinking, and unemployment rates ticking up. 

Finsum: While the Federal Reserve began easing rates later in the year, its cautious stance underscores the delicate balance needed to sustain growth amid persistent inflationary pressures.

Direct indexing allows investors to own individual stocks in a customized portfolio, offering tailored market exposure, tax-loss harvesting, and alignment with personal goals. Unlike ETFs, which can only tax-loss harvest during broad market declines, direct indexing captures tax benefits throughout the year. 

Advisors increasingly use it as a core strategy for U.S. equity exposure, leveraging its tax advantages to offset gains from other parts of a client’s portfolio. Technology enables the efficient management of thousands of unique accounts, optimizing trades daily for greater customization and tax efficiency. 

It is also a powerful tool for diversifying concentrated stock positions or preparing for future liquidity events by accumulating tax-loss reserves. 

Finsum: When choosing a provider, factors such as investment performance, tax alpha, and client service are critical to the goals of direct indexing. 

As the Federal Reserve moves toward eventual rate cuts, investors may want to diversify their fixed income strategies, especially if their portfolios are bond-heavy. Options-based strategies offer a compelling alternative, providing income generation without being directly tied to interest rate changes. 

Invesco has introduced three ETFs that combine exposure to key indexes with active option overlays, aiming to deliver income, downside protection, and equity upside potential. These funds include QQA, focusing on the Nasdaq-100, RSPA with its S&P 500 equal-weight approach, and EFAA, which targets international diversification via the MSCI EAFE Index. 

Each fund employs actively managed option strategies, regularly adapting to market conditions to optimize performance and manage volatility. 

Finsum: For investors seeking steady income with professional oversight, these ETFs present an innovative way to supplement fixed income while navigating a dynamic rate environment.

BlackRock’s acquisition of HPS Investment Partners highlights a strategic push into private credit, a rapidly growing sector where traditional banking once reigned. Unlike BlackRock’s broad focus on public markets, HPS has excelled in targeted private lending, taking calculated risks for higher returns. 

The deal underscores BlackRock’s ambition to rival established players like Blackstone and Apollo in private markets, particularly by expanding its direct lending and junior capital businesses. HPS has historically specialized in funding private equity deals with higher-risk debt, a strategy that has delivered strong returns but also exposed it to occasional losses. 

The acquisition aligns with BlackRock’s vision to integrate public and private fixed-income offerings, particularly for institutional investors like insurers. 

With a solid track record and plans to venture further into investment-grade private credit, HPS is poised to play a pivotal role in BlackRock’s private markets expansion.

BlackRock is set to achieve a record year in net inflows, driven by the popularity of its active ETFs and their integration into model portfolios, according to CFO Martin Small. The company reported over $360 billion in net flows during the first three quarters, with $220 billion coming in Q3 alone, boosting its total assets under management to $11.5 trillion. 

The iShares Bitcoin Trust also saw unprecedented success, amassing $50.8 billion in assets within six months of its January launch. BlackRock’s strategy of embedding its ETFs into its expansive model portfolio business has significantly enhanced its flows, a tactic that has resonated with model builders seeking active exposure and cost efficiency. 

State Street Global Advisors’ research underscores the growing adoption of model portfolios, with 39% of advisers' assets now allocated to these investment tools, further fueling BlackRock’s momentum.

Finsum: There is certainly a nesting doll affect to these technological innovations, but the swell of popularity of active options can somewhat be attributed to macro signals being easier to read.