A manager at Artemis believes now is the perfect time to consider active fixed income solutions. Grace Le, who co-manages the Artemis Corporate Bond Fund, told Financial Times that an active bond manager’s job is to protect their clients during uncertain times and that is exactly what we are experiencing now. She believes that the reversal of quantitative easing led to more volatility in bond markets, resulting in a “boon for active investors.” Investors are dealing with inflation, macroeconomic uncertainty, and the potential for a recession. Muzinich & Co's co-head of public markets Michael McEachern told the publication that active managers can invest in shorter-duration bonds less impacted by increasing rates and rotate into higher-quality credit that is less sensitive to the current environment. Managers can also avoid concentration in a portfolio and deploy carry trades, which means borrowing at a low-interest rate and investing in an asset that provides a higher return.

Finsum:According to two bond fund managers,investors should consider active fixed income in times of economic and market uncertainty. 

NEOS Investments, an investment firm specializing in options-based income solutions, launched three actively managed ETFs this week, including two fixed income ETFs designed to help advisors and investors navigate the current market environment. The NEOS Enhanced Income Aggregate Bond ETF (BNDI) generates monthly income from investing in a representative portfolio of the U.S. Aggregate Bond Market and implementing a data-driven put option strategy. The NEOS Enhanced Income Cash Alternative ETF (CSHI) generates monthly income from investing in a portfolio of 1–3-month Treasury Bills and implementing a data-driven put option strategy. Both ETFs, which now trade on the NYSE, utilize a put spread approach that involves selling short puts and buying long puts to generate option premiums to be distributed as income without taking on outsized risk.

Finsum:Options-based investmentfirmNEOSrecently launched two fixed income ETFsoffering investors a novel approach to monthly income.

RBC Wealth Management’s aggressive recruiting has landed another team. The firm was able to lure Coatoam Wealth Management Group, a $560 million team, away from Merrill Lynch. The team, which is led by Managing Director Brian Coatoam, is joining RBC in their new office in Winter Park, FL. Coatoam has been in the industry for 24 years. He got his start with Advantage Trading Group and worked for Morgan Stanley before joining Merrill Lynch. He leads a six-person team, which includes two Certified Financial Planners, Derek Grimm, and Ryan Plank. RBC, like many firms, is pushing expansion in Florida as the state lures more wealthy investors due to a lack of income and capital gains taxes. RBC had previously announced a father-son advisor team joining its office in Palm Gardens and in January the firm recruited a $1 billion Florida team from Truist.

Finsum:With more wealthy investors moving to Florida, RBC continues its aggressive expansion in the state by recruiting a $560 million Merrill Lynch team.

One of the most popular allocations for model portfolios in recent history has been the 60/40 model. A classic allocation with 60% invested in stocks and 40% invested in bonds. Until recently, this model has generated stable returns for investors. However, this year’s brutal returns for both the equity and fixed income markets have investors wondering if the traditional 60/40 model provides adequate protection. In most previous equity downturns, investors have been able to count on bond instruments to hedge negative equity performance due to an inverse relationship between stock returns and bond yields. But this year, investors have been faced with both a down stock market and a hawkish Fed, leading to losses in both asset classes. This has made the 60/40 model seem outdated as of late. While the 60/40 model may not be dead yet, investors may want to consider model portfolios with additional asset classes in the current market environment.

Finsum:With a down stock market and a hawkish Fed, investors may want to reconsider the 60/40 model portfolio.

Based on comments made at the Fed's Jackson Hole conference, volatility is here to stay. Many of the economic policymakers who spoke at the conference believe we are entering into a highly volatile economic period. If the last few years, which have included inflation, supply chain disruptions, and back-and-forth growth, weren’t enough, we are likely to see more frequent and larger shocks in the years to come. Plus, the continued hawkish stance from Fed chair Jerome Powell means a reversal in Fed policy isn’t likely any time soon. This means more volatility in the market for the foreseeable future. Investors can no longer rely on central bank rate cuts to support markets during downturns. The Fed is now expected to raise interest rates another 75 basis points during its next policy meeting in September. According to CME Group data, approximately 75% of traders are now pricing a third consecutive increase of 75 basis points.

Finsum:Based on comments made at the Fed's Jackson Hole conference, investors can expect continued economic and market volatility for months and even years to come.

A slam dunk of a fixed income stream can sound pretty appetizing to any consumer -- including retirees. Consequently, guaranteed rate annuities can be just the ticket for them, according to  annuityexpertadvice.com.

That said, before John Hancocking the dotted line, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the contract terms. After all, you want to circumvent locking into an investment that yields less than satisfactory returns, the site continued.

The sales of multi year guaranteed annuities have surged this year, according to lifehealth.com. First quarter sales chimed in at $14.5 billion, a hike of 30.1% compared to the quarter before.

According to industry surveys, seeing the money well run dry’s the top fear among most retirees, stated winkintel.com.

“Annuities play a critical role as a safe money alternative for so many seniors, especially in our current environment of market volatility,” said Chris Conroy, IAMS’ executive vice president and general counsel.

The idea of new companies with capitating ideas and a high ceiling for growth wet your whistle? Small cap ETFs might be just your ticket, according to benzinga.com.

Opposed to large cap companies, the likelihood of exponential gains among small cap stocks is greater. On top of that, many smaller cap companies aren’t yet in the wheelhouse of institutional investors, the site continued. Plucking down cash on only a firm or two probably isn’t a sage move since smaller firms experience a certain rate of hitting the skids

Make way for small cap ETFs.

Best Small Cap ETFs:

The Best Overall: iShares Russell 2000 ETF

The Best for Active Traders: iShares Core S&P Small Cap ETF

The Best International Fund: Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-U.S. Small Cap ETF

The Best Growth Fund: SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Growth ETF

The Best Value Fund: Vanguard Small Cap Value ETF

The Best Fund for Income: WisdomTree U.S. Small Cap Dividend ETF

According to thestreet.com, the Schwab U.S. Small Cap ETF is the top small cap ETF to add to your portfolio. While it tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Small-Cap Total Stock Market Index, it's not the S&P 600 Small Cap index or the Russell 2000. However, when it comes to exposure, it’s essentially the same.

The American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) has put its support behind a lawsuit challenging the Labor Department’s subsequent guidance on the fiduciary rule. The ACLI is the nation’s largest life insurance trade association. The group added an amicus brief to an ongoing lawsuit by the Federation of Americans for Consumer Choices against the DOL. The suit, which was filed in March, claimed that agents “oftentimes make rollover recommendations for purchase of annuities to IRA owners and participants in employer-sponsored 401k and similar benefit plans, for which they receive commissions or other compensation from annuity issuers.” The concern is that these agents will be adversely affected by the DOL’s new interpretation of the Fiduciary Rule that categorizes their status as investment advice fiduciaries under ERISA. ACLI believes that the new interpretation would achieve the same outcome as the 2016 Fiduciary Rule, which was rejected in the Fifth Circuit court. ACLI was one of the lead plaintiffs in that decision.

Finsum:The American Council of Life Insurers has put its support behind an ongoing lawsuit against the DOL and their new interpretation of the Fiduciary Rule.

Anyone notice that stocks, lately, have been a bit, well, prickly?

Of course, for awhile there, it segued they’d found their mojo and watching cable shows like CNBC also was a popcorn worthy occasion. Now, that viewing experience likely would give you indigestion.

In other words, yes: vo-la-ti-li-ty.

Now, could this be hitting the gas pedal on an even steeper decline.

Let’s count the possible dividends. In the short term, the wraps are on the corporate earnings season, according to ally.com, and summer? Ready to wave buh-bye. In the eye of an obvious lack of direction, it’s all but an invitation for percolating volatility, the site continued.

Meantime, investors are sliding their attention from the probabilities of a recession and how the markets will react to the Fed.

Against that less than appealing backdrop, Jesmond Mizzi Financial Advisors’ Head of Wealth Management Colin Vella, said that rather than ruing the circumstances surrounding the volatility, investors can make the best of it, according to jesmondmizzi.com.

The global initiative – unlike the war – to get a handle on COVID 19 reassured markets that bouncing back to more normal conditions could be on the short term horizon. 

As the virus started to escalate worldwide, at the dawn of 2020, markets began their descent. However, the downturn didn’t have staying power and bounced back prior to the initial lockdowns.

How often does opportunity knock? Well, financial advisors could be hand wringing if they allow a chance to further buck up their business with model portfolio strategies and step up the client experience slip through their fingers, according to etftrends.com.

Shucking aside, simply put, a model’s a framework for a financial advisor, explained Brad Shepard, head of Advisor Innovation, WisdomTree Asset Management, said in a webcast, How to Build a Better Business with Model Portfolios. It enables the advisor to structure asset allocation and fund selection in their practice on behalf of a client, the continued.

Leveraging model portfolios to outsource the management of portfolios can help abet a greater degree of a client centric model and enhance the competitiveness of a business model, noted investmentnews.com.

According to Investment News, four examples of outsourcing options upon which advisors are implement that can rachet up firm operations and, possibly, culminate in ideal results:

1.Virtual administration services
2. HR assistance
3. An outsourced CFO
4.Portfolio management