There are considerable headwinds facing the stock market and economy such as a hawkish Fed, uncomfortably high inflation, debt ceiling deadline, an upcoming election year, increasing risk of a recession, a potential regional banking crisis, and geopolitical tensions. 

Yet, the volatility index has trended lower for much of the year and is now at its lowest levels in over a year. Ron Isbitts covered this matter and why it could be an opportunity for ETF investors in an article for ETF.com.

If investors believe that volatility is mispriced, then there are some different volatility ETFs to consider. The ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF offers exposure to volatility over the next 1-2 months. The ProShares VIX Mid-Term Futures ETF holds volatility contracts with a duration of 3 to 6 months. 

There are also ETFs for those with a variant view. The ProShares Short VIX Short-Term Futures ETF moves inversely to volatility, allowing holders to profit from falling volatility. For those who want to generate income from volatility, the Simplify Volatility Premium ETF also tracks volatility but also produces a dividend for holders. 

Note that these ETFs tend to have slippage, high costs, and underperform the S&P 500 over the long-term. Thus, they are best used tactically and with discretion.

Finsum: Volatility is declining despite several potent risks for the market. There are several options for investors to consider.

In an article for ETF.com by Michelle Lodge, she examines whether success in portfolio management is a matter of skill or luck. According to survey results from S&P Dow Jones, there is little connection between good choices made by a manager and portfolio performance. 

According to Craig Lazarra, the Director of Index Investment Strategy at S&P Dow Jones, “Our report for year-end 2022 finds little evidence of persistent active management success, despite considering a variety of metrics and lookback periods.” 

According to the research, investors are better off with low-cost, diversified ETFs. Additionally, success in terms of picking stocks and ETFs is not repeatable. Additionally even in a poor year for passive funds, 51% of active managers still underperformed their benchmarks in 2022. 

Another piece of evidence cited is that managers who outperformed in the first half of the last decade, failed to outperform in the second-half of the decade. The same dynamic appears with active fixed income managers with no indication that success in one year is likely to repeat in subsequent years. 

Finsum: Research shows that active fixed income and equity outperformance is unlikely to repeat in following years.  

2022 was one of the worst years in memory for fixed income amid raging inflation and a hawkish Federal Reserve. Yet, conditions are much more favorable for the asset class in 2023 given a slowing economy and decelerating inflation. In an article for TheStreet’s ETF Focus channel, David Dierking discusses why short-term fixed income ETFs are a compelling option.

While, it’s likely that the Fed is done raising rates for now, the resilient economy and labor market mean that rates are likely to stay ‘higher for longer’. This favors fixed income with shorter maturities as investors can take advantage of high yields.

ALready, we are seeing this manifest as short-term bond ETFs were the recipient of 21% of net bond ETF inflows in Q1, even though they only account for 8% of the fixed income universe by total assets. 

Additionally, many investors treat short-term bond ETFs as a cash equivalent given that they are extremely liquid, while paying generous yields. In fact, Fed policy is essentially encouraging this trade given the extremely inverted yield curve and rally in long-duration fixed income since March of this year. 

Finsum: Short-term fixed income ETFs are seeing major inflows this year and are an intriguing option in the current market environment.

Seems the referee threw a flag.

Between January 2018 and December 2021, SW Financial, based in Melville, New York, and the co owner of the firm, Thomas Diamante, made material misrepresentations, neglecting to include material information linked with the sale of private placements offerings of pre-IPO securities, according to thinkadvisor.com. It was a duo violation; of FINRA rules and Reg Bi’s Disclosure Obligation as well.

According to Reg Bi’s Disclosure Obligation, it’s incumbent upon broker dealers – as well as those associated – to provide investor clients, “with full and fair written disclosure, prior to or at the time of a recommendation, of all material facts relating to conflicts of interest associated with the recommendation,” as spelled out by FINRA.   

Although it’s FINRA’s maiden expulsion, it’s not its first enforcement action evolving around Reg Bi, which has been around since 2020, according to the National Review.

By year’s end, FINRA pronounced, compliance examinations of 1,000 broker-dealers would be conducted.

Loose lips can, um, wreak havoc on ships.

In your branch, most advisors shouldn’t know squat about your plans; after all, they’re not buddies of yours, but competitors, according to thinkadvisor.com.

If you’re cutting the cord and bidding a non protocol firm adieu, it’s important for you to buckle down and closely abide by the prospective firm’s instructions.

In the world of missteps, a gaggle them can add significant difficulty to your transition:

Failing to Play by the Rules

Being Clueless About the Transfer Process

Taking Your Eye Off the Ball

Not Staying in Front of Clients Prior to Your Move

Meantime, you know the money? Well, follow it.

Probably not a badly conceived plan considering the consolidation on the part of Phoenix based Advisor’s Group of its network of eight brokerages into one translates into challenges, according to financialplanning.com. Those obstacles stem from the flow of thousands of financial advisors and assets work billions of dollars.

With more than 10,500 financial advisors and $490 billion in client assets, the firm will shift them to a rebranded company with a spanking new moniker, according to a report earlier this month by Moody's Investors Service.