BlackRock just gave its muni bond lineup a jolt by flipping its High Yield Municipal Fund into a fresh, actively managed ETF: the iShares High Yield Muni Active ETF (HIMU), now trading on the CBOE. This fund isn’t your average sleepy muni play—HIMU is chasing juicy, tax-free income in today’s high-rate world, with a lean 0.42% net expense ratio after a fee trim. 

It's diving deep into the high-yield pool, with at least 65% of its assets in bonds rated BBB or lower—and yes, there’s room for up to 10% in distressed debt if the upside looks good. BlackRock’s betting that active management gives it the edge, letting it pounce on market moves that passive funds might miss. 

HIMU is the latest in BlackRock’s growing arsenal of bond ETFs, aiming to deliver alpha with a punch of flexibility and tax-free appeal.

Finsum: The launch comes as muni bonds are heating up again, with investors and advisors hunting for income and stability in a volatile environment.

Silver surged to its highest level in 13 years and platinum hit peaks not seen since early 2022, as investors piled into industrial precious metals amid strengthening fundamentals and market momentum. Both metals extended sharp gains from the prior session, with silver rallying past $36 an ounce and platinum climbing nearly 3%, while gold pulled back slightly following stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs data that cooled rate-cut expectations. 

Renewed physical demand—especially for silver in India and platinum in China—has supported the rally, alongside a tightening supply outlook that’s pushing both markets toward deficits this year. 

Silver’s role in solar panel production and platinum’s use in auto catalysts and lab equipment continue to anchor their industrial relevance, fueling investor interest. Analysts note that holding silver above $35 could reignite retail demand, while platinum-backed ETFs are seeing a resurgence, hinting at a broader speculative move. 

Finsum: With palladium also joining the rally and ETF inflows rising, the precious metals space is regaining serious momentum even as gold temporarily steps back.

The Invesco QQQ Trust and Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF continue to serve as efficient vehicles for tapping into the performance of leading large-cap growth stocks through their tracking of the Nasdaq-100 Index. While passively managed, these funds remain highly relevant for active investors, especially as many portfolio managers increase exposure to familiar tech giants. 

During the first quarter of 2025, a temporary pullback in mega-cap names prompted several high-performing active managers to increase holdings in companies like Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, and Nvidia. 

These four names, which collectively represent over a quarter of the QQQ and QQQM portfolios, have shown resilience and strong earnings momentum, particularly in areas like cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Microsoft’s Azure business, for instance, exceeded expectations with robust demand for AI services, while Amazon rebounded following earlier weakness tied to trade concerns. 

Finsum: As fundamentals remain intact and investor interest stays elevated, these ETFs continue to offer a compelling entry point into the most influential names in the growth space.

As interest rate hikes pause, short-term bond funds remain a compelling option for investors seeking steady income with limited rate sensitivity. These funds, which invest in government and corporate debt maturing within five years, can provide attractive yields while minimizing the downside of rate volatility. 

Ideal for short-term goals, they offer better returns than savings accounts without the higher risk of longer-duration bonds or equities. Top picks in this category include SPDR Portfolio Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (SPSB), iShares 1-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (IGSB), Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF (SCHJ), Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF (BSV), and Fidelity Short-Term Bond Fund (FSHBX)—all offering yields north of 4%, with low expenses. 

While short-term bonds aren’t risk-free, they’re a smart choice for investors looking to park cash with a time horizon of three to five years.

Finsum:  As always, cost matters—opt for funds with lower fees to maximize net returns.

Value investing pays off long term, but only a few funds consistently get it right—seven top performers just made the cut. Standouts like ClearBridge Dividend Strategy (LCBEX) and Dodge & Cox Stock (DODGX) delivered strong one-, three-, and five-year returns, outpacing peers with disciplined, research-driven approaches. 

Fidelity Equity-Income (FEKFX) and Fidelity High Dividend ETF (FDVV) combine yield with quality, offering income without overloading on risk. 

Oakmark Select (OANLX) and Natixis Oakmark (NOANX) take concentrated bets on undervalued giants, while WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend (DLN) adds a smart dividend tilt with broad exposure. On average, large-value funds gained 8.58% over the past year, but these funds beat that benchmark while sticking to sound fundamentals.