Wealth Management
Private equity firms began the year with strong momentum and over $1.6 trillion in dry powder, eager to deploy capital amid improving deal activity. However, rising trade tensions and macroeconomic uncertainty are making investors more cautious, with many GPs expecting tariffs to slow deployment over the coming months.
Despite this, Q1 saw a surge in deals—volume rose over 45% and value more than doubled year-over-year—driven by large transactions like Sycamore Partners’ take-private of Walgreens. Market volatility has paradoxically raised firms’ risk appetite, with nearly three-quarters indicating they’re more willing to act on mispriced opportunities across sectors such as defense, middle-market manufacturing, and distressed assets.
Amid these trends, firms such as CNL Strategic Capital are shifting focus to value creation within their portfolio of companies seeking long-term growth
Finsum: Private Markets are a great way to sidestep current volatility
Managed accounts in defined contribution plans have long existed but suffer from low adoption, partly due to limited participant engagement. New technology now allows these accounts to personalize portfolios using more data than just age, potentially improving retirement outcomes.
Providers are developing hybrid solutions like personalized target-date funds (PTDFs), which tailor asset allocations using existing data without requiring user input. However, experts stress that true personalization—and value—depends on incorporating outside assets and participant-provided details like retirement goals and risk tolerance.
While artificial intelligence and subscription models may improve engagement, industry leaders see the ultimate goal as total household financial management.
Finsum: Whether managed accounts can scale effectively and deliver on this promise remains a central question for the future of retirement planning.
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.
Finsum: With interest rates remaining elevated, large cap could be more resilient compared to the small cap counter parts.
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Bitcoin recently surged past $110,000, signaling strong investor confidence in blockchain technology as a foundation for the future of money. Rebecca Walser of Walser Wealth Management believes this marks the beginning of a long-term upward trend, even if short-term volatility causes retrenchments similar to gold during liquidity crunches.
She emphasizes that fluctuations—especially during periods of economic stress, trade negotiations, or capital raises—shouldn’t shake conviction in Bitcoin’s potential.
Walser argues this evolution will eventually disrupt traditional fiat systems and require a fundamental shift in how banking operates. In her view, Bitcoin, as the original and most established digital asset, is poised to lead this transformation despite the expected market ups and downs.
Finsum: As central banks explore digital currencies and private cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Dogecoin gain traction, blockchain is emerging as the inevitable backbone of global finance.
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.