Wealth Management
In a high-inflation environment, variable annuities offer a unique blend of investment growth and guaranteed income, making them an attractive option for certain retirees. Unlike fixed annuities, their value rises and falls with market performance, allowing for inflation-beating potential over time.
They also provide tax-deferred growth and the option to convert savings into a predictable income stream that can last for life. Optional riders can offer added benefits like long-term care coverage or income guarantees, though these come with additional fees.
However, high costs, market risk, and limited liquidity make them unsuitable for all investors.
Finsum: For those who’ve maxed out other retirement vehicles and can tolerate some risk, variable annuities may help protect purchasing power while delivering steady income.
The rise of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) in college basketball has significantly tilted the playing field in favor of blue blood programs, further eroding the chances for mid-majors to make deep tournament runs.
Top talent from smaller schools is increasingly being poached by power conference programs offering far more lucrative NIL deals, making it harder for underdogs to retain breakout stars. As a result, teams like George Mason or Loyola Chicago may soon become relics of a bygone era, replaced by a tournament field dominated by historically elite programs.
Jay Williams and other analysts have pointed out that the transfer portal and NIL have created a new recruiting pipeline where even mid-level Power Five schools can outbid and outshine mid-majors. The evidence is showing on the court—while some smaller programs still challenge the big names, they rarely break through to the Sweet 16.
Finsum: Ultimately, the NIL era may not have killed Cinderella, but it’s certainly made her invitation to the dance much harder to come by.
Voya Financial is expanding its target-date offerings with the launch of the MyCompass Target Date Blend Series, a new collective investment trust (CIT) overseen by Great Gray Trust Company.
This addition strengthens Voya’s foothold in the growing target-date market, where it already manages more than $25 billion in assets. Sub-advised by flexPATH Strategies, the series benefits from Voya Investment Management’s expertise as a glide path fiduciary, ensuring thoughtful asset allocation.
Designed to complement Voya’s existing MyCompass Index and MyCompass American Funds solutions, the Blend Series mirrors the firm’s Target Retirement Trust (TRT) framework. Key features include a participant-focused glide path, a mix of active and passive strategies, a multi-manager approach for diversification, and stable value fund allocations to reduce volatility for those nearing retirement.
Finsum: The finer details such as the glide path can make a huge difference for clients.
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Global stock markets declined this week as investors braced for new U.S. tariffs that have heightened recession fears. The S&P 500 briefly fell into correction territory before rebounding, but it still posted its worst quarter since 2022.
The uncertainty surrounding trade policy pushed the CBOE Volatility Index higher and drove investors toward safe-haven assets like gold, which reached a record high above $3,100 an ounce.
Asian and European markets also struggled, with automakers hit particularly hard after Trump announced a 25% tariff on imported vehicles and parts. Meanwhile, CoreWeave's stock tumbled after its IPO, and Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison declined as a Chinese regulatory review delayed a major ports deal.
Finsum: Investors are flocking to bonds for any chance of relief, but this could be the time to buy on the bottom of the market if Trump pulls the rug on tariffs once again.
Despite favorable regulatory developments and the announcement of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, crypto markets saw a sharp pullback in early March, with bitcoin, ether, and solana all declining. Some of the disappointment stemmed from the fact that the reserve would consist solely of assets seized through law enforcement rather than direct government purchases.
Bitcoin’s latest quadrennial halving on April 20, 2024, historically a catalyst for massive rallies, has yielded a more tempered 30% gain so far, possibly due to more efficient market pricing. Ether and solana have closely tracked bitcoin’s movements, with correlations consistently high, reinforcing the idea that broader market sentiment is driving price action.
Unlike previous post-halving periods, miners' transaction revenues have remained relatively stable, suggesting that extreme price volatility may be less likely this cycle.
Finsum: Slowing growth in transaction volumes hints at a maturing crypto market, with daily bitcoin transactions dipping in early 2025 even as futures trading remains active.
Halo Investing has secured $12 million in Series B funding to enhance transparency and competition in structured notes investing. Backed by investors like Allianz Life Ventures and William Blair Circle, the platform aims to make structured notes more accessible by eliminating traditional high minimum investment requirements.
As the world’s first independent, multi-issuer technology platform for structured notes, Halo enables advisors to offer protective investing in an unbiased, data-driven manner. CEO Jason Barsema emphasized the company’s mission to provide equal investment opportunities for all, from everyday investors to corporate executives.
The platform streamlines order management, enhances compliance, and optimizes back-office efficiency for issuers and wealth managers.
Finsum: With this latest innovation, structured notes are a rapidly developing investment framework.