Wealth Management
Oil prices surged as much as 14% in their biggest intraday jump since 2022 after Israeli airstrikes hit Iranian military and nuclear targets, rattling global energy markets. Though prices later pulled back, Brent and WTI crude still ended up nearly 6% on the day, reflecting heightened investor anxiety over potential disruptions in Middle East supply.
The attacks avoided Iran’s vital oil infrastructure—like Kharg Island and key pipelines—tempering fears of immediate output losses, but analysts warn that any escalation could still threaten flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
About 20% of global oil transits that narrow waterway, making it a critical choke point vulnerable to retaliation or blockade. While Iran vowed a strong response, energy analysts say an all-out disruption would hurt Tehran too, particularly as it relies heavily on oil exports to China.
Finsum: For now, traders are eyeing whether the conflict expands into an “energy-for-energy” tit-for-tat, which could turn market jitters into a full-blown supply crisis.
Interval funds, which offer limited liquidity and access to private markets, are gaining traction as investors seek alternatives to traditional ETFs and mutual funds. Asset managers like TCW, Blackstone, and Vanguard have launched new interval funds this year, bringing the total to 139 with about $100 billion in assets.
These funds, which allow redemptions only at set intervals (typically quarterly), enable investments in less liquid assets like private credit. For example, TCW’s new fund focuses 80% on private asset-backed credit, illustrating the shift toward alternative income strategies.
Meanwhile, attempts to bring private asset exposure to ETFs, such as the PRIV ETF, have struggled due to regulatory concerns over liquidity and naming.
Finsum: Advisors are increasingly allocating client portfolios to interval funds, favoring their higher yields despite reduced liquidity and higher fees.
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
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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.
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.