1. The Future of Wealth Needs Men — And That's Good Marketing
There’s an angle in the Women and Wealth discussion that keeps getting overlooked, and it is one I believe holds real opportunity for firms. One of the most powerful things the financial industry can do to support women’s growing economic power is to get more men talking about it. Not to women, but to other men. — Lisa Hinz
2. Presidential Approval vs. Stock Returns: The Data May Surprise Investors
People care about politics, but markets don’t belong to a political party. They perform well during periods of high approval, low approval, and everything in between. Investors who disapprove of the sitting president have historically been wrong to let their feelings drive portfolio decisions. Interestingly, the best returns for stocks have come when the country is most divided (approval rating between 35% – 50%). For this reason, investment strategies should be based on your long-term goals, not who is in the White House. — Lincoln Financial
3. A Black Swan Yawns — And Markets Shrug
Prudent investors have long been concerned about “black swans” – low probability, high outcome events that could abruptly unravel market dynamics. One of the classic black swans was the closure of the Straits of Hormuz, disrupting global oil supplies and creating an inflationary spiral. That black swan arrived over the weekend, yet the consequences have so far been minimal. Investor psychology is a major factor behind the relative calm. — Steve Sosnick
4. The Calm Before and After Market Storms
Uncertainty and Volatility are still the words on everyone’s mind heading into 2026, and with good reason. In fact, reasons abound, including geopolitical flashpoints, AI disruption, and threats to the Fed’s independence, to name a few. — Calamos
5. How RIAs Can Balance AI Costs With Efficiency Gains
AI adoption among small and mid-sized Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) is accelerating, but most firms are still in early stages. While 63% of RIAs now use AI in some capacity, only 10% have deeply integrated it into their operations. The key challenge? Balancing the cost of AI tools with measurable efficiency gains. — Dhruv Baronia
6. Market Panic During War Often Leads to Costly Investor Decisions
War with Iran is adding a new level of chaos to already uncertain times. What about your retirement savings? Is your investment portfolio safe? Is it time to think about pulling out of the stock market? If you’re asking yourself questions like these, please pause and take a few deep breaths. Then put down the phone before you call your investment advisor. Or back away from the computer before you access your investment account. This is not the time to take dramatic action out of panic. — Rick Kahler
7. Markets in Wartime: Why Stocks May Fall First—Then Rally
If we consider the first and second Gulf Wars as corollaries to today’s conflict, equity markets should be biased lower and oil prices should be biased higher over the near-term. However, as we move to and through the peak of the conflict, stock prices should find a bottom and move higher, and oil prices should find a ceiling and move lower. We speak to that potential outcome in the attached note. If you have any questions about, or would like to discuss, our thinking on the situation in Iran, please reach out to your salesperson. We would be happy to speak with you. — Brian Storey & Frank Nickel
8. Will Oil Prices Unleash A Wave Of Inflation?
We start with math to address the historical relationship between oil prices and inflation. The graph below, using data since 2005, plots six-month percentage changes in oil prices on the X-axis against six-month percentage changes in the CPI on the Y-axis. Visually, you can see a positive correlation; however, statistically, the relationship is not strong, with an R-squared of only 0.1824. Based on this fleeting relationship, for every 10% increase in oil prices over six months, we should expect the monthly CPI to increase by 0.11, or about 1.38% on an annualized basis. — Lance Roberts
9. How To Discuss the Blue Owl Situation With Clients
By now, advisors are likely somewhat familiar with Blue Owl Capital (NYSE: OWL) situation, which is unnerving private credit markets. Admittedly, it’s an oversimplification, but shares of business development companies (BDCs) and private equity firms that made loans to software companies have recently been punished amid fears that artificial intelligence (AI) is going to render cloud computing, cybersecurity and other software varieties obsolete. Those fears were exacerbated when Blue Owl Capital decided to $1.4 billion in loans to raise liquidity and permanently halt redemptions in a vehicle accessible to a broad swath of investors. Severe punishment ensued. — Todd Shriber
10. Gold Near Record Highs Amid War and Market Uncertainty
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has driven gold prices higher, as demand for so-called ‘safe haven’ assets increases. The gold price is off the all-time high we saw earlier this year, but up near 20% since the start of 2026. This rally builds on two strong years of performance through 2025 and 2024, driven higher as global central banks built up allocations – favouring the precious metal over the US dollar reserves. Past performance isn’t a guide to the future. — Emma Wall
11. Markets in a Dangerous World: Why the U.S. Economy May Still Avoid Recession
It feels unseemly obsessing over the markets and economy while war rages in the Middle East, thousands of our troops are in harm’s way and seven U.S. servicemembers have lost their lives. We hope peace comes to the Middle East and pray for the safety of our troops and those who made the ultimate sacrifice, as well as their loved ones. And it feels naïve to make an optimistic case for the markets and the economy considering the recent sharp drawdown in US stocks, a 35% spike in the price of oil in March and a February jobs report that showed the U.S. shed 92,000 jobs last month, but that is what we will do. — Tim Holland