Beyond Bulls & Bears

EU Delivers Comprehensive Fiscal Rescue Package
Fixed Income

EU Delivers Comprehensive Fiscal Rescue Package

The European Commission has unveiled a sweeping new €750 billion coronavirus fiscal rescue package, including the issuance of new bonds. David Zahn, our Head of European Fixed Income, calls it groundbreaking.

PODCAST: Investing in Innovation: Impact of the Coronavirus Crisis
Equity

PODCAST: Investing in Innovation: Impact of the Coronavirus Crisis

Franklin Equity Group’s Matt Moberg explores equity investing in the wake of the coronavirus—with an eye on innovation. In our latest "Talking Markets" podcast, he shares his outlook for the tech and biotech sectors in light of recent market uncertainty.

Fed Support Helps Stabilize MBS Market
Fixed Income

Fed Support Helps Stabilize MBS Market

Like most asset classes, mortgage-backed securities (MBS) have seen heightened volatility over the past two months as the world copes with COVID-19 and investors look to reduce risk. The MBS market managed to stabilize amid help from the US Federal Reserve, which purchased these and other securities in a broad support program. Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Portfolio Manager Paul Varunok offers his outlook for the MBS market in light of recent events.

PODCAST: What’s Next for Markets as Lockdowns Lift: A Multi-Asset View
Multi-Asset

PODCAST: What’s Next for Markets as Lockdowns Lift: A Multi-Asset View

With markets starting to make a comeback, our Multi-Asset Solutions CIO Ed Perks looks ahead to second half of the year, including the implications of  the US economy opening up, the ongoing impact of the massive monetary and fiscal response, and the risk for a wave of downgrades and defaults.

Quick Thoughts: China’s Potential Continues
Equity

Quick Thoughts: China’s Potential Continues

China was the first economy to institute COVID-19 lockdowns, and has been the first to gradually exit. While the economy is certainly not back to normal, our Head of Equities, Stephen Dover, still sees potential growth opportunities there for investors.

Meet the Manager: Sonal Desai
Fixed Income

Meet the Manager: Sonal Desai

Tending her family’s garden as a child, the seeds were planted for Sonal Desai to succeed in the world of finance and economics through hard work, attention to detail and a research-driven, scientific approach. Today, she leads Franklin Templeton’s Fixed Income team, and is particularly excited about the growth of quantitative science—and how it can complement fundamental analysis. Learn more about Desai.

European Fixed Income: Coming Out of Crisis
Fixed Income

European Fixed Income: Coming Out of Crisis

As European economies slowly start to come out of coronavirus lockdowns, it could be some time before growth returns to pre-crisis levels, according to David Zahn, our Head of European Fixed Income. He says the crisis has been another test for the European Union as the coronavirus has affected some countries moreso than others. But he sees this as perhaps the best time in years to invest in European fixed income.

Quick Thoughts: A New Globalization Emerges
Equity

Quick Thoughts: A New Globalization Emerges

Our Head of Equities Stephen Dover gives his take on the new globalization, how the US Midwest may be the next emerging market, and what he thinks it means for strategic industries and supply chains.

Getting Back to Normal
Equity

Getting Back to Normal

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how global consumers learn, shop, travel and work, as well as how they fulfill entertainment and health care needs. Franklin Equity Group’s John Remmert and Donald Huber share which trends they think are permanent and which are likely just a phase.

On My Mind: Now Let’s Get Those Jobs Back
Fixed Income

On My Mind: Now Let’s Get Those Jobs Back

COVID-19 has taken a toll on human lives as well as the global economy, with the latest US employment figures revealing a shocking number of job losses in April. Franklin Templeton Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai weighs in on the situation, saying the next few weeks will likely prove crucial in shaping the course of the labor market for the remainder of this year.

Coronavirus Pandemic Shifts Focus to ESG
Equity

Coronavirus Pandemic Shifts Focus to ESG

The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the importance of financial market risks that fit within the realm of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors—namely disaster preparedness and health risks. Templeton Global Equity Group’s Maarten Bloemen argues we will see recently highlighted ESG considerations more acutely on the radar of investors, while other issues previously on the backburner due to coronavirus—such as climate change—will likely come back to the spotlight as this is a long-term structural issue which will need to be addressed. He opines on the state of ESG investing and where he sees values.

Building Credit-Ability: Additional Clarity on Fed ETF Buying
LibertyShares

Building Credit-Ability: Additional Clarity on Fed ETF Buying

While there still isn’t complete clarity surrounding the Federal Reserve’s purchases of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), it did recently release a bit more information. David Mann, our Head of Capital Markets, Global ETFs, attempts to solve the mystery of which ETFs the Fed might be buying—and when.