Beyond Bulls & Bears

An attractive deal awaits small businesses when starting a workplace retirement plan
Education

An attractive deal awaits small businesses when starting a workplace retirement plan

Small business owners without workplace retirement plans now may take advantage of expanded tax credits if they establish one, according to John Kutz, National Retirement Plan Strategist at Franklin Templeton. He outlines recent regulatory and legal developments.

Alternative Allocations: Opportunities in commercial real estate
Alternatives

Alternative Allocations: Opportunities in commercial real estate

While the financial media has focused on the headwinds for commercial real estate and the challenges the office and retail sectors face, this narrative ignores the differences across sectors and the potential opportunities available in today’s market environment, according to Franklin Templeton Institute’s Tony Davidow.

ETFs, electric cars and market cannibalization
ETFs

ETFs, electric cars and market cannibalization

Exchange-traded funds are certainly popular with investors—here’s a look at how they can coexist in harmony with other investment vehicles, from David Mann, Head of ETF Product & Capital Markets.

Using avoided emissions to build the case for investing in climate change
Alternatives

Using avoided emissions to build the case for investing in climate change

Activities that help companies avoid emissions are an attractive investment opportunity, according to Templeton Global Equity Group Portfolio Manager Craig Cameron. By actively seeking opportunities to reduce emissions, he says investors can align themselves with sustainability goals that contribute to a low-carbon economy.

Alternative Allocations: The growth and diversification of secondaries
Alternatives

Alternative Allocations: The growth and diversification of secondaries

Secondary funds, commonly referred to as secondaries or continuation transactions, purchase existing interests from limited partners (LPs) or assets from primary private equity fund investors. Although once considered a niche strategy, secondaries have matured and now represent a vital cog in the private equity ecosystem, according to Franklin Templeton Institute’s Tony Davidow. Read more:

REITs: Ever changing, ever valuable
Equity

REITs: Ever changing, ever valuable

Until recently, office buildings were the pinnacle of commercial real estate—skyscrapers stretched perception and awed as symbols of prestige and value. Malls were the buttressed center of communities, where young people reliably gathered to hang out at the video arcade and their families would do what Americans do best: consume. What happens when behaviors change? Franklin Equity Group Portfolio Managers Blair Schmicker and Daniel Scher reflect on the ever-evolving landscape of commercial real estate, and the answer to that question might surprise you.

PODCAST Anatomy of a Recession update: US labor market cracks emerging?
Perspectives

PODCAST Anatomy of a Recession update: US labor market cracks emerging?

In this conversation with Jeff Schulze, head of economic and market research at ClearBridge Investments, we focus on the US employment market and consumption, receive an update on the ClearBridge Recession Risk Dashboard, and discuss the on-again, off-again, soft-landing narrative.

Quick Thoughts: Positioning for a timely opportunity in munis
Fixed Income

Quick Thoughts: Positioning for a timely opportunity in munis

As markets continue to respond to an uncertain macroeconomic environment, the current fundamentals in the municipal bond market are creating an investment opportunity to capture strong after-tax total returns according to Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute.

Promoting a greener future: The power of sustainable investing
Fixed Income

Promoting a greener future: The power of sustainable investing

Why should investors care about sustainable investing? Franklin Templeton Fixed Income’s Head of Sustainable Investments David Zahn and Senior Sustainability Manager Kasper Hanus weigh in on how FTFI thinks responsible investing and investment returns aren’t mutually exclusive goals.

On My Mind: Debt ceiling to markets—I’ll be back!
Fixed Income

On My Mind: Debt ceiling to markets—I’ll be back!

The debt ceiling crisis has been averted—but this short-term relief might come at the cost of greater future peril. Franklin Templeton Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai analyzes the debt-ceiling resolution and delves into the potential longer-term risks that rising public debt poses to financial markets.

Alts Angle: Disruption creates opportunities
Alternatives

Alts Angle: Disruption creates opportunities

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank will likely lead to tighter credit conditions as banks pull back from lending. Private credit managers are poised to fill the void that banks have left, and can negotiate favorable terms, according to Franklin Templeton Institute’s Tony Davidow.

Alts Angle: Rethinking retirement with alternative investments
Alternatives

Alts Angle: Rethinking retirement with alternative investments

After a challenging 2022, many advisors and investors began to question their traditional retirement approach to investing. Tony Davidow, Senior Alternative Investment Strategist with Franklin Templeton Institute, illustrates the potential impact of adding alternative investments to pursue growth and income—as well as seek to dampen volatility—during the accumulation and distribution phases of retirement.