Beyond Bulls & Bears

Category: Fixed Income

A pioneering income strategy celebrates 75 years
Fixed Income

A pioneering income strategy celebrates 75 years

Celebrating an exciting milestone: Franklin Income Fund turns 75. Learn more about this flagship strategy and read some fun facts from back in 1948.

Weathering the storm: Exploring climate change adaptation and the investor’s imperative
Fixed Income

Weathering the storm: Exploring climate change adaptation and the investor’s imperative

The Franklin Templeton Fixed Income team believe that issuers that think critically about the environment in which they operate could outperform throughout the full market cycle compared with those who are slower to adapt.

David Zahn, CFA, FRM |
Quick Thoughts: Quiet shifts in corporate debt may explain this year’s big economic surprise
Fixed Income

Quick Thoughts: Quiet shifts in corporate debt may explain this year’s big economic surprise

The resilience of US growth, earnings and markets has been the big surprise of 2023. Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute, opines on the factors at play—and whether they will last.

Stephen H. Dover, CFA |
Quick Thoughts: Jackson Hole—Limited visibility, bumpy landing
Fixed Income

Quick Thoughts: Jackson Hole—Limited visibility, bumpy landing

In the wake of the Federal Reserve’s annual gathering in Jackson Hole, Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute, conveys one clear message: interest rates aren’t coming down anytime soon.

Stephen H. Dover, CFA |
Crisis in concrete: Navigating the ripple effects of commercial real estate on municipal bonds
Fixed Income

Crisis in concrete: Navigating the ripple effects of commercial real estate on municipal bonds

Declining commercial real estate valuations will not likely lead to a wave of defaults among muni issuers, according to Franklin Templeton Fixed Income’s municipal bond team.

Ben Barber, CFA |
On My Mind: The structural shift that wasn’t
Fixed Income

On My Mind: The structural shift that wasn’t

Markets seem to be coming around to our Franklin Templeton Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai’s view that the Fed will have to keep interest rates higher for longer, but now runaway fiscal deficits pose further upside risk to yields in the long term, she warns. She shares her latest insights on the fiscal and monetary outlook and the implications for investors.

Sonal Desai, Ph.D. |
Running of the bulls
Multi-Asset

Running of the bulls

Equity markets have rallied since October, but the Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions team thinks markets have run ahead of both current and expected growth. Learn why—and what it may mean for investors.

Tom Nelson, CFA |
Quick Thoughts: The sovereign debt wave—an existential threat
Fixed Income

Quick Thoughts: The sovereign debt wave—an existential threat

The Sovereign Debt Wave is at a historic peak and appears set to continue growing. With higher inflation and reduced liquidity, some countries will be able to continue to issue debt easily, while some will not. Franklin Templeton Institute’s Stephen Dover and Kim Catechis discuss the different factors that will affect long-term investment returns for sovereign debt.

Stephen H. Dover, CFA |
Quick Thoughts: Impacts of ceilings, tightening and liquidity
Fixed Income

Quick Thoughts: Impacts of ceilings, tightening and liquidity

Head of Franklin Templeton Institute Stephen Dover recently moderated a panel of our leading economists and asked this key question: What’s in store for investors in the second half? Here’s a quick take of their answers.

Navigating inflationary seas—a study of central banks in the United States, Europe and Asia
Fixed Income

Navigating inflationary seas—a study of central banks in the United States, Europe and Asia

With inflation still front and center and tight labor markets, how will central banks react to the challenging market environment? Join the Franklin Templeton Fixed Income (FTFI) economists as they discuss their views on central banks’ strategies and formalized policies in the latest installment of the FTFI Fifteen—a video series designed to cover relative market topics in about 15 minutes.

Nikhil Mohan |
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.

Stephen H. Dover, CFA |
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.

David Zahn, CFA, FRM |