Beyond Bulls & Bears

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Tumultuous times: Understanding the macroeconomic landscape
Fixed Income

Tumultuous times: Understanding the macroeconomic landscape

Fixed income sectors that eliminate credit risk seem to be pricing in a recession while sectors willing to take credit risk seem to be much more optimistic. Franklin Templeton Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai and Portfolio Manager Rick Klein tell us what they think these diverging views imply.

An overview of US state budgets and municipal bonds
Fixed Income

An overview of US state budgets and municipal bonds

As COVID-era funding boosts come to a close, US state and local governments are facing some challenges. However, they have many tools with which to tackle them, according to Jennifer Johnston, Franklin Templeton Fixed Income’s Director of Research, Municipal Bonds. She provides her latest outlook.

Quick Thoughts: What to do when stuff happens
Multi-Asset

Quick Thoughts: What to do when stuff happens

When markets turn volatile, it’s not time to despair. Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute, offers some judicious perspective on how to turn volatility into opportunity.

On My Mind: The Fed fights inflation, the markets fight the Fed
Fixed Income

On My Mind: The Fed fights inflation, the markets fight the Fed

Markets want to believe policy interest rates will soon fall—but inflation and growth data tell a very different story, argues Franklin Templeton Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai.