Beyond Bulls & Bears

Category: Perspectives

K2 hedge fund strategy outlook: Fourth quarter 2022
Alternatives

K2 hedge fund strategy outlook: Fourth quarter 2022

From an investment standpoint, aggressive regime shifts like the current one often create price dislocations as allocators restructure their portfolios, according to K2 Advisors. Read the team’s latest outlook.

Brooks Ritchey |
US retirement legislation and regulation bulletin: Third quarter 2022
Perspectives

US retirement legislation and regulation bulletin: Third quarter 2022

We believe it is important to keep you informed on the latest proposals and regulations impacting the retirement industry, as well as implications to your business. As such, we are pleased to share the latest edition of the Retirement Legislation and Regulation Bulletin, prepared by our partners at Davis & Harman LLP.

Michael L. Hadley |
Quick thoughts: Arugula is the new popcorn—a conversation on food innovation
Perspectives

Quick thoughts: Arugula is the new popcorn—a conversation on food innovation

Feeding a growing global population requires innovation in food and agricultural technologies. Learn about how investors have a role to play.

Stephen H. Dover, CFA |
Dimensions & Insights: Your growth story includes DEI
Perspectives

Dimensions & Insights: Your growth story includes DEI

Today’s extremely competitive environment requires diverse thinking and problem solving to find great opportunities. Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices create a platform for differentiation for firm performance and add to an asset manager’s bottom line. Chief Executive Officer Jenny Johnson and Chief Diversity Officer Regina Curry believe thinking more holistically about embedding DEI in company practices and processes produce the best outcomes and more company growth.

Regina Curry |
Quick thoughts: Why the US dollar matters
Perspectives

Quick thoughts: Why the US dollar matters

Why is the US dollar so strong? And what does the strengthening dollar mean for investors, the global economy and inflation? Stephen Dover, Head of Franklin Templeton Institute, explains.

Stephen H. Dover, CFA |
Municipal markets continue to feel the pressure this year, yet fundamentals remain stable
Fixed Income

Municipal markets continue to feel the pressure this year, yet fundamentals remain stable

The municipal bond market has not been immune to bouts of volatility hitting the markets this year, but there are still pockets of opportunity, according to Franklin Templeton Fixed Income’s Director of Municipal Bonds, Ben Barber. He points to improving technical conditions, stable fundamentals and inexpensive valuations that make the asset class look compelling.

Ben Barber, CFA |
You are not first: Making the case for alternatives—particularly commercial real estate—in defined contribution plans
Alternatives

You are not first: Making the case for alternatives—particularly commercial real estate—in defined contribution plans

Despite widespread use in institutional portfolios, alternative investments are not typically found in US defined contribution plans. Drew Carrington, Head of Institutional Defined Contribution at Franklin Templeton, and Tripp Braillard, Head of Defined Contribution Distribution at Clarion Partners, explain why perhaps they should be.

Drew Carrington, CFA |
Dimensions & Insights: Diverse and inclusive practices unlock opportunities
Perspectives

Dimensions & Insights: Diverse and inclusive practices unlock opportunities

Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) practices unlock opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed. Companies with greater ethnic and cultural diversity outperform in productivity and profitability and gain the ability to find and unlock innovations from anyone, anywhere. Our Chief Diversity Officer Regina Curry believes the debate is long over—the business case for D&I is proven and compelling.

Regina Curry |
Inflation hedges: Fact and fantasy
Multi-Asset

Inflation hedges: Fact and fantasy

Equity markets have clearly taken notice of rising inflation—and not in a good way. Here, Gene Podkaminer and Chris Ratkovsky of Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions explore how different investments have performed during various inflation scenarios, which strategies or asset classes might provide an inflation hedge, and whether a “soft landing” economic scenario is possible.

Gene Podkaminer, CFA |
Meet the manager: Justin Ma
Perspectives

Meet the manager: Justin Ma

Landing in Franklin Templeton’s Floating Rate Debt Group prior to the global financial crisis, Justin Ma is no stranger to navigating market volatility and challenging environments. Today, he is excited about new applications of data science and quantitative methods to enhance his team’s portfolio management capabilities. Learn more about Justin.

Justin Ma |
PODCAST: Increasing yields, strategy shifts for income investors
Multi-Asset

PODCAST: Increasing yields, strategy shifts for income investors

Rapidly changing economic and market conditions could lead to a shift in strategy for income investors. Ed Perks, chief investment officer of Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions, breaks down the macro environment and shares the fixed income sectors he believes are now attractive, in this conversation with our Josh Greco. 

Edward D. Perks, CFA |
US equities: Opportunities amid turbulence
Equity

US equities: Opportunities amid turbulence

Franklin Equity Group Portfolio Manager Grant Bowers shares his outlook on inflation and recessionary risks and where he’s finding opportunities in US equities amid recent market volatility.

Grant Bowers |