Beyond Bulls & Bears

Quick Thoughts: Debating the Next Moves for Inflation, Growth, and Rates
Perspectives

Quick Thoughts: Debating the Next Moves for Inflation, Growth, and Rates

Rising inflation globally raises the question of whether inflation is persistent versus transitory, driving debate among our investment managers. Our Stephen Dover, Head of the Franklin Templeton Investment Institute, recently discussed economic growth, interest rates, and inflation during a roundtable, “What Our Managers Think: Debating the Next Moves for Inflation, Growth, and Rates,” with Sonal Desai, Ph.D., Chief Investment Officer, Franklin Templeton Fixed Income; John Bellows, Ph.D., Portfolio Manager, Western Asset; and Gene Podkaminer, CFA, Head of Research, Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions. Below are some takeaway points.

Paradigm Shifts Impacting the Investment Landscape: China, Inflation and Monetary Policy
Fixed Income

Paradigm Shifts Impacting the Investment Landscape: China, Inflation and Monetary Policy

There are several “paradigm shifts” impacting markets today, according to Templeton Global Macro CIO Michael Hasenstab. He outlines how central banks might approach tapering of pandemic-driven asset purchases, and the potential investment risks and opportunities he sees.

On My Mind: Leaving QE, Never Easy
Fixed Income

On My Mind: Leaving QE, Never Easy

This year’s annual economic policy symposium in Jackson Hole opens the six months that will likely define the legacy of the Powell Fed’s first term. The robust recovery, high inflation and record asset prices call for the Fed to wind down an extraordinary monetary easing that is also exacerbating economic inequality. But leaving QE isn’t easy, as financial markets have become overly dependent on Fed support. In her latest “On My Mind,” our Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai discusses the Fed’s challenges and what they mean for investors.

On My Mind – Inflation: Nothing to see here. Really?
Fixed Income

On My Mind – Inflation: Nothing to see here. Really?

Prices continue to climb, with the US CPI rising in June by the most since 2008. Financial markets seem to be unfazed, but businesses and consumers appear considerably less sanguine. In her latest “On My Mind,” our Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai discusses why inflation may be less “transitory” than many expect.

On My Mind: Something Has to Give
Fixed Income

On My Mind: Something Has to Give

There are differing opinions for why US Treasury yields have suddenly dropped. In her latest “On My Mind,” our Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai outlines three possible scenarios and the logical implications of each; in the current constellation of asset prices, she argues, something does not add up.