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Fixed Income Insights
Beware the ides of March
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As the first quarter draws to a close, investors should be mindful of the seasonal weakness typically seen with municipal bonds (munis) at this time of year. This seasonality is due to a confluence of factors, including an uptick in supply (versus a lack of), fewer maturing bonds and lower coupon payments – and a potential pause in industry flows as a result of investors paying their tax bills in April.
Client Experience
Valuation: The Key to Understanding Past and Expected Returns
All investment strategies will experience times of underperformance. If investors trade out of a portfolio after it underperforms, they lock in those losses—something that can destroy wealth over time. Often periods of underperformance are followed by rebounds. But when might an investor expect a portfolio to rebound?
Sustainable Investing
Demonstrating a Commitment to Sustainable Investing
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It's vital for financial advisors to be able to understand which values are important to their clients. Paul Arnold, Portfolio Manager, and Dan Kemp, Chief Investment Officer, EMEA, discuss how advisors can better understand why ESG is important to a client–whether it’s the expression of one’s values or something else.
Behavioral Finance
Rules as Tools: Using Heuristics to Help Empower Financial Success
People often use simple mental shortcuts, also called heuristics, when they make everyday decisions. But can these rules of thumb improve financial well-being? We studied commonly used rules of thumb in four financial categories (saving, spending, investing, and debt management).
Fixed Income Insights
BMO Market Charts: March 19, 2021
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At this timelast year, equity markets were in free-fall as the effects of the coronavirus rapidly developed. One year later, equities have recovered and are now above their 2020 pre-crisis peaks.
Sustainable Investing
Does ‘ESG’ Mean the Same Thing to You and Your Client?
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It's vital for financial advisors to be able to understand which values are important to each client, and to be able to meet each client's need with a portfolio that addresses their values.
Fixed Income Insights
Why BBB munis are an A+ opportunity in our books
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Investment grade muni spreads tightened significantly since March, but still remain elevated in some areas versus historical averages.
Fixed Income Insights
February 2021 Fixed Income Market Update
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In our view, January may prove to be a microcosm of the new year. Optimism abounds for progress against the pandemic and a rapid economic recovery, but challenges remain on both fronts.