Beyond Bulls & Bears

A continued focus on fixed income versus equities
Multi-Asset

A continued focus on fixed income versus equities

The longer-term risks of sticky inflation, monetary policy changes and slowing economic growth continue to challenge the markets. Within this uncertain backdrop, Franklin Income Investors’ Ed Perks shares his latest outlook and the investment opportunities he sees across fixed income and equities.

On My Mind: Fed and Inflation: You Can’t Always Get What You Want
Fixed Income

On My Mind: Fed and Inflation: You Can’t Always Get What You Want

The Fed seems to have been caught by surprise by its own policy and says this is not the inflation it was looking for. Sonal Desai, Chief Investment Officer, Franklin Templeton Fixed Income, shares her thoughts on why inflation should not have come as a surprise and why investors need to brace for higher volatility as the Fed adjusts its policy stance.

PODCAST: High Time for High Yield?
Fixed Income

PODCAST: High Time for High Yield?

In our latest "Talking Markets" podcast, Bill Zox and John McClain, portfolio managers with Brandywine Global, join Amer Hasan to discuss how current market and economic conditions could benefit high yield investors, the opportunities and risks right now, and why the asset class is often overlooked or misunderstood.

On My Mind: To Work, or Not to Work…
Fixed Income

On My Mind: To Work, or Not to Work…

Of all recent economic trends, sluggish employment growth is perhaps the most important for investors to watch, says Franklin Templeton Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai. She outlines why the labour market response will likely remain lacklustre for some time, and discusses the short- and medium-term market implications.

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.

On My Mind – Inflation: The Devil We Knew
Fixed Income

On My Mind – Inflation: The Devil We Knew

Our Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai has been ahead of the curve in flagging the risks of inflation and rising rates that have now entered the mainstream debate. In this article, she assesses the coming together of an unprecedented fiscal stimulus, a very accommodative US Federal Reserve, and an economy poised to rebound as vaccination campaigns pave the way for reopening businesses. She cautions that central bankers might be underestimating how difficult it will be to deal with the 'devil they knew'—inflation—especially if inflation expectations become unmoored; and, she highlights the key fixed income investment implications.

On My Mind: Investment Strategies for a Booster-Shot Recovery
Fixed Income

On My Mind: Investment Strategies for a Booster-Shot Recovery

Our Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai shares her investment views and strategies for the post-pandemic recovery. She explains why inflation looks likely to gain steam, and how the balance of fundamentals and valuations become especially crucial today when looking for attractive returns in fixed income. The Franklin Templeton-Gallup Economics of Recovery Study supports her bullish view for the global economy, and highlights how policymakers need to intensify their efforts to boost vaccine acceptance.

ESG Will Define the Post-COVID Era
Fixed Income

ESG Will Define the Post-COVID Era

“As we flip the calendar to 2021, we are getting closer to a point at which the economic shocks of the past year become prologue for the economic stories ahead. We anticipate being constructive in a number of regions as the world transitions toward a post-COVID era." - Michael Hasenstab, Executive Vice President, Portfolio Manager Chief Investment Officer, Templeton Global Macro.

US 2020 Election Investment Pulse: Policy and Pandemic Drive Macro View
Perspectives

US 2020 Election Investment Pulse: Policy and Pandemic Drive Macro View

We’ve seen aggressive government and central bank support to stimulate economies sickened from COVID-19 slowdowns, but will the global economy right itself in 2021? Templeton Global Macro CIO Michael Hasenstab and Francis Scotland, Director of Global Macro Research at Brandywine Global, share their macro outlook for the year ahead. They opine on whether the glass looks half empty or half full as the world eagerly awaits a vaccine and as US policies shift amid a change in administration.

On My Mind: A Strong Recovery, Many Challenges Ahead
Fixed Income

On My Mind: A Strong Recovery, Many Challenges Ahead

While the US economy has been staging a strong recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenge is far from over, says Franklin Templeton Fixed Income CIO Sonal Desai. She says the tug of war between the virus and the economy seems likely to continue until an effective vaccine is made available at scale.

US Election: Implications across the Pond
Fixed Income

US Election: Implications across the Pond

This November’s US presidential election pits Donald Trump against Democratic nominee Joe Biden, a longtime politician who represents a more progressive policy approach. Our Head of European Fixed Income David Zahn breaks down the implications of the US election for Europe, and why many of Biden’s policies line up more closely with European views.