Beyond Bulls & Bears

Student loan forgiveness plan and Inflation Reduction Act: Are these new policies inflationary or deflationary?
Multi-Asset

Student loan forgiveness plan and Inflation Reduction Act: Are these new policies inflationary or deflationary?

Inflation is top of mind for consumers and market participants. In the United States, many are questioning whether student loan forgiveness will make inflation worse, and if the recently passed “Inflation Reduction Act” will offer relief. Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions’ Gene Podkaminer and Spencer Walling weigh in on whether these new policies will worsen the current inflationary environment, or prove to provide a deflationary impulse for the economy.

Should Investors “Buy the Dip” in a Time of Geopolitical Crisis?
Multi-Asset

Should Investors “Buy the Dip” in a Time of Geopolitical Crisis?

Many market pundits have advocated a strategy of “buying the dip” after significant selloffs, but does it always make sense to do so? Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions’ Gene Podkaminer and Miles Sampson explore market reactions to geopolitical events and caution against celebrating the success of this strategy too soon.

Quick Thoughts: Commodities, Wages and Supply Chains—How Geopolitics Are Reshaping the Global Economy
Perspectives

Quick Thoughts: Commodities, Wages and Supply Chains—How Geopolitics Are Reshaping the Global Economy

The war in Ukraine is shifting the conversation on what a post-COVID-19 world will look like. Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions Head of Research Gene Podkaminer, Brandywine Global’s Director of Global Macro Research Francis Scotland, and Templeton Global Macro’s Chief Investment Officer Dr. Michael Hasenstab join Head of Franklin Templeton Investment Institute Stephen Dover for a discussion on the current investment landscape.

Russia-Ukraine War Heightens Supply Chain and Inflation Woes
Multi-Asset

Russia-Ukraine War Heightens Supply Chain and Inflation Woes

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has affected many parts of the global economy, in particular the global supply chain of key commodities. Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions explores the investment implications.

The Fed: Walking a Tightrope in 2022
Multi-Asset

The Fed: Walking a Tightrope in 2022

The US Federal Reserve is walking a tightrope—if it acts too quickly it risks hampering growth and market volatility, but if it acts too slowly it risks spiraling price increases. Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions weighs in on the Fed’s dilemma. They provide their monetary policy expectations and offer insight into investments they currently favour in their portfolios—and ones they don’t.

The Supply-Chain Storm: Planes, Cranes, and Automobiles
Multi-Asset

The Supply-Chain Storm: Planes, Cranes, and Automobiles

Supply-chain issues are often cited in the current debate about inflation—and aren’t going away as quickly as consumers and businesses would like. Our Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions team explores how supply chains became stuck, whether they will loosen up in 2022, and the implications for multi-asset investors.

Where Are the Workers?
Multi-Asset

Where Are the Workers?

As the Federal Reserve debates its monetary tightening timeline, the labour market is an important factor to watch in the year ahead, according to our Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions team. Read their thoughts on the labour market’s implications for both monetary policy and risk assets.

Japan: A New Quiver of Arrows?
Multi-Asset

Japan: A New Quiver of Arrows?

With a new Prime Minister taking the helm in Japan, what does the future hold? Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions’ Gene Podkaminer and members of the research team take a look at both local and global trends influencing Japan—and why investors should pay more attention to the country.

Short-Term Uncertainties as COVID-19 Cases Spike
Multi-Asset

Short-Term Uncertainties as COVID-19 Cases Spike

As regional lockdowns loom in light of a renewed spike in coronavirus cases, the near-term outlook may be a bit bumpy, says Gene Podkaminer, Head of Research at Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions. He explores the potential market implications of renewed lockdowns and comments on how vaccine availability might affect a future economic recovery.

US 2020 Election Investment Pulse: Stimulus and Thinking Differently about Risk
Multi-Asset

US 2020 Election Investment Pulse: Stimulus and Thinking Differently about Risk

As investors await the US presidential election’s final outcome, our Head of Equities Stephen Dover joined Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions’ Gene Podkaminer to discuss why they think it is increasingly vital for a divided US Congress to provide additional fiscal stimulus to get the US economy back on track amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They also share their views on how certain macroeconomic factors, such as inflation and growth, as well as fiscal and monetary policy, could affect potential investments across global asset classes.

PODCAST: US Election Heightens Pandemic Uncertainty
Multi-Asset

PODCAST: US Election Heightens Pandemic Uncertainty

Franklin Templeton Multi-Asset Solutions' Gene Podkaminer and Wylie Tollette provide their insights on the upcoming US election as well as the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on investment and economic activity.

Still Looking for Alternatives? How about Real Assets?
Multi-Asset

Still Looking for Alternatives? How about Real Assets?

Ed Perks and Gene Podkaminer of Franklin Templeton's Multi-Asset Solutions team discuss the attractions of alternative assets that can offer natural portfolio diversification. Over a longer-term horizon, they continue to believe global stocks have greater performance potential than global bonds, or alternatives, but this outlook will not be reached along a smooth path.