Beyond Bulls & Bears

Will 2018 Be a Record Year for US Dividend Increases?
Equity

Will 2018 Be a Record Year for US Dividend Increases?

Since the passage of US tax reforms last December, some US companies have chosen to reward investors by boosting dividends. Citing sectoral trends, investment leaders from Franklin Equity Group explain why they think that trend is likely to continue in select industries.

Shedding Light on the US Utilities Sector
Equity

Shedding Light on the US Utilities Sector

“We see many reasons to be optimistic about [US] utilities today as we look out over the next 10, 20 or 30 years. In our view, most companies have established constructive regulatory relationships and should be able to adjust to the higher cost of capital assumptions that would develop due to rising interest rates.” – John Kohli, Franklin Equity Group

The Market Implications of US Tax Reform a Bit Unclear
Multi-Asset

The Market Implications of US Tax Reform a Bit Unclear

"Some market observers have expressed optimism that US tax reform will prove bullish for stocks—and the economy overall—but the reality is that there will be some winners and losers and we don’t ultimately know what the magnitude of the impact will be.” -Ed Perks, CIO, Franklin Templeton Multi-Asset Solutions