Portfolio Intelligence Podcast

The role of municipal bonds in tax-efficient portfolios

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 14:01:11 +0000

After a bumpy year with shifting supply dynamics and uneven performance, the muni market has regained its footing. In this episode, host John Bryson speaks with Adam for a discussion on what’s driving improved performance and the opportunities for investors.

Adam breaks down how issuance trends, investor flows, and structural factors are shaping the market. He also shares why investors should consider munis and how active management can drive value in this environment. Here’s a quick look at the conversation:

1 What is driving the improved performance of municipal bonds?

Adam: We started the year with a bumpy backdrop. Supply had been heavy for a couple of years as municipalities faced growing infrastructure needs, the replacement of older projects, and the rising cost of labor and materials. Early in the year, the supply overwhelmed demand, but as the year went on, flows came back into the market, and demand eventually outstripped supply. What we’re seeing now is a reversion to the mean, with lighter supply and money returning. It sets us up for a more balanced environment as the rest of the year plays out.

Why should investors consider municipal bonds in their portfolios?

Adam: Munis work well for investors with taxable accounts or at higher tax brackets. Beyond that, they provide diversification and risk management as they tend to be less volatile than other fixed income instruments and act as a dampener in the portfolio. They also have one of the lowest correlations with the stock market, as they’re backed by more stable state and local revenues rather than corporate earnings. And there’s also the altruistic act of supporting your community infrastructure projects.

What differentiates your team’s approach to managing municipal bond portfolios?

Adam: We’re looking for bonds that we believe are priced below their intrinsic value. Then, hopefully, as they move back toward their intrinsic value, we’ll sell them and move on to the next opportunity. We take an active approach—muni bonds are one of the asset classes where active management adds the most value because it’s an incredibly inefficient market.

Beyond home bias and the case for international equities

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 15:49:21 +0000

International equities have recently generated meaningful outperformance relative to U.S. equities, suggesting a material shift after an extended period of U.S. dominance. Host John Bryson is joined by Dean Bumbaca, CFA, portfolio manager at Axiom Investors, to discuss why international markets could continue to gain momentum and how global exposure can help investors capture these dynamic opportunities.

Dean shares insights into the most attractive investment opportunities as the global economy restructures. The conversation also touches on the AI trade, equity valuations, and the consequences of a weaker U.S. dollar for investors with U.S.-focused portfolios.

1 How would you describe Axiom’s investment approach?
Dean: At Axiom, we view the predominant, most durable factor that drives alpha in equity markets to be positive surprise. Our entire process is designed to spot inflections in businesses that will ultimately result in positive earnings surprises, coupled with an improving competitive advantage and deepening moats. We embrace buy and monitor, where new information proves or disproves our hypothesis.

2 Why should investors consider international equities in 2026?
Dean: U.S. market outperformance through the end of 2024 was fueled by the strength of the U.S. economy and the country’s edge in design. We believe the global economy is beginning to shift from the design era to a build era, where outsized growth comes from capital heavy enterprises. The winners of this phase are in Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and parts of Europe, where advanced manufacturing remains concentrated.

3 What are the specific regional opportunities available in international markets?
Dean: We have a large and increasing position in Japan. With the country’s dominance in materials science and scaled manufacturing, our companies are seeing strong demand for high performance specialty materials used in aeroengines and nuclear reactors. On top of that, the government has made structural changes to enhance shareholder return, improve return on equity, and valuation multiples.

We also see meaningful upside in defense and aerospace. Defense demand is supported by rising government budgets, while aerospace should benefit from stronger international travel, which increases aircraft utilization and drives higher maintenance needs.

In addition, we expect positive earnings momentum in European financials, supported by credible cost takeout programs that should translate into substantial capital returns over the coming years.

Market update and key investment themes for 2026

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Tue, 3 Feb 2026 14:13:02 +0000

As markets enter 2026, investors are seeking clarity on how to navigate shifting risks and opportunities. Matt and Emily join the podcast to provide a wide-ranging market update amid the ongoing volatility and geopolitical uncertainty.
They share their perspectives on what investors should watch for in today’s environment, including the impact of global events on inflation, the importance of focusing on quality investments, and where they see opportunities in fixed income and international markets.

1 What should investors watch out for in today’s volatile and uncertain geopolitical environment?
Emily: From a geopolitical disruption standpoint, we're watching commodity prices closely, especially oil prices. If any event disrupts oil supply and drives prices higher, it could push inflation up. While we’re not seeing this right now, such a scenario would impact the U.S. Federal Reserve. It could challenge the expectations of one or two rate cuts that are currently priced into the market.

2 What are the key themes that investors should watch out for in 2026?
Emily: Our mantra for 2026 is finding quality at a reasonable price. In 2025, lower-quality opportunities gained traction, and we’re looking to trim exposure to those areas. We expect companies that can maintain margins to perform well this year. Earnings growth could broaden beyond technology stocks, with mid-cap companies offering new opportunities. We’re also focused on right-sizing international positions based on any macro developments related to the U.S. dollar.
Matt: Inflation, in our view, is moderating more than the market is pricing in. Despite this disinflation, bond yields remain elevated, offering attractive real income for investors. As a result, our conviction in bonds has grown, and we see current yields as a compelling opportunity for income as we head into 2026.

The role of alternative investments in modern portfolios

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Mon, 5 Jan 2026 14:50:05 +0000

As the investment landscape continues to evolve, alternative investments are playing a larger role in portfolio construction. In this episode, host John Bryson talks with Pattie about the factors driving increased interest in this segment.
Pattie shares insight into the development of new product structures, advances in technology, and the expanding access to private markets. She also addresses how the industry is responding to investor demand through innovation.

1 What are alternative investments?
Pattie: Alternative investments are nontraditional assets outside of stocks and bonds, such as private equity, private credit, hedge funds, and real assets. They’re typically less liquid, more complex and are structured to enhance risk/return profiles. They generally provide diversification and increased income. These differ from liquid alternatives, such as long/short equity, market neutral, managed futures, and more derivative-related strategies.

2 What investor needs do alternative investments address?
Pattie: Alternative investments are designed to meet investor needs and market gaps that traditional stocks and bonds may not. They provide diversification, which helps reduce portfolio concentration risk, as well as inflation protection. They also offer higher return potential through access to unique private market opportunities. Lastly, the illiquidity premium is a key feature, which is the price paid for additional returns in exchange for locking up capital for longer.

3 What’s the future of alternative investment product development?
Pattie: In one word: democratization. We’ll see increased retail access to private markets, technology-driven distribution, tokenization, blockchain for settlement and customization. We’ll also see the emergence of alternative model portfolios that blend private and public assets. The industry is also focusing on innovations in liquidity and evolving fee structures.

Focusing on income and quality: portfolio positioning for 2026

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 19:23:18 +0000

2025 was a year unlike any other, with politics and sentiment driving markets more than fundamentals. In this episode, host John Bryson welcomes Matt and Emily to share their views on what shaped the year and how they’re thinking about portfolio positioning for 2026.
Matt and Emily discuss why they’re taking a “drafting the market” approach, i.e., remaining fully invested, with a focus on managing risk. They explore the importance of targeting income and diversification, share their outlook on interest rates and sector dynamics, and provide practical ideas for building resilient portfolios in the year ahead.

1 Which sectors and trends stood out in 2025, and what do you expect for 2026?
Emily: Market leadership broadened in 2025. Tech and communication services stayed in the lead, but industrials, financials, and healthcare also saw strong returns. Momentum was the top-performing factor. Heading into 2026, we’re looking to redeploy assets into high-quality stocks and bonds, especially as yields remain attractive. We think it’s a good time to move some cash sitting in money market funds into a diversified mix of high-quality bonds and stocks.

2 What are the top themes investors should focus on as they position portfolios for 2026?
Matt: The first theme is income. After years of strong equity returns, it’s getting harder to sustain those gains. There are a lot of income opportunities, with the U.S. bond market providing attractive yields. As interest rates fall, we think investors shouldn't wait too long to allocate capital to lock in these yields.
Additionally, investors can look for ways to boost return potential outside U.S. tech—consider mid and small caps. With international stocks looking expensive, we’re focused on finding areas with good quality earnings growth, such as industrials and healthcare. But above all, income remains our top focus for 2026.

What you need to know about Medicare planning

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 20:16:53 +0000

Medicare is a cornerstone of retirement planning, but its complexity can leave many retirees feeling overwhelmed. In this episode, host John Bryson, head of investment consulting, investment data analytics, and education savings at Manulife John Hancock Investments, welcomes Danielle to break down the Medicare essentials you need to know for 2026 and beyond.
Danielle, author of the book 10 Costly Medicare Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make, discusses the latest expected changes to Medicare. She emphasizes the importance of early research and understanding the difference between supplemental plans, such as Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap). She also offers strategies to help avoid higher Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) surcharges.
Here’s a snippet from the conversation:
1 What changes are expected to Medicare in 2026?
Danielle: While we don’t have some Medicare figures due to the government shutdown, we can expect Part B premiums to increase a bit. Projections suggest they could rise to $206 next year. Another major change stems from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which led several carriers to exit the Part D market. As a result, about 2 million people are likely to lose their Medicare Advantage plans. If you’ve received a notice that your plan is exiting the market, it’s important to shop for a new plan promptly to ensure you have coverage in place for January 1.
2 What’s IRMAA and how does it affect Medicare costs?
Danielle: IRMAA is a surcharge on Medicare Part B and Part D, based on your income. While the base rate in 2025 is $185, an IRMAA surcharge will increase that amount. As a result, Part B premiums for people in really high-income brackets can increase to over $600 per month. So, decisions you make at ages 63 and 64 can affect your Medicare premiums at 65 and 66. It’s wise to work with your financial advisor to plan ahead to explore spreading out income or avoiding large distributions that may help prevent higher premiums later.

What’s driving the renewed focus on municipal bonds

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Wed, 3 Dec 2025 14:28:04 +0000

After a year marked by early uncertainty and underperformance, the municipal bond market has rallied, offering investors attractive yields and renewed opportunity as 2025 draws to a close. In this episode, host John P. Bryson welcomes Adam for a timely discussion on what’s driving performance in the municipal bond market.

Adam shares his perspective on how supply dynamics, investor flows, and sector trends are shaping the market. He also discusses why entry points matter and how active management can add value in today’s environment. Here’s a sneak peek into the conversation:

Why should investors have tax-free municipal bonds in their portfolio?
Adam: Municipal bonds work well for investors who are looking for tax-free income. Adding stability to your portfolio using municipal bonds helps offset the volatility of equity holdings. Especially when it may seem like we’re heading toward a slowdown, these instruments tend to perform slightly better than other fixed-income instruments. Municipal bonds help provide a long-term income stream for investors.
What have been the major developments in the municipal bond market in 2025?
Adam: We started the year with weak performance, with municipal bonds underperforming corporates and Treasuries. There was an excess supply, over and above what we saw in 2024. This was driven by delayed infrastructure projects, which finally got funded, and costs went up. In the past two to three months, flows have improved, and returns are looking solid. Supply and demand have lined up. We expect solid returns in November and December, with good flows and lower supply offering support.
What are the biggest opportunities in the municipal bond market today?
Adam: The municipal bond market is generally offering attractive yield levels currently. We like the intermediate to long space because the curve is steep and income is high, but we’re avoid going too long due to volatility. Credit spreads within the municipal bond market have widened, so there’s room for tightening. Lastly, we also see value in bonds subject to Alternative Minimum Tax, low-coupon bonds, and sectors like airports, which tend to issue at wider spreads and have strong fundamentals.

Taking stock: mixed economic signals, Fed expectations

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 20:07:34 +0000

As the economic landscape grows more complex, investors and advisors are facing new questions about growth, inflation, and what the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) may do next. In this episode, host John P. Bryson is joined by Matt and Emily, who discuss the strength of the
ongoing market rally, recent volatility in the banking sector, the bond market, and rate-cut expectations. They emphasize thoughtful allocation, diversification, and a focus on quality as advisors position portfolios in a momentum-driven environment.

Below are a few highlights from the episode:

1 How is U.S. economic data shaping up currently?
Emily: Economic data is complicated right now. The latest small business survey by the National Federation of Independent Business showed a deterioration in sentiment. Manufacturing data is split, the Fed showed mixed messages, and job openings are decelerating. It's difficult to get a read right now given the lack of economic data due to the government shutdown. Overall, the U.S. economy is continuing to see a slow deceleration.

2 What is the bond market telling us about possible Fed rate cuts?
Emily: Credit markets are stable, with high-yield spreads below 3.0%, suggesting no broad stress. The two-year Treasury yield, which has broken below 3.5%, indicates the Fed may need to cut rates more than previously expected. Inflation is also likely to slow more than official data suggests. Labor market softness and real-time housing data showing falling prices are leading us to expect the Fed to cut a bit more, we think potentially four or five cuts into 2026.

3 What are your conversations with advisors and investors focused on right now?
Matt: While the recent rally has been remarkable, the question is if it’s sustainable. Our focus is on how to continue allocating capital for appreciation for clients, but in a thoughtful way, which is why we’re discussing diversification. We’ve talked about alternatives like infrastructure-related equities and multi-alternative strategies, as well as mid-cap equities to reduce concentration risk in large-cap U.S. stocks. On the bond side, you can still get good income for clients where you can liability match and use this income for spending needs over the coming years—so it makes sense to take advantage while it lasts.

Celebrating 100 episodes with John Bryson

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Wed, 5 Nov 2025 14:07:42 +0000

In a twist for the 100th episode of the Portfolio Intelligence podcast, the roles are reversed as Justin Clarke, CRPC, senior vice president, takes over duties to interview the series’ regular host, John Bryson, head of investment consulting.
Since the podcast’s inception in 2020, John has been steering listeners through a myriad of market and investment views through insightful conversations with industry experts and investment veterans from across Manulife John Hancock’s multimanager network.
In this celebratory episode, John reflects on the podcast's beginnings during a volatile market period, its evolution, and the pivotal topics and guests that have shaped its growth into a vital resource for advisors.

How OBBBA changes affect college funding and savings

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Wed, 8 Oct 2025 13:06:12 +0000

The landscape of college funding has shifted with the passage of OBBBA. As families prepare for future education costs, understanding these changes becomes crucial.
In this episode, Mark joins podcast host John P. Bryson to unpack the details of this comprehensive legislation. He delves into how OBBBA affects federal student loan programs, Pell Grants, and college savings plans. Here’s a brief Q&A with key takeaways from their conversation:
1 What major changes did OBBBA make to federal student loan programs?
Mark: OBBBA repealed the Grad PLUS loan program, retained the Parent PLUS loan program with new annual and aggregate loan limits, and also introduced new loan limits for graduate and professional school students. It also streamlined repayment plans to just two options—a standard repayment plan and an income-based repayment assistance plan.
2 How does OBBBA affect federal grants like the Pell Grant?
Mark: Students with low income but high assets or those with nonfederal grants exceeding the total cost of attendance are now ineligible for the Pell Grant. OBBBA also introduced workforce Pell Grants for short-term programs and added the option to add foreign earned income to adjusted gross income for determining eligibility.
3 What changes does OBBBA bring to education savings accounts?
Mark: For K-12 education, OBBBA expanded qualified expenses for 529 education savings accounts and increased the annual limit of qualified expenses that families can draw from $10,000 to $20,000, starting in the 2026 tax year. It allowed rollovers from 529 education savings plans to ABLE accounts for the disabled and increased the lifetime estate and gift tax exclusion permanently. It also introduced Trump Accounts with a $1,000 federal contribution for children born between 2025 and 2028 and allowed annual employer and parental contributions.

Post-summer outlook: evaluating the market landscape

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 15:40:34 +0000

With fresh economic data and anticipated interest rate cuts from the U.S. Federal Reserve, the market has a lot to look forward to as the back-to-school season ushers in a time of renewed focus. In this episode, host John Bryson sits down with Matt and Emily for a timely check-in as summer draws to a close.
They delve into the recent uptick in global Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) readings and how it might signal shifts in market sentiment. They also explore the current phase of U.S. earnings growth and discuss their strategies for stocks and bonds in the current market landscape. Here’s a glimpse into the conversation.
1 What opportunities do you see in bonds and equities?
Emily: We favor high-quality bonds like investment-grade corporates, mortgage-backed securities, and municipal bonds due to elevated yields and potential duration benefits. In stocks, we think it’s time to shift from riskier market segments to high-quality stocks. We are focusing on sectors like technology, communication services, and industrials, emphasizing companies with strong returns on equity and reasonable PEG ratios.
2 How do you view the current phase of the market cycle with regard to U.S. earnings?
Matt: Earnings growth will have to remain the key driver of equity returns as dividend yields are low and P/E ratios are high. S&P 500 Index earnings have exceeded expectations, but Q3 and Q4 earnings performance will be crucial to watch. Ultimately, we think strong earnings are the best thing this market's got going for itself.
3 How do you interpret the recent bounce in global PMI, especially for U.S. manufacturing and services?
Emily: Global PMI showed a reacceleration in growth in August. The U.S. manufacturing PMI at 53.3 was the highest reading of the year. U.S. services also performed well. United States is showing better relative growth compared to Europe, leading us to favor U.S. equities.

Know what you own: fixed-income in focus

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Matt Hammer, John Bryson) — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 19:17:27 +0000

Understanding the nuances of private and public fixed-income portfolios is crucial for advisors to deliver effective outcomes for clients. Our Head of Investment Product Management Matthew C. Hammer, CRPC, discusses strategies for crafting resilient fixed-income portfolios.

Demystifying the Social Security Fairness Act

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Wed, 6 Aug 2025 13:15:13 +0000

With the Social Security Fairness Act now in effect, significant changes are under way for retirement benefits. In a conversation with podcast host John P. Bryson, Brooke delves into the implications of eliminating the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and what the changes mean for current and future retirees. Here’s a glimpse into the conversation.
1 What is the Social Security Fairness Act?
Brooke: The Social Security Fairness Act of 2025 repealed two controversial provisions that were a part of Social Security: the WEP and GPO. The Fairness Act was signed into law on January 5, 2025, by former U.S. President Joe Biden. Although it was signed into law in 2025, it is retroactive to January 1, 2024.
2 What happens now that WEP and GPO have been eliminated?
Brooke: Since these provisions were repealed, Social Security has been making one-time retroactive payments to individuals who previously received lower benefits. These payments cover amounts due from January 2024 to February 2025. Starting in April 2025, ongoing payments should reflect the new, higher amounts. However, it may take until November 2025 to fully process all retroactive payments.
3 Who benefits from the Social Security Fairness Act?
Brooke: Between three to four million people are affected by this change. This primarily affects individuals in a few states such as Texas, California, Massachusetts, Colorado, Ohio, Louisiana, Georgia, and Illinois.

Understanding active ETFs and ETF share classes

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 17:31:38 +0000

Active ETFs are gaining traction as a tool for alpha generation, while the potential for an ETF share class has come to the forefront in the past few months. Steve discusses considerations for investors looking to incorporate these investment options into their portfolios in this episode with podcast host John P. Bryson. Here’s an excerpt from the conversation:
1 What are active ETFs?
Steve: An active ETF combines the ETF wrapper with active management inside of a 40 Act product like a mutual fund, but in this case, the 40 Act product is the exchange-traded fund. It allows for intraday trading, transparency of underlying holdings, and tax efficiency, with the potential to outperform a market or a benchmark.
2 What should investors consider while picking an active ETF that’s right for them?
Steve: Investors should consider the track record and trustworthiness of the active manager, understanding what the fund aims to accomplish. They should consider the underlying investments within the ETF and how that relates to pricing. There's always a spread, like when you buy a stock, so you want to understand how wide the spread is, your cost of acquisition, and if you have to pay a commission.
3 What is an ETF share class?
Steve: An ETF share class is an additional share class of a traditional mutual fund, similar to an A or I share class, but in an ETF wrapper. It allows for an ETF to be linked to an already established mutual fund with a track record, offering benefits like instant scale and historical performance. This setup can provide lower overall expenses and more tax efficiency due to the structure of ETFs.

1 “ETFs 2029: The path to $30 trillion,” PwC, 3/4/25 .

Cutting through the noise—portfolio positioning in a shifting economy

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Wed, 25 Jun 2025 14:03:49 +0000

Whether we’re considering domestic or international equities, market movements and valuations seem to be reflecting sentiments rather than underlying fundamentals. Moving into the second half of 2025, it’s crucial to look beyond inflated valuations and seek pockets of opportunity that offer both value and quality.
In this episode, Matt and Emily talk to podcast host John P. Bryson about how investors can navigate today’s volatile market even as economic slowdown worries persist. Here’s a sneak peek into the conversation.
1 What’s U.S. economic data indicating?
Matt: The employment picture is still holding up okay, with monthly job gains of about 150,000. Initial jobless claims have come up a little bit but are still at a low level historically. Overall, it’s not amazing growth, but it's not too slow either. It seems like no one's appreciating the slowdown in inflation, but the data’s showing it. In our view, some of the current market movements may have rotation or opportunities presenting themselves because the U.S. economy's holding up all right.
2 How is the bond market reacting to U.S. economic data?
Emily: Bonds aren't getting the memo as it relates to the macro backdrop. Normally, you would think that bond yields would be falling meaningfully as inflation comes down. We're not really seeing that. We're sort of chopping around in the 4.50%-ish range.
Housing, for example, is a critical component of the Consumer Price Index (CPI). There is a lot more housing supply coming online, and that is bringing inflation to the lowest level since 2021.1 That's a really notable dynamic that is just not being picked up by the bond market right now.
3 What should investors focus on for the second half of 2025?
Emily: We want to be careful about chasing risk here. We need to think about where we can find value. Where can we find the best earnings growth on a relative basis? Where can we find parts of the market that are on sale? We want to be careful about not getting pushed into momentum-driven areas of markets that are just rallying on sentiment.

1 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

College admissions—navigating test-optional applications

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Wed, 14 May 2025 13:48:48 +0000

The college admissions process can be incredibly competitive and stressful―intense strategizing is required. The lack of clarity around the role that standardized admissions tests such as the SAT and ACT play in the process doesn’t help. College admissions coach Nancy Steenson joins podcast host John Bryson on how best to navigate the evolving college admissions environment.

From inflation to rate cuts—evaluating potential tariff impacts

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Thu, 1 May 2025 14:15:59 +0000

Spring, they say, can really hang you up the most―and that’s the tune that’s played out in the markets so far, in the wake of Liberation Day. Might the proposed tariffs lead to a recession? How should investors position their portfolios amid uncertainty? Take a listen to what Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, our co-chief investment strategist, has to say.

Reframing the way we think about women, wealth, and investing

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John H. Bryson, Kathleen Pritchard, Megan Hopps) — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 20:13:04 +0000

For many of us, the word “investor” tends to be closely associated with the male gender. This may need to change soon because women are on track to control 38% of investable wealth by 2030. Our Director of Practice Management, Kathleen Pritchard, and Divisional Sales Manager, Megan Hopps, explain why it’s time for the industry to reframe the way it approaches women and wealth.

How might tariffs affect U.S. growth and the Fed’s approach to rates?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Fri, 7 Feb 2025 18:46:35 +0000

Tariffs―a topic that’s dominated many conversations in recent days, and likely, for many more to come. Alex Grassino, global chief economist at Manulife Investment Management, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to explore how tariffs can affect the way businesses and consumers think about their decisions. Alex also explains why the relationship between tariffs and inflation may not be as straightforward as it seems.

Avoid pumping up the volume—tempering return expectations

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Emily R. Roland, Matthew D. Miskin, John P. Bryson) — Mon, 3 Feb 2025 16:41:05 +0000

Markets started the year on a slightly uneven footing as issues such as stock-price valuation, tariffs, and U.S. interest rates weighed on sentiment. While our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, think compelling investing opportunities can still be found, they feel that it may be time for investors to adjust their expectations.

Why U.S. stocks may continue to do well in 2025

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Sandy Sanders, John P. Bryson) — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 20:51:09 +0000

A new year typically ushers in new hopes. Where Wall Street’s concerned, 2025 may well ring in new highs. Emory W. (Sandy) Sanders, Jr., CFA, Senior Portfolio Manager at Manulife Investment Management shares his investment approach with podcast host, John P. Bryson, and explains why he’s feeling sanguine about the coming year.

Market outlook: what’s changed since the election?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Emily R. Roland, Matthew D. Miskin, John P. Bryson) — Thu, 5 Dec 2024 16:18:50 +0000

After an initial burst of euphoria following the election, investors appear to have adopted a more cautious mood as they assess how the incoming administration might shape financial markets. Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, share their views.

Medicare decisions for today’s retirees

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John P. Bryson, Danielle K. Roberts) — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 16:53:19 +0000

Danielle K. Roberts, co-founding partner of the insurance agency Boomer Benefits, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss what today’s retirees and near-retirees need to know about Medicare and how to factor healthcare costs into their overall financial plans and decision-making. Danielle, author of the book 10 Costly Medicare Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make, outlines the different parts of Medicare coverage and explores key considerations in choosing between Medicare Advantage and Medigap coverage. She also offers advice to help investment professionals assist clients who are trying to adapt to recent and pending changes to the federal program.

How should investors approach private credit?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John P. Bryson, Alex C. Catterick) — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 17:12:55 +0000

It wasn’t that long ago when private credit, as an asset class, was all but available to everyday investors. But that’s changing, thanks to growing retail interest in alternative assets. What should investors know about private credit before making room for the asset class in their portfolio? Podcast host John P. Bryson speaks with Alex C. Catterick, global head of alternative investment solutions at Manulife Investment Management.

How should investors approach portfolio positioning as rate cuts begin

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Emily R. Roland, John P. Bryson, Matthew D. Miskin) — Mon, 7 Oct 2024 15:19:33 +0000

Judging by market reaction, the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision to lower rates at its recent meeting appears to have assuaged concerns about a pending recession. Podcast host John P. Bryson caught up with our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, and asked them if the rate cut had influenced their view of the markets.

Paying for college without falling into deep debt

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John P. Bryson, Lael Oldmixon) — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 14:37:34 +0000

Financial literacy is especially important for college students, given the costs of taking on excessive student debt or selecting a school or major that isn’t a good match. With a background in college admissions, recruitment, and finance, the University of Alaska’s Lael Oldmixon shares insight on navigating today’s costly higher education environment as she explores student loans, 529 savings accounts, and balancing academics with a job. Lael, the executive director of the Education Trust of Alaska, also discusses considerations in choosing the right college, making the most of aid and scholarships, and selecting the right type of student loan, if one is necessary. Among the pieces of advice she shares with podcast host John Bryson: If one is available, choose a subsidized loan over an unsubsidized one and try to avoid using a credit card to cover college costs.

Looking beyond mega-tech

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 17:05:27 +0000

In a year where investor focus was squarely trained on mega-cap technology stocks, small caps finally found their moment in the second week of July. Was it just a momentary break from normal service, or is it a signal of a broader stock rotation to come? Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, our Co-Chief Investment Strategist, shares his views.

Finding value in today’s markets

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Matthew D. Miskin, Emily R. Roland, John Bryson) — Wed, 3 Jul 2024 15:08:33 +0000

The continuing sense of euphoria surrounding the technology sector may suggest that growth stocks are the place to be. But at what point does valuation become a stumbling block for investors? Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, share their views.

Amid uncertainty, is stock rotation the way forward?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Matthew D. Miskin, Emily R. Roland, John Bryson) — Tue, 4 Jun 2024 18:12:29 +0000

Dusting off the stock-rotation playbook in the past few months turned out to be a good decision for some investors, but will it continue to be relevant going forward? Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, take stock of recent market developments and explain why, amid the uncertainty, it may not be a good idea to sell in May and go away.

Tips for making college admissions officers say, ‘wow’

Wed, 22 May 2024 14:32:59 +0000

How do you make your college application and essay stand now that AI can influence how application materials are generated and screened? Hear from Nancy Steenson, a college admissions coach, as she joins the podcast and host John Bryson to offer tips for students and parents as they navigate today’s college admissions environment. Nancy explores how admissions officers are factoring in standardized test scores, grades, essays, extracurricular activities, and interviews differently than they had been just a few years ago. She also explains how admissions officers at the most selective schools may assess application materials differently than their peers at less selective colleges. Among the pieces of advice that she shares: standardized test scores still matter; grade-point average standards can vary widely from high school to high school; and don’t get fooled into thinking grammar is just as important as personal voice in an essay.

Investing with patience in a higher-for-longer rate environment

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 14:49:59 +0000

An initial round of interest-rate cuts no longer appears to be imminent, given recently uneven inflation data and robust jobs growth that have prompted the U.S. Federal Reserve to put a dovish policy shift on hold. What does this delayed timeline mean for equities and fixed income heading into earnings season? Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, co-chief investment strategists at John Hancock Investment Management, join the podcast and host John Bryson to discuss the need for a patient approach to investing and a focus on fundamentals, given a recent market rally that’s pushed equity valuations higher. Emily and Matt explore monetary policy, the outlook for stocks and bonds, and pockets of opportunity that they’re seeing in mid-cap equities and industrial stocks tied to economic growth in Midwestern states. With an election coming up in November, the strategists also discuss the importance of keeping politics out of portfolios.

Will the impressive stocks rally in Q1 continue?

Thu, 4 Apr 2024 15:10:27 +0000

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-19/record-bloat-set-stage-for-record-pain-in-cross-asset-portfolios

Navigating the Fed’s on-again, off-again pivot on interest rates

Thu, 7 Mar 2024 22:51:20 +0000

The U.S. equity market continued to rally in early 2024, even as the latest inflation data and the economy’s resilience prompted the U.S. Federal Reserve to dampen expectations for a full-fledged pivot to an aggressive rate-cutting stance through year end. What’s an investor to do in this highly uncertain environment? Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, co-chief investment strategist at John Hancock Investment Management, joins the podcast to assess where the most attractive equity opportunities lie while also gauging current risks. Matt explains why he continues to see strong potential in semiconductor companies and other technology stocks despite their lofty valuations. He also warns about the risks for equity investors should the flow of economic data cause the Fed to once again embrace a hawkish stance on rates. Finally, Matt assesses the latest quarterly earnings season, cost-cutting initiatives that may enhance profit margins but could hurt long-term growth, and the challenges that advisors and investors face in putting cash to work in today’s markets.

Is there still time to move cash off the sidelines and into bonds?

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 16:50:14 +0000

Amid a shifting interest-rate outlook and inflation picture, the U.S. fixed-income market saw a swift reversal in 2023 as bond yields spiked through most of the year before sinking beginning in late October. With that recent volatility fresh in mind, we explore the outlook for the rest of 2024 with Jeffrey N. Given, CFA, senior portfolio manager and co-head of U.S. core and core-plus fixed income at Manulife Investment Management. Jeff joins podcast host John Bryson to assess current opportunities for shifting cash allocations into fixed income. Jeff sees plenty of factors that he believes are likely to be supportive of bond prices going forward, particularly in market segments such as U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities and corporate investment-grade credit.

Earnings optimism and rate-cut expectations are driving sentiment: is it sustainable?

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 20:55:59 +0000

As market expectations of interest-rate cuts solidifies, the investment case for fixed-income asset is likely already well telegraphed. The story for equities, however, could be slightly more complex. Might U.S. stocks extend their 2023 winning streak into the new year as the lagged effects of monetary tightening make their way into the real economy? Will current valuations—and, crucially, earnings expectations—hold up as economic growth slows? Podcast host John P. Bryson, head of investment consulting and education savings at John Hancock Investment Management, caught up with Emily Roland and Matt Miskin, co-chief investment strategists at John Hancock Investment Management to get a clearer sense of where stock prices and corporate earnings could be headed. He also asked them to share their views on where investors might find opportunities.

What does November’s rally tell us about bonds and rates?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 15:29:50 +0000

The month of November no doubt brought a fair amount of relief to investors who had been, up to that point, operating under a huge cloud of uncertainty. News that inflation had eased more than expected in October strengthened the case for a pause in interest-rate hikes and sparked a rally in the stock market. While the shift in investor sentiment is encouraging, is it likely to last? Podcast host John P. Bryson, head of investment consulting and education savings at John Hancock Investment Management, posed that question to Emily Roland and Matt Miskin, co-chief investment strategists at John Hancock Investment Management. He also asked them if the recent pullback in inflationary pressures had laid the foundation for rate cuts next year and how advisors should be approaching portfolio positioning in the current environment.

Understanding Medicare coverage

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 15:05:50 +0000

Danielle Roberts, founding partner of the insurance agency Boomer Benefits, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss the ins and outs of Medicare, an important part of many retirees' financial planning. Danielle outlines the different parts of Medicare coverage, addresses common misconceptions, and offers advice to help investment professionals assist clients ahead of potential Medicare changes in 2024 and beyond. She also explores surcharges that Medicare participants may need to pay in addition to their premiums—costs that can have a big financial impact on high-income earners in particular. Finally, Danielle discusses best practices for enrolling in Medicare, explains the options for clients who don’t retire at age 65, and identifies three Medicare missteps that people often make.

Unpacking the muni market: our late 2023 outlook for municipal bonds

Fri, 3 Nov 2023 14:23:01 +0000

Adam A. Weigold, CFA, senior portfolio manager and head of municipal bonds at Manulife Investment Management, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss the state of the municipal bond market and emerging trends in the segment. Adam explains how munis’ primarily retail investor base shapes dynamics in the muni market, and he explores the impact that changes in the economic outlook can have on the market’s high-yield side. The muni specialist discusses how his approach as an active manager seeks to identify the most attractive current opportunities in munis and make adjustments as fixed-income market conditions change. Adam explores the muni market’s current fundamentals and the role that munis may play in potentially enhancing portfolio resilience in the event of an economic downturn. Finally, he assesses current default risks in the muni market and identifies where he’s seeing attractive opportunities in late 2023.

Navigating the financial markets in Q4 2023 and beyond

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Matthew D. Miskin, John Bryson, Emily R. Roland) — Tue, 3 Oct 2023 18:11:38 +0000

Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, return to the podcast to discuss the late September rise in market volatility and their outlook for the fourth quarter of 2023 and beyond. They discuss how the current environment is affecting different asset classes and unpack their monetary policy expectations for the next 12 to 18 months. Finally, the strategists discuss bright spots in the global economy and their latest thinking on portfolio positioning.

Cutting the cost of college with financial aid and other resources

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Peg Keough, John Bryson) — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 13:44:46 +0000

College is an expensive undertaking. In this episode, Peg Keough of College Aid Pro discusses ways to reduce college costs by leveraging financial aid and other resources. She explores why most families don’t apply for financial aid, discusses what families can do to increase potential aid, and unpacks how students can seek to maximize their aid packages. Peg also offers tips on applying for private scholarships and lists best practices for reducing out-of-pocket college costs.

China’s troubles, easing U.S. inflation, and other top Q3 issues for investors

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Emily R. Roland, John Bryson, Matthew D. Miskin) — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 18:10:49 +0000

With earnings season coming to a close, our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, join podcast host John P. Bryson to share their market outlook. They discuss the latest data pointing to an economic slowdown in China and the contagion risks that it poses for other markets. The strategists also explore the continued easing of U.S. inflationary pressures, top investment opportunities that they’re seeing now, and risks that investors may wish to watch heading into the fall.

Portfolio positioning for Q3 2023 and beyond

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Matthew D. Miskin, Emily R. Roland) — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:58:01 +0000

Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, return to the podcast to discuss their market outlook at midyear 2023. Among the topics covered: How will the U.S. Federal Reserve keep inflation in check without risking a recession and what are the implications for fixed-income investors? Where does the U.S. economy stand relative to those of other developed nations? What’s ahead for the U.S. equity market and international markets in the wake of recent gains? Which economic indicators are the key ones to watch now? How does this all affect portfolio positioning for the third quarter and beyond?

Who are the future’s AI giants? From hyper-scalers to model specialists

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Stephen Freedman, John Bryson) — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 20:34:45 +0000

What’s so different about artificial intelligence (AI) today than in the past? Stephen Freedman, Ph.D., CFA, FRM, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to explore the current AI boom. Steve, the head of research and sustainability for equities investing at Pictet Asset Management, discusses the evolution of AI while focusing on the new ways that it’s being used today. He also considers AI’s positive disruptive potential, risks that people need to be aware of, and which types of companies and industries may benefit from or be hurt by AI the most. He also analyzes the role of Mainland China and other countries that may seek to harness the power of AI, the prospect of global regulation of AI, and how the technology might help financial professionals.

How financial professionals can help business owners with exit planning

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Lee Small, John Bryson) — Fri, 12 May 2023 15:29:47 +0000

Lee Small, senior vice president and divisional sales manager at John Hancock Investment Management, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss key challenges that business owners face in planning for ownership transitions. Lee explores the role that financial professionals can play in assisting with exit planning and describes a new John Hancock program, “Empowering Business Owners’ Conversations,” which leverages research conducted by the Exit Planning Institute. Finally, Lee highlights key definitions related to exit planning and describes resources available to help financial advisors better serve business owners.

Unpacking new trends in college admissions and scholarships

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Nancy Steenson) — Tue, 9 May 2023 14:26:03 +0000

In this episode, college admissions coach Nancy Steenson joins podcast host John P. Bryson, head of investment consulting at John Hancock Investment Management, to discuss the changing landscape of college admissions and scholarships. Nancy explains the best source of scholarships for college students today, unpacks the difference between a needs-based financial aid scholarship and a merit scholarship, and discusses why knowing the difference is helpful while shopping for colleges. She also explores current college pricing trends and the impact on pricing from enrollment management software, early decision, early action, and merit awards. Finally, she highlights the U.S. Department of Justice’s college admissions oversight role and discusses key changes to important financial aid documents that affect what students pay for college.

Fixed-income outlook for a potential monetary policy transition

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Jeffrey N. Given, Howard C. Greene, John Bryson) — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 19:48:29 +0000

Howard C. Greene, CFA, and Jeffrey N. Given, CFA, senior portfolio managers and co-heads of the U.S. core and core plus fixed-income team at Manulife Investment Management, join podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss current fixed-income opportunities, the factors driving recent volatility, and takeaways for bond investors. They also analyze how investments have performed historically during periods when monetary policy has shifted from tightening to easing. Finally, the portfolio managers offer their views on the prospects of a recession, consider how fixed-income investments may perform if the U.S. economy experiences a slowdown, and discuss what investors need to be thinking about going forward.

Have bank fears upended the investment outlook?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Matthew D. Miskin, John Bryson, Emily R. Roland) — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 17:35:18 +0000

Bank failures and federal interventions injected more uncertainty into financial markets as the first quarter of 2023 wound down. Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, join podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss prospects for any further escalation of bank risks, the government’s capacity to deal with such scenarios, and the potential impact on equities and fixed income. Emily and Matt also assess the latest economic numbers, which appear to show a divergence between services and manufacturing. Finally, they explore whether the U.S. Federal Reserve’s latest interest-rate increase might lead to a pause or a reversal of the rate-hiking cycle, with potentially big implications for fixed-income investors.

Women, wealth, and wisdom: helping clients take charge of their finances

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Julie Cronin, Sarah Walter, John Bryson) — Mon, 6 Mar 2023 19:49:58 +0000

When it comes to investing, women and men often differ in their approaches and their goals. Gain perspective from two veteran business consultants at John Hancock Investment Management, Julie Cronin and Sarah Walter, CIMA, ABFP, PMA, CSRIC, AWMA. Julie and Sarah join podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss the importance of women taking charge of their finances. Among the topics they cover: the biggest differences between female and male investors, why it’s important for financial professionals to focus on their female clientele, and why it can be important to serve female and male clients differently. Julie and Sarah offer tips on how to best serve each gender and present findings from case studies that are covered in our Women, Wealth, and Wisdom presentation. Finally, they share positive changes they’ve witnessed with respect to women in finance over the last 20 years that they’ve been working with women and investment professionals, and some of the areas they think we still need to improve.

Positioning portfolios midway through Q1 2023

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Emily R. Roland, Matthew D. Miskin, John Bryson) — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 18:03:46 +0000

With the first quarter of 2023 nearly half over, Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, join podcast host John P. Bryson to analyze the latest economic and market trends and consider portfolio positioning ideas for the rest of the year. They explore quarterly earnings season trends, the latest policy shift from the U.S. Federal Reserve, and the challenges stemming from U.S.-China relations and its impact on globalization.

How financial professionals can build trust and resilience in their client relationships

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Gail Parsons, John Bryson) — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 21:15:47 +0000

Gail Parsons, founder and president of Lifecycle Focus, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss strategies to help financial professionals manage stress, focus on resiliency, and deliver better outcomes in their personal and professional lives. She explores common workplace misconceptions about managing workloads and shares insight on practicing self-awareness and managing energy levels throughout the day. Gail also discusses how financial professionals can use active listening to build trust with clients and strengthen engagement. Finally, she shares tips to block out the noise from daily distractions and focus instead on what we can control.

What’s ahead for the Fed in 2023?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Matthew D. Miskin, Emily R. Roland, John Bryson) — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 21:28:30 +0000

Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, return to the podcast to explore how the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) has fared in 2022 in terms of managing inflation and unemployment. They also discuss the Fed’s anticipated policy shifts in 2023, where they see the pivot happening, and how the timing could affect portfolio positioning. Emily and Matt also examine the impact that China’s reopening from its strict COVID-19 policies could have on the global economy. Finally, the strategists offer insight on long-term portfolio allocations given today’s market environment.

Our market outlook looking ahead to 2023

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 19:32:58 +0000

In this episode, our chief investment strategists, Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, analyze recent market movements and discuss what they’re expecting to see in 2023. They offer their views on the potential course of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s interest-rate increases in coming months, explore opportunities in equities and fixed income, and unpack the impact of U.S. dollar volatility on international equities. Finally, Emily and Matt discuss the market impact of the U.S. midterm election.

How financial professionals may benefit from leveraging the power of model portfolios

Fri, 18 Nov 2022 14:01:51 +0000

In this episode, Katie Baker, senior national account manager and model delivery lead at John Hancock Investment Management, and Bruce Picard, CFA, portfolio manager and head of model portfolios at Manulife Investment Management, discuss potential opportunities in model portfolios. They explore the potential benefits of leveraging asset allocation models on the business and the investment front, explain how using model portfolios could potentially be helpful to advisors throughout their careers, and identify what attributes to look for when researching model portfolios. Finally, Katie and Bruce discuss how their teams seek to ensure that the model portfolios they build align with the needs of advisors and their clients.

Seeking opportunities in today's turbulent bond market

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Howard C. Greene, John Bryson) — Tue, 1 Nov 2022 13:40:34 +0000

Howard C. Greene, CFA, a senior portfolio manager and co-head of U.S. core and U.S. core-plus fixed income strategies with Manulife Investment Management, joins podcast host John Bryson to discuss what goes into bond picking and why it's more than just forecasting interest rates. Howard also shares insight on how supply and demand components and the investing landscape play into his team’s decision-making. Additionally, Howard discusses the importance of the structure and process of the research team, and how they affect decision-making. Finally, Howard explores current opportunities in fixed income and explains why he thinks there hasn’t been a better time for fixed-income investing.

The market outlook entering year-end 2022

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Matthew D. Miskin, Emily R. Roland, John Bryson) — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 14:32:23 +0000

Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, return to the podcast to offer their takeaways from the third quarter, discuss their current views on equities, and explain how their outlook has evolved. The strategists also share the concerns they're hearing from financial advisors and investors about equity and fixed-income portfolio positioning. Finally, Emily and Matt discuss current U.S. Federal Reserve interest-rate policy and offer ideas on what investors may want to watch as the year comes to a close.

What financial advisors need to know about the changing fee landscape

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Andy McFetridge, John Bryson) — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 18:32:09 +0000

Our Head of Strategic Relationships and Investment Specialists Andy McFetridge returns to the podcast to share his insight about the changing fee landscape. In today’s environment of investment product commoditization and fee compression, research shows that clients are increasingly turning to financial advisors for comprehensive financial planning. While that’s a service that adds true value to your client relationships, it can present challenges for traditional fee models. Successful advisors are responding with innovative approaches and Andy outlines what services clients are really looking for and how can advisors help meet that need. He also discusses the best way to build a process around offering financial planning services and other fee models to be aware of. Finally, Andy shares four key takeaways from his research of fee models for financial advisors.

Charting market headwinds in the second half of 2022

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Matthew D. Miskin, Emily R. Roland) — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 13:56:08 +0000

Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, join podcast host John Bryson to discuss the forces driving recent market volatility. The strategists also explore asset allocation in the current environment and options for investors seeking to leverage alternative asset classes for their portfolios. Finally, Emily and Matt identify potential market catalysts entering the final months of 2022.

Positioning portfolios for a late cycle environment

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Manulife John Hancock Investments) — Fri, 5 Aug 2022 17:12:29 +0000

Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, co‐chief investment strategists, John Hancock Investment Management, return to the podcast to talk about key themes that they’re focusing on during the third quarter of 2022. The strategists discuss their views on equities and where they’re currently finding opportunities. They also share their fixed‐income outlook for the current late‐cycle environment, unpack the U.S. Federal Reserve’s rate hikes for the rest of 2022, and talk about anticipated rate cuts in 2023. Finally, Matt and Emily share their insight on why alternatives are looking more appealing in a late‐cycle environment.

Inflation and stagflation—assessing their impact on markets and the economy

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Frances Donald, John Bryson) — Fri, 1 Jul 2022 13:15:05 +0000

Frances Donald, global chief economist and strategist with Manulife Investment Management’s multi-asset solutions team, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to explore current inflationary forces and their economic impact. Frances offers real-life examples to explain the differences between inflation, deflation, and stagflation, and she examines the tools that the U.S. Federal Reserve has to fight inflation while discussing how their implementation can affect markets and the economy. In addition, she considers which indicators could signal whether inflation may have peaked and she offers her outlook on the U.S. economy and prospects of a recession. Finally, Frances discusses portfolio positioning for investors in today’s economic environment.

Where does the U.S. economy stand entering mid-year 2022?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Emily Roland, Matthew Miskin, John Bryson) — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 18:47:44 +0000

Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, join our podcast host and Head of Investment Consulting John P. Bryson to unpack the latest economic data and share their outlook. The strategists also discuss what economic indicators to watch as the U.S. Federal Reserve seeks to bring inflation under control while engineering a soft landing that avoids a potential recession. Finally, Emily and Matt show where they’re finding growth potential around the world and highlight current opportunities in fixed income.

Unpacking spring’s surge in market volatility

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Matt Miskin, Emily Roland) — Fri, 20 May 2022 13:59:53 +0000

Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, join podcast host John P. Byson to discuss the market volatility we’ve seen in the early spring. The strategists discuss common questions they’re hearing from financial advisors, such as which indicators could point to the stock market reaching a bottom, creating potential buying opportunities. They also present their fixed-income outlook and the role that bonds can play in portfolios going forward. Finally, Emily and Matt discuss their inflation outlook, where we are in the inflationary cycle, and the type of opportunities to look for.

Preparing for today's competitive college admissions environment

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Nancy Steenson, John Bryson) — Fri, 20 May 2022 13:35:35 +0000

College admissions coach Nancy Steenson returns to the podcast to chat with our host John P. Bryson about the challenges that families face in today's increasingly competitive college admissions environment. She explains the reality of grade inflation in high schools around the country and the exceptional portfolio of students who get into the top-tier universities. Furthermore, Nancy explains the nitty-gritties of demonstrated interest and how students can make the most of it. She also delves into her changing attitude about early decision-making and explains why she is now encouraging her students to consider it. Finally, Nancy offers a variety of tips to help students and parents in the ever-evolving process of college admissions.

Portfolio positioning for a moderating economy

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Emily Roland, Matthew Miskin) — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 15:21:02 +0000

Emily R. Roland, CIMA, Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, co-chief investment strategists, John Hancock Investment Management, return to the podcast to talk about positioning portfolios for a moderating economic environment. The strategists discuss what stood out to them in terms of cross asset class performance for Q1. They explain their short- and long-term fixed-income outlooks and share insight for investors currently stressed about their bond portfolios. Matt and Emily also assess whether now is the time to build in some defense into portfolios for a potential recession on the horizon. Finally, they discuss their Fed outlook for 2022 and into next year.

A case for value stocks for today’s investors

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Joshua White, David T. Cohen) — Fri, 15 Apr 2022 20:41:27 +0000

Joshua C. White, CFA, and David T. Cohen, CFA, portfolio managers, Boston Partners, join podcast host John P. Bryson to talk about the short-term and long-term case for value stocks for today’s investors. They also talk about Boston Partners’ value strategy and approach and how they stuck to it during times of volatility. Josh and David, who are also portfolio managers of John Hancock Disciplined Value Fund, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, throw light on where they’re finding the most opportunities in the current environment. Finally, they offer their insight and advice to help investors navigate these volatile times.

Opportunities arising from recent market volatility

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Emily Roland, Matthew Miskin) — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Best practices of virtual meetings for financial professionals

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Brendan Barca) — Fri, 4 Feb 2022 17:15:30 +0000

Brendan Barca, a coach, speaker, and consultant at Brendan Barca Solutions, returns to the podcast with tips on best practices for virtual meetings for financial professionals. He also explains what mistakes to avoid and shares top virtual meeting techniques. In this episode, Brendan also discusses the best way to set expectations with new and current clients regarding what's going to be virtual and what's going to be in person as we navigate a hybrid model going forward.

Our 2022 economic projections and investment outlook

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Matthew Miskin, Emily Roland) — Mon, 3 Jan 2022 18:33:06 +0000

In this episode of Portfolio Intelligence, Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, discuss their 2022 economic projections and investment outlook. The strategists also share what factors they’re currently watching, their expectations from the U.S. Federal Reserve, and their concerns for the U.S. and global economy in 2022. Finally, the strategists share their views on the positioning of fixed income and equity investments in 2022.

Using LinkedIn Sales Navigator to help build your business

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Brendan Barca) — Mon, 13 Dec 2021 22:39:27 +0000

Brendan Barca, a coach, speaker, and consultant at Brendan Barca Solutions, returns to the podcast with tips for financial professionals using LinkedIn Sales Navigator as a business-building tool. He discusses why it might be worth it for advisors to pay for the service rather than using the free version of LinkedIn. Barca also explains how LinkedIn Sales Navigator has built-in customer relationship management tools that can help advisors concentrate on the most promising leads while best serving existing clients in their practice.

What P/E ratios are saying about stocks

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Emily Roland, Matthew Miskin) — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 17:41:03 +0000

Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, join the podcast to address valuation worries and why overall market price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios have been steady due to strong earnings growth. The strategists also discuss what retail sales, jobs reports, and other indicators are saying about the health of the U.S. economy. Finally, they weigh in on what higher inflation means for investors and their outlook for lingering supply chain disruptions.

Investing in the environmental megatrend

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Dr. Sarah Cornell, Gabriel Micheli) — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 16:31:44 +0000

Global environmental change is one of the strongest factors driving interest in sustainable investing. In this podcast, Dr. Sarah Cornell of Stockholm Resilience Centre and Gabriel Micheli, CFA, senior investment manager at Pictet Asset Management, discuss thematic and sustainable investing during a time of accelerating climate change. Listen to this episode to hear expert insight on how sustainable investing works in practice and how to incorporate it into portfolios.

Is inflation here to stay?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Emily Roland, Matthew Miskin) — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 15:36:01 +0000

The inflation rate has been running hot lately, and Co-Chief Investment Strategists Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, and Emily R. Roland, CIMA, discuss how supply chain delays and supply shortages are affecting the consumer price index (CPI). The strategists think inflation will remain elevated for the next couple quarters, but that supply and demand will ultimately come back into balance. They also share their top portfolio ideas now for the equity and fixed-income markets.

How advisors are using technology to help clients

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Brendan Barca) — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 13:20:29 +0000

Smart use of technology and social media is critical for investment professionals to help clients and grow their business. Brendan Barca, a coach, speaker, and consultant at Brendan Barca Solutions, teaches advisors how to seamlessly enter the digital age through live workshops, webinars, and online courses. In this episode, investment professionals can learn how to work with clients remotely and effectively with tools such as Zoom, WebEx, Google, and LinkedIn.

Debunking four fixed‐income investing myths

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Emily Roland, Matthew Miskin) — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 14:07:50 +0000

Fixed‐income investors are making some false assumptions about the market that could negatively affect portfolios, according to Co‐Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA. Using fixed‐income data analytics and market history, the strategists debunk narratives such as the U.S. Federal Reserve tapering its bond purchases will automatically lead to higher U.S. Treasury yields. Listen to this podcast to avoid four fixed‐income myths in today’s markets.

ESG investment strategies for today

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Cheryl I. Smith, Matthew A. Zalosh) — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 13:18:17 +0000

Cheryl I. Smith, Ph.D., CFA, portfolio manager at Trillium Asset Management, and Matthew A. Zalosh, CFA, portfolio manager at Boston Common Asset Management, join the podcast to discuss ESG investment strategy. The portfolio managers delve into the details of using environmental, social, and governance factors in investment portfolios. For example, when it comes to environmental impact, ESG managers are taking a close look at companies’ use of renewable energy, recycling, and resource efficiency. Listen to this episode to get the experts’ perspective on ESG investing.

Don’t fumble the FAFSA

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Mark Kantrowitz, John Bryson) — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 20:39:18 +0000

Financial aid expert Mark Kantrowitz offers some timely wisdom for families with students seeking financial aid. Mark discusses the most common errors families make when filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and he serves up some great tips for applicants to get the most aid possible. As students prepare for the FAFSA filing on or after October 1 each year, Mark’s tips will come in handy to help you avoid leaving money on the table.

Midcycle investing for the second half of 2021

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Matthew D. Miskin, Emily R. Roland, John Bryson) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 12:09:51 +0000

Co-Chief Investment Strategists Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, and Emily R. Roland, CIMA, provide their take on the economy and markets so far in 2021, and their outlook on what the rest of the year may hold for investors. The strategists discuss the prospects of tapering from the U.S. Federal Reserve and what it might mean for fixed-income investors. They also offer their best ideas for bond and equity investors as the economy shifts into a midcycle environment.

Why advisors use asset allocation models

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Steve Deroian, John Bryson) — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 12:56:56 +0000

U.S. Co-Head of Retail Product Steve Deroian shares his insight on the rise of asset allocation model portfolios and how new technology is changing how financial professionals work with clients. Deroian details how third-party model portfolios can help professionals focus more on the relationship building that’s important to clients. Finally, he explains how model portfolios may make sense for specialized approaches such as income generation, lower volatility, and tax-aware investing.

Growth or value in the global equities market?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Emily R. Roland, Matthew D. Miskin, John Bryson) — Thu, 3 Jun 2021 20:17:58 +0000

Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, share where they are seeing the most attractive opportunities now in the global equities market. The strategists discuss whether the recent outperformance of value indexes over tech stocks could be a lasting trend. Miskin and Roland also explain why they think international stocks and economic growth could catch up to the United States during the recession recovery, as well as the outlook for the dollar and currency markets.

How to pay for college

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Nancy Steenson, John Bryson) — Mon, 17 May 2021 17:11:42 +0000

College admissions coach Nancy Steenson is an expert at helping students and parents navigate this often daunting process. In this episode of the Portfolio Intelligence podcast, she discusses underutilized strategies that students can use and how to find universities that try to lure good students with tuition discounts and scholarships. Steenson also lists helpful tips for the college application process, including how to write effective essays, what to look for in a college, how to prep for standardized tests, and how the pandemic has affected the admissions process.

What does inflation mean for the economy?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Frances Donald) — Fri, 7 May 2021 18:20:36 +0000

Frances Donald, global chief economist and global head of macroeconomic strategy at Manulife Investment Management, discusses the outlook for inflation and how rising prices affect both consumers and investors. Inflation can be difficult to measure because different indicators such as the Consumer Price Index may use different price inputs. She explains how government spending and the economic reopening may affect inflation, and also why technology, digitization, and remote working are deflationary forces. Finally, if rates rise further, it’s important for investors to watch the pace of the move and why exactly rates are rising.

Where are we now in the economic cycle?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Matthew Miskin, Emily Roland, John Bryson) — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 14:17:39 +0000

Co-Chief Investment Strategists Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, and Emily R. Roland, CIMA, visit the podcast for an update on economic growth and where we could be in the current economic cycle. The strategists explain why consumer spending and the U.S. Federal Reserve’s inflation policies are encouraging signs for investors. They also weigh in on why they like mid-cap and industrial stocks, and how investors are positioning portfolios in this phase of the bull market.

A short history of ETFs

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Steve Deroian, John Bryson) — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 17:11:45 +0000

Steve Deroian, U.S. head of asset allocation models and ETF product at John Hancock Investment Management, discusses the history and benefits of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Since the first U.S. ETFs launched in 1993, these popular investment products have grown to more than $5 trillion in assets under management. Deroian provides an insider’s perspective on which areas could see the fastest growth and why John Hancock opted for an active management approach in its first fixed-income ETF.

The Fed holds the key to the economic cycle

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Emily Roland, Matthew Miskin, John Bryson) — Thu, 1 Apr 2021 19:25:29 +0000

Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, discuss what the U.S. Federal Reserve’s (Fed’s) current outlook for inflation and growth mean for the maturity of the current economic cycle. After the recent rise in interest rates and a $1.9 trillion stimulus package, investors are looking for clues when the Fed might begin to tighten. However, at the March meeting, the Fed signaled it was willing to let inflation run over 2%, which pushed back expectations of a potential rate hike. The investment strategists explain what this could mean for both equity and fixed-income portfolios.

Will consumer spending propel the economic recovery?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Sandy Sanders) — Fri, 19 Mar 2021 20:06:11 +0000

Sandy Sanders, CFA, senior portfolio manager at Manulife Investment Management, weighs in on the health of the consumer and why conditions now are very different from previous economic recoveries. He discusses how technology, demographics, and productivity increases could shape an economy that’s rebounding after the pandemic recession. The portfolio manager also outlines various bullish and bearish scenarios, as well as the sectors where he sees the best investment opportunities now.

Will emerging markets lead the new cycle?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Matthew Miskin, Emily Roland) — Thu, 4 Mar 2021 14:15:10 +0000

Co-Chief Investment Strategists Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, and Emily R. Roland, CIMA, discuss why they like emerging markets as one way to position for a new cycle as the global economy recovers from the pandemic. In U.S. equities, they see signs of a rotation to value and small-cap stocks. Meanwhile, bond flows suggest a preference for passive investment, but the strategists make the case for an active approach centered on higher-quality credit and rising interest rates.

Short squeezes, SPACs, and market volatility

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Michael J. Scanlon) — Sat, 13 Feb 2021 19:13:01 +0000

Michael J. Scanlon, Jr., CFA, portfolio manager at Manulife Investment Management, discusses the recent stock market volatility and why companies beating quarterly earnings estimates may be getting lost in the shuffle as investors focus on recent hedge fund losses. Scanlon, who co-manages the John Hancock Balanced Fund, delves into the mechanics of shorting a stock, how short squeezes happen, and why short sellers are often unfairly labeled as villains. The portfolio manager also offers his thoughts on the recent explosion of special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), signs of frothiness in the markets, and the importance of maintaining a long-term mindset during volatile times.

An investor’s guide to Biden’s first 100 days

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Thomas Mucha, John Bryson) — Fri, 29 Jan 2021 21:39:58 +0000

Thomas Mucha, geopolitical strategist for Wellington Management, discusses what investors should be looking for during the pivotal first 100 days of Joe Biden’s presidency. The longtime Washington observer expects an intense focus on combating the COVID‐19 pandemic and rolling out economic stimulus. Other key issues to watch during Biden’s first 100 days include the possible introduction of an infrastructure deal and a more multilateral approach to foreign policy, Mucha explains. Although we recently examined the key early economic takeaways and positioning after the election, this episode also covers the longer‐term investment implications of a Biden presidency.

Top investing ideas for 2021

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Matthew Miskin, Emily Roland, John Bryson) — Fri, 8 Jan 2021 21:39:16 +0000

Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, evaluate how their top portfolio ideas performed last year and share how they’re positioning for 2021. The co-strategists explain why they’re looking for some parts of the equity markets—including traditional value sectors, mid caps, and emerging markets—to catch up to the hot performance of dominant mega-cap stocks in 2021. In fixed income, they discuss why they’re more constructive on high-yield corporate debt, even though they still like high-quality bonds such as U.S. Treasuries for diversification and some protection if high-flying stocks falter this year. Finally, Matt and Emily offer their thoughts on the recent turmoil in Washington and how markets and the economy may be affected by the election results.

2021 market and economic outlook

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Emily Roland, Matthew Miskin) — Thu, 17 Dec 2020 20:04:12 +0000

2020 was one for the record books in terms of market and economic volatility. In the latest Portfolio Intelligence podcast, Co‐Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, look back at the year that was, and offer their 2021 outlook. The strategists discuss how COVID‐19 vaccines may alter the economic trajectory, what they’re watching in equity markets, why inflation should remain subdued, and where to find yield in a low‐rate environment.

Credit research, from AAA to CCC

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Howard Greene) — Wed, 2 Dec 2020 20:55:11 +0000

Putting credit research at the center of a fixed‐income portfolio is the key to robust active management inside the $20 billion John Hancock Bond Fund. In his interview with Portfolio Intelligence host John Bryson, fund manager Howard Greene of Manulife Investment Management describes how he and his team do credit research differently than many competitors. With individual analysts providing full sector coverage up and down the credit‐quality spectrum, Howard outlines how this approach helps analysts evaluate the upper bounds of high yield and the lower tiers of the investment‐grade market segments. According to Howard, this can help uncover more frequently overlooked value opportunities while enabling more agnostic views on where to find the most attractive sources of yield.

What’s next for markets after the election?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Matt Miskin, John Bryson, Emily Roland) — Wed, 4 Nov 2020 22:30:03 +0000

ETF tax efficiency and year-end planning

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Will Creedon) — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 16:54:13 +0000

Director of ETF Capital Markets Will Creedon discusses how investment professionals are preparing for year-end tax planning and how ETF tax efficiency can help make their jobs easier. The 2020 market volatility has created tax-loss harvesting opportunities that haven’t been seen in several years, he tell host John Bryson. Will also provides insight on which asset classes might be ripe for tax harvesting, how the U.S. tax code may change after the election, and where to learn more about smart tax strategies. To learn more about using ETFs for tax-loss harvesting in volatile markets, explore this Viewpoint: https://www.jhinvestments.com/viewpoints/etfs/using-market-volatility-for-tax-loss-harvesting-with-etfs

Tech talk: taking your business virtual

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Andy McFetridge) — Fri, 16 Oct 2020 16:21:30 +0000

In today’s environment, financial professionals can’t really maximize their businesses’ potential without using virtual technologies. National Sales Manager Andy McFetridge joins John Bryson to talk about making the most of these technologies and techniques—including online meeting platforms, strategies for personalizing the client experience, and other best practices for communicating through virtual meetings. Learn how using today’s technologies well can enhance your connections with clients while unlocking new value for your business. Financial professionals: Check out our resources on virtual meeting essentials.

Volatility and the election

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Emily Roland, John Bryson, Matt Miskin) — Fri, 2 Oct 2020 15:46:05 +0000

Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily Roland and Matt Miskin weigh in on the recent market volatility and what investors should focus on in the weeks leading up to the crucial U.S. election. The strategists also update host John Bryson on what the latest economic data is hinting about the growth trajectory during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, Emily and Matt share their highest-conviction ideas for the equity and fixed-income markets, the outlook for the U.S. Federal Reserve, and what credit spreads and currency markets are forecasting for the markets.

College admissions tips in the age of COVID‐19

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Nancy Steenson, John Bryson) — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 13:18:50 +0000

College admissions coach Nancy Steenson tells host John Bryson how students can distinguish themselves from thousands of other college applications, particularly during the time of COVID‐19. She also provides tips on taking the SAT, if a gap year is appropriate now, why the high school transcript is so important, and how to write engaging essays to get noticed by college admissions boards. Finally, Steenson shares the most common mistakes she sees when students apply to colleges, and discusses strategies for parents to save for college and qualify for financial aid.

Looking ahead to November

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Thomas Mucha) — Wed, 2 Sep 2020 14:55:15 +0000

Thomas Mucha, geopolitical strategist for Wellington Management, offers an expert and timely opinion of what to look for in November, and how markets may react in various election scenarios. The veteran political and macro economic analyst tells host John Bryson which polls and battleground states he’s watching and how the COVID-19 pandemic may figure into the upcoming elections. Finally, Mucha provides insight into sectors that could be most affected by which party controls the White House and Congress, and why climate change and U.S.-China relations are among the top challenges he sees for the global economy and markets.

Revisiting the swoosh recovery

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Matt Miskin, John Bryson, Emily Roland) — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 21:15:07 +0000

As markets continue to mend despite still-difficult economic conditions, Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily Roland and Matt Miskin update host John Bryson on how their investment forecasts are faring in 2020. Their tilt to higher-quality segments of the equities and bond markets have been a tailwind, but high-yield bonds have rebounded more than expected. The strategists also describe why they continue to see a Nike “swoosh”-shaped economic recovery, rather than a rapid V-shaped bounce. Finally, Emily and Matt look ahead to the November election and explain why investors may actually want to pay more attention to the macroeconomic backdrop rather than letting politics influence portfolios.

ETF investing in volatile markets

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Will Creedon, John Bryson) — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 18:08:01 +0000

As exchange‐traded funds (ETFs) continue to grow in popularity, Director of ETF Capital Markets Will Creedon discusses how investors have been using ETFs for tax efficiency during today’s unprecedented volatility. Will gets into the important nuances of how ETFs differ from mutual funds and explains why ETFs are notable for their tax efficiency. He also provides insightful context on ETF liquidity during the extreme volatility in 2020, and offers some trading best practices to keep in mind in fast‐moving markets. Finally, Will and host John Bryson discuss how the pandemic is creating sector dispersion and ETF investment opportunities growing out of that theme. To learn more about John Hancock Multifactor ETFs, visit https://www.jhinvestments.com/etf.

Don’t fight the Fed

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Emily Roland, Matt Miskin, John Bryson) — Fri, 17 Jul 2020 17:24:47 +0000

It’s just after quarter end, so Co Chief Investment Strategists Matt Miskin and Emily Roland are back to discuss their latest outlook for capital markets with host John Bryson. Citing a bottoming in U.S. economic data as well as hints of a turn around in earnings estimates, they point at higher‐quality components within tech, communication services, and healthcare, as well as the nascent leadership of mid‐cap stocks.With cash piling up ininvestors’ portfolios, the discussion also dwells on opportunities ininternationa lequities and where to search for yield opportunities in fixed income without incurring excessive risk—particularly areas that are enjoying U.S. Federal Reserve support.

The pulse of value investing

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Jay Feeney, John Bryson) — Wed, 8 Jul 2020 15:32:06 +0000

Jay Feeney, chief investment officer at Boston Partners, explores value investing and questions about the persistence of the value premium. According to Jay, when value is out of favor, that’s not the time to lose your conviction in the investing style’s future potential. While the severity of value’s underperformance relative to growth has repeatedly challenged investor expectations in recent years, today’s extreme spreads in valuation between growth and value stocks suggest a rising probability of mean reversion.

The swoosh recovery

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Matt Miskin, Emily Roland) — Wed, 17 Jun 2020 18:53:19 +0000

Markets have come a long way fast since their late March lows. But with forward guidance from the U.S. Federal Reserve indicating near-zero interest rates through 2022, what does that mean for portfolios looking forward? As Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily Roland and Matt Miskin discuss with host John Bryson, there’s a record amount of cash on the sidelines—$4.7 trillion—and investors want to know where to get the best bang for their buck across the yield curve and economic sectors. Faced with the prospect of a Nike “swoosh”-shaped recovery, in which the economy drops sharply and then slowly rebuilds, Emily and Matt counsel a diversified, balanced approach across stocks and bonds, maintaining a focus on intermediate-term bonds, a neutral stance with respect to value and growth styles, and a continued emphasis on higher-quality opportunities. This podcast is distributed by John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC, member FINRA, SIPC.

Unpacking the CARES Act

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Ed Jastrem, Chris Frank, John Bryson) — Mon, 8 Jun 2020 20:49:55 +0000

In the midst of the pandemic in March 2020, U.S. lawmakers passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which offered $2 trillion+ in stimulus funding for the U.S. economy. While this has been a welcome development for individuals and businesses, the Act itself is a labyrinth of features and eligibility conditions that pose important questions for financial professionals. To outline the basics of the Act’s economic benefits and to offer an interpretation of some of its more complex provisions, John is joined by Chris Frank, head of defined contribution consulting at John Hancock Retirement, and Ed Jastrem, CFP, director of financial planning at the Massachusetts-based registered investment advisor Heritage Financial. The topics at issue range from the expansion of unemployment benefits and the impact on federally backed student loans and mortgages to coronavirus-related retirement plan distributions. In addition, the discussion highlights ways in which the Act is still being interpreted by legal and tax professionals, particularly around distributions and guidance for retirement plans and their advisors.

Oil in the recovery

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Boston Partners, David T. Cohen) — Thu, 14 May 2020 19:04:38 +0000

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, global demand for oil has fallen by roughly 30%, according to portfolio manager and energy market specialist David T. Cohen, CFA, of Boston Partners. David joins Portfolio Intelligence host John Bryson to discuss the recent volatility in oil prices, the ins and outs of the oil supply chain, and considerations for investors in energy stocks as the world attempts to move forward with an uncertain economic recovery. This podcast is distributed by John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC, member FINRA, SIPC.

LinkedIn: the social answer to social distance

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Brendan Barca) — Wed, 29 Apr 2020 23:51:31 +0000

With over 650 million members and 43% of them in decision-making roles, LinkedIn offers a huge reservoir of networking opportunities for financial professionals. Brendan Barca, an independent LinkedIn consultant and career coach, joins host John Bryson to discuss best practices for using LinkedIn to build a business, including tips on how to optimize your online profile and how to deliver a solutions-oriented message that will appeal to prospective clients. This podcast is distributed by John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC, member FINRA, SIPC.

Do bears breed bulls?

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Matt Miskin, Emily Roland) — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 23:28:21 +0000

Host John Bryson is joined by Matt Miskin and Emily Roland, co-chief investment strategists at John Hancock Investment Management. In discussing their Market Intelligence outlook for Q2 2020 and beyond, Matt and Emily identify what they consider to be attractive equity and fixed-income opportunities in the making despite the severe economic disruption caused by COVID-19 and the measures taken nationwide to “flatten the curve” of new cases. This podcast is distributed by John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC, member FINRA, SIPC.

Intuition, logic, and investing

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Keith Van Etten) — Thu, 2 Apr 2020 18:54:07 +0000

When market volatility rises, our first impulse can be to cut and run. But that’s a biologically conditioned emotional response rather than a logical one. In this episode of Portfolio Intelligence, John Bryson is joined by Keith Van Etten, portfolio consultant and behavioral finance specialist at John Hancock Investment Management, to investigate our intuitive responses to stimuli versus our logical curbing of emotionally driven reactions. Applying these insights to investing, they discuss mental anchoring, unconscious simplification strategies, and other situations where listening to our gut can get our portfolios into trouble. This podcast is distributed by John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC, member FINRA, SIPC.

Volatility in context, part II

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (Matt Miskin, Emily Roland) — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 16:23:29 +0000

In the context of compounding uncertainties for the markets, John Bryson is joined by Matt Miskin and Emily Roland, co-chief investment strategists at John Hancock Investment Management. While addressing the market’s gathering speed to the downside, they also consider its potential upward velocity in the wake of new and pending monetary and fiscal measures. With a near-term economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic a virtual certainty, the discussion raises timely asset allocation guidance to help investors look beyond the storm of current volatility to focus on long-term investment plans. This podcast is distributed by John Hancock Investment Management Distributors LLC, member FINRA, SIPC.

Volatility in context

wamsocialmedia@manulife.com (John Bryson, Emily Roland, Matthew Miskin) — Wed, 4 Mar 2020 20:28:42 +0000