Although global equity markets have rallied recently, some investors may feel unsettled about the changes occurring in many parts of the world—and what those changes could mean for their portfolios.
The financial markets seem to have high hopes for new business-friendly policies in the United States following Donald Trump’s inauguration as the country’s 45th president on January 20.
Earlier this month, David Zahn, head of European Fixed Income, Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Group, set out some thoughts on the political and economic landscape for Europe in 2017.
European equities have been in the tank for years, as the region has struggled with lackluster growth since the 2007-2008 financial crisis. But just as it appears that European stocks may be poised to benefit from higher global economic growth levels and an uptick in earnings, potential fallout from national elections...
This month marks my 30-year anniversary with Templeton Emerging Markets Group! The opportunity to open up new emerging markets, learn about new industries, meet wonderful people around the world and most of all be part of the Templeton emerging-markets family has been a real blessing.
In the latest edition of “Global Macro Shifts,” the Templeton Global Macro team explores Latin America’s failed experiments with populism and the important lessons those experiences have for the developed world.
If you are like many busy working people with many responsibilities and stresses, you probably have little time to think about retirement. But as the wise Ben Franklin once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”
For the first time ever, the president of China was in attendance at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos this month.
Although continued political uncertainty looks set to dominate the investment agenda for 2017, much as it did in 2016, David Zahn, head of European Fixed Income, Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Group, feels investors need to take heed of other themes that may be bubbling under the surface in the year ahead.
Templeton Emerging Markets Group has a wide investment universe to cover—tens of thousands of companies in markets on nearly every continent! While we are bottom-up investors, we also take into account big-picture context.
The turn of the calendar to a new year brings new year’s resolutions—and predictions. While many market pundits are now making their prognostications for the year ahead, David Mann, head of Capital Markets, Global Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), doesn’t claim to have a crystal ball that will reveal where the market is headed next.
When many people hear the word “convertible,” carefree driving, sunny roads and wind-blown hair probably come to mind. Franklin Equity Group Portfolio Manager Alan Muschott thinks of convertibles as something entirely different.
Franklin Equity Group's Coleen Barbeau explains why last year’s election-driven volatility will likely continue—and may be more significant—in 2017.
For fans of surprise endings, especially in political contests, 2016 was a banner year. Unexpected election outcomes swung global equity markets both up and down and continue to influence the outlook for many sectors and companies.
In just a few decades, Vietnam has undergone a dramatic transformation, from an agrarian society to one that has embraced the modern era. Its youthful population and growing middle class have helped drive solid growth—and opportunities for many global investors.
With the US stock market roaring ahead to close 2016 on a high note, the question for many investors is whether the momentum can be sustained.
What’s ahead for emerging markets in 2017? Stephen Dover, managing director and CIO of Templeton Emerging Markets Group and Franklin Local Asset Management, and Mark Mobius, executive chairman of Templeton Emerging Markets Group, present their emerging-market equity outlook.
The markets can finally put the US interest-rate debate to bed (at least for the time being) as the Federal Reserve lifted its benchmark short-term lending rate for the first time in a year.
My colleague Carlos Hardenberg shares his perspective on the opportunities and challenges he sees in emerging markets today and as we head into 2017.
Developments in Europe, including the resignation of Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and the shock decision of the European Central Bank to reduce the amount of its monthly bond-buying program next year, have contributed to a tumultuous week for investors.
If you are approaching retirement, maximizing your potential income is likely on your mind, and it can pay to plan ahead.
While I can’t always respond to each of your questions directly, I do enjoy hearing from my readers and followers and value your feedback.
In the first seven months of the year, gold prices regained some luster lost after a multi-year slump, buoyed by new financial risks and geopolitical developments.
India boasts more than 5,000 different stocks spread across a wide range of sectors, making the Indian equity market a sweet shop for investors, beating even the United States in terms of the number of companies available to invest in.
One of the most fascinating aspects of current markets around the world is the degree to which central banks appear to be influencing the movement of not only bond markets but also equity markets.
Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Group® offers its perspective on the global markets. In this Issue: Uncertainty Ahead of Trump Administration but Fundamentals Remain Constructive; Divergence in Monetary Policies Between World’s Leading Central Banks Likely to Remain Intact; and Eurozone Bond Yields Rise but ECB Likely to Adjust Rather Than Signal End of Quantitative Easing
Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election means that markets have been caught off guard by unpredicted outcomes in two-way political races twice already this year. As we enter the final weeks of campaigning ahead of the Italian constitutional referendum, David Zahn, head of European fixed income, Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Group, explains that markets appear to be taking a more cautious approach to the next wave of potential political pitfalls, including next year’s general elections in Austria, the Netherlands, France and Germany.
While the US election uncertainty may finally be behind us, whether and how pre-election rhetoric will ultimately be reflected in policy shifts remains unknown.
While we don’t really know what’s to come in terms of financial and retirement-related policies on the horizon under the Trump administration...
The US presidential election resulting in a victory for Donald Trump has many potential implications for markets around the world, including emerging markets. When it became clear that Trump would emerge the winner, stock markets echoed the shock many US voters felt. Emerging markets were particularly volatile.
Franklin Templeton's Asian and European trading desk teams evaluate the aftermath of the US election in a special edition of Notes from the Trading Desk.
As the election results were confirmed late Tuesday night in the United States (around midday Wednesday in Asia), there was a pretty violent reaction in many markets and across asset classes and regions. Michael Hasenstab, CIO of Templeton Global Macro, opines on the drivers and meaning of today’s market twists and turns.
The next 100 days are critical for the newly elected officials in the United States, and we will continue to gain clarity on many policy items over that timeframe. There is no doubt that this election, and outcome has challenged the status quo and we could see even small issues become larger should impasses persist.
When looking at various countries or regions where we invest, we consider emerging markets as representing a disproportionate amount of where equity value exists today after several years of underperformance relative to developed markets.
Borneo is the world’s third-largest island and its equatorial rainforest is home to many species of plants and animals, which attracts tourists from around the world. Borneo also boasts significant power resources, including hydroelectric power, coal and natural gas deposits; liquefied natural gas is a key export.
Voters in a democracy often respond more to perception than reality, particularly when it comes to issues of patriotism, pride and identity. It isn’t always just about the bottom line.
You may have heard the term “helicopter money” bantered about in the press of late. Robert Christian, senior managing director and head of research, K2 Advisors, explains what this moniker means, why it has gotten some recent buzz and whether global central banks may be considering letting it fly.
In terms of US monetary policy, on balance we don’t think the election itself will materially impact the path of interest rates unless the economic fundamentals materially reversed. Additionally, the passage of election uncertainty should remove another potential objection to continuing on a gradual tightening path.
We believe many of the unfulfilled dreams of the dot-com era are finally being realized as the convergence of hyper-connected consumers and increasingly sophisticated technology and software has allowed companies to provide services that seemed impossible even 10 years ago.
There are concerns that political differences could again re-emerge in Thailand that have in the past been destabilizing. However, in our view, the backdrop to a royal succession has improved drastically in recent years.
Companies in the consumer-related sectors and information technology are particularly attractive to us in the current environment, especially as technology is becoming more integral and competitive in emerging markets.
While heartened by the bounce in oil prices after the multi-decade lows reached early in the year, any significant further rally in energy prices would seem to us to require a far more vibrant global economy. As the IMF’s (and the Fed’s) relatively subdued outlooks make clear, it is hard to anticipate such a scenario occurring anytime soon.
Regardless of statements about more restrictive trade, it will be very difficult if not impossible for US-Mexico trade to be destroyed since the links are too deep between the two countries.
Global political uncertainly has been plaguing investors around the world for months. With the UK Brexit vote behind us, attention now turns to the US presidential election.
