Active ETFs Top $2 Trillion, Led by Bond Demand
Active exchange-traded funds crossed $2 trillion in assets for the first time in July, according to State Street Investment Management. The category gathered $58.5 billion during the month, pushing ye…
ETFs & Funds
AI ETFs: Memory & Photonics Move Into Focus
Key Takeaways: AI investing is broadening beyond processors to memory and photonics, which address critical data storage and connectivity bottlenecks. Both memory and photonics ETFs offer targeted acc…
Capitalizing on Rational Optimism: Fidelity Strategists’ 2026 Market Outlook
Reflecting on the first half of 2026 provides a clear roadmap to strategize for the remainder of the year. Before that can occur, however, it’s imperative to check the pulse on the current state of th…
This ETF is Built to Handle Fed Ambiguity
Stocks continue racing to record highs, but the bond market faces considerable uncertainty as fixed income traders grapple with unclear policy signals from the Federal Reserve.
Singapore says exports worth $7.4 billion affected by new U.S. tariffs
US president Donald Trump hasn't given up on his approach to use tariffs as a way of gaining the upper hand in the global markets despite the monumental decision by the US Supreme Court on Feb. 20 tha…
Australia trade swings to June surplus, beats forecasts as exports rebound
Australia’s trade balance recorded a surplus of A$1,929 million in June, according to official data released today, defying market expectations of a A$1,100 million deficit. The surprise surplus, driv…
The Critical Material Gap: Why Recycling Isn’t Enough
Those who have been keeping a close eye on the commodities market know that critical material supply chains have become a top priority for nations worldwide. Not only has the United States been seekin…
Confluence Asset Allocation Quarterly
We expect US GDP growth near its long-run trend over the forecast period, with recession risk remaining low, but not zero. The key reason is the policy mix. Monetary policy is likely to lean more dovi…
Non-U.S. Tech Growth Outpaces U.S., Thornburg Says
International technology companies are on track to deliver faster earnings growth than their U.S. counterparts through 2028. Key Takeaways: Non-U.S. tech earnings could grow 58% annually through 2028,…
Matthew Tuttle on Investing in AI Infrastructure
Artificial intelligence is reshaping not only the technology sector, but also how investors define value. In a recent webinar, Matthew Tuttle, CEO and CIO of Tuttle Capital Management, and Frances New…
Commodities Trade Still Has Gas in Its Tank
With gold and silver slumping and oil surging, it’s been an interesting, if not turbulent seven months for commodities. Those are the breaks, when getting involved with futures and spot markets. For m…
SpaceX Q2 Earnings: Strong Results Dimmed by AI Spending
SpaceX (SPCX) announced its highly anticipated earnings report after the close on August 4. The shares surged leading up to the report before experiencing a sharp reversal in trading sentiment post-cl…
Cryptocurrencies: Bitcoin Roughly Flat This Week
This weekly update tracks some of the largest cryptocurrencies by market share: Bitcoin and Ether. While both are considered high-risk assets, they possess foundational differences that investors shou…
Cloud & E-Commerce Gains Lift OGIG in July
Cloud stocks fueled July gains for the O’Shares Global Internet Giants Index, the benchmark behind the ALPS O’Shares Global Internet Giants ETF (OGIG). The index climbed 5.1% for the month, according …
How Active Management Assists With Emerging Markets Investing
Emerging markets (EM) continue to attract investor attention after the asset class significantly outperformed U.S. and global stocks in 2025 and Q1 2026. Fueled by deglobalization, expanding artificia…
If China Stocks Are Back in Style, CWEB Can Surge
The recent initial public offering (IPO) of semiconductor manufacturer CXMT enriched insiders and early investors at that China tech company. It could also serve to renew interest in other China growt…
Services PMI Surpasses Expectations, Signals Economic Strength
The latest US manufacturing data has delivered a mixed picture of the American industrial sector, with one key survey showing stronger-than-expected factory activity while another indicates that the p…
Selectivity & Quality Take Center Stage in Muni Bond ETFs
Municipal bonds have emerged as one of the standout performers in the high-grade fixed income market, validating expectations that tax-exempt securities were well positioned to regain lost ground from…
How To Build Your Very Own Humanoid Robot
It’s the middle of summer, and what better way to spend some of those extra hours of sunlight than to take on a fulfilling project? The team at the ROBO Global Robotics and Automation Index (ROBO) tho…
US private payrolls increase moderately in July, ADP says
Economists expect a pullback from a big hiring jump in May, but still good news for the job market.
2025 Was a Record Year for ETFs; 2026 Is Upstaging It
The numbers are in, and the story of ETF adoption goes on undeterred. In July, ETFs saw their third month this year of asset inflows exceeding $190 billion. If 2025 was a record-breaking year for ETF …
Earnings Deliver but the Long End Pushes Back. Will Profits Be Enough?
The Federal Reserve held the federal funds rate steady at the July FOMC meeting, maintaining the target range at 3.50%–3.75% for the fifth consecutive meeting. However, the 9–3 vote marked a notable s…
NDIV: High Income & Growth Amid an Uncertain Energy Market
Given that the conflict in Iran has been going on for well over five months at this point, advisors and investors are likely getting used to its economic impacts. Of course, one of the primary pressur…
The PCE Makeover
Confluence Investment Management offers various asset allocation products which are managed based on “top down,” or macro, analysis. We publish asset allocation thoughts on a bi-weekly basis, updating…