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...

Q1 2024 saw U.S. equities stage an impressive rally, supported by the prospect of upcoming interest-rate cuts. The quarter also saw some renewed enthusiasm toward the traditional 60/40 stock-bond portfolio, which had been written off by some investors at one point. But will this supportive environment continue? Podcast host John P. Bryson, head of investment consulting and education savings at John Hancock Investment Management, posed that question to Michael R. Scanlon, CFA, and portfolio...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

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.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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.

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...

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...

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....

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...

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...