Tag: Fixed Income

Episode 77 – Quarterly Quick Take: Federal Reserve Updates and Q4 Expectations With Brad Long

Episode 77 – Quarterly Quick Take: Federal Reserve Updates and Q4 Expectations With Brad Long

As markets face increased volatility, the Federal Reserve’s recent decisions are pivotal for investors navigating the changing environment.

This week, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis are joined by Brad Long, Chief Investment Officer at Fiducient Advisors, to discuss the latest market dynamics and investment implications. 

You’ll gain insights into stock and bond markets, understand the impact of recent Federal Reserve actions, and explore strategies to navigate these turbulent times. Listen now to learn more about how to manage your nonprofit’s investments amidst economic uncertainty.

You’ll discover:

  • Overview of third-quarter performance in stock and bond markets
  • Historical trends of market volatility during fall months
  • The implications of the Federal Reserve’s recent rate cut
  • The current state of the election landscape and its investment impact
  • And more!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Insights by Fiducient Advisors (Research, Blogs, Podcasts)

About Our Guest:

Brad Long joined Fiducient Advisors in 2012. He is chair of the firm’s Investment Committee and a member of the firm’s Discretionary Committee, Research Forum, Capital Markets Team and Mission-Aligned Investing Committee. Prior to joining the firm, Brad worked in various research capacities at Citigroup and Wells Fargo in New York. He received a BA in Finance and Minor in Economics from The University of Colorado and is a CFA® charterholder and member of the CFA Society of Chicago and CFA Institute. Additionally, he is active with Greenhouse Scholars, a nonprofit providing financial and personal support to under-resourced college students. In his free time, Brad loves cooking and spending time with his wife and young sons.

Episode 72 – The New And Important Role Bonds Can Play in Your Portfolio – Including Endowments, with Wesly Pate

Episode 72 – The New And Important Role Bonds Can Play in Your Portfolio – Including Endowments, with Wesly Pate

Fixed-income markets have changed dramatically.

As bonds garner growing interest from investors (including endowments and foundations), it boils down to fit, and is it possible to achieve your portfolio return target with less risk?

Learn more about the role of fixed income in a portfolio with Bob DiMeo, Devon Francis, and guest Wesly Pate, CFA®, Senior Portfolio Manager at Income Research + Management (IR+M). They talk about portfolio diversification, credit risk, liquidity, inflation, private credit, and much more.

You’ll discover:

  • Higher real return expectations from fixed-income 
  • The significance of liquidity and high-quality fixed income in your portfolio 
  • Fixed income as a hedge against uncertainty and adverse scenarios
  • Credit risk considerations and opportunities for yield without compromising quality
  • And more!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Wesly Pate | Income Research + Management | Fiducient Advisors 2024 Outlook – Prepare Not Predict | Insights by Fiducient Advisors (Research, Blogs, Podcasts)

About Our Guest:

Wesly joined IR+M in January 2011 and was named Senior Portfolio Manager in 2022. In his role as a Senior Portfolio Manager, Wesly is focused on portfolio construction, sector analysis, and contributing to the investment decision-making process, specifically for private clients and taxable institutional portfolios. Prior to joining IR+M, Wesly was an Equity Analyst at Eastern Investment Advisors.

Wesly has a BBA in Finance from Georgia State University, an MBA in Finance from the Boston University School of Management, and an MS in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts Amherst Isenberg School of Management.

Episode 68 – Quarterly Quick Take: Prepare for 2024 and Beyond with Brad Long

Episode 68 – Quarterly Quick Take: Prepare for 2024 and Beyond with Brad Long

In a landscape marked by unpredictability and complex market dynamics, investors need to understand the key driving factors and how they may impact portfolio construction.

Tune in as Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis join Brad Long, CFA®, Chief Investment Officer at Fiducient Advisors, to dissect the pivotal themes that shaped 2023 and offer a forward-looking perspective into 2024 and beyond.

You’ll discover:

  • Three Themes expected to impact investors in 2024
  • Strategic considerations for investors in light of the current interest rate environment
  • The importance of thoughtful diversification (including private sectors, small-cap, and international markets)
  • Insights on the “Magnificent 7” stocks and concentrated market leadership (risk)
  • And more!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Brad Long | 2024 Outlook – Prepare not Predict | Other Insights by Fiducient Advisors (Research, Blogs, Podcasts)

About Our Guest:

Brad joined Fiducient Advisors in 2012. As Fiducient Advisors’ Chief Investment Officer, Brad leads the firm’s investment strategy and research efforts. He is chair of the firm’s Investment Committee and a member of the firm’s Discretionary Committee, Research Forum, Capital Markets Team, and Mission-Aligned Investing Committee.

Prior to joining the firm, Brad worked in various research capacities at Citigroup and Wells Fargo in New York. He received a BA in Finance and Minor in Economics from The University of Colorado and is a CFA® charterholder and member of the CFA Society of Chicago and CFA Institute. Additionally, he is active with Greenhouse Scholars, a nonprofit providing financial and personal support to under-resourced college students. In his free time, Brad loves cooking and spending time with his wife and young sons.

Episode 63 – Get to Know Fiducient Advisors’ New CEO Sabrina Bailey

Episode 63 – Get to Know Fiducient Advisors’ New CEO Sabrina Bailey

On July 31st, 2023, a new and exciting chapter began for Fiducient Advisors. With great pleasure, we introduce you to Fiducient Advisors’ new CEO Sabrina Bailey!

With a proven track record of astute financial stewardship and a penchant for strategic brilliance, Sabrina brings a wealth of experience that promises to steer Fiducient toward even greater heights.

In this episode, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis announce Bob’s transition to the role of chairman at Fiducient Advisors while introducing Sabrina Bailey as the new CEO. Sabrina sheds light on her professional experience, leadership style, future goals, personal hobbies, and more.

You’ll discover:

  • What this leadership transition means for Fiducient Advisors and its clients
  • Sabrina’s past experiences at the London Stock Exchange Group, Northern Trust, and other esteemed institutions
  • Top priorities for Sabrina and how she plans to foster collaboration and innovation
  • What Sabrina likes to do outside of work
  • And more!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Sabrina Bailey | Insights by Fiducient Advisors (Research, Blogs, Podcasts) | “Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned: The Myth of the Objective” by  Kenneth O. Stanley and Joel Lehman

About Our Guest:

In her role as CEO, Sabrina is responsible for leading the firm’s strategic vision and direction to help our clients prosper. Sabrina has decades of leadership experience within the investment consulting and financial services divisions of Mercer International, Willis Towers Watson, Northern Trust and the London Stock Exchange Group, plc (LSEG). Sabrina holds an MBA in organizational leadership. Beyond her professional achievements, Sabrina is committed to giving back to the community. She is an Advisory Board Member for Salvation Army Chicago-Metro and the Co-Founder and President of Grow For Hope, a nonprofit focused on empowering women through employment and education.

Episode 62 – Q3 Quarterly Quick Take: Important Investment Updates with Brad Long

Episode 62 – Q3 Quarterly Quick Take: Important Investment Updates with Brad Long

Do you oversee investments, and does this market seem somewhat puzzling? The first half of 2023 was characterized by intriguing events, including AI hype, the Silicon Valley Bank failure, and strained US-China trade relations. And we experienced continued market volatility and rising interest rates. 

So where are things headed?

In this Quarterly Quick Take, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis are back with Brad Long, CFA®, partner and chief investment officer at Fiducient Advisors. They break down this episode into three segments — The Then, The Now, and The Go Forward — and discuss our evolving investment landscape.

You’ll discover:

  • How Fiducient’s past capital market predictions have fared in comparison to reality
  • Key considerations for investors regarding growth vs. value stocks
  • How portfolio managers may navigate the rising probability of a recession
  • Insights into the current market for alternative investments
  • And more!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Brad Long | Insights by Fiducient Advisors (Research, Blogs, Podcasts)

About Our Guest:

Brad joined Fiducient Advisors in 2012. He is chair of the firm’s Investment Committee and a member of the firm’s Discretionary Committee, Research Forum, Capital Markets Team and Mission-Aligned Investing Committee. Prior to joining the firm, Brad worked in various research capacities at Citigroup and Wells Fargo in New York. He received a BA in Finance and a Minor in Economics from The University of Colorado and is a CFA® charterholder and member of the CFA Society of Chicago and CFA Institute. Additionally, he is active with Greenhouse Scholars, a nonprofit providing financial and personal support to under-resourced college students. In his free time, Brad loves cooking and spending time with his wife and young sons.

Episode 59 – First Quarterly Quick Take of 2023: Important Investment Updates with Brad Long

Episode 59 – First Quarterly Quick Take of 2023: Important Investment Updates with Brad Long

A lot has happened in the first quarter of 2023. Continued market volatility, rising interest rates, and the hottest topic right now — the banking debacle!

In the first Quarterly Quick Take of 2023, Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis are back with Brad Long, CFA®, partner and deputy chief investment officer at Fiducient Advisors. They address top stories on the markets and the economy, including their practical portfolio implications.

You will learn:

  • Three key factors expected to influence endowments and portfolios in 2023
  • What is driving volatility in stocks, bonds, and alternative investments
  • How nonprofit leaders, endowment committees, and other investors can navigate current market volatility
  • Insights into the aftermath of the Silicon Valley Bank debacle
  • And more!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Insights by Fiducient Advisors (Research, Blogs, Podcasts) | 2023 Outlook – Goodbye TINA (There is No Alternative) | Webcast: 2023 Essential Economic Update | Three Top Financial Challenges Facing the Nonprofit Sector – Fiducient (fiducientadvisors.com) | Five Investing Paradoxes Impacting Nonprofits and Endowments – Fiducient (fiducientadvisors.com) | Plain English with Derek Thompson: “The SVB Debacle: The Biggest Myths, the Out-of-Control Blame Game, and the Worst Takes”

About Our Guest:

Brad Long joined Fiducient Advisors in 2012. He is chair of the firm’s Investment Committee and a member of the firm’s Discretionary Committee, Research Forum, Capital Markets Team and Mission-Aligned Investing Committee. Prior to joining the firm, Brad worked in various research capacities at Citigroup and Wells Fargo in New York. He received a BA in Finance and Minor in Economics from The University of Colorado and is a CFA® charterholder and member of the CFA Society of Chicago and CFA Institute. Additionally, he is active with Greenhouse Scholars, a nonprofit providing financial and personal support to under-resourced college students. In his free time, Brad loves cooking and spending time with his wife and young sons.

Episode 56 – Markets And More -Quarterly Quick Take: Key Market Updates with Brad Long

Episode 56 – Markets And More -Quarterly Quick Take: Key Market Updates with Brad Long

2022 was a challenging year for investors, primarily due to high volatility, severe market drawdowns, and increased Fed intervention.

But what should investors consider moving forward in 2023 and beyond?

Find out in this episode, as Bob DiMeo and Devon Francis speak with Brad Long, CFA®, partner and deputy chief investment officer at Fiducient Advisors. They provide recent market updates and future outlook for US and international markets.

You will learn:

  • Three key themes investors should keep in mind when planning for 2023
  • Navigating the bumpy path to inflation moderation and a potential bear market bottom
  • Fiducient’s capital market assumptions (stocks, bonds, and alternative assets)
  • Insights into return expectations and portfolio implications
  • And more!

Resources: Email the Stewards | Fiducient Advisors | Bob DiMeo | Devon Francis | Insights by Fiducient Advisors (Research, Blogs, Podcasts) | 2023 Outlook – Goodbye TINA (There is No Alternative)

About Our Guest:

Brad Long joined Fiducient Advisors in 2012. He is chair of the firm’s Investment Committee and a member of the firm’s Discretionary Committee, Research Forum, Capital Markets Team and Mission-Aligned Investing Committee. Prior to joining the firm, Brad worked in various research capacities at Citigroup and Wells Fargo in New York. He received a BA in Finance and Minor in Economics from The University of Colorado and is a CFA® charterholder and member of the CFA Society of Chicago and CFA Institute. Additionally, he is active with Greenhouse Scholars, a nonprofit providing financial and personal support to under-resourced college students. In his free time, Brad loves cooking and spending time with his wife and young sons.