Alternatives Gain Importance as Market Complexity Rises

As highlighted in LPL Research’s Midyear Outlook 2026, Policy, Buildouts & Bottlenecks, investors continue to navigate a market environment shaped by evolving policy dec

LPL’s Midyear Outlook 2026 has arrived. While much of the report provides the types of content you might expect from LPL Research, such as forecasts for GDP, earnings, and interest rates, this edition of the publication is unique in its focus o

Over the first half of 2026, markets faced some expected — and unexpected — tailwinds and headwinds, ranging from geopolitical developments, blockbuster corporate earnings, increasing artificial intelligence (AI) scrutiny, resilient econo

As market watchers prepared for America’s 250th birthday celebration, global equity markets delivered a strong finish to the second quarter. The S&P 500 printed its best quarterly return since 2020 amid high profile economic data and rotati

The second quarter wraps up today, and it was a good one. With the S&P 500 having returned more than 14% (including dividends) with just one trading day left, it will almost certainly end up being the best quarter for the index since the second q

The second quarter is winding down and what a quarter it has been with the S&P 500 up 12.6% quarter to date, while the Nasdaq-100 and Russell 2000 are both up over 20%. Despite some twists and turns, the path of least resistance for stocks broadl

As client portfolios have grown in complexity —incorporating a mix of active and passive strategies, multiple managers, and a heightened focus on tax efficiency—the structure used to implement those portfolios has become increasingly impo

Following last weekend’s announcement of a deal between the U.S. and Iran to bring the war in the Middle East to an end, markets rallied and oil prices dropped. This reaction is logical given that elevated oil prices have contributed to acceler

Municipal bonds often see a seasonal lift during the summer months. This pattern, known as summer technicals, stems from a straightforward supply and demand imbalance that tends to favor bond prices. Over the past ten years, the summer months (May th

A hawkish debut. At his first Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, Chair Kevin Warsh paired a hawkish, minimalist tone — tersely emphasizing price stability — with the launch of five task forces to review key aspects of Federal R