Global financial firms, including Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp and Julius Baer Group, are planning to expand in India by setting up global capability centres, according to people familiar with the matter.Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui and Switzerland’s Julius Baer are joining US-based investment firms Charles Schwab Corp and Vanguard Group in plans to hire at least 1,000 people collectively this year in cities including Chennai and Hyderabad, according to people, asking not to be identified discussing private plan ...

Several international financial groups, including Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC) and Julius Baer Group, are preparing to broaden their presence in India by establishing global capability centres (GCCs), reported Bloomberg, citing sources. The two firms are expected to join US investment companies Charles Schwab Corp. and Vanguard Group in a recruitment drive that could total at least 1,000 hires this year across locations such as Chennai and Hyderabad, the sources said. The moves highlight India’s ...

AI-n’t no thang, but a chicken wing. It’s easy for financial planners or wealthtech entrepreneurs to say: “AI is not going to replace human advisors.” However, that was before last week, when the digital-first custodian Altruist launched an AI-powered tool on its Hazel platform. The program’s debut spooked investors, and wealth management stocks took a tumble. Charles Schwab’s stock sank almost 11%, and Morgan Stanley fell nearly 5% last week. Meanwhile, LPL and Ameriprise saw their stocks drop 13% each. ...

Growing up is hard. Wealth management firms brought on two new staff members on average over the past five years but will need four to six more over the next five years to keep up with demand, according Schwab’s latest compensation report. Based on current AUM and revenue trends, the industry as a whole will need to employ more than 70,000 new staff, including both advisors and administrative roles, over the next half-decade. The numbers reflect increasing pressure on advisory firms to bring on new talent ...

Core Insights - Charles Schwab (SCHW) reported total client assets of $12.15 trillion in January 2026, reflecting a 17.6% increase year-over-year and a 2.1% increase sequentially, attributed to market volatility [1][7] - The company's core net new assets (NNA) were $27.8 billion, which is a decrease of 9.2% from January 2025 and a significant drop of 64.9% from December 2025 [1][7] Performance Breakdown - Client assets under ongoing advisory services reached $6.16 trillion, marking an 18.6% increase from the previous year and a 2.3% increase from the prior month [2] - Average interest-earning assets rose to $441.7 billion, up 2.4% year-over-year and 1.3% sequentially [2] - Margin balances increased to $116.3 billion, showing a 40.3% rise from January 2025 and a 3.6% increase from December 2025 [2][7] Account Activity - The company opened 476,000 new brokerage accounts in January 2026, which is a 9.9% increase compared to the same month last year and stable compared to the previous month [3] - Active brokerage accounts totaled 38.7 million at the end of January 2026, up 5.5% year-over-year and slightly from December 2025 [4] - Client banking accounts reached 2.23 million, reflecting a 10.9% increase from January 2025 and a 1.1% increase sequentially [4] - Workplace plan participant accounts rose to 5.79 million, up 6.3% year-over-year and marginally from December 2025 [4] Market Comparison - In the past three months, Schwab shares have gained 2%, while the industry has seen a growth of 4.5% [5]

Hand drops coins into a piggy bank labeled “DIVIDEND,” symbolizing dividend income and ETF growth. Key Points Interest rate cuts and Kevin Warsh’s potential "dovish" Fed leadership are driving income investors away from bonds toward high-yield equities. Popular ETFs like JEPI and SPYI offer massive yields but often lack the long-term share price growth found in other dividend-focused funds. The SCHD and the VIG provide reliable income and capital appreciation, with both outperforming the S&P 500 so far ...

吴说获悉，嘉信理财在官网发布招聘信息，拟招募"数字资产、稳定币产品经理（高级经理）"，明确指 出其数字资产业务部门正在为零售客户构建加密产品，涵盖账户开立、资金流转、加密交易与链上转账 等，并将重点负责稳定币产品的策略、落地与用户体验优化。 （来源：吴说） ...

Market Overview - The three major indices showed mixed performance, with the Dow Jones up 0.10% to 49,500.93 points, the S&P 500 up 0.05% to 6,836.17 points, and the Nasdaq down 0.22% to 22,546.67 points [3] - All three indices recorded weekly declines, with the S&P 500 down 1.4%, the Dow down 1.2%, and the Nasdaq down 2.1% [3] Economic Indicators - The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the January CPI rose 2.4% year-over-year and 0.2% month-over-month, both below market expectations [3] - The core CPI, excluding volatile food and energy prices, increased by 2.5% year-over-year and 0.3% month-over-month, aligning with market expectations [3] - Phil Blancato, Chief Market Strategist at Osaic, indicated that this data could pave the way for interest rate cuts and inflation control if the trend continues [3] Sector Performance - Concerns over AI disruption led to market sell-offs, affecting various sectors including software, real estate, trucking, and financial services [6] - Financial stocks such as Charles Schwab and Morgan Stanley fell by 10.8% and 4.9%, respectively, while software company Workday dropped 11% and commercial real estate firm CBRE fell 16% [6] - The media sector was also impacted, with Disney down approximately 3% and Netflix down 6% [7] Technology Stocks - Major tech stocks mostly declined, with Nvidia down 2.21%, Apple down 2.27%, Microsoft down 0.13%, Google down 1.06%, and Amazon down 0.41% [7] - Tesla saw a slight increase of 0.09%, while Oracle rose by 2.34% and Netflix increased by 1.33% [7] Chinese Stocks - The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index fell by 0.10%, with Alibaba down 1.89%, JD.com down 1.38%, and Pinduoduo up 0.06% [7] - NIO remained flat, while Xpeng rose by 1.36% and Li Auto fell by 1.81% [7]

Core Insights - Artificial intelligence (AI) is transitioning from a growth driver for technology stocks to a disruptor in traditional financial services, impacting market expectations for wealth management firms globally [1] - Major wealth management and brokerage stocks have experienced significant declines as investors assess the implications of new AI tools that automate tasks previously performed by human advisors [1] Stock Performance - The Charles Schwab Corp. (SCHW) has decreased by 10.9%, LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (LPLA) by 13.8%, and Raymond James Financial Inc. (RJF) by 8.8% in recent trading days [2] - Other firms such as Lazard and Stifel Financial have also seen declines of nearly 4% and 4.9%, respectively, while banks with substantial wealth management exposure, including JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Bank of America (BAC), and Wells Fargo, have dropped more than 4% [2] Trigger for Stock Selloff - The stock market reaction was initiated by the launch of an AI-powered tax planning tool by U.S. fintech startup Altruist, which is integrated into its Hazel platform [3] - This tool can process client data to generate personalized tax strategies and financial insights that previously required extensive manual work from advisors [3] Investor Concerns - Investors view the AI tool as a potential threat to traditional revenue streams in wealth advisory, particularly in fee-based services like tax planning and portfolio strategy [4] - The ability to commoditize and scale complex financial advice rapidly raises concerns about the erosion of fee margins and business models for existing firms [4] Shift in Market Focus - The market's focus has shifted from beneficiaries of the AI boom to those who might be displaced by it, affecting asset management and private capital firms [5][6] - Executives from firms like Blackstone and Apollo Global Management have attempted to reassure stakeholders that AI is unlikely to undermine their businesses, but skepticism remains prevalent [6] Reassessment of Risks - The initial optimism surrounding AI is evolving into a reassessment of risks, as investors consider the potential for AI to compress margins and alter business models [7] - The recent selloff in wealth management stocks signifies a turning point in how investors perceive AI risk within financial services [8] Implications for Wealth Management - The declines in shares of firms like Schwab, LPL Financial, and Raymond James reflect fears that AI could diminish advisory fees and disrupt established operating models [8][9] - While it is too early to label AI as an existential threat to human-led wealth advice, the rapid advancement of tools like Altruist's Hazel platform necessitates a reevaluation of defensible areas within the value chain [10] - Success for incumbents will likely hinge on the effective integration of AI into client service, compliance, and portfolio construction, where trust and judgment remain essential [10]

Core Viewpoint - The article compares The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW) and Robinhood Markets, Inc. (HOOD) to determine which stock is more attractive to value investors [1] Group 1: Zacks Rank and Earnings Outlook - SCHW has a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy), indicating a positive earnings outlook, while HOOD has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [3] - The Zacks Rank system emphasizes companies with positive earnings estimate revisions, suggesting that SCHW is likely experiencing a more favorable earnings outlook than HOOD [3] Group 2: Valuation Metrics - SCHW has a forward P/E ratio of 16.54, significantly lower than HOOD's forward P/E of 31.41, indicating that SCHW may be undervalued [5] - SCHW's PEG ratio is 0.77, while HOOD's PEG ratio is 1.21, suggesting that SCHW offers better value relative to its expected earnings growth [5] - SCHW's P/B ratio is 4.07 compared to HOOD's P/B of 7.66, further indicating that SCHW is more attractively valued [6] - Based on these metrics, SCHW earns a Value grade of B, while HOOD receives a Value grade of D, making SCHW the preferred choice for value investors [6]