Market Update - The stock market started December slightly lower after a strong Thanksgiving week, with the S&P 500 rallying almost 4%, marking its seventh consecutive month of gains [1] - The Nasdaq increased over 4% last week but fell 1.5% in November, ending its seven-month winning streak [1] Eli Lilly Price Cuts - Eli Lilly announced a price reduction for its obesity medication Zepbound, with the starting dose now priced at $299 per month, down from $349, and the 5 mg dose at $399, down from $499 [1] - Analysts at Leerink noted that the price cuts may have come earlier than expected but are not a major surprise, emphasizing the potential for expanded patient access to Lilly's drugs [1] - The price reductions are part of a broader trend in the GLP-1 market, with Novo Nordisk also cutting prices to regain market share [1] - The expectation is that lost revenue from price cuts will be compensated by increased volume, supporting Eli Lilly's earnings-per-share growth in the coming years [1] Goldman Sachs Acquisition - Goldman Sachs announced plans to acquire Innovator Capital Management for $2 billion, a pioneer in defined outcome exchange-traded funds (ETFs) [1] - Innovator has created the first defined outcome ETF and has $28 billion in assets under supervision as of September 30 [1] - The acquisition aims to significantly expand Goldman Sachs Asset Management's ETF lineup and enhance offerings in a rapidly growing active ETF category [1] - This acquisition follows a previous deal with T. Rowe Price to create private market products for investors, indicating a strategic push in Goldman's asset and wealth management division [1] Upcoming Earnings Reports - MongoDB is set to report earnings after the market closes on Monday, while United Natural Foods and Signet Jewelers will release results before Tuesday's opening bell [1]

Brittany Christensen, senior vice president of head of business development at Tidal Financial Group, speaks to Bloomberg's Katie Greifeld and Eric Balchunas on "Bloomberg ETF IQ". They discuss ETF launches, mutual fund conversions and increased staffing levels at Tidal. ...

Core Insights - The Simplify Private Credit Strategy ETF (PCR) offers a yield of 12.27% and addresses key challenges in private credit investing, including liquidity, volatility, manager selection, and purity of exposure [1][2]. Group 1: Challenges in Private Credit - Liquidity is a concern as private credit is less liquid; PCR mitigates this by including Business Development Companies (BDCs) and Closed-end Funds (CEFs) that trade daily and utilizing Total Return Swaps (TRS) for flexibility [5]. - Volatility in private credit is often masked by infrequent trading, leading to "stored volatility" that can result in sharp drawdowns; PCR employs a proprietary Quality minus Junk credit hedge to cushion against these drawdowns [6]. - Manager selection is critical, as performance varies significantly among funds; PCR provides diversification across the VettaFi Private Credit Index, reducing the burden of due diligence for advisors [7]. - Purity of exposure is enhanced in PCR, which aims for consistent exposure to private credit, unlike many funds limited by SEC regulations on illiquid holdings [8]. Group 2: Role of Private Credit in Portfolios - Private credit is increasingly viewed as an alternative investment, with low correlations to traditional 60/40 asset allocations, making it a compelling option for advisors [9][10]. - The Quality minus Junk equity hedge is considered more effective for protecting against tail risk than traditional credit instruments, which can be costly and require precise timing [11][12]. - The hedge strategy involves long positions in Quality stocks and short positions in Junk stocks, which historically perform better during periods of credit market stress [13][14]. Group 3: Historical Context and Management Strategy - Current trends in private credit mirror historical emerging market debt cycles, driven by banks reducing lending due to regulatory changes; private credit fills this gap [16][17]. - The management of PCR focuses on building a resilient portfolio that targets structural stability across market cycles, leveraging index-like exposure combined with a credit hedge [19].

State Street Investment Management (SSIM)Â has been the investment advisor for the Select Sector SPDRÂ ETFs since 1998. It will now take over the distribution and marketing for these funds. ...

Goldman Sachs announced Monday it has agreed to acquire Innovator Capital Management — a firm specializing in exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, designed to limit investor losses — for about $2 billion.The cash-and-stock deal aims to expand the Wall Street giant’s offerings in a rapidly growing area of the investment market. 3 “Active ETFs are dynamic, transformative, and one of the fastest-growing segments in today’s public investment landscape,” Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said. Michael Brochstein/ZUMA ...

Market Performance - The S&P 500 index decreased by 0.3%, potentially ending a five-day winning streak [1] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 257 points, or 0.5% [1] - The Nasdaq Composite also saw a decline of 0.3% [1] Market Dynamics - Despite the overall decline, over half of the stocks in the S&P 500 were trading higher on the day [1] - The Invesco S&P 500 High Beta ETF, which includes riskier stocks, increased by 0.2% [2]

Core Viewpoint - Goldman Sachs is acquiring Innovator Capital Management for approximately $2 billion to enhance its presence in the rapidly growing active exchange-traded fund (ETF) market [1][9]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition will be a cash-and-stock deal valued at around $2 billion [1]. - The transaction is anticipated to close in the second quarter of 2026 [9]. - Innovator Capital Management manages $28 billion in assets across 159 defined outcome ETFs as of September 30, 2025 [8]. Group 2: Market Context - Active ETFs have seen a resurgence as investors prefer a more hands-on investment approach due to lower returns from passive index products amid tighter monetary policies [1]. - Global assets in actively managed ETFs have reached $1.6 trillion, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 47% since 2020 [2]. - Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon highlighted that active ETFs are a dynamic and transformative segment in the public investment landscape [4]. Group 3: Personnel Changes - Innovator's co-founder and CEO Bruce Bond, along with other key executives, will join Goldman Sachs Asset Management following the acquisition [8]. - An additional 60 employees from Innovator are expected to integrate into Goldman Sachs Asset Management's Third-Party Wealth and ETF teams [8].

Core Viewpoint - Brookfield Asset Management aims to double its business size by 2030, which could significantly enhance its stock price and dividend yield for investors [1][4][8] Group 1: Dividend Yield and Growth - The current dividend yield of Brookfield Asset Management is approximately 3.3%, with an annualized dividend of $1.75 per share [2][3] - To maintain a 3.3% yield while doubling the dividend to $3.50 per share, the stock price would need to increase to around $100 [3] - If the dividend grows at 15% annually, it could double in roughly five years, aligning with the company's growth plans [4] Group 2: Business Growth Strategy - Brookfield Asset Management plans to double its business size between 2025 and 2030, having previously achieved similar growth from 2020 to 2025 [4][5] - The company operates across five key platforms: infrastructure, renewable power, real estate, private equity, and credit, each expected to increase its managed assets [5] - The management identifies three primary investment opportunities: decarbonization, de-globalization, and digitization, which represent a collective opportunity of $100 trillion [6] Group 3: Market Position and Performance - Brookfield Asset Management has a market capitalization of $85 billion and operates with a gross margin of 94.86% [7] - The stock price currently stands at approximately $52.46, with a 52-week range between $41.78 and $64.10 [7] - The company is positioned as a growth and income stock, appealing to investors interested in both dividends and capital appreciation [8]

Core Insights - Goldman Sachs has announced the acquisition of Innovator Capital Management, adding $28 billion in assets under supervision (AUS) through 159 defined outcome ETFs as of September 2025 [1][5] - The acquisition aims to enhance Goldman Sachs' active ETF offerings amid increasing interest in active management strategies [1][2] - Defined outcome ETFs have shown significant growth, with a 66% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) since 2020, contributing to the overall active ETF market growth of 47% CAGR [3] Company Strategy - Bryon Lake, chief transformation officer at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, emphasized the early stage of innovation in the defined outcome space and the growth opportunities it presents [2] - The addition of Innovator's product range is expected to be a key catalyst for Goldman Sachs, particularly in appealing to advisors focused on risk mitigation for clients [2][5] - The acquisition positions Goldman Sachs among the top ten active ETF managers globally, managing over 215 ETF strategies and more than $75 billion in global AUS [5] Market Trends - The global active ETF market has reached approximately $1.6 trillion in assets under management (AUM) [3] - Defined outcome ETFs, such as the Innovator U.S. Equity Power Buffer ETF – January (PJAN), utilize derivatives and options-based strategies to provide downside protection and enhanced yields for investors [4]

Core Viewpoint - The transformation of brokerage asset management collective products into public funds is accelerating as the deadline for regulatory compliance approaches, with an increasing number of products undergoing this transition [1][3]. Group 1: Regulatory Changes and Compliance - The management of the "Galaxy Mercury Juyi Short-term Bond Collective Asset Management Plan" has been transferred from Galaxy Jin Hui Securities Asset Management to Xinda Australia Fund, marking a significant step in the public fund transformation process [3]. - The deadline for the transformation of brokerage asset management collective products into public funds is set for the end of 2025, following regulatory requirements established in November 2018 [3][4]. - If the original management company does not obtain public fund qualifications, the products will be transferred to affiliated public fund companies or third-party public fund companies, or they may be terminated [3]. Group 2: Trends in Management Transfers - The first instance of a brokerage asset management product transitioning to public fund management occurred in August 2023, when the "Fangzheng Jin Lifang One-Year Holding Mixed Collective Asset Management Plan" was transferred to its affiliated public fund company [4]. - Several brokerage firms have transferred their collective products to affiliated public fund companies, such as CITIC Securities and GF Securities, while some firms are seeking public fund licenses to facilitate this transformation [4][6]. - Despite some firms withdrawing their applications for public fund licenses, the approval process for these applications has not been suspended [5][6]. Group 3: Benefits of Public Fund Transformation - The transformation of brokerage asset management collective products into public funds is expected to optimize resources and promote differentiated development within the industry [7]. - Public fund transformation will enhance the legal status and transparency of operations, allowing for more flexible and proactive performance marketing [7]. - The entry threshold for clients will significantly decrease post-transformation, potentially increasing the scale of assets under management and improving investment management standards [7].