Core Viewpoint - Invesco is an independent investment management firm focused on enhancing the investment experience for individuals [1] Group 1 - Invesco emphasizes the importance of understanding investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before making investment decisions [1] - The firm provides educational content but does not offer specific investment recommendations or tax advice [1] - Invesco's investment opinions are based on current market conditions and may change without notice [1] Group 2 - Invesco Distributors, Inc. serves as the US distributor for Invesco Ltd.'s retail products and collective trust funds [1] - Invesco Advisers, Inc. and other affiliated investment advisers provide advisory services without selling securities [1] - Invesco Unit Investment Trusts are distributed by Invesco Capital Markets, Inc. and other broker-dealers [1]

Core Perspective - Neuberger Berman focuses on delivering compelling long-term investment results for clients, driven by a culture of fundamental research and innovation [1] Company Overview - Founded in 1939, Neuberger Berman operates in 39 cities across 26 countries, managing a diverse range of investment strategies including equity, fixed income, private equity, and hedge funds [1] - The firm has a total of 2,850 employees, including 763 investment professionals, emphasizing a commitment to client outcomes and investment excellence [1] Employee and Culture - Neuberger Berman has achieved high retention rates among senior investment staff and has been recognized in the Pensions & Investments "Best Places to Work in Money Management" survey as either first or second since 2014 [1] - As a private, independent, employee-owned investment manager, the firm aligns its structure with the long-term interests of clients, with no external parent or public shareholders [1] Financials - As of June 30, 2025, Neuberger Berman manages $538 billion in assets [1]

Core Insights - Institutional investors have significantly re-entered the market, with U.S.-listed ETFs for bitcoin and ether experiencing substantial inflows, marking their best week in three months [1][2] Group 1: Bitcoin ETF Performance - Bitcoin ETFs recorded a net inflow of $1.42 billion last week, the highest since mid-October, with BlackRock's IBIT ETF alone attracting $1.03 billion [1] - Year-to-date, bitcoin ETFs have accumulated $1.21 billion in inflows, indicating strong institutional interest [2] Group 2: Ether ETF Performance - Ether spot ETFs also saw considerable demand, with inflows of $479 million, the highest weekly total since early October, and BlackRock's ETHA fund bringing in $219 million [2] - Year-to-date, ether ETFs have garnered $584.9 million, reflecting a positive trend in institutional investment [2] Group 3: Market Dynamics - The majority of recent inflows are seen as bullish positions, indicating a shift from "cash and carry" arbitrage strategies, as institutional capital returns to the market [3] - Bitcoin's price has increased by 6% to $92,600 this month, while ether has risen nearly 8% to $3,200, suggesting a correlation between ETF inflows and price movements [3] Group 4: Institutional Influence - The correlation between ETF inflows and price action indicates that institutional capital is actively influencing market structure, contrasting with previous periods where retail sentiment dominated [4] - Institutions appear to be positioning themselves ahead of anticipated regulatory clarity and macroeconomic changes expected in Q1 2026 [4] Group 5: Future Outlook - For bitcoin and ether prices to see significant increases in the coming months, it is crucial that ETF inflows maintain their current momentum after experiencing declines in late 2025 [5]

Group 1: Investment and Partnership - KKR has announced a definitive agreement to increase its ownership stake in Altavair and its sister company, AV AirFinance, funded from its balance sheet [1] - This new investment strengthens the long-term strategic partnership between KKR and Altavair, which has seen KKR-managed funds commit over $5 billion to aircraft leasing and lending transactions since 2018 [2] - The partnership aims to support Altavair in meeting the evolving fleet needs of airlines and operators globally, highlighting the resilience of commercial aircraft assets across market cycles [3] Group 2: Leadership Changes - To facilitate Altavair's next phase of growth, Matthew Hoesley will expand his role to become President & Chief Commercial Officer, while Andrew Carpenter will take on the role of Chief Financial Officer [3] Group 3: Company Background - Altavair L.P. is an aviation asset manager that focuses on acquiring new and used commercial aircraft for leasing to airlines and cargo operators, having completed over $14.5 billion in lease transactions since its inception in 2003 [5] - Altavair has worked with over 80 airline customers across 50 countries, managing a portfolio of more than 300 individual Boeing and Airbus aircraft [5]

Core Insights - Municipal bonds are providing elevated returns in 2025, with yields around 6% to 7%, which are historically high, making them attractive for high-net-worth clients [1] - The securitized sector, including agency and non-agency mortgage-backed securities, is considered an attractive investment area due to tight spreads with US Treasuries [2] - Advisors are focusing on fixed income investments, emphasizing quality and tailoring guidance to client-specific needs [3] Municipal Bonds - High-net-worth clients are encouraged to extend maturities in municipal bonds due to their competitive yields [1] - The market's performance will depend on supply and demand dynamics, with expectations of improved conditions compared to the previous year [1] Securitized Sector - Both agency and non-agency mortgage-backed securities are viewed as good investment options, but require extra due diligence due to the lack of government guarantees [2] Fixed Income Strategy - A general theme among advisors is to prioritize quality in fixed income investments, with a focus on not stretching for income [3] - The bond market is expected to steepen, indicating potential volatility in long-term bonds [6][7] Inflation and Interest Rates - The correlation between fixed income and equities has turned negative, which is beneficial for diversified portfolios [4] - The Federal Reserve may ease monetary policy, but interest rates are not expected to return to pre-COVID levels [4] High Yield and Private Credit - There is a slight increase in allocation to high yield bonds, with over 50% rated double B or higher, indicating improved credit quality [8] - Diversification remains crucial, and while high-yield bonds are not being avoided, there is caution against chasing yields [9] - Private credit is seen as valuable, with a focus on high quality and strong management, despite market growth and potential risks [9][10] Investment Outlook - The expectation is for rates to continue to fall due to slowing inflation, with a normalization of the yield curve [5] - Companies are cautious about long-term US Treasuries amid potential market volatility and inflation risks [6]

Core Viewpoint - Stellus Capital Investment Corporation has declared a monthly dividend of $0.1133 for January, February, and March 2026, totaling $0.34 per share for the first quarter, reflecting a reduction due to the lower interest rate environment [1]. Dividend Summary - The monthly dividend of $0.1133 will be paid to shareholders of record in February, March, and April 2026 [1][2]. - The total dividend for the first quarter of 2026 amounts to $0.34 per share [1][2]. Company Overview - Stellus Capital Investment Corporation is an externally-managed, closed-end, non-diversified investment management company regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 [3]. - The company's investment objective is to maximize total return to stockholders through current income and capital appreciation by investing primarily in private middle-market companies with EBITDA between $5.0 million and $50.0 million [3]. - Investment strategies include first lien, second lien, unitranche, and mezzanine debt financing, along with corresponding equity investments [3].

Core Viewpoint - Artisan Partners Asset Management (APAM) is positioned well to potentially beat earnings estimates in its upcoming quarterly report, supported by a solid history of exceeding expectations [1]. Earnings Performance - Artisan Partners has a strong track record of surpassing earnings estimates, with an average surprise of 3.19% over the last two quarters [2]. - In the most recent quarter, the company reported earnings of $1.02 per share, exceeding the expected $0.97 per share by 5.15%. In the previous quarter, it reported $0.83 per share against an estimate of $0.82 per share, resulting in a surprise of 1.22% [3]. Earnings Estimates and Predictions - Recent earnings estimates for Artisan Partners have been revised upward, indicating positive sentiment among analysts. The Zacks Earnings ESP for the company is currently positive, suggesting a strong likelihood of an earnings beat [5][8]. - Stocks with a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) or better have historically produced positive surprises nearly 70% of the time, indicating a high probability of exceeding consensus estimates [6]. Earnings ESP Metric - The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate, with the Most Accurate Estimate reflecting the latest analyst revisions. This metric is crucial for predicting earnings performance [7]. - Artisan Partners currently has an Earnings ESP of +0.90%, indicating that analysts are optimistic about its near-term earnings potential [8].

Performance Comparison - Gold prices appreciated 65% during 2025 while bitcoin declined 6% [1] - Bitcoin has increased 360% since the end of the US equity bear market in October 2022, while gold prices rose 166% during the same period [1] Supply Dynamics - Global gold supply increases at an annualized rate of approximately 1.8%, incentivizing miners to boost production [2] - Bitcoin operates under a mathematically fixed supply schedule, with its supply currently increasing at an annualized rate of roughly 0.82% for the next two years, decelerating to 0.41% upon the next block subsidy halving event [3] Valuation Metrics - The ratio of gold market capitalization to M2 money supply recently surpassed peaks observed during the inflation of the 1980s, with only comparable levels occurring during the Great Depression in the early 1930s [4] Correlation Analysis - The correlation between bitcoin and gold returns is 0.14 from 2020 through early 2026, which is lower than the 0.27 correlation observed between the S&P 500 and bonds [5]

Core Viewpoint - Invesco is an independent investment management firm focused on enhancing the investment experience for individuals [1] Group 1 - Invesco emphasizes the importance of understanding investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before making investment decisions [1] - The firm provides educational content but does not offer specific investment recommendations or tax advice [1] - Invesco's opinions are based on current market conditions and may change without notice, indicating a dynamic approach to investment strategies [1] Group 2 - Invesco Distributors, Inc. serves as the US distributor for Invesco Ltd.'s retail products and collective trust funds [1] - The company operates through various affiliated investment advisers that provide advisory services without selling securities [1] - Invesco Unit Investment Trusts are distributed by Invesco Capital Markets, Inc. and other broker-dealers, highlighting the firm's extensive distribution network [1]

Core Insights - BlackRock Inc. is making a significant strategic investment in private markets, aiming to raise $400 billion in gross private-market assets by 2030, focusing on retirement accounts, insurance portfolios, and digital finance [1][2] Group 1: Private Market Strategy - The company reported $40 billion in net inflows for private markets in the last year, primarily driven by private credit and infrastructure investments [2] - BlackRock plans to integrate private-market investments into mainstream retirement accounts, with the launch of a LifePath target date fund that includes private markets expected later this year [3] - Technology and data play a crucial role in this strategy, highlighted by the $3.5 billion acquisition of Preqin, a private markets data company [3] Group 2: Indexing and Tokenization - BlackRock is working on creating investable indices for private markets, aiming to launch these in the coming years [4] - The company is exploring the role of tokenization in private markets, allowing investors to hold tokenized money-market funds alongside other assets, which could enhance the liquidity and distribution of illiquid assets [4] Group 3: Financial Performance - BlackRock's shares increased by 5.93% following the announcement of fourth-quarter results, with revenue reaching $7.01 billion, a 23% increase year-over-year, surpassing expectations [5] - The total assets under management rose to $14 trillion, up from $11 trillion the previous year, with $698 billion in net inflows for the full year [6]