This actively managed ETF targets high-quality U.S. companies with strong reinvestment strategies and disciplined portfolio oversight.Oklahoma-based JBR Co Financial Management initiated a new position in the Akre Focus ETF (AKRE +0.00%), acquiring 108,793 shares in the fourth quarter. The estimated transaction value was $7.13 million based on quarter-end pricing, according to a Tuesday SEC filing.What HappenedAccording to a SEC filing released Tuesday, JBR Co Financial Management established a new stake in ...

Core Viewpoint - Emerging market bonds are becoming increasingly attractive for yield-seeking investors in 2026, particularly through the iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF (EMB), which offers a 5.5% dividend yield [2][3]. Group 1: Performance and Yield - The EMB fund delivered a 13% return in 2025 but has seen minimal movement in early 2026, with only a 0.07% increase year-to-date [2][3]. - The fund holds 658 emerging market bonds and has a total asset value of $15.7 billion, with a low expense ratio of 0.39% [7]. Group 2: Political and Economic Factors - The recent surge in Venezuelan defaulted bonds, which rose to 43 cents on the dollar following President Nicolás Maduro's removal, highlights how quickly political risk can change and unlock value for investors [3][8]. - The Federal Reserve's interest rate decisions are crucial for EMB's performance, with expectations for rate cuts that could enhance the attractiveness of EMB's yield compared to U.S. Treasury yields [4][5]. Group 3: Market Dynamics - Historically, emerging market bonds tend to rally when the Federal Reserve adopts a dovish stance, and the current outlook suggests potential rate cuts from the current 3.50% to 3.75% range [4][5]. - As U.S. Treasury yields decline, the 5.5% yield from EMB becomes more appealing, potentially leading to increased inflows from investors moving away from lower-yielding developed market bonds [5][6].

Core Insights - Northern Trust Asset Management (NTAM) has partnered with Envestnet to provide institutional-quality, tax-managed direct indexing solutions for ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) clients [1][9] Group 1: Partnership Details - The collaboration allows financial advisors to access NTAM's direct indexing solution through the Envestnet platform, offering a diversified range of equity investment strategies [2][7] - The solution enables customization of portfolios by blending indices, applying quantitative factor tilts, and including client-specific exclusions to align with individual preferences [2][4] Group 2: Strategic Rationale - This partnership aligns with Northern Trust's strategy to enhance access to personalized, tax-efficient investment solutions for UHNW clients, who increasingly demand portfolio customization and active tax management [3][5] - Direct indexing is gaining traction in the wealth management industry, allowing for more precise portfolio tailoring compared to traditional mutual funds or ETFs [4] Group 3: Market Impact - The partnership is expected to expand Northern Trust's distribution of direct indexing capabilities, driving incremental asset growth without significant infrastructure investment [4][7] - Direct indexing typically carries higher fees and greater client retention compared to traditional passive products, which can improve revenue and margin durability for Northern Trust [4] Group 4: Industry Trends - The growing adoption of direct indexing and customized model portfolios is attracting attention from other financial firms, such as BlackRock and State Street, indicating a broader industry trend towards sophisticated, tax-smart solutions [5][6]

Key Takeaways Franklin's AUM increased to $1.68T in December 2025, up slightly from November.Long-term net inflows of $28B, including $26B reinvested distributions, drove growth.Equity, fixed income, alternatives, multi-asset, and cash balances all recorded modest gains.Franklin Resources, Inc. (BEN) reported its preliminary assets under management (AUM) of $1.68 trillion as of Dec. 31, 2025, which increased slightly from the prior month.The company’s AUM balance reflected long-term net inflows of $28 billi ...

CHEYENNE, Wyo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--State of Wyoming Debuts $FRNT, the Nation's First State-Issued Stable Token, with Franklin Templeton-Managed Reserves. ...

Core Insights - Morgan Stanley has filed a Form S-1 registration statement for a Morgan Stanley Ethereum Trust, indicating a strategic move into the U.S. crypto market and signaling broader interest from Wall Street in spot crypto products beyond Bitcoin [1][3] - The trust is designed to hold ether on behalf of investors, with Morgan Stanley Investment Management acting as the depositor and CSC Delaware Trust Company as the trustee [2] Market Overview - As of January 6, Ethereum spot ETFs have recorded $1.72 billion in daily trading volume and hold a total of $20.06 billion in net assets, representing over 5% of Ethereum's total market capitalization [3] - BlackRock's ETHA leads the sector with $11.58 billion in assets, accounting for nearly 3% of Ethereum's market cap, and has a daily trading volume exceeding $1 billion [3] Competitive Landscape - Grayscale's ETHE has experienced significant outflows, with over $5 billion leaving the fund, while its lower-fee ETH product and Fidelity's FETH have shown stronger long-term inflows, highlighting the importance of fee sensitivity and liquidity for investors [4] - Morgan Stanley's filing follows a trend among major asset managers, as firms like Grayscale and VanEck have historically transitioned from trusts to spot ETFs, with BlackRock and Fidelity launching spot Ether ETFs in July 2024 after SEC approval [5] Strategic Implications - The filing is viewed as foundational groundwork for Morgan Stanley, suggesting a potential future transition to an exchange-traded product as regulatory conditions evolve [6] - The timing of the filing aligns with Morgan Stanley's broader initiatives in the cryptocurrency space, indicating a commitment to expanding its offerings in this sector [6]

A new academic paper warns that collective crypto trading schemes — which pool user funds and trade automatically with them — are inherently vulnerable to losing profits and being exploited by insiders, no matter how they are designed. These findings come from research by academics at Cornell Tech. In their research, they examined the fundamental trade-offs between profitability and economic fairness in such systems. The team of eight researchers who co-authored the January 2 paper found that these Coll ...

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Federated Hermes, Inc. (NYSE: FHI), a global leader in active investing, will report financial and operating results for the quarter and year ended Dec. 31, 2025, after the market closes on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026. A conference call for investors and analysts will be held at 9 a.m. Eastern on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. President and Chief Executive Officer J. Christopher Donahue and Chief Financial Officer Thomas R. Donahue will host the call. Investors interested in li ...

Core Viewpoint - Blue Owl Capital Inc. will release its financial results for Q4 2025 on February 5, 2026, before market open, and will host a conference call to discuss these results [1]. Financial Results Announcement - The financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2025, will be announced on February 5, 2026, before market open [1]. - A webcast and conference call will take place at 10 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results [1]. Conference Call Information - The conference call will be available live on Blue Owl's website [2]. - Participants can join by calling +1 (888) 330-2454 for domestic or +1 (240) 789-2714 for international access, using Conference ID 4153114 [2]. - Callers are encouraged to dial in 10-15 minutes early for identification purposes [2]. Replay Information - An archived replay of the conference call will be accessible via a webcast link on the Shareholders section of Blue Owl's website [3]. Company Overview - Blue Owl Capital Inc. is a leading asset manager with over $295 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2025 [5]. - The company operates across three multi-strategy platforms: Credit, Real Assets, and GP Strategic Capital [5]. - Blue Owl aims to provide private capital solutions for long-term growth and offers differentiated alternative investment opportunities to various investors [5].

Ares Management Corporation (ARES), headquartered in Los Angeles, California, operates as an alternative asset manager. Valued at $54.4 billion by market cap, the company invests in credit, real assets, private equity, and secondaries market. The leading global alternative investment manager is expected to announce its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings for 2025 before the market opens on Thursday, Feb. 5. Ahead of the event, analysts expect ARES to report a profit of $1.72 per share on a diluted basis, up 3 ...