InvestmentSense

“There are four major transitions underway which explain virtually all of the dynamics we face in the U.S. economy today,” said Vikram Mansharamani, Ph.D., LinkedIn’s “#1 Top Voice in Money, Finance, & Global Economics,” and a recent guest speaker, at the Investments & Wealth Institute Annual Conference Experience—ACE Nashville. “Yes,” he said. “Only four.” Recognized as an authority on geo-politics and geo-economics, Harvard lecturer Mansharamani wasted no time in outlining his premise. The first transition, he suggested, is currently taking place in China. For many years, “we’ve enjoyed an investment led boom that we now hope is heading toward a consumption boom. It is possible; however, as we move from the valley created by the financial crisis that we’re headed toward an overhang,” so that consumption boom remains to be seen. The expanding supply of technology is the second transition, Mansharamani said he sees. More and more countries are producing products, and those...

When meeting with financial advisors, we’re consistently hearing concerns that retirees may feel challenged to generate sufficient income to meet everyday expenses in this low-interest-rate environment. As a result, they may be tempted to pursue certain high-yielding investments, without fully understanding their associated risks. But yield, of course, is only one form of income, and it should not be the sole focus of a retirement income strategy.   We found that investors looking for income...