Basis Points
Macro commentary and expert-led discussions highlight what’s happening now in fixed income investing, so you can prepare for what’s next. Investing involves risks including loss of principal. This material represents the opinions of the participants at a specific time and is not intended to forecast future events or guarantee future results and should not be relied upon as investment advice. Kevin Flanagan is a registered rep of Foreside Fund Services, LLC.
Episodes
On top of all the geopolitical headlines the money and bond markets have had to contend with of late, there has been another news story which has recently garnered its own fair share of headlines: a new Fed Chair. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan gives his take on the conjecturing happening related to this possibility.
Basis Point: 1/100th of a percent.
The Fed left rates unchanged for the fourth straight time in arow at the June FOMC meeting, holding the Fed Funds range at 4.25%–4.50%. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan explains why Powell & Co. remain firmly in “wait and see” mode as tariff risks and mixed macro signals cloud the outlook for future cuts.
Basis Points: 1/100th of 1 percent.
Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for Definitions of terms and indexes: ht...
Munis are the only major U.S. fixed income sector delivering negative returns in 2025, down 1.1%. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan analyzes why this underperformance may actually present a rare value opportunity for muni investors against this backdrop. Basis Points: 1/100th of 1 percent. Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for Definitions of terms and indexes: https://www.wisdomtree.com/glossary
From the back-and-forth headlines on tariffs to Powell’s cautious Fed messaging, investors face a summer of policy-driven volatility. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan is joined by Samuel Rines, Macro Strategist of Model Portfolios to unpack the latest developments in tariffs, tax bills and Treasury markets, and explain why staying grounded in fundamentals is more important than ever.
Basis Points: 1/100th of 1 percent.
The U.S. Treasury market had a volatile week, as Moody’s downgraded the U.S. credit rating and lawmakers advanced a major fiscal policy bill. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan explains why investor attention has turned to long-duration debt and what it signals about concerns over deficits and debt sustainability.Basis Points: 1/100th of 1 percent. Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for Definitions of terms and indexes: http...
In what investors thought was going to be a nice start to a weekend in May got turned around with a late Friday announcement that Moody’s had just downgraded the U.S. long-term credit rating. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan provides context for investors and explains why the move was expected, aligns with past ratings, and ultimately won’t shake Treasuries’ global dominance. Basis Points: 1/100th of 1 percent. Please see ...
Volatility in U.S. Treasury yields hasn’t spared any corner of the fixed income market, except one. Kevin Flanagan explains why Treasury Floating Rate Notes (FRNs) offer stability without layering on credit risk, making the case for Treasury-backed solutions like the WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund.
Basis Point: 1/100th of a percent.
Once again, the Fed decided to keep rates unchanged at today’s FOMC meeting, leaving the Fed Funds trading range at 4.25%–4.50%. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan explains why resilient job data and tariff-driven noise are keeping Powell & Co. in wait-and-see mode on policy moves.Basis Point: 1/100th of a percent.
Global trade is being redefined through structural tariffs and new alliances. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan is joined by WisdomTree Macro Strategist of Model Portfolios, Sam Rines and Head of Equity Strategy, Jeff Weniger to discuss how investors should position for the next phase of global macro realignment. Basis Points: 1/100th of 1 percent. Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for Definitions of terms and indexes: htt...
April brought heightened volatility to the financial markets, reinforcing the value of an active-passive barbell strategy for fixed income investing. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan explains how a repositioning in the Bianco Research Fixed Income Index supports a responsive, active core bond strategy in turbulent times.
Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.
Bianco Research Fixed-Income Total Return Index: The Bianco Resear...
With interest rates returning to more normalized levels, municipal bond yields are drawing renewed attention—and investors are looking for time-tested strategies to navigate this evolving landscape. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan is joined by Rick Harper to introduce the WisdomTree Core Laddered Municipal Bond Fund (WTMU) and the WisdomTree High Income Laddered Municipal Bond Fund (WTMY), combining the consistency of lad...
Uncertainty remains the defining theme as investors await the April 2nd tariff announcement. In the latest episode of Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan is joined by Sam Rines (Macro Strategist at WisdomTree) and they break down how Trump’s trade stance, Powell’s Fed, and interest rate expectations are shaping market dynamics.
Basis Points: 1/100th of 1 percent.
The Fed just hit pause, again, at the March FOMC meeting, keeping rates steady at 4.25%-4.50% amid economic uncertainty. With policymakers in “wait and see” mode, this week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan breaks down what’s driving the decision and what it means for fixed income investors.
Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.
The bond market can turn on a dime, and 2025 is proving to be no exception. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan unpacks how tariff uncertainty and federal job cuts are steering the bond market, and what investors should watch next. Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.
Bond market volatility has made extending duration an unreliable strategy, with the U.S. Treasury 10-year yield swinging between 3.6% and 5% over the past 18 months. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan explains why Floating Rate Notes (FRNs) have outperformed longer-duration bonds and how they can help investors navigate interest rate uncertainty.
Barbell: The barbell is an investment strategy applicable primarily to a fix...
Private credit has surged in popularity, but how does it stack up against public credit heading into 2025? This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan leads a discussion with Morgan Stanley’s Vishwanath Tirupattur to break down the competitive landscape, expected returns, and why both markets are carving out distinct roles in investor portfolios.
Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.
The U.S. labor market is proving more resilient than expected, with job growth on the rise just months after the Fed’s first rate cut. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan breaks down why this shift raises the bar for future easing and what it means for fixed income investors.
Basis point:1/100th of 1 percent.
President Trump’s second term has reignited economic policy shifts, including tariffs and executive orders, while Fed Chair Jerome Powell remains cautious on rate cuts. With Treasury yields likely to stay elevated, Kevin Flanagan is joined by Macro Strategist, Sam Rines to discuss why investors should prepare for continued volatility and consider a strategic fixed income approach to navigate the evolving landscape. Basis point: 1...
For the first time since September, the Federal Reserve kept rates unchanged at the January FOMC meeting, holding the Fed Funds target range at 4.25%–4.50%. But is this pause a step toward more rate cuts or the beginning of a more cautious approach? This week on the Basis Points podcast, Kevin Flanagan shares the key takeaways from the January meeting, the Fed’s recalibrated stance and why the definition of a “neutral” rate remains...
U.S. corporate bonds are currently exhibiting historically tight spreads, with investment-grade and high-yield spreads at +80bp and +270bp, respectively, levels not seen since 1998 and 2007. Despite potential headwinds like tight spreads and increased supply, this week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan covers why elevated yield levels and supportive macroeconomic conditions suggest a neutral outlook for U.S. corporates in fixed-inc...
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