With 3rd quarter beginning, the virus infection count continues to mount. It's the time of year for economists & investment managers to launch mid-year prognoses. Amidst a global pandemic there are those in the optimistic camp and others with a more doomsday outlook. The optimists tend toward the majority, but I think its fair to approach the near-term future with a sense of caution.
We will host our own mid-year update with our partners from BlackRock next Tuesday. Look for information in the Webinars section of our website.
Here's our reading for the week:
Weekly Commentary -- Downgrading US Equities -- BlackRock
- The BlackRock team have downgraded US equities to neutral after a strong run amid surging COVID-19 cases and risks of fading fiscal stimulus.
- We are tracking the interplay of containment measures and mobility changes on activity as economies have started to reopen.
- Markets this week will expect to see improving U.S. non-manufacturing and services purchasing managers’ index data for June.
Lower Valuations, Better Opportunities? -- Capital Group
- PIMCO touch on the challenges of transitioning retirees market circumstances at and around retirement time
- This is perhaps the least controllable risk for retirement planning.
- Market conditions around retirement could dictate retirement plan success
- Building a framework or infrastructure around your investment assets can help