Portfolio Intelligence

The college admissions process can be incredibly competitive and stressful―intense strategizing is required. The lack of clarity around the role that standardized admissions tests such as the SAT and ACT play in the process doesn't help. College admissions coach Nancy Steenson joins podcast host John Bryson on how best to navigate the evolving college admissions environment.

Spring, they say, can really hang you up the most―and that's the tune that's played out in the markets so far, in the wake of Liberation Day. Might the proposed tariffs lead to a recession? How should investors position their portfolios amid uncertainty? Take a listen to what Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, our co-chief investment strategist, has to say.

For many of us, the word “investor” tends to be closely associated with the male gender. This may need to change soon because women are on track to control 38% of investable wealth by 2030. Our Director of Practice Management, Kathleen Pritchard, and Divisional Sales Manager, Megan Hopps, explain why it's time for the industry to reframe the way it approaches women and wealth.

Tariffs―a topic that's dominated many conversations in recent days, and likely, for many more to come. Alex Grassino, global chief economist at Manulife Investment Management, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to explore how tariffs can affect the way businesses and consumers think about their decisions. Alex also explains why the relationship between tariffs and inflation may not be as straightforward as it seems.

Markets started the year on a slightly uneven footing as issues such as stock-price valuation, tariffs, and U.S. interest rates weighed on sentiment. While our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, think compelling investing opportunities can still be found, they feel that it may be time for investors to adjust their expectations.

A new year typically ushers in new hopes. Where Wall Street's concerned, 2025 may well ring in new highs. Emory W. (Sandy) Sanders, Jr., CFA, Senior Portfolio Manager at Manulife Investment Management shares his investment approach with podcast host, John P. Bryson, and explains why he's feeling sanguine about the coming year.

After an initial burst of euphoria following the election, investors appear to have adopted a more cautious mood as they assess how the incoming administration might shape financial markets. Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, share their views.

Danielle K. Roberts, co-founding partner of the insurance agency Boomer Benefits, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss what today's retirees and near-retirees need to know about Medicare and how to factor healthcare costs into their overall financial plans and decision-making. Danielle, author of the book 10 Costly Medicare Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make, outlines the different parts of Medicare coverage and explores key considerations in choosing between Medicare Advantage and Medigap coverage. She also offers advice to help investment professionals assist clients who are trying to adapt to recent and pending changes to the federal program.

It wasn't that long ago when private credit, as an asset class, was all but available to everyday investors. But that's changing, thanks to growing retail interest in alternative assets. What should investors know about private credit before making room for the asset class in their portfolio? Podcast host John P. Bryson speaks with Alex C. Catterick, global head of alternative investment solutions at Manulife Investment Management.

Judging by market reaction, the U.S. Federal Reserve's decision to lower rates at its recent meeting appears to have assuaged concerns about a pending recession. Podcast host John P. Bryson caught up with our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, and asked them if the rate cut had influenced their view of the markets.

Financial literacy is especially important for college students, given the costs of taking on excessive student debt or selecting a school or major that isn't a good match. With a background in college admissions, recruitment, and finance, the University of Alaska's Lael Oldmixon shares insight on navigating today's costly higher education environment as she explores student loans, 529 savings accounts, and balancing academics with a job. Lael, the executive director of the Education Trust of Alaska, also discusses considerations in choosing the right college, making the most of aid and scholarships, and selecting the right type of student loan, if one is necessary. Among the pieces of advice she shares with podcast host John Bryson: If one is available, choose a subsidized loan over an unsubsidized one and try to avoid using a credit card to cover college costs.

In a year where investor focus was squarely trained on mega-cap technology stocks, small caps finally found their moment in the second week of July. Was it just a momentary break from normal service, or is it a signal of a broader stock rotation to come? Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, our Co-Chief Investment Strategist, shares his views.

The continuing sense of euphoria surrounding the technology sector may suggest that growth stocks are the place to be. But at what point does valuation become a stumbling block for investors? Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, share their views.

Dusting off the stock-rotation playbook in the past few months turned out to be a good decision for some investors, but will it continue to be relevant going forward? Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, take stock of recent market developments and explain why, amid the uncertainty, it may not be a good idea to sell in May and go away.

How do you make your college application and essay stand now that AI can influence how application materials are generated and screened? Hear from Nancy Steenson, a college admissions coach, as she joins the podcast and host John Bryson to offer tips for students and parents as they navigate today's college admissions environment. Nancy explores how admissions officers are factoring in standardized test scores, grades, essays, extracurricular activities, and interviews differently than they had been just a few years ago. She also explains how admissions officers at the most selective schools may assess application materials differently than their peers at less selective colleges. Among the pieces of advice that she shares: standardized test scores still matter; grade-point average standards can vary widely from high school to high school; and don't get fooled into thinking grammar is just as important as personal voice in an essay.

An initial round of interest-rate cuts no longer appears to be imminent, given recently uneven inflation data and robust jobs growth that have prompted the U.S. Federal Reserve to put a dovish policy shift on hold. What does this delayed timeline mean for equities and fixed income heading into earnings season? Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, co-chief investment strategists at John Hancock Investment Management, join the podcast and host John Bryson to discuss the need for a patient approach to investing and a focus on fundamentals, given a recent market rally that's pushed equity valuations higher. Emily and Matt explore monetary policy, the outlook for stocks and bonds, and pockets of opportunity that they're seeing in mid-cap equities and industrial stocks tied to economic growth in Midwestern states. With an election coming up in November, the strategists also discuss the importance of keeping politics out of portfolios.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-10-19/record-bloat-set-stage-for-record-pain-in-cross-asset-portfolios

The U.S. equity market continued to rally in early 2024, even as the latest inflation data and the economy's resilience prompted the U.S. Federal Reserve to dampen expectations for a full-fledged pivot to an aggressive rate-cutting stance through year end. What's an investor to do in this highly uncertain environment? Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, co-chief investment strategist at John Hancock Investment Management, joins the podcast to assess where the most attractive equity opportunities lie while also gauging current risks. Matt explains why he continues to see strong potential in semiconductor companies and other technology stocks despite their lofty valuations. He also warns about the risks for equity investors should the flow of economic data cause the Fed to once again embrace a hawkish stance on rates. Finally, Matt assesses the latest quarterly earnings season, cost-cutting initiatives that may enhance profit margins but could hurt long-term growth, and the challenges that advisors and investors face in putting cash to work in today's markets.

Amid a shifting interest-rate outlook and inflation picture, the U.S. fixed-income market saw a swift reversal in 2023 as bond yields spiked through most of the year before sinking beginning in late October. With that recent volatility fresh in mind, we explore the outlook for the rest of 2024 with Jeffrey N. Given, CFA, senior portfolio manager and co-head of U.S. core and core-plus fixed income at Manulife Investment Management. Jeff joins podcast host John Bryson to assess current opportunities for shifting cash allocations into fixed income. Jeff sees plenty of factors that he believes are likely to be supportive of bond prices going forward, particularly in market segments such as U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities and corporate investment-grade credit.

As market expectations of interest-rate cuts solidifies, the investment case for fixed-income asset is likely already well telegraphed. The story for equities, however, could be slightly more complex. Might U.S. stocks extend their 2023 winning streak into the new year as the lagged effects of monetary tightening make their way into the real economy? Will current valuations—and, crucially, earnings expectations—hold up as economic growth slows? Podcast host John P. Bryson, head of investment consulting and education savings at John Hancock Investment Management, caught up with Emily Roland and Matt Miskin, co-chief investment strategists at John Hancock Investment Management to get a clearer sense of where stock prices and corporate earnings could be headed. He also asked them to share their views on where investors might find opportunities.

The month of November no doubt brought a fair amount of relief to investors who had been, up to that point, operating under a huge cloud of uncertainty. News that inflation had eased more than expected in October strengthened the case for a pause in interest-rate hikes and sparked a rally in the stock market. While the shift in investor sentiment is encouraging, is it likely to last? Podcast host John P. Bryson, head of investment consulting and education savings at John Hancock Investment Management, posed that question to Emily Roland and Matt Miskin, co-chief investment strategists at John Hancock Investment Management. He also asked them if the recent pullback in inflationary pressures had laid the foundation for rate cuts next year and how advisors should be approaching portfolio positioning in the current environment.

Danielle Roberts, founding partner of the insurance agency Boomer Benefits, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss the ins and outs of Medicare, an important part of many retirees' financial planning. Danielle outlines the different parts of Medicare coverage, addresses common misconceptions, and offers advice to help investment professionals assist clients ahead of potential Medicare changes in 2024 and beyond. She also explores surcharges that Medicare participants may need to pay in addition to their premiums—costs that can have a big financial impact on high-income earners in particular. Finally, Danielle discusses best practices for enrolling in Medicare, explains the options for clients who don't retire at age 65, and identifies three Medicare missteps that people often make.

Adam A. Weigold, CFA, senior portfolio manager and head of municipal bonds at Manulife Investment Management, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss the state of the municipal bond market and emerging trends in the segment. Adam explains how munis' primarily retail investor base shapes dynamics in the muni market, and he explores the impact that changes in the economic outlook can have on the market's high-yield side. The muni specialist discusses how his approach as an active manager seeks to identify the most attractive current opportunities in munis and make adjustments as fixed-income market conditions change. Adam explores the muni market's current fundamentals and the role that munis may play in potentially enhancing portfolio resilience in the event of an economic downturn. Finally, he assesses current default risks in the muni market and identifies where he's seeing attractive opportunities in late 2023.

Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, return to the podcast to discuss the late September rise in market volatility and their outlook for the fourth quarter of 2023 and beyond. They discuss how the current environment is affecting different asset classes and unpack their monetary policy expectations for the next 12 to 18 months. Finally, the strategists discuss bright spots in the global economy and their latest thinking on portfolio positioning.

College is an expensive undertaking. In this episode, Peg Keough of College Aid Pro discusses ways to reduce college costs by leveraging financial aid and other resources. She explores why most families don't apply for financial aid, discusses what families can do to increase potential aid, and unpacks how students can seek to maximize their aid packages. Peg also offers tips on applying for private scholarships and lists best practices for reducing out-of-pocket college costs.

With earnings season coming to a close, our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, join podcast host John P. Bryson to share their market outlook. They discuss the latest data pointing to an economic slowdown in China and the contagion risks that it poses for other markets. The strategists also explore the continued easing of U.S. inflationary pressures, top investment opportunities that they're seeing now, and risks that investors may wish to watch heading into the fall.

Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, return to the podcast to discuss their market outlook at midyear 2023. Among the topics covered: How will the U.S. Federal Reserve keep inflation in check without risking a recession and what are the implications for fixed-income investors? Where does the U.S. economy stand relative to those of other developed nations? What's ahead for the U.S. equity market and international markets in the wake of recent gains? Which economic indicators are the key ones to watch now? How does this all affect portfolio positioning for the third quarter and beyond?

What's so different about artificial intelligence (AI) today than in the past? Stephen Freedman, Ph.D., CFA, FRM, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to explore the current AI boom. Steve, the head of research and sustainability for equities investing at Pictet Asset Management, discusses the evolution of AI while focusing on the new ways that it's being used today. He also considers AI's positive disruptive potential, risks that people need to be aware of, and which types of companies and industries may benefit from or be hurt by AI the most. He also analyzes the role of Mainland China and other countries that may seek to harness the power of AI, the prospect of global regulation of AI, and how the technology might help financial professionals.

Lee Small, senior vice president and divisional sales manager at John Hancock Investment Management, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss key challenges that business owners face in planning for ownership transitions. Lee explores the role that financial professionals can play in assisting with exit planning and describes a new John Hancock program, “Empowering Business Owners' Conversations,” which leverages research conducted by the Exit Planning Institute. Finally, Lee highlights key definitions related to exit planning and describes resources available to help financial advisors better serve business owners.

In this episode, college admissions coach Nancy Steenson joins podcast host John P. Bryson, head of investment consulting at John Hancock Investment Management, to discuss the changing landscape of college admissions and scholarships. Nancy explains the best source of scholarships for college students today, unpacks the difference between a needs-based financial aid scholarship and a merit scholarship, and discusses why knowing the difference is helpful while shopping for colleges. She also explores current college pricing trends and the impact on pricing from enrollment management software, early decision, early action, and merit awards. Finally, she highlights the U.S. Department of Justice's college admissions oversight role and discusses key changes to important financial aid documents that affect what students pay for college.

Howard C. Greene, CFA, and Jeffrey N. Given, CFA, senior portfolio managers and co-heads of the U.S. core and core plus fixed-income team at Manulife Investment Management, join podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss current fixed-income opportunities, the factors driving recent volatility, and takeaways for bond investors. They also analyze how investments have performed historically during periods when monetary policy has shifted from tightening to easing. Finally, the portfolio managers offer their views on the prospects of a recession, consider how fixed-income investments may perform if the U.S. economy experiences a slowdown, and discuss what investors need to be thinking about going forward.

Bank failures and federal interventions injected more uncertainty into financial markets as the first quarter of 2023 wound down. Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, join podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss prospects for any further escalation of bank risks, the government's capacity to deal with such scenarios, and the potential impact on equities and fixed income. Emily and Matt also assess the latest economic numbers, which appear to show a divergence between services and manufacturing. Finally, they explore whether the U.S. Federal Reserve's latest interest-rate increase might lead to a pause or a reversal of the rate-hiking cycle, with potentially big implications for fixed-income investors.

When it comes to investing, women and men often differ in their approaches and their goals. Gain perspective from two veteran business consultants at John Hancock Investment Management, Julie Cronin and Sarah Walter, CIMA, ABFP, PMA, CSRIC, AWMA. Julie and Sarah join podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss the importance of women taking charge of their finances. Among the topics they cover: the biggest differences between female and male investors, why it's important for financial professionals to focus on their female clientele, and why it can be important to serve female and male clients differently. Julie and Sarah offer tips on how to best serve each gender and present findings from case studies that are covered in our Women, Wealth, and Wisdom presentation. Finally, they share positive changes they've witnessed with respect to women in finance over the last 20 years that they've been working with women and investment professionals, and some of the areas they think we still need to improve.

With the first quarter of 2023 nearly half over, Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, join podcast host John P. Bryson to analyze the latest economic and market trends and consider portfolio positioning ideas for the rest of the year. They explore quarterly earnings season trends, the latest policy shift from the U.S. Federal Reserve, and the challenges stemming from U.S.-China relations and its impact on globalization.

Gail Parsons, founder and president of Lifecycle Focus, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to discuss strategies to help financial professionals manage stress, focus on resiliency, and deliver better outcomes in their personal and professional lives. She explores common workplace misconceptions about managing workloads and shares insight on practicing self-awareness and managing energy levels throughout the day. Gail also discusses how financial professionals can use active listening to build trust with clients and strengthen engagement. Finally, she shares tips to block out the noise from daily distractions and focus instead on what we can control.

Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, return to the podcast to explore how the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) has fared in 2022 in terms of managing inflation and unemployment. They also discuss the Fed's anticipated policy shifts in 2023, where they see the pivot happening, and how the timing could affect portfolio positioning. Emily and Matt also examine the impact that China's reopening from its strict COVID-19 policies could have on the global economy. Finally, the strategists offer insight on long-term portfolio allocations given today's market environment.

In this episode, our chief investment strategists, Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, analyze recent market movements and discuss what they're expecting to see in 2023. They offer their views on the potential course of the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest-rate increases in coming months, explore opportunities in equities and fixed income, and unpack the impact of U.S. dollar volatility on international equities. Finally, Emily and Matt discuss the market impact of the U.S. midterm election.

In this episode, Katie Baker, senior national account manager and model delivery lead at John Hancock Investment Management, and Bruce Picard, CFA, portfolio manager and head of model portfolios at Manulife Investment Management, discuss potential opportunities in model portfolios. They explore the potential benefits of leveraging asset allocation models on the business and the investment front, explain how using model portfolios could potentially be helpful to advisors throughout their careers, and identify what attributes to look for when researching model portfolios. Finally, Katie and Bruce discuss how their teams seek to ensure that the model portfolios they build align with the needs of advisors and their clients.

Howard C. Greene, CFA, a senior portfolio manager and co-head of U.S. core and U.S. core-plus fixed income strategies with Manulife Investment Management, joins podcast host John Bryson to discuss what goes into bond picking and why it's more than just forecasting interest rates. Howard also shares insight on how supply and demand components and the investing landscape play into his team's decision-making. Additionally, Howard discusses the importance of the structure and process of the research team, and how they affect decision-making. Finally, Howard explores current opportunities in fixed income and explains why he thinks there hasn't been a better time for fixed-income investing.

Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, return to the podcast to offer their takeaways from the third quarter, discuss their current views on equities, and explain how their outlook has evolved. The strategists also share the concerns they're hearing from financial advisors and investors about equity and fixed-income portfolio positioning. Finally, Emily and Matt discuss current U.S. Federal Reserve interest-rate policy and offer ideas on what investors may want to watch as the year comes to a close.

Our Head of Strategic Relationships and Investment Specialists Andy McFetridge returns to the podcast to share his insight about the changing fee landscape. In today's environment of investment product commoditization and fee compression, research shows that clients are increasingly turning to financial advisors for comprehensive financial planning. While that's a service that adds true value to your client relationships, it can present challenges for traditional fee models. Successful advisors are responding with innovative approaches and Andy outlines what services clients are really looking for and how can advisors help meet that need. He also discusses the best way to build a process around offering financial planning services and other fee models to be aware of. Finally, Andy shares four key takeaways from his research of fee models for financial advisors.

Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, join podcast host John Bryson to discuss the forces driving recent market volatility. The strategists also explore asset allocation in the current environment and options for investors seeking to leverage alternative asset classes for their portfolios. Finally, Emily and Matt identify potential market catalysts entering the final months of 2022.

Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, co‐chief investment strategists, John Hancock Investment Management, return to the podcast to talk about key themes that they're focusing on during the third quarter of 2022. The strategists discuss their views on equities and where they're currently finding opportunities. They also share their fixed‐income outlook for the current late‐cycle environment, unpack the U.S. Federal Reserve's rate hikes for the rest of 2022, and talk about anticipated rate cuts in 2023. Finally, Matt and Emily share their insight on why alternatives are looking more appealing in a late‐cycle environment.

Frances Donald, global chief economist and strategist with Manulife Investment Management's multi-asset solutions team, joins podcast host John P. Bryson to explore current inflationary forces and their economic impact. Frances offers real-life examples to explain the differences between inflation, deflation, and stagflation, and she examines the tools that the U.S. Federal Reserve has to fight inflation while discussing how their implementation can affect markets and the economy. In addition, she considers which indicators could signal whether inflation may have peaked and she offers her outlook on the U.S. economy and prospects of a recession. Finally, Frances discusses portfolio positioning for investors in today's economic environment.

Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, join our podcast host and Head of Investment Consulting John P. Bryson to unpack the latest economic data and share their outlook. The strategists also discuss what economic indicators to watch as the U.S. Federal Reserve seeks to bring inflation under control while engineering a soft landing that avoids a potential recession. Finally, Emily and Matt show where they're finding growth potential around the world and highlight current opportunities in fixed income.

Our Co-Chief Investment Strategists Emily R. Roland, CIMA, and Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, join podcast host John P. Byson to discuss the market volatility we've seen in the early spring. The strategists discuss common questions they're hearing from financial advisors, such as which indicators could point to the stock market reaching a bottom, creating potential buying opportunities. They also present their fixed-income outlook and the role that bonds can play in portfolios going forward. Finally, Emily and Matt discuss their inflation outlook, where we are in the inflationary cycle, and the type of opportunities to look for.

College admissions coach Nancy Steenson returns to the podcast to chat with our host John P. Bryson about the challenges that families face in today's increasingly competitive college admissions environment. She explains the reality of grade inflation in high schools around the country and the exceptional portfolio of students who get into the top-tier universities. Furthermore, Nancy explains the nitty-gritties of demonstrated interest and how students can make the most of it. She also delves into her changing attitude about early decision-making and explains why she is now encouraging her students to consider it. Finally, Nancy offers a variety of tips to help students and parents in the ever-evolving process of college admissions.

Emily R. Roland, CIMA, Matthew D. Miskin, CFA, co-chief investment strategists, John Hancock Investment Management, return to the podcast to talk about positioning portfolios for a moderating economic environment. The strategists discuss what stood out to them in terms of cross asset class performance for Q1. They explain their short- and long-term fixed-income outlooks and share insight for investors currently stressed about their bond portfolios. Matt and Emily also assess whether now is the time to build in some defense into portfolios for a potential recession on the horizon. Finally, they discuss their Fed outlook for 2022 and into next year.

Joshua C. White, CFA, and David T. Cohen, CFA, portfolio managers, Boston Partners, join podcast host John P. Bryson to talk about the short-term and long-term case for value stocks for today's investors. They also talk about Boston Partners' value strategy and approach and how they stuck to it during times of volatility. Josh and David, who are also portfolio managers of John Hancock Disciplined Value Fund, which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year, throw light on where they're finding the most opportunities in the current environment. Finally, they offer their insight and advice to help investors navigate these volatile times.

Brendan Barca, a coach, speaker, and consultant at Brendan Barca Solutions, returns to the podcast with tips on best practices for virtual meetings for financial professionals. He also explains what mistakes to avoid and shares top virtual meeting techniques. In this episode, Brendan also discusses the best way to set expectations with new and current clients regarding what's going to be virtual and what's going to be in person as we navigate a hybrid model going forward.