Investment Strategy Insights

The bond market picked up in 2021 where it left off in the fourth quarter of 2020, with the yield on the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury rising from 0.93% on December 31, 2020 to 1.75% on March 31, 2021. The dramatic move spelled carnage for fixed-income markets, with the Bloomberg Barclays Aggregate U.S. Bond Index losing 3.4% during the quarter (bond prices move in inverse to bond yields).

There is no way this bull market doesn’t end very badly. We all know that is the reality of this liquidity-fueled market, but we keep investing for “Fear Of Missing Out.”

Unconventional investing approaches such as insider buying, corporate buybacks, and socially conscious initiatives will remain the investing antagonist to traditional growth and value investing approaches that have the potential to capture “alternative” returns.

Convertible bonds performed well during Q1 2021 despite some significant rotations. Factors such as stimulus and reflation are positioned to support the continued outperformance in 2021.

Despite the recent correction in the markets, leading to a hedge fund imploding, investors remain exuberant. The hopes for more stimulus, government spending, and Fed liquidity displace fears of a correction.

During the first quarter, stocks marched higher, fueled by trillions in fiscal and monetary stimulus and continued expectations that a post-COVID-19 economy will be a strong one.

During the first quarter, stocks marched higher, fueled by trillions in fiscal and monetary stimulus and continued expectations that a post-COVID-19 economy will be a strong one.

Agency mortgages are those that are explicitly or implicitly guaranteed by the government. There are three GSEs (Government Sponsored Entities); Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae. GSE mortgages and bonds backed by those mortgages have no credit risk, but do have interest rate risk.