The survey conducted by Fidelity Financial Advisor Solutions found that advisors were increasingly focused on portfolio management in the first quarter of 2014, while fixed income also remained top-of-mind.
Advisors indicated a rise in concern about market volatility, with the topic spiking in January 2014, a period of time in which the S&P 500 experienced its worst monthly percentage decline since May 2012i. Additional themes — including interest rates and finding yield — maintained top spots, while inflation remained low on advisors’ list of concerns.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Access deeper industry intelligence
Experience unmatched clarity with a single platform that combines unique data, AI, and human expertise.
Top Five Q1 2014 Topics
1. Portfolio Management / Investment Allocation
2. Bonds / Fixed Income
3. Market Volatility / Downside Risk / Avoiding Meltdown
4. Interest Rates
5. Finding Yield / Generating Income
"We have been tracking advisor sentiment about investing concerns and opportunities for years and seen dramatic shifts in focus, based on the market cycles," said Scott E. Couto, president, Fidelity Financial Advisor Solutions. "Our goal in sharing this proprietary research is to provide advisors with timely perspectives from their peers, and offer some tools to take advantage of the investment opportunities that exist today."
"In the first quarter of 2014, many financial advisors and their clients were thinking about what to do with their portfolios if interest rates rise," said Couto. "Interestingly, they have been less focused on what many consider the ‘flip side’ of rising rates: inflation. Fidelity offers a range of insights that can help advisors navigate through a new era in portfolio management — both focusing on the near- and long-term environment."
For access to the insights and resources that Fidelity offers, advisors can visit:
advisor.fidelity.com/investmentpulse. They include:
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalData– Four Reasons Why Earnings Could Grow — Fidelity equities experts outline four reasons why U.S companies could maintain a healthy rate of growth in the near-to-intermediate term: corporate profitability, overseas revenue, capital allocation and good-looking valuations.
– A Way To Help Manage Interest Rate Risk — The Fidelity Viewpoints team discusses why short-duration bonds may provide limited price volatility and varying levels of income in today’s environment.
– Where to Find Income in 2014 — Five top Fidelity investment managers discuss tech dividend stocks, floating rates, convertibles and traditional bonds. They share their insights into where investors looking to generate income from their portfolios might find opportunities.
– Why Inflation Matters — Fidelity experts explain why unexpected inflation is a risk to the performance of traditional portfolio allocations, and why managing that risk should be incorporated into an investment strategy.
