Investors love low interest rates. When rates are low, companies can borrow money more cheaply to fund their expansion plans. Lower interest expenses help boost earnings. As earnings go, so do stock prices. Presidents love low interest rates, too. The economy booms in low-rate environments. When the economy is strong, the president's political party tends to perform well in elections. It's unsurpr...
Investors love low interest rates. When rates are low, companies can borrow money more cheaply to fund their expansion plans. Lower interest expenses help boost earnings. As earnings go, so do stock prices. Presidents love low interest rates, too. The economy booms in low-rate environments. When the economy is strong, the president's political party tends to perform well in elections. It's unsurprising, therefore, that President Trump wants the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates. And there's good reason to believe that he expects new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh to deliver what he wants. However, the reality is that Warsh could soon be on a collision course with Trump. Continue reading
Tippapatt/iStock via Getty Images The AMG GW&K Small Cap Core Fund ((Class N)) returned 0.03% for the first quarter of 2026, compared with 0.89% for its benchmark, the Russell 2000® Index. For the 12 months ending March 31, 2026, the Fund returned 15.69%, while the benchmark returned 25.73%. Please note that this Fund has multiple share classes. Market Overview ► The broadening theme we have often...
Tippapatt/iStock via Getty Images The AMG GW&K Small Cap Core Fund ((Class N)) returned 0.03% for the first quarter of 2026, compared with 0.89% for its benchmark, the Russell 2000® Index. For the 12 months ending March 31, 2026, the Fund returned 15.69%, while the benchmark returned 25.73%. Please note that this Fund has multiple share classes. Market Overview ► The broadening theme we have often mentioned as critical to U.S. small cap performance did play out for most of the quarter. However, there were some very strong areas that drove overall performance and it is worth noting the market narrowed in March. ► For Q1, Small Cap Value crushed the Growth benchmark by 777 basis points (bps). ► The energy sector returned 38.2% and was an obvious standout as oil prices surged. The materials and industrials sectors also offered impressive results given a heightened potential for negative economic outcomes from the war. On the opposite side, sectors such as information technology, consumer discretionary, and health care were at the bottom of the rankings. ► In tech, semiconductors were flat, while three industries were up 9% or more and two declined by more than 20%. In health care, typically a standout in times of stress, all industries were in the red, except for biotechnology. Top Ten Holdings ⁶ Holding % of Net Assets Advanced Energy Industries Inc ( AEIS ) 2.29 Sterling Infrastructure Inc ( STRL ) 2.16 RBC Bearings Inc ( RBC ) 2.15 MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings Inc ( MTSI ) 2.06 SPX Technologies Inc ( SPXC ) 1.99 ITT Inc ( ITT ) 1.78 Viavi Solutions Inc ( VIAV ) 1.75 Supernus Pharmaceuticals Inc. ( SUPN ) 1.74 Champion Homes Inc ( SKY ) 1.64 Globus Medical Inc ( GMED ), Class A 1.62 TOTAL % 19.19 ⁶ Mention of a specific security should not be considered a recommendation to buy or a solicitation to sell that security. Holdings are subject to change. For a list of all holdings within the fund, please visit wealth. amg. com . Click to enlarge Strategy Review ▶ On...
Depending on who investors read, the SpaceX IPO will either end Western civilization while ruining working-class retirement funds or usher in an AI-enabled global utopia, generating trillions in profits. For bullish investors, including Baron Capital and ARK Invest, the projected $1.8 trillion valuation for SpaceX feels like a bargain for three main reasons.
Depending on who investors read, the SpaceX IPO will either end Western civilization while ruining working-class retirement funds or usher in an AI-enabled global utopia, generating trillions in profits. For bullish investors, including Baron Capital and ARK Invest, the projected $1.8 trillion valuation for SpaceX feels like a bargain for three main reasons.
HSBC Chief Executive Officer Georges Elhedery says that while certain roles will be displaced by artificial intelligence, the productivity gains can be reinvested. "I would like to be able to accelerate and bring forward a lot of the ambitious deliverables we have for the future," Elhedery tells Bloomberg's Francine Lacqua. "That requires investment, and that is job creation." (Source: Bloomberg)
HSBC Chief Executive Officer Georges Elhedery says that while certain roles will be displaced by artificial intelligence, the productivity gains can be reinvested. "I would like to be able to accelerate and bring forward a lot of the ambitious deliverables we have for the future," Elhedery tells Bloomberg's Francine Lacqua. "That requires investment, and that is job creation." (Source: Bloomberg)
HSBC Holdings Plc Chief Executive Officer Georges Elhedery said people will remain central to banks even as artificial intelligence becomes ubiquitous, as many CEO comments in recent weeks have rattled staffers about the future of the industry. “I need human judgment, I need human decision making, I need human accountability at the core,” Elhedery said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. While Elhe...
HSBC Holdings Plc Chief Executive Officer Georges Elhedery said people will remain central to banks even as artificial intelligence becomes ubiquitous, as many CEO comments in recent weeks have rattled staffers about the future of the industry. “I need human judgment, I need human decision making, I need human accountability at the core,” Elhedery said in an interview with Bloomberg TV. While Elhedery said that AI would allow for a revolution in the way banks served their clients with the potential for productivity gains and hyper-personalized services, he insisted that people were still key and that it could even mean more hiring in the future. Many banks have announced plans to cut jobs in recent months, as they prepare to implement AI to make tasks faster and more efficient. When Standard Chartered Plc said it planned to eliminate jobs, CEO Bill Winters sparked controversy after he said AI would lead to the replacement of what he termed “lower-value human capital.” Winters subsequently apologized for his remarks. Bloomberg has reported that HSBC is weighing cutting as many as 20,000 roles, or about 10% of its workforce, in the coming years as a result of AI. Read More: Banks Lay Groundwork for Mass Workforce Cuts as AI Takes Hold “The bank of the future means more capabilities,” Elhedery said. “I would like to be able to accelerate and bring forward a lot of ambitious deliverables we have for the future, and that requires investment, and that is job creation.” HSBC is working to integrate AI across its business and is already using it for know-your-customer compliance checks, among other functions, Elhedery said.
Brandon Moser/iStock Editorial via Getty Images There is currently a lot going on in the world of space. The upcoming SpaceX IPO has triggered a substantial re-rating among space stocks, but we have also seen the Blue Origin explosion a week ago. Those contrasting events show the opportunity as well as the risks regarding investment in space. As I discuss in this report, shares of the traditional ...
Brandon Moser/iStock Editorial via Getty Images There is currently a lot going on in the world of space. The upcoming SpaceX IPO has triggered a substantial re-rating among space stocks, but we have also seen the Blue Origin explosion a week ago. Those contrasting events show the opportunity as well as the risks regarding investment in space. As I discuss in this report, shares of the traditional prime contractors have underperformed even while they have space exposure. In this report, I discuss why Lockheed Martin ( LMT ) and Boeing ( BA ) have not seen strong price appreciation despite having exposure to space and launch services. While both companies have not benefited from the space boom, I believe both still provide compelling investment opportunities with a buy rating. Traditional Prime Contractors Miss Out on the Space Surge Stock price performance emerging space companies and defense prime contractors (Koyfin) The graph above clearly shows that emerging space stocks have tremendously benefited from the momentum provided by the upcoming SpaceX IPO, while traditional defense prime contractors have not joined the euphoria. In fact, only Lockheed Martin stock outperformed the market and was in positive territory. In my view, it does mark a shifting interest away from defense prime contractors towards emerging space companies. United Launch Alliance Provides a Weak Argument for Boeing and Lockheed to Join Space Rally United Launch Alliance is the launch services joint venture owned by Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The current portfolio is centered on the Atlas V and Vulcan Centaur, with the Atlas V being slated for retirement. While the joint venture can be seen as a reason why shares of Boeing and Lockheed Martin should have benefited, there are several reasons why I believe it should not. One reason is actually the lack of innovation. The Atlas V was designed for geostationary orbit missions. These days, however, more and more satellites are operating in low-Eart...