Steve Blumenthal‘s latest Forbes article – “Watch Junk Bonds For Early Warnings Of A New Financial Crisis” – sounds the alarm on the alarming level of risky, interlocking debt flooding the market. Volaility is back and there are naturally questions about the underlying stability of the financial markets. In that regard, Steve’s article is prescient and disturbing. Did we learn nothing from 2008? Are we headed for an even bigger fall? Is it a question of when, not if?
CMG On Its Way to #FPABE In Seattle
FPA BE Seattle 2014 Mobile App
I’m at the airport, ready to board a plane to Seattle to meet more than 2,000 financial professionals this weekend at Financial Planning Association Annual Conference.
I look foward to learning about the challenges that advisors face in constructing diversified portfolios for their clients. Stop by Booth #930 if you’re at the Conference.
Here at CMG Capital Management Group we offer time-tested tactical strategies structured to enhance portfolio diversification, lower correlation, and manage risk.
Tactical investing strategies are gaining favor now because investors seek an alternative to the traditional 60/40 buy/hold model and want greater diversification and flexibility in their portfolios.
Over the past 15 years a host of new, liquid investment solutions have become available, and advisors (and investors) have access to investment options that, until recently, were the exclusive province of institutions. These investment vehicles can help you build more diverse, resilient portfolios designed to enhance return and reduce overall portfolio risk.
Blumenthal At Morningstar ETF Conference
Steve Blumenthal, CEO, CMG Capital Management Group
CMG Capital Management Group CEO Steve Blumenthal will be at the Morningstar ETF Conference in Chicago tomorrow through Friday.
Some of the ETF landscape’s sharpest minds will be on hand to help sort out the complexities, theories, and opportunities surrounding ETFs.
If you’re at the Conference catch Steve on a panel discussion. Steve joins Robert Smith, from Sage Advisory, and Morningstar moderator David Sekera on Friday, Sept. 19, 9:40 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. for Breakout Session 5, Managed Portfolios. Facing the Fed-induced Headwinds.
Follow the Conference on Twitter: #MStarETFUS.
Blumenthal in Bloomberg on Bond Trends
CMG Capital Management Group CEO Steve Blumenthal spoke to Bloomberg News about about trends in the bond market. The story by Junk Bonds Overtaken by High Grade as 2014’s Favored Bet, begins:
Bonds sold by investment-grade companies worldwide are on pace to deliver something they’ve managed only twice in the past 17 years: annual returns of at least 10 percent.
The debt has become a sweet spot for investors who see little threat of rising interest rates while avoiding the rush into higher-yielding junk bonds that last month handed buyers their biggest losses in a year. High-grade securities, on pace for an eighth straight monthly gain, have returned 6.5 percent since the end of 2013, according to the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Corporate Index.
The article hits on Yellen’s recent backing of investment-grade bonds, the duration of junk vs. high grade bonds and the high withdrawal levels in junk bonds this year.
‘Ultimately,’ CMG CEO Blumenthal says, ‘The question is if the Fed is going to suppress rates longer than anyone expected. Yellen is broadcasting that things are weaker than what everybody might think and that means rates are likely to remain suppressed.'”
CMG in Coronado for IFG National Conference
The CMG team arrived on the West Coast yesterday morning for the start of the 10th annual Independent Financial Group (IFG) National Conference. Taking place at the historic Hotel del Coronado, this event will definitely be one to remember.
If you are in town for the conference, please make a quick stop by CMG’s booth (#106) and introduce yourself to our representatives:
Jim McFadden
VP Institutional Sales
Avi Rutstein
VP Institutional Sales
Avi Rutstein, VP Institutional Sales. With over 10 years of experience in the financial services industry, Avi is a relationship guy. He talks to advisors in the field every day and helps them to grow their practice, implement new ideas and talk to their clients on a broad spectrum of investment topics.
Jim McFadden, VP Institutional Sales. As one of CMG’s newest team members, Jim is eager to learn about your practice and find ways that CMG can work with you to build your portfolio through the integration of our innovative tactical solutions.
CMG also held a breakout session today, Tuesday, August 19, “Tactical Investments for Bull and Bear Markets”. During the presentation, Avi Rutstein shared some ideas to help you grow your practice and help your clients stay on track with their investment goals. If you’d like to learn more about the presentation and find our how you can implement some of these strategies at your practice, please let us know at advisors@cmgwealth.com.
We hope your week is off to a great start! We know Avi and Jim look forward to talking to some more great advisors and enjoying the beautiful scenery at the IFG National Conference in Coronado this week!
Blumenthal in Bloomberg On Boosting Debt Bets
Boosting debt bets could lead to a repeat of 2008 financial crisis, CMG Capital Management Group CEO Steve Blumenthal tells Bloomberg. Derivatives that helped inflate the 2007 credit bubble are being remade for a new generation, writes in Bloomberg yesterday. The story, titled JPMorgan Joins Goldman in Designing Derivatives for a New Generation, quotes industry insiders, including CMG CEO Blumenthal.
Join CMG For Cambridge Ignite Fun Run
Want to start your morning right for the last day of Cambridge Ignite in Chicago? Join us for the 5K Fun Run. It starts tomorrow morning, Friday, August 8, at 6:30 AM. Can’t make it that early? Sign up and get the T Shirt that says “I Slept Through The Fun Run.” All proceeds benefit the Glenwood Academy, Chicago area’s only boarding academy for disadvantaged children.
T-shirt that says “I Slept Through The Fun Run.” All proceeds benefit the Glenwood Academy, Chicago area’s only boarding academy for disadvantaged children. – See more at: http://advisorcentral.cmgwealth.com/#sthash.hR6ez7gO.dpuf
CMG is proud to sponsor this annual Cambridge Ignite event. We hope to see you there! Cambridge founder, Eric Schwartz says that the purpoise of a business is to make the world a better place. Here at CMG, we absolutely support that!
Time Blocking At Cambridge Ignite 2014
Mike Sciortino‘s presentation tomorrow at #CambridgeIgnite conference in Chicago is called “Time Blocking – Your Path to Success”.
Mike’s quick hint: It’s really all about the basic blocking and tackling.
To illustrate, what do Bill Belichick and Nick Saban have in common? Championships? Yes. Rings? Yes. But how did they reach the pinnacles of their profession? By executing a well thought out Game Plan. Why did a Game Plan work? It kept the players focused, laid out the path to success and eliminated distractions. Will a Game Plan work for you? Absolutely! This helps you focus on your best talents and strengths.
Happy 4th of July
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq close at 1 p.m. ET and all markets are closed on Independence Day, July 4th.
Comex floor trading for metals futures and options will end at 1:30 p.m. today, while Nymex floor trading for oil will at 2:30 p.m. Floor trading won’t re-open until Monday. All trades on CME’s electronic Globex platform after 5 p.m. will not be cleared until Monday.
We’d like to wish all our friends, associates and partners a happy holiday weekend. Since we are serious numbers crunchers and passionate about data here at CMG, we think the occasion calls for some good old 4th of July trivia! Enjoy.
Week in Review: First Day of Summer
As we head into summer this weekend we are ready to relax but we always have a keen eye on the markets. We have a tradition at CMG of consistently producing intelligence for clients, advisors and the investing public no matter what the season.
You can find CMG intelligence here at Advisor Central twice a week. Steve Blumenthal produces a weekly outlook called On My Radar every Friday, and Trade Signals on Wednesday. Sign up for Advisor Central updates here and on the main CMG Capital Management Group site for On My Radar and Trade Signals.