July payrolls unexpectedly fell as prior months were revised sharply lower, strengthening the case for high-quality intermediate bonds. Treasury yields dropped as investors reduced Fed hike expectations, while deteriorating hiring trends increased the importance of quality and duration for fixed-income portfolios.
Street Views sees a stronger case for intermediate, high-quality bonds as the Fed pauses and labor demand cools. Strategists still favor securitized credit and selective carry, while long Treasuries, long-duration corporates and weaker private credit remain tactical or underweight exposures.
BDC bonds provide indirect exposure to middle-market lending, while statutory asset-coverage rules limit leverage and offer some protection against speculative balance-sheet risk. Business development company bonds sit between public fixed income and private credit. They are issued in the public bond market, but the issuer’s assets are primarily privately negotiated loans and investments in smaller … Read more
Fragile US-Iran diplomacy is keeping fixed-income markets focused on the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices and inflation. Any credible reopening agreement could lower yields, while renewed attacks or failed talks would favor TIPS and sustain volatility across Treasuries and credit.
The Federal Reserve enters today’s meeting balancing cooler June inflation and softer hiring against persistent price pressures, tariff and energy risks, resilient growth and unsettled expectations. Holding rates may be likely, but guidance and dissents could quickly reshape September expectations.
New York City’s ambitious affordability agenda is not yet driving measurable capital flight, but its concentration of tax revenue among high-income residents leaves municipal investors watching migration, reserves, property values and recurring budget balance closely as borrowing costs remain elevated.
Crude prices approaching $100 are reviving inflation and rate-hike concerns, overpowering the traditional safe-haven bid for government bonds. A renewed surge in oil prices sent global bond yields sharply higher Thursday morning as investors focused on the inflationary consequences of the escalating U.S.–Iran conflict rather than seeking safety in government debt. Brent crude climbed nearly … Read more
Escalating attacks across the Persian Gulf pushed oil higher and revived stagflation concerns. Treasuries weakened as inflation risk outweighed safe-haven demand, while TIPS outperformed nominal bonds only modestly because real yields also rose, limiting absolute gains across inflation-linked securities overall.
Washington is rebuilding its tariff wall through targeted country and sector duties after emergency tariffs faced legal setbacks. New actions against Canada and Brazil raise costs selectively, while proposed levies on dozens of countries point toward a broader, durable regime.
Street Views finds the strongest strategist agreement in carry, quality and intermediate duration. Short and intermediate bonds, securitized credit, loans and selective spread exposure lead, while BDCs, preferreds and REITs remain supporting income sleeves rather than substitutes for fixed income.