Investment Insights

The Vantagepoint View – First Quarter 2020 Video

Matthew Brenner, CFA^®, Managing Vice President of discusses the recent market volatility, as well as the Vantagepoint Investment Team's longer-term outlook for the stock and bond markets.

The Vantagepoint Market Perspective:
Check Those Numbers — March Unemployment and Coronavirus Testing

April 3, 2020
After notching much-welcomed gains in the wake of the government’s $2 trillion stimulus package, the market’s abrupt pivot to bullishness seemed to waver as the first quarter wound to a close and the second quarter got underway. In recent days, the market has seen a lot of back-and-forth, indecisive action as traders digested the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) news, along with early reports showing the severity of the economic fallout that the disease is leaving in its wake. 

The Vantagepoint View — First Quarter

April 1, 2020
A summary of Vantagepoint Investement Adviser's latest 12-month outlook for the stock and bond markets. 

First Flash: First Quarter 2020

April 1, 2020
After an 11-year hibernation, the bear market awoke with a vengeance in the first quarter, courtesy of a worldwide pandemic and falling oil prices.

The Vantagepoint Market Perspective:
A Bull Within a Bear Market?

March 31, 2020
The government's sweeping $2 trillion stimulus package last week came as a welcome relief to the market. The far-reaching legislation includes tax refund checks, expanded unemployment aid, loans for large and small businesses, and funding for the nation's health-care system, among other efforts aimed at staunching the economic bleeding. It comes on the heels of massive pushes by the Federal Reserve to shore of up the nation’s financial system.

The Vantagepoint Market Perspective:
Recent Market Gains and the Road Ahead

March 26, 2020
This week saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average log the biggest one-day increase in its history on Tuesday, followed by another gain on Wednesday. That marked the first time since the market's ferocious sell-off began that it's scored two days of back-to-back increases. Meanwhile, the broader S&P 500 followed a path similar to the Dow. Those market gains stemmed from the fact that the nation's two major political parties appeared to have come to an agreement on a stimulus deal that is roughly double the dollar amount that was originally anticipated.

The Vantagepoint Market Perspective:
Market Volatility and the Stimulus Package

March 23, 2020
Despite the Federal Reserve’s (the Fed’s) recent herculean efforts to calm the waters, the markets remained volatile during Monday’s trading session. We believe that’s largely due to the fact that Congress’ coronavirus (COVID-19)-inspired stimulus package is still being hashed out, as of the current writing.

The Vantagepoint Market Perspective:
The "Why" of the Fed's Actions

March 20, 2020
Over the last few decades, with each appearance of a new virus or pathogen, the medical community's concerns often focus primarily on the means of transmission and the new disease's impact on the people it infects. A secondary concern is whether the virus will mutate, rendering any tools initially developed to fight it - such as vaccinations or treatments — ineffective.

The Vantagepoint Market Perspective:
The Fed, Coronavirus, and the Markets

March 18, 2020
The market's recent coronavirus-inspired slide has come with a ferocity and quickness that surpasses anything in the collective memory of most market participants. Similarly, the Federal Reserve's latest efforts to try to stem the financial and economic fallout that may grow from it haven't been seen since the darkest days of the 2007-2008 financial crisis. In this piece, we'll take a closer look at the Fed's latest actions and what it may mean for the markets going forward.

Private Alternatives Is Missing Piece in DC Plan Retirement Security

March 18, 2020
What would it take to bring defined contribution plan performance into line with defined benefit plans?

The Vantagepoint Market Perspective:
Coronavirus and the Markets: Short-Term and Long-Term Impacts and Considerations

March 16, 2020
The worrying global spread of the coronavirus infections and the failure of the alliance of OPEC and 10 non-OPEC members led by Russia to agree on a unified position in recent weeks have sent stock and oil prices sliding with a quickness and velocity not seen since the 2007-2008 financial crisis. However, in terms of investing and saving for retirement, we believe it's important to distinguish between short-term and long-term potential impacts.

Market Overview: December 31, 2019

Fourth Quarter Equity Market Overview and Outlook
The major equity markets continued their strong ascent in the fourth quarter, with total returns ranging from the high-single to low-double digits.

Fourth Quarter Fixed Income Market Overview and Outlook
If your fixed income portfolio was long duration, had a curve-flattening bias, and/or was underweight credit, the fourth quarter would have felt like you were under attack.

Keeping Stable Value Options Stable

In times of volatile weather in the capital markets, stable value funds can serve as a safe haven for capital preservation.

2019 Market Outlook

As 2019 begins, perspective is warranted. In markets and economies, it is certainly not the best of times, but neither is it the worst of times.

Demystifying Non-Agency Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities

A primer on the different flavors of commercial mortgage-backed securities and the roles they play in fixed income funds.

Stable Value in 2018: Using the Full Tool Box to Navigate Rising Rates

Describes key tools for constructing a stable value fund that can weather a rising interest rate environment.

Changes to the VT Vantagepoint Milestone Funds

A look at recent and innovative changes to the VT Vantagepoint Milestone Funds.

2018 Outlook: Tax Reform, Fed Policy, and Technology Keep the Economy on Course and the Stock Market Thriving

Assesses the markets' outlook for 2018 with a recap of the past year's events, activities, and performance.

Emerging Markets: Benefits of an Active Multi-Managed Approach

Outlines Emerging Markets' growing role in the global economy and their potential benefits from a multi-management perspective.

Choosing the Product for Your Plan's Stable Value Investment Option

Karen Chong-Wulff, CFA, CAIA, Managing Vice President, Fixed Income and Xin Zhou, CFA, FRM, Senior Fund Manager, identify and compare stable value investment products.

Market Volatility and the Investor Disadvantage

Researches the impact of market volatility on investor cash flows and the resulting investor disadvantages across asset classes.

Rising Interest Rates and Its Impact on Fixed Income

Explores factors impacting fixed income asset classes and sectors.

The Elusive Predictive Powers of Star Ratings

Whether star ratings can be relied upon to predict fund performance.

Survivorship Bias

Why the impact of attrition should be considered when evaluating mutual funds.