Market and Economic Insights
Our latest insights on current macro events, forward-looking equity market trends, and timely perspectives on the dynamics shaping the global financial markets.
Our Latest Insights
The Latest Inflation Reading Casts Doubts on a Fed Pause in June
The Fed’s favorite inflation data was clearly disappointing, and while the trend rate is still for disinflation, it raises some doubts about current expectations for a pause in June.
Read more
Regional Bank Update
When any turmoil arises, as it has in the banking sector this year, we begin our analysis with a deep risk assessment. Our conclusion: While we are not actively increasing the overall exposure to banks in our U.S. value equity portfolios, we continue to use the market’s short-term volatility as an opportunity to potentially upgrade the quality of the portfolios’ holdings. This article is featured on William Blair Investment Management's Active Never Rests site.
Active Never Rests
Debt Ceiling Debate Ramps Up as X-Date Approaches
Get ready, the debate on raising the U.S. debt ceiling is set to ramp up over the coming weeks.
Read more
A Perspective on Corporate Earnings: First Quarter 2023
As earnings season gets underway, investor focus will be on the impact of the recent banking crisis, as well as what results may tell us about the cyclical outlook and indications of a potential recession.
Read more
Are Cracks Beginning to Form in Commercial Real Estate?
With heightened scrutiny following the recent SVB turmoil, investors are starting to look for other potential areas where credit stress may emerge. One such area is the CRE market. Although, currently there are several mitigating circumstances which suggest we may not be re-entering a 2008 environment just yet.
Read more
Fed’s Message to the Market: Mission (Not) Accomplished (Just Yet)…
On Wednesday the Fed announces its first policy decision of 2023 after a strong rally by stocks in January. But, did the Fed get the market’s memo, or will they pour water on the soft-landing party?
Read more
Is a Fed Pivot in the Cards?
With the next Fed meeting still a few weeks away, we look at the recent messaging from Fed Chair Powell to decipher how they are trying to pull rate expectations higher and dissuade the market from prematurely pricing in a pivot.
Read more
What Will Drive the Economy in 2023 as Inflation Stays High?
William Blair economists Richard de Chazal and Olga Bitel share their economic outlook for the year ahead.
Read more
Will 2023 Be the Year of the Great Reveal?
While financial markets continue to make adjustments to future growth expectations, what will next year’s “great reveal” of earnings results unveil? See what three factors we will be keeping an eye on in 2023.
Read morePrivate Wealth Market Review and Outlook
With the collapse of SVB (as well as Signature Bank and the forced merger of the systemically important Credit Suisse with UBS) sucking most of the oxygen out of the room during March, it is easy to forget exactly what was happening through January and February, which, looking back, seems like ages ago now.
Download this report
Economics Weekly
Insights from Richard de Chazal, CFA, William Blair Equity Research's macroeconomist, covering the U.S. economy and financial markets.
05/26: And Now for the Inventory Correction
05/19: What Past Easing Cycles Tell Us About the Future
05/12: The Banking System—Not Out of the Woods Just Yet
05/05: The Employment Situation
