The U.S. labor market is proving more resilient than expected, with job growth on the rise just months after the Fed’s first rate cut. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan breaks down why this shift raises the bar for future easing and what it means for fixed income investors.

Rate Cuts: That Was Then, This Is Now

Private credit has surged in popularity, but how does it stack up against public credit heading into 2025? This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan leads a discussion with Morgan Stanley’s Vishwanath Tirupattur to break down the competitive landscape, expected returns, and why both markets are carving out distinct roles in investor portfolios. 

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Public vs. Private Credit: Finding Their Lanes in 2025

Bond market volatility has made extending duration an unreliable strategy, with the U.S. Treasury 10-year yield swinging between 3.6% and 5% over the past 18 months. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan explains why Floating Rate Notes (FRNs) have outperformed longer-duration bonds and how they can help investors navigate interest rate uncertainty.

Extending Duration Has Been a Fleeting Strategy

The bond market can turn on a dime, and 2025 is proving to be no exception. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan unpacks how tariff uncertainty and federal job cuts are steering the bond market, and what investors should watch next. 

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent. 

Discounting the D.C. Effect in the Bond Market

The Fed just hit pause, again, at the March FOMC meeting, keeping rates steady at 4.25%-4.50% amid economic uncertainty. With policymakers in “wait and see” mode, this week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan breaks down what’s driving the decision and what it means for fixed income investors. 
Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.


Fed Watch: Let’s Just Wait and See

Uncertainty remains the defining theme as investors await the April 2nd tariff announcement. In the latest episode of Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan is joined by Sam Rines (Macro Strategist at WisdomTree) and they break down how Trump’s trade stance, Powell’s Fed, and interest rate expectations are shaping market dynamics. 
Basis Points: 1/100th of 1 percent. 

Trump, Powell & Rates: The Pre-April 2nd Edition

With interest rates returning to more normalized levels, municipal bond yields are drawing renewed attention—and investors are looking for time-tested strategies to navigate this evolving landscape. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan is joined by Rick Harper to introduce the WisdomTree Core Laddered Municipal Bond Fund (WTMU) and the WisdomTree High Income Laddered Municipal Bond Fund (WTMY), combining the consistency of laddered bond strategies with the active credit expertise of Insight Investment Management.


Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.
Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index: Measures the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Municipal bond market.
Obligor: refers to a bond issuer who is contractually bound to make all principal repayments and interest payments on outstanding debt.


Introducing a Time-Tested Solution for Municipals

April brought heightened volatility to the financial markets, reinforcing the value of an active-passive barbell strategy for fixed income investing. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan explains how a repositioning in the Bianco Research Fixed Income Index supports a responsive, active core bond strategy in turbulent times.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.

Bianco Research Fixed-Income Total Return Index: The Bianco Research Fixed Income Total Return Index seeks to outperform a comparable baseline neutral portfolio of fixed income securities.


Re-Positioning in an Active Core Strategy

Global trade is being redefined through structural tariffs and new alliances. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan is joined by WisdomTree Macro Strategist of Model Portfolios, Sam Rines and Head of Equity Strategy, Jeff Weniger to discuss how investors should position for the next phase of global macro realignment.  

Basis Points: 1/100th of 1 percent. 

Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for Definitions of terms and indexes: https://www.wisdomtree.com/glossary 

Positioning Portfolios for a New Trade Regime

Macro commentary and expert-led discussions highlight what’s happening now in fixed income investing, so you can prepare for what’s next.

Investing involves risks including loss of principal. This material represents the opinions of the participants at a specific time and is not intended to forecast future events or guarantee future results and should not be relied upon as investment advice. Kevin Flanagan is a registered rep of Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

Discounting the D.C. Effect in the Bond Market

Basis Points by WisdomTree Asset Management

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