WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.–The SMArtX Investment Solutions team today published the 2025 edition of its annual outlook. The team expects equity gains to continue, albeit at a slower pace than the torrid 26.4% return the Russell 3000 has realized thus far this year. Meanwhile, credit markets are also expected to carry the momentum into the new year – offering a less-risky alternative to equity markets. Finally, the team expects longer-dated interest rates to creep modestly higher, building on the notable late-2024 increase – putting modest price pressure on returns that will otherwise benefit from higher starting-point yields.
Beyond the 2025 forecasts for key market segments, the new report also attempts to answer the key macro questions faced by investors heading into 2025 – including on AI, geopolitics and, potentially, the biggest shake up to global trade since the 1944 Bretton Woods agreement – while also providing some potential portfolio ideas in response.
The full report can be accessed here.
Dan Phillips, CFA, SMArtX Chief Investment Officer, commented,
“We leave the business-as-usual market outlook to our monthly Market Stance publication. In the Annual Outlook – beyond putting a marker on high-level 2025 return forecasts – we really want to dive into the key questions facing investors heading into the New Year and offer some potential, and more specific, ways to play our views. We hope the audience finds it to be a thought-provoking and entertaining read.”
The 2025 edition of the SMArtX Annual Market Outlook is the latest publication produced for the SMArtX Investment Insights offering – providing a broad array of strategy, research and communication materials to support the entire investment process, from strategic asset allocation to tactical overlays to manager selection.
Other regularly-produced reports include the annual SMArtX Long-Term Market Outlook (released each September), the quarterly Market Review report (exploring the key market themes of the previous quarter) and the monthly Market Stance report (detailing the SMArtX market outlook and tactical calls over the next 12 months). Private labeling options are also offered to aid in advisor communications with clients.
SMArtX Investment Solutions provides comprehensive investment support under four key services: Market Strategy, Portfolio Strategy, Market Communications and Portfolio Management – all underpinned by the SMArtX Investment Insights web portal. Market Strategy offers advisors support in running their investment committee (including market commentary and asset allocation templates) as well as strategy reports in the form of the annual Capital Market Assumptions, the quarterly Market Review, the monthly Market Stance and ad hoc Market Brief reports covering important market developments. Portfolio Strategy guides the selection and combination of the over 1,500 strategies found on the SMArtX platform. Market Communications allows for SMArtX strategy report private labeling and speakers for client events. Finally, Portfolio Management comes in the form of SMArtX BASE Portfolios and other bespoke portfolio management offerings.
Founded in 2017 and built in-house from the ground up, SMArtX’s award-winning technology provides a platform for firms across the financial services and wealth management industries to run a highly scalable, modular infrastructure catered to their specific operational requirements. SMArtX Advisory Solutions provides a complete solution or supplements existing technologies to provide firms with a modern, streamlined middle and back office operations application.
