As investors navigate a volatile market shaped by geopolitical uncertainty, host John Bryson welcomes Jeff to discuss what it all means for bond investors.
Jeff shares his thoughts on the U.S. economic outlook, examining opportunities along the yield curve, and why fixed income may be increasingly attractive. Here’s a snippet of the conversation.

1 What does the current macro environment mean for investors?
Jeff: The macro environment is going to be positive for the U.S. economy. Inflation has picked up a little, but growth remains strong. The unemployment rate has remained fairly steady, and overall employment looks better than it did last year. By the end of the year, we're not really going to see much change in interest rates. However, there's going to be a lot of uncertainty, especially on front-end rates. With inflation running a little bit higher, there will be some concern.

2 How should investors think of corporate fundamentals?
Jeff: First, fundamentals are very strong. Profit margins remain near peak levels. Interest coverage ratios—the amount a company earns relative to the interest it has to pay—remain high. Secondly, while spreads are tight, yields remain near the highest levels in credit markets in almost 20 years.

3 How can investors approach fixed income going forward?
Investors need to look forward rather than backward. Many people remain focused on the experience of 2022 and are staying short, which can expose them to reinvestment risk a few years down the road if cash yields move lower. The second point is to avoid focusing too heavily on short-term market movements. Markets can move around quite a bit. Looking out 12 to 18 months and maintaining an intermediate- to longer-term perspective can help eliminate some of the noise from portfolios.