Investing Insights

A thoughtful look at investing opportunities and risks beyond the market headlines, plus personal finance and retirement tips, from Morningstar.

Investing Insights is a business podcast hosted by Morningstar, Ivanna Hampton, Sarah Hansen, with 214 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 84.

Morningstar, Ivanna Hampton, Sarah Hansen hosts Investing Insights, a business show with 214 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #397

  14 Elite Funds and ETFs, and 5 Popular Funds That Just Missed the Mark

  Oct 2, 202613 min

  The menu of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds can appear to go on and on, and it’s probably hard not to feel overwhelmed when you’re researching what works for your portfolio. A popular annual feature in Morningstar’s FundInvestor newsletter narrows the choices from thousands to about a few dozen. Russ Kinnel has done the hard work for you and is here to share investment ideas from his Thrilling Funds list. He’s the newsletter editor and Morningstar’s senior principal of ratings.  Sign up for Morningstar’s FundInvestor newsletter.     On this episode :  00:00:00 Welcome  00:01:11 What's New in Morningstar's FundInvestor Newsletter  00:01:55 How Funds Make the Thrilling Funds List  00:03:43 Large-, Midsize, and Small-Company Funds From Fidelity, Vanguard and More    00:06:22 Bond ETFs, Global Stock Funds, and Municipal Bond Funds That Stand Out  00:08:50 Why Fidelity Contrafund and Other Popular Funds Just Missed the Cut  00:10:02 How Investors Can Find Out How Their Funds Stack Up Against the Criteria    Watch more from Morningstar :  Why Are Some of the Strongest Stocks Struggling This Year?   Don't Make This Mistake When Chasing Higher Bond Yields   How AI Is Taking Over Your Portfolio      Follow Morningstar on social:   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorningstarInc/   X: https://x.com/MorningstarInc   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morningstarinc/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/morningstar/     This episode is sponsored by Vanguard: https://advisors.vanguard.com/engagement/fixed-income   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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  Episode #396

  Why Are Some of the Strongest Stocks Struggling This Year?

  Sep 25, 202612 min

  Are wide-moat stocks’ struggles a sign of their protection diminishing? That’s the big question from the Q3 issue of Morningstar magazine. Key market moments this year heavily weighed on some stocks with competitive advantages. Why did they stumble? Morningstar magazine Editor-in-Chief Jerry Kerns is returning to Investing Insights to discuss this issue’s cover story.  Sign up for a free subscription to Morningstar magazine .  On this episode:   00:00:00 Welcome  00:01:06 What Is a Moat and Its Five Sources  00:03:24 Why Examine Wide-Moat Stocks' Performance Now  00:04:12 What's Behind the Morningstar Wide Moat Focus Index's Rough Stretch?  00:06:59 Are Moats Really a Sign of Quality?  00:07:38 Key Takeaway on Wide-Moat Stocks  00:08:12 Other Highlights from This Quarter's Morningstar Magazine  Watch more from Morningstar:   Don't Make This Mistake When Chasing Higher Bond Yields   How AI Is Taking Over Your Portfolio   401(k) Millionaires: Here's How to Avoid Going Broke in Retirement     Follow Morningstar on social:   https://www.facebook.com/MorningstarInc/   https://x.com/MorningstarInc   https://www.instagram.com/morningstarinc/   https://www.linkedin.com/company/morningstar/     This episode is sponsored by Vanguard: https://advisors.vanguard.com/engagement/fixed-income   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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  Episode #395

  Don’t Make This Mistake When Chasing Higher Bond Yields

  Sep 18, 202616 min

  Higher bond yields are attracting more attention and more money. US bond ETFs pulled in almost $54 billion in August. Core and core-plus bond ETFs make up about $8.5 billion of that. These funds tend to provide shelter during market storms to ease a portfolio’s rocky moments. They also provide steady and predictable income. As bond rates sit higher than they have in the past, how can you benefit while also taking a conservative approach? Dan Sotiroff is the associate director of US passive strategies research for Morningstar.  Why Higher Bond Yields Can Be 'a Great Thing'     On this episode:   00:00:00 Welcome  00:00:50 How core and core-plus bond ETFs work  00:04:22 Billions flowing into core and core-plus bond ETFs this year  00:05:55 How active fund managers capitalize on higher bond rates  00:08:36 What higher bond yields mean for income investors  00:09:51 Core bond ETFs earning Gold and Silver ratings  00:11:17 Core-plus bond ETFs Morningstar analysts like    Watch more from Morningstar:   How AI Is Taking Over Your Portfolio   401(k) Millionaires: Here's How to Avoid Going Broke in Retirement   New ETFs Are Launching Fast. Proceed With Caution     Follow Morningstar on social:   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorningstarInc/   X: https://x.com/MorningstarInc   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morningstarinc/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/morningstar/     This episode is sponsored by Vanguard: https://advisors.vanguard.com/engagement/fixed-income   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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  Episode #394

  How AI Is Taking Over Your Portfolio

  Sep 11, 202619 min

  he dominance of artificial intelligence is swelling globally. Its massive growth is weighing heavily on stock markets, pressuring bond markets, and even growing to outsized proportions in emerging markets. These developments are increasing concentration risks in everyday investors' portfolios. What should you look for, and how do you guard against the AI surge? Tom Lauricella is Morningstar's chief global markets editor and the editor of the Smart Investor newsletter.    Sign up for the Smart Investor newsletter from Morningstar.     Markets Brief: Your Portfolio Is More Concentrated Than You Think     On this episode:   00:00:00 Welcome  00:01:18 Any signs of the AI stock rally slowing down?  00:02:01 Semiconductor stocks vs. other industries  00:03:11 Concentration risk in emerging-market funds  00:06:33 How AI is blurring lines between growth and value  00:10:34 Big Tech's AI debt binge and the outlook for bond yields  00:14:23 What to know about the Anthropic and OpenAI IPOs    Watch more from Morningstar:   401(k) Millionaires: Here's How to Avoid Going Broke in Retirement   New ETFs Are Launching Fast. Proceed With Caution   Why Playing It Safe in Retirement Can Backfire     Follow Morningstar on social:   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorningstarInc/   X: https://x.com/MorningstarInc   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morningstarinc/   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/morningstar/     Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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  Episode #392

  New ETFs Are Launching Fast. Proceed With Caution

  Aug 21, 202616 min

  New exchange-traded funds are sprouting up quickly. In 2025, more than 1,000 ETFs launched. The crop included promising funds as well as those taking on unnecessary risks. The field could expand soon to include hundreds of riskier ETFs. As investment choices evolve, how can everyday investors spot what’s a good fit for their portfolio? Dan Sotiroff is the associate director of US passive strategies research for Morningstar. New ETFs with Sensible Investment Approaches Are Becoming Harder to Find On this episode: 00:00:00 Welcome 00:01:11 How ETFs have evolved since the 1990s 00:02:38 New ETF trends and how providers compete 00:07:34 Risks and costs behind leveraged and inverse ETFs 00:11:04 Promising new ETFs worth a look 00:12:21 What to watch out for 00:13:13 Key takeaways for evaluating new ETFs Watch more from Morningstar: Why Playing It Safe in Retirement Can Backfire Why Do Active Funds Lag Even With Winning Picks? Target-Date Funds With Annuities Are Gaining Ground. Is That Good for Your Retirement Plan? Follow Morningstar on social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorningstarInc/ X: https://x.com/MorningstarInc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morningstarinc/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/morningstar/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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