Basis Points

In what investors thought was going to be a nice start to a weekend in May got turned around with a late Friday announcement that Moody’s had just downgraded the U.S. long-term credit rating. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan provides context for investors and explains why the move was expected, aligns with past ratings, and ultimately won’t shake Treasuries’ global dominance. Basis Points: 1/100th of 1 percent. Please see the WisdomTree Glossary for Definitions of terms and indexes: https://www.wisdomtree.com/glossary

Volatility in U.S. Treasury yields hasn’t spared any corner of the fixed income market, except one. Kevin Flanagan explains why Treasury Floating Rate Notes (FRNs) offer stability without layering on credit risk, making the case for Treasury-backed solutions like the WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund.

Basis Point: 1/100th of a percent.

Once again, the Fed decided to keep rates unchanged at today’s FOMC meeting, leaving the Fed Funds trading range at 4.25%–4.50%. This week on Basis Points, Kevin Flanagan explains why resilient job data and tariff-driven noise are keeping Powell & Co. in wait-and-see mode on policy moves.Basis Point: 1/100th of a percent.

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

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

Barbell: The barbell is an investment strategy applicable primarily to a fixed income portfolio.

Basis point: 1/100th of 1 percent.