Despite reports of its demise being exaggerated, advisors and investors seeking capital protection with downside protection have been forced to confront the inherent constraints of the 60/40 model. It’s important to note that those limitations are a function of both the asset classes themselves as well as portfolio designs that bundle them together in an effort to optimize outcomes.
In markets, surprises are rarely pleasant. And over the past few months, tariffs have delivered more than their fair share. This moment serves as a vivid case study in the behavioral side of market reactions; how uncertainty, more than policy and fundamentals themselves, can be the greatest source of volatility.