1. Oil’s Next Move Could Rattle Markets
The S&P 500 extended its losing streak to three consecutive weeks, the first such run in roughly a year. The convergence of geopolitical shock, private credit stress, and deteriorating economic data gave investors little reason to buy the dip. On Monday, the market stumbled as oil surged past $100 per barrel. That came after Israeli strikes on Iranian oil depots over the weekend were met with Tehran’s throttling of the Strait of Hormuz. WTI did pull back after President Trump signaled the conflict was nearing its end, triggering the S&P 500’s best single-session gain in a month. Markets, however, didn’t believe the all-clear. By Thursday, Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, declared the Strait should remain closed as a “tool to pressure the enemy,” renewing the selloff. — Lance Roberts
2. Market Volatility Update: Oil Prices, Geopolitics, and the Investor Outlook
In this brief market update, Orion CIO Tim Holland joins Ben Vaske to discuss the recent surge in oil prices and rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East—and how markets have responded so far. They share perspective on why U.S. equities have remained relatively resilient, what the current environment could mean for global growth, and how Orion’s Asset Allocation Committee is thinking about portfolio positioning. While headlines can drive short-term volatility, Tim and Ben emphasize why disciplined diversification remains critical for investors navigating uncertain periods. — Ben Vaske
3. You Managed Everything … Except This Moment That Costs You Clients
When it comes to selling a business, financial advisors are ranked the most trusted professional – ahead of CPAs, attorneys, and M&A firms. That insight comes from Cornerstone Business Services’ 2025 national study of 750 business owners (ages 45–75) running companies with $5M–$100M in annual revenue. So far, so good. However, 96% of business owners surveyed said they would be open to leaving their financial advisor after selling their business. Let that sink in. You’re the most trusted voice in the room… and 96% are at least open to replacing you at the biggest liquidity event of their lives. What’s up with that? — Bill Cates
4. Five Ways You Can Help Families Build and Sustain Generational Wealth
Last month, we celebrated Black History Month, offering an opportunity to recognize the history and contributions that have shaped the nation, including the economic forces that influence how families approach saving, investing and long term planning. For financial professionals, it's also a moment to deepen awareness of the different experiences that inform client decisions today. With that broader context, you can strengthen client relationships and open pathways for deeper planning conversations. Generational wealth is built over time through consistent habits, strategic decision making and reliable guidance. Families carry forward values about risk, security and responsibility that shape how they plan for the future. Financial professionals can play an important role to help translate those values into actionable strategies that support long term goals. Help families create and sustain wealth across generations with these five strategies. — Erica Lynch
5. Protected Bitcoin ETFs: Prepared for Crypto Volatility
When talking about the price of bitcoin these days, many tend to fixate on when the cryptocurrency will make a comeback. However, it’s also worth remembering just how far it has fallen in the last six months. After all, as the chart above shows, bitcoin began March with its price fluctuating around $65k. This price marks a stark drop from the cryptocurrency’s October highs, when it was well over $120k. — Calamos
6. From Data to Judgment: How Envestnet’s AI Is Redefining Advisor Alpha
AI in wealth management is maturing fast, but most of the conversation is still stuck on surface-level applications like meeting notetakers and basic content tools. At Future Proof’s Citywide Conference in Miami, Jeremi Karnell, Head of Envestnet Data Solutions, made a compelling case that the real battleground is shifting from “do I have enough data?” to “can I turn this data into better judgment, at scale, for every client in my book?” — Douglas Heikkinen
7. What March Madness Can Teach Us About Taking Risks
When the interns at my office who don’t watch college basketball start voicing strong opinions about why a 12 seed will upset a 5 seed, I know what season we’re in. March has its own rhythm. Brackets show up in my inbox. The office is quiet on Thursdays and Fridays. By the end of the first weekend, half the country’s predictions are already destroyed. That’s March Madness. — Tom West
8. The SMA Advantage for Modern Advisors with Josh Rogers
Josh Rogers, Senior Client Portfolio Manager at Invesco, explains how separately managed accounts (SMAs) have evolved from clunky stock lists into technology-driven portfolio solutions that allow advisors to scale while still delivering meaningful customization. By combining manager-traded portfolios, integrated data systems, and advanced tax management tools, modern SMAs help advisors offer personalized portfolios without adding operational complexity. — Power Your Advice
9. The Case for Calling Every Client Now
Everyone has a favorite film. They have seen it many times. They know how it will end. Every time they see it, they notice a new detail because they are focusing on a different aspect of the movie. The stock market can be like that. As an experienced advisor, you know the stock market is cyclical. You have confidence, like the film, things will work out in the end. Clients are not stock market professionals. They might not have seen a down market before. Do the math: Let’s assume an 18 year old might be interested in the stock market. If they saw the 2008 Gret Recession at age 18, they might have been born in 1990. That would make them 36 years old today. Put another way, an investor below age 35 might never have seen a down market. Now they have one unfolding before them, at least in the short term. — Bryce Sanders
10. Prospects Rarely Choose Another Advisor — They Choose “Later”
Most RIAs assume they’re losing prospects to another firm, and sometimes that’s true. But more often than not, the prospect simply does nothing. They wait. They read articles. They watch markets. They tell themselves they’ll deal with it after tax season… after the next bonus… after the next big life event. Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into years. Why? Because the biggest barrier to hiring an advisor usually isn’t price or performance, it’s uncertainty. — Joel Crampton
11. Family Matters: Why Advisors Should Be Courting Parents
A quick point of demystification. Obviously, advisors already have plenty of clients who are also parents. However, it’s not a stretch to assume many of those clients are baby boomers with “children” that are well into adulthood. It’s entirely possible for today’s boomers to be parents of adults that are in their 40s and 50s. So with that housekeeping item out of the way, the meat on the bone that is this article is about advisors enhancing their efforts to convert more prospects who are young parents to client rolls. Think millennials and younger Gen Xers, perhaps even the small amount of Gen Zers that are also parents. — Todd Shriber