Investing Insights

Is a global debt emergency on the horizon?

 

Big Tech’s bond-issuing spree is helping to pay for its massive artificial intelligence buildout. And it’s not expected to slow down this year.  Meanwhile, the US federal deficit has swelled to about $39 trillion, according to the US Treasury Department. That’s raising red flags about the potential impact on the Treasuries market. Government and corporate debt are growing but for different reasons. How should investors think about it?

 

Dominic Pappalardo is the chief multi-asset strategist for Morningstar Wealth. It’s part of registered investment advisor, Morningstar Investment Management.

 

 

Why Bonds Still Have Long-Term Appeal Despite Recent Wobbles

 

 

On this episode:

00:00:00 Welcome

00:01:29 Big Tech's AI bond-issuing spree explained

00:03:51 What's driving the US federal deficit higher

00:06:04 Calls to prepare for a bond market emergency 

00:07:38 Government vs. corporate debt key differences

00:08:45 Potential risks lurking in today's bond market

00:10:33 Bond portfolio opportunities and investor takeaways

 

Watch more from Morningstar:

10 Exceptional Stocks With Double-Digit Dividend Raises

Investors May Be Ignoring Big Market Disruptions. Is There Risk to the Rebuff?

Vanguard Wrote the Playbook for Success. Now, It Must Evolve to Stay on Top

 

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A rare group of dividend-paying stocks are standing out for their exceptional qualities. They’ve racked up five straight years of dividend growth of 10% or more. And they’ve passed several rigorous checks. Morningstar’s DividendInvestor newsletter editor David Harrell dug into the data to identify this year’s class of Dividend Growers.

Subscribe to Morningstar’s DividendInvestor newsletter. 

On this episode:

00:00:00 Welcome

00:01:08 Dividend Growers qualifications and key caveats

00:03:17 How the 2026 Dividend Growers list changed from last year

00:04:11 Meet the three newcomers: Intuit, Motorola Solutions, and TJX

00:05:43 Near-miss stocks and why the group’s average yields run higher

00:08:19 Who dividend growth stocks suit

00:11:13 Which 2026 Dividend Growers look undervalued now

 

Watch more from Morningstar:

Investors May Be Ignoring Big Market Disruptions. Is There Risk to the Rebuff?

Vanguard Wrote the Playbook for Success. Now, It Must Evolve to Stay on Top

Vanguard Is Entering a New Era. Can It Keep Winning for Another 50 Years?

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What’s fueling Wall Street’s optimism? While geopolitical tensions between the US and Iran are dominating headlines, US stocks recently hit an all-time high. The global oil shock is just one major disruption to rattle investors before receding this year. The enthusiasm for the artificial intelligence boom also waned in early 2026. So, what should investors make of the market’s fluctuating mood? Tom Lauricella is the global markets editor for Morningstar Inc. and the editor of Smart Investor newsletter.

What War? US Stocks Hit Record Highs

 

On this episode:

00:00:00 Welcome

00:01:20 Markets’ Response to the Iran War

00:02:40 Why Stocks Hit Record Highs Despite the Oil Shock

00:04:50 Earnings Season and Investor Sentiment

00:05:49 Big Tech Crosswinds and the Bond Market

00:09:04 Concerns About Private Credit Markets

00:11:07 Inflation, the Fed, and Leadership Transition

 

Watch more from Morningstar:

Vanguard Wrote the Playbook for Success. Now, It Must Evolve to Stay on Top

Vanguard Is Entering a New Era. Can It Keep Winning for Another 50 Years?

These 8 Funds Could Help Steady Portfolios During Rough Markets

 

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Vanguard redefined investor-first for the better, and it’s aiming to maintain that reputation. Vanguard revolutionized passive investing when it created the first retail index fund. The behemoth asset manager continues to attract swells of everyday investors and money with headline-making fee cuts that put pressure on rivals to follow suit. But Vanguard is also seeking to develop an edge in new areas. It’s going full force on active bond ETFs, for example, and creating a target-date trust series to provide retirees the security of a predictable income. This week’s episode is the second of a two-part series examining what’s going on with Vanguard in 2026. Dan Sotiroff, associate director of US passive strategies research for Morningstar, covers Vanguard.

Vanguard Is Entering a New Era. Can It Keep Winning for Another 50 Years?

On this episode:

00:00:00 Welcome  

00:01:40  Vanguard's Growth: Challenges of Doubling Its Client Base 

00:03:28 Vanguard's Evolving Leadership  

00:06:15 Fund Fee Cuts and Revenue Impact 

00:10:17 Target-Date Fund Series With TIAA to Offer Guaranteed Income  

00:12:04 Combining Public and Private Assets in Multi-Asset Investments With Wellington and Blackstone  

00:14:39 Active Fixed-Income Push and Two New High-Yield Bond ETFs  

00:19:51 Vanguard's Top Priorities for 2026 

 

Watch more from Morningstar:

Vanguard Is Entering a New Era. Can It Keep Winning for Another 50 Years?
These 8 Funds Could Help Steady Portfolios During Rough Markets

Why Bond Funds Benefit from Active Management

 

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Will Vanguard’s next 50 years live up to its first half century? The popular investment firm counts millions of everyday investors among its clients. Vanguard CEO Salim Ramji joined the firm from its rival, BlackRock. Ramji is influencing Vanguard’s direction while keeping the overall mission intact. But the company continues to evolve under the new leadership, with a greater emphasis on advice and the launch of new funds. This episode is the first of a two-part series examining what’s going on with Vanguard in 2026. Dan Sotiroff, Vanguard analyst and the associate director of US passive strategies research for Morningstar, joined Investing Insights.

Vanguard Investors Cleaned Up https://www.morningstar.com/funds/vanguard-investors-cleaned-up

On this episode:

 

00:00:00 Welcome

00:01:28 Vanguard’s New Era Under CEO Salim Ramji

00:02:56 Vanguard Splits Into Two Investment Advisors

00:07:17 Analyst’s Thoughts on the Firm’s SEC Scrutiny and Fine

00:10:03 Seeking ETF Share Class Approval for Active Funds

00:12:01 New Active Equity ETFs and Coverage Outlook

 

Watch more from Morningstar:

These 8 Funds Could Help Steady Portfolios During Rough Markets

Why Bond Funds Benefit from Active Management

These Top Tech Stocks Can Stand Up to AI Risks

 

 

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