iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF

AGG

Market cap $139B

New Harbor Financial's John Llodra used his latest appearance on Adam Taggart's Thoughtful Money to deliver a stark message to buy-and-hold investors: the setup for a traditional 60/40 stock/bond portfolio looks worse today than at almost any point he can remember.

One of the largest IPOs in history closed in June, drawing more than $300 billion in orders for $75 billion of shares sold, an oversubscription of roughly 4x.

Artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency and private markets have dominated ETF headlines this year, but one of the industry's fiercest battles is unfolding in a far less glamorous corner of the market: cash.

The U.S. fixed income market experienced a resurgence in investor attention last week, reaching levels not seen since early January, as tracked by VettaFi's Investor Behavior Intelligence (IBI) platform. The sector has seen moderate performance in 2026, driven by resilient economic conditions and elevated yields entering the year.

Fresh tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime route for 20% of the world's oil, could keep gasoline from falling below the $3 mark.

Shares in Goldplat PLC (AIM:GDP) rose 6% to 16.7p after the AIM-listed gold recovery services group said profits for the year to 30 June would materially exceed market expectations. The company pointed to sustained high gold prices and strong processing volumes, though it cautioned the guidance remained subject to year-end adjustments.

Retirees need access to steady income. The Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund ETF fits the bill nicely.

Bond ETF inflows are running 60% ahead of last year's level, which was itself a record pace, a rise that a BlackRock executive described as "shocking" to CNBC. Elevated stock market volatility, a new Fed chair, and ongoing inflation fears are all part of the picture as investors in the market hunt for maximum "real yield.

The U.S. Federal Reserve is becoming tougher for Wall Street to forecast, with dramatically different views ​on where monetary policy is headed.

Lindsay Rosner, who runs multi-sector fixed income at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, went on CNBC this morning to translate