"Vanguard and BlackRock's Strategies for 2025's Second Half Revealed: How to Prepare for a Weaker Stock Market"

Investors should prepare for a weaker stock market in the next six months, says Vanguard’s Roger Hallam. With growth slowing and inflation rising, he predicts the Fed will prioritize jobs and cut interest rates. Vanguard has launched three U.S. government bond ETFs, including VGVT.

BlackRock’s Jay Jacobs recommends a barbell approach for the second half of the year as a hedge against economic slowdown risks. He expects buffer ETFs to benefit from the current risk backdrop. BlackRock offers six buffer ETFs, including MAXJ, which tracks the S&P 500 and has seen a 5% return this year. Jacobs sees investors migrating towards strong macro themes like artificial intelligence and infrastructure.

Read more at CNBC: Vanguard, BlackRock deliver market plays for 2025’s second half