By now, it should go without saying that any investor worth their salt should ensure that their portfolio has a robust, dedicated income sleeve. A well-curated income sleeve can provide far more benefits to a portfolio than just regular yield.
At this point, many advisors and investors are well aware that equity income strategies are continuing to grow in popularity. Given the ongoing macroeconomic environment we find ourselves in, this should not be a particular surprise.
The Federal Reserve was already facing the perils of sticky inflation before tensions escalated to a boiling point in the Middle East. When war broke out, the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed down, greatly limiting the ability of oil tankers to pass through the critical region.
For much of 2025, advisors, experts, and investors spent months speculating about when the Federal Reserve would begin trimming interest rates in earnest. Now that rate cuts are back on the table, 2026 is shaping up to be a different picture entirely.