Guggenheim Municipal Income Fund Q3 2025 Commentary

**Guggenheim Municipal Income Fund (Institutional Class) – Q3 Performance Summary**

Guggenheim Investments is the global asset management and investment advisory division of Guggenheim Partners, specializing in fixed income, equity, and alternative strategies.

**Third Quarter Performance**

The Guggenheim Municipal Income Fund (Institutional Class) returned 3.5% for the third quarter, outperforming its benchmark, the Bloomberg Municipal Bond Index, by 0.5%. This solid performance reflects the fund’s strategic positioning and active management.

**Market Overview**

Municipal to Treasury yield ratios have compressed following the recent rally in the markets. Additionally, U.S. economic growth regained momentum after a period of deceleration earlier this year. This improvement has been supported by a recovery in consumer spending and robust investment in artificial intelligence.

**Performance Contributors**

Among the fund’s largest sector weights, school districts, general purpose, and housing bonds were key contributors to the positive performance this quarter. These sectors benefited from favorable market conditions and strong underlying fundamentals.

**Contact Information**

For further inquiries or communication, please reach out through Guggenheim Investments’ official channels.

*Stay tuned for more updates and insights from Guggenheim Investments.*
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4844492-guggenheim-municipal-income-fund-q3-2025-commentary?source=feed_all_articles

Ariel Appreciation Fund Q3 2025 Commentary

**Ariel Appreciation Fund Q3 2025 Commentary**
*By Ariel Investments*

The Ariel Appreciation Fund advanced +9.51% in the third quarter, significantly outperforming the Russell Midcap Value Index’s +6.18% gain and the +5.33% return posted by the Russell Midcap Index.

**Top Contributor**
Resideo Technologies was the top contributor in the quarter, driven by strong earnings and a subsequent raise in guidance.

**Investment Approach**
Our pro-cyclical positioning reflects bottom-up conviction in undervalued businesses rather than reliance on macroeconomic forecasts.

**Market Overview**
U.S. equities advanced meaningfully in Q3, propelled by the Federal Reserve’s first rate cut of the year, robust corporate earnings growth, and broadening market participation. Investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence continued to drive outsized gains in technology, particularly among select high-performing companies.

**About Ariel Investments**
Ariel Investments, LLC is a global value-based asset management firm founded in 1983, with more than four decades of experience. Headquartered in Chicago, Ariel also has offices in New York City, San Francisco, and Sydney, Australia.

Ariel serves both individual and institutional investors through five no-load mutual funds and eleven separate account strategies.

**Our Core Values**
– Active Patience®
– Independent Thinking
– Focused Expertise
– Bold Teamwork

Ariel Investments models these values in all aspects of their operations.

For inquiries or communication, please use Ariel Investments’ official channels.

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https://seekingalpha.com/article/4835191-ariel-appreciation-fund-q3-2025-commentary?source=feed_all_articles

The housing market’s fall surprise: Buyers are back, and Zillow says the momentum isn’t over yet

New listings climbed 3% year over year in September, reversing the 3% decline seen a month earlier. On a monthly basis, listings dipped 2%, but this still outperformed the historical average of a 9% drop heading into the fall season.

Total inventory slipped just 1% from August to September but remains 14% higher than levels from the same time last year. This shift highlights a changing balance of power in the housing market.

Currently, 15 of the nation’s 50 largest metropolitan areas are classified as buyer’s markets, up significantly from just six last year. Zillow’s heat index identifies the top buyer-friendly metros as:

– Miami, Florida
– New Orleans, Louisiana
– Austin, Texas
– Jacksonville, Florida
– Indianapolis, Indiana

In contrast, seller-leaning markets continue to be hot due to limited housing supply and restrictive land-use laws. Zillow’s top seller-friendly markets include:

– Buffalo, New York
– Hartford, Connecticut
– San Jose, California
– San Francisco, California
– New York, New York

Recent nationwide data from Freddie Mac reinforces Zillow’s message of market resilience. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has dropped to about 6.19%, its lowest level projected for 2025. Meanwhile, existing-home sales rose to a seven-month high in September as affordability began to improve.

Although 15% of pending sales were canceled amid buyer hesitation, Redfin’s data shows that sellers are adjusting their expectations by making price cuts and accepting slower deals.

Together, these trends suggest the housing market is thawing rather than overheating. Zillow’s economists expect this “unseasonably active” fall to continue through the holiday season, fueled by easing borrowing costs and pent-up demand.

For buyers who have been waiting for an opportunity, this may be the first real opening in nearly three years.

*For this story, Fortune used generative AI to help with an initial draft. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.*
https://fortune.com/2025/10/26/housing-market-fall-surprise-buyers-back-zillow-predicts-momentum/

BlackRock’s bragging rights to fastest growing ETFs

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager overseeing $10 trillion, celebrated a significant milestone this week by highlighting its ownership of some of the fastest-growing exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in history.

CEO Larry Fink shared during the company’s earnings call, “Our digital assets ETPs and active ETFs have grown from practically zero to 10 in 2023, reaching over $100 billion in digital assets and more than $80 billion in active ETFs. The rapid growth of these premium categories is another proof point of our success in scaling distribution and quickly adapting to new offerings and markets.”

### The Star Performer: iShares Bitcoin ETF (Ticker: IBIT)

Leading the charge is the iShares Bitcoin ETF (IBIT), now the largest crypto ETF, offering investors exposure to Bitcoin without requiring direct ownership of the cryptocurrency. The assets under management in IBIT surpassed $100 billion earlier this month, although they have since slightly dipped alongside Bitcoin’s price decline.

| Ticker | Security | Last Price | Change | Change % |
|——–|——————————-|————|——–|————|
| IBIT | iShares Bitcoin Trust USD Acc | $60.47 | -0.96 | -1.56% |

Bitcoin itself, the largest cryptocurrency by market value, reached an all-time high of $126,272.76 on October 6, 2025. Since then, it has dropped below the $110,000 mark.

### Bitcoin as a Safe Haven

Recent escalating tensions between the U.S. and China have negatively impacted sentiment toward digital assets. Meanwhile, traditional safe havens like gold have surged to record highs, with gold recently peaking at $4,280.20 an ounce.

### Rising Star: iShares Ethereum ETF (Ticker: ETHA)

Another notable offering is the iShares Ethereum ETF (ETHA), which currently holds assets around $16 billion.

| Ticker | Security | Last Price | Change | Change % |
|——–|——————————-|————|——–|————|
| ETHA | iShares Ethereum Trust NPV | $28.94 | -0.30 | -1.03% |

Martin Small, BlackRock’s CFO and global head of corporate strategy, noted on the call, “Our flagship offerings in IBIT and ETHA were among the top five inflowing products in the ETP industry.”

Similar to Bitcoin, Ethereum has retreated to around the $3,800 level from its high of $4,955.23 reached on August 24, 2025.

### Crypto Performance vs. S&P 500

Despite recent volatility, both Bitcoin and Ethereum have advanced approximately 14% this year, slightly outperforming the S&P 500’s 13% rise as of the end of last week. In tandem, BlackRock’s shares have also gained 14% year to date.

Stay updated with live cryptocurrency prices and market movements as digital assets continue to evolve.
https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/blackrocks-bragging-rights-fastest-growing-etfs