• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave

2

FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’

3

He sold his last company to Palantir. Now he's betting $32 million that robots can fix construction's labor crisis

1

26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave

2

FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’

3

He sold his last company to Palantir. Now he's betting $32 million that robots can fix construction's labor crisis
Financeinvesting advice

Top investor: Why higher interest rates are coming ‘sooner than people think’—and what it means for stocks

Anne Sraders
By
Anne Sraders
Anne Sraders
Down Arrow Button Icon
Anne Sraders
By
Anne Sraders
Anne Sraders
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 14, 2021, 8:00 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.
Subscribe to Bull Sheet for no-nonsense daily analysis on what’s happening in the markets, delivered free to your inbox.

In recent weeks, Wall Street has been wrestling with the question: Does the rotation trade have legs?

That growth-versus-value debate has resurfaced among investors, and despite a big rally in recent days coming off of a rapid correction, some money managers see more trouble ahead in the high-flying tech- and growth-stock space.

Andrew Slimmon, senior portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley Investment Management, argues that the Street maybe be underestimating the risk of rapidly rising rates (in particular, the 10-year Treasury yield) in the next couple months. High yields tend to be bad for higher-risk, high growth stocks because they make safer investments like bonds seem more attractive to investors by comparison.

A faster increase is more likely, Slimmon tells Fortune, because “The economy is stronger than what consensus believes. I think that we’re going to accelerate faster than what consensus believes, and so I think we’re going to surprise to the upside.” Plus, with a fresh round of stimulus checks hitting Americans’ bank accounts, he’s estimating the 10-year yield could hit 2% by May, faster than many projections on the Street anticipate.

“I think the risk is rates are higher, sooner than what people think,” he argues.

Slimmon’s reasoning is that large, economically sensitive segments of the market, including the S&P 500, small caps, copper, and oil, are all trading higher today than they were pre-pandemic. “You have all these things that are saying, ‘Hey, the economy is coming on.’ The one exception [is] interest rates.”

Indeed, yields are still lower than they were at the start of last year, even with the 10-year Treasury yield jumping to over 1.6% in recent weeks and spooking growth investors. “If we go to 2% by May, you’re going to see growth go through another bout of real pain, and you’re going to see further acceleration into this value trade,” Slimmon argues. “I think the rotation will continue.”

Slimmon is using the recent bounce in the Nasdaq (up 5.6% since Monday, despite a Friday selloff) to trim holdings in tech and growth stocks, instead “looking at this rally as an opportunity to increase my exposure to value,” he says.

Among his preferred value-oriented areas: financials and materials.

Despite their recent strength, financials look particularly attractive to Slimmon compared to tech due to their low price-to-earnings ratios (the sector is trading at around 10 times earnings, per S&P Global data). Financials are also posting “better earnings revisions than some of the tech stocks,” he says. “I think that’s a more intriguing area right now.”

That’s not to say investors should bail out of tech full-stop. Slimmon suggests if rates rise in a “slow grind” to 2% by October or November, growth stocks should do well alongside the overall market. It “doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a portion of your money in those stocks,” he adds, but “just recognize that they are very, very volatile.”

From a longer-term perspective, however, he’s also eyeing “higher quality” dividend-paying defensive stocks that could pose an attractive opportunity over the next couple years if rates continue to climb. (Which they will, according to Slimmon, who thinks we could end 2021 with yields at 2.5%.)

Those sectors, like health care and consumer staples, have “really lagged for a while now,” notes Slimmon. Though he’s not aiming to overweight stocks in the low-risk areas, “When the Fed says, ‘Okay we’re raising rates,’ and value starts to peter out, I’m not sure it’s going to be back to growth,” he argues. “I think it’s going to be the safety trade.”

About the Author
Anne Sraders
By Anne Sraders
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

tsmc
North AmericaSemiconductors
Taiwan’s chip superpower just pledged another $100 billion to help the U.S. get its act together
By Chan Ho-Him and The Associated PressJuly 16, 2026
13 minutes ago
clark
PoliticsCongress
Washington still voted to send Israel $3.3 billion in aid — but over half of the House Democrats revolted
By Lisa Mascaro, Nick Lichtenberg and The Associated PressJuly 16, 2026
33 minutes ago
‘Criminalized for what’s on your bookshelf’: Hong Kong’s third bookstore raid this year
AsiaHong Kong
‘Criminalized for what’s on your bookshelf’: Hong Kong’s third bookstore raid this year
By Kanis Leung and The Associated PressJuly 16, 2026
42 minutes ago
steel
North Americasteel
‘British Steel now belongs to the British people’: China booted from national champion to save thousands of jobs
By Danica Kirka and The Associated PressJuly 16, 2026
52 minutes ago
The time for Clarity is here: Congress has a chance to pass the most important technology law since the Telecoms Act
CryptoCryptocurrency
The time for Clarity is here: Congress has a chance to pass the most important technology law since the Telecoms Act
By Patrick McHenryJuly 16, 2026
55 minutes ago
t
EconomyTariffs
Rubio blames Brazil’s 25% tariffs on Lula’s ‘ego’ — but exempts coffee and beef
By Michelle L. Price and The Associated PressJuly 16, 2026
1 hour ago

Most Popular

26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave
Law
26 Meta employees accuse Mark Zuckerberg of using AI to target 8,000 layoffs against workers on medical, parental or family leave
By Barbara Ortutay, Alexandra Olson and The Associated PressJuly 15, 2026
1 day ago
FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’
C-Suite
FedEx CEO says we are in the middle of the biggest supply chain shift he’s seen in 35 years: ‘We are the referendum’
By Fortune EditorsJuly 15, 2026
22 hours ago
He sold his last company to Palantir. Now he's betting $32 million that robots can fix construction's labor crisis
Innovation
He sold his last company to Palantir. Now he's betting $32 million that robots can fix construction's labor crisis
By Lily Mae LazarusJuly 15, 2026
1 day ago
Jamie Dimon understands why people are anti-rich: 'We have, in fact, left the lower-income folks behind' and 'that's kind of annoying'
Economy
Jamie Dimon understands why people are anti-rich: 'We have, in fact, left the lower-income folks behind' and 'that's kind of annoying'
By Eleanor PringleJuly 15, 2026
1 day ago
MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly
Newsletters
MacKenzie Scott, Melinda French Gates, and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are rewriting the rules of billionaire giving—one quietly, one strategically, one very publicly
By Sydney LakeJuly 14, 2026
2 days ago
After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history
North America
After donating $48 billion to the Gates Foundation, Warren Buffett is quietly ending one of the biggest philanthropic relationships in history
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 14, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.