More of our insights
FireSide: Market Madness 2024
In celebration of March Madness, the Investment Research team goes head-to-head discussing leading topics set to influence markets this year.
![Zoomed in shot of a basketball net](https://fsinvestments.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/MarchMadness2024-img_2xInsights_1442x1004.jpg?w=250&h=150&crop=1)
Awakening: The rise of private debt
Private debt has grown from niche asset class to a heavyweight due to multiple structural shifts in capital markets—and its growth has shifted the opportunity set for both investors and borrowers.
![Private debt Cooling Dunes, Death Valley](https://fsinvestments.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/GettyImages-878894720-sky.jpg?w=250&h=150&crop=1)
With investor sentiment stretched, time to diversify?
This week’s chart looks at the spread between bullish and bearish investors, which has widened significantly in the past several months.
![Line chart showing the spread between bullish and bearish investors is stretched near its high of the past five years.](https://fsinvestments.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/COTW_2024-03-08_thumbnail-247px.jpg?w=250&h=150&crop=1)
A compelling growth opportunity in private equity secondaries?
This week’s chart looks at private equity secondaries’ outperformance versus the broader PE market, focusing on what has driven the outperformance.
![Line chart showing private equity secondaries outperforming other forms of private equity for the vintage years from 2000-2020.](https://fsinvestments.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/COTW_2024-03-01_v1_thumbnail-247px.jpg?w=250&h=150&crop=1)
Private and public company earnings taking divergent paths
This week’s chart looks at a shifting opportunity set as the private middle market shines while small cap company earnings remain challenged.
![Line chart documenting shift from 2012 to 2024, highlighting the recent strong private middle market revenue growth trajectory with increasingly negative small cap earnings.](https://fsinvestments.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/COTW_2024-02-23_thumbnail-247px.jpg?w=250&h=150&crop=1)
Family offices plan material increase to private markets
This week’s chart looks at family office CIOs’ plans to increase allocation to alts in 2024, specifically private credit and private equity.
![COTW-2024-02-16 thumbnail](https://fsinvestments.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/COTW_2024-02-16_thumbnail-247px.jpg?w=250&h=150&crop=1)