Morningstar Runs the Numbers

Inspired by Harper's Index (with a tip of the hat to FiveThirtyEight's Significant Digits blog), Morningstar Runs the Numbers uses a numbers-based approach to highlight recent Morningstar research, along with some outside news stories.

3 In the wake of recent market volatility, some investors may be thinking about how to maintain exposure to equities yet perhaps take a little risk off the table at the same time. Alex Bryan, director of passive strategies research for Morningstar North America, shares three of his favorite low-volatility funds.

10 Morningstar's multi-asset strategies research team led by Leo Acheson evaluated and ranked 10 of the largest HSAs available to individuals. In this summary of his longer research study, Acheson ranks different HSA plans on their strength as both spending vehicles and investment vehicles.

10 Following on the heels of his article listing the 10 biggest fund upgrades of 2018, here is director of manager research Russ Kinnel's list of the 10 largest funds whose Morningstar Analyst Ratings were downgraded this year.

5 The WTI crude price benchmark has lost almost a third of its value over the past six weeks. For the first time since October 2017, front month futures closed in line with our $55 a barrel fair value estimate, said senior equity analyst David Meats. He continues to advise investors to avoid making a directional bet on near-term prices, and focus instead on the firms that can thrive in our midcycle forecast. See his five top picks.

3 Attention contrarian investors: We share three of Morningstar's best ideas from areas of the market that have been out of favor this year. Specifically, we've isolated categories and sectors with the worst year-to-date returns, and then named some of our analysts' favorite picks in each.

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