On this episode, we sit down with portfolio manager and director of research Reetu Kumra. She talks to host Pamela Ritchie about the future of cryptocurrency in Canada, trends in alternative investing, and highlights the Canadian Long/Short alternative fund. Reetu says the crypto market is very volatile, and interesting space.   Since 2023, there have been many changes in the ecosystem including bitcoin halving and bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs being approved in the US. She says bitcoin has...

Today on the show, we sit down with long-time contrarian investor Hugo Lavallee as he discusses a wide range of topics including commodities, equities, how he’s managing his climate leadership  fund plus his contrarian style of investing in today’s current market environment. Hugo comments on commodities and says he’s treating all commodities equally. But he notes he owns more metals than energy. Canadian oil looks better on a relative basis, but unfortunately the world is shrinking so to him...

Director of Global Macro Jurrien Timmer is back on the show today for his weekly overview of the markets. Today he discusses the implications of recent economic data on the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision, highlighting the Fed's bias towards easing and the evolving narrative around rate cuts. Jurrien emphasizes the resilience of the US economy despite the Fed's restrictive stance, unpacking the implications of the true neutral rate. He delves into the concept of fiscal dominance,...

In this episode, ETF Strategist Vince Kraljevic joins us to explore the changing landscape of investment strategies, and the current business cycle. With tech becoming the new dominant sector, Vince discusses how advisors are increasingly tilting away from mega, large, and mid-cap stocks - and how diversification and reducing exposure to certain names has become a priority. He also touches on Fidelity’s ETF products, and how the recently launched all-American  ETF is weighted for the factors...

With the healthcare and energy sectors on the decline, and the tech and utilities industries on the rise, we look at how the increasingly concentrated market is leading to many companies going private, and how this effects the defensive sector. Director of Quantitative Market Strategy, Denise Chisholm, explores why defensive sectors such as financials and industrials are standing out, reasons why consumer discretionary is struggling, and what this could mean for your investment portfolios....

On May 30, Fidelity Investments Canada hosted FOCUS 2024 Vancouver, a daylong event for advisors, featuring insights from Fidelity’s portfolio managers and subject matter experts. One of the day’s sessions was a look at Fidelity Tactical High Income Fund, with portfolio manager Adam Kramer, and institutional portfolio manager Scott Mensi. Adam and Scott reflect on how the fund offers the potential for income and capital growth through investments across a broad spectrum of income-producing...

Portfolio Managers Sri Tella and Lee Ormiston join the show today for a look at the factors influencing the bond market landscape. Sri and Lee note that Canada's recent inflation rate slowdown, coupled with global economic trends, is influencing discussions about potential rate cuts by the Bank of Canada, and explore the broader implications for bond market dynamics. The conversation covers various factors affecting bond markets, including the housing market's response to rate changes,...

On May 30, Fidelity Investments Canada hosted FOCUS 2024 Vancouver, a daylong event for advisors, featuring insights from Fidelity’s portfolio managers and subject matter experts. For today’s podcast, we’ll listen in on Reetu Kumra’s FOCUS session. Reetu is Director of Research and Portfolio Manager of Fidelity Canadian Long/Short Alternative Fund. We’ll hear from Reetu about the Fidelity alternatives lineup, and the strategy and research behind these funds. Specifically for Canadian...

U.S. Equity markets opened mixed this week to kick off a new month of trading. This week, investors can expect several economic data reports, including a key jobs report on Friday. Today's guest says we are in a "7 by 7 cycle", and that bonds are the new centre of gravity. Here to explain these thoughts and much more is Fidelity's Director of Global Macro, Jurrien Timmer. He introduces us to the concept of a "7 by 7 cycle", suggesting that we're in the seventh inning of both the business...

Joining us on the show today to cover a wide range of topics including commodities, natural resources and main takeaways from the earnings season is Portfolio manager of Global Natural Resources Joe Overdevest. Joe gives an overview of what’s happening in the economy. He notes the US economy is doing better than Canada. There is a focus on technology where corporations are seeing where they can spend on new technologies including AI. Resources in general are doing well, but it’s mostly...

In today’s episode, we are joined by Portfolio Manager Salim Hart who will manage the newly released Fidelity Global Micro-Cap Fund. The new fund is well-suited for investors looking for a wide range of return outcomes and opportunities in an often overlooked segment of the market. The fund combines bottom-up fundamental and quantitative research to aim to achieve long-term capital appreciation. Hart discusses several resources at Fidelity that will be used to provide deep insights and vital...

Today on the show, we are joined by Director of ETFs, Andrei Bruno, as he dives into exciting new developments in our ETF and alternative investments lineup. He discusses the expansion of our 4 new ETF series: the Emerging Markets Fund, the Global Equity+ Balanced Fund, the Global Equity+ Fund, and the Tactical High Income Fund. These new products will bring options to investors looking for more choice and access. Following the latest trends in mutual funds and ETFs, Andrei discusses...

Jurrien Timmer, director of global macro, is back today with another installment of Timmer Time, his quarterly quick hit on the markets, recorded live on location at our April FOCUS 2024 event. Among other topics, we first asked Jurrien if investors should expect the markets to cool or is there still room to run? Recorded on April 19, 2024. At Fidelity, our mission is to build a better future for Canadian investors and help them stay ahead. We offer investors and institutions a range of...

Today on the show, we speak to portfolio manager David Wolf as he highlights the current market landscape and where investors could find diversification such as liquid alternatives. David notes recent core inflation numbers aren’t a surprise to the Bank of Canada. David, who is a former advisor to the governor of the BoC says expect cuts in the next 18 months regardless of the Federal Reserve’s movements and decisions. This is based on recent monetary policy report released by the BoC. David...

Today on the show, long-time institutional portfolio manager Mike Hickey discusses the current market environment, possible Fed rate cuts, and what investment opportunities he’s keeping an eye on at the moment. Mike emphasizes the influence and importance of AI or artificial intelligence. He believes major tech companies will invest in AI infrastructure that will hit the $200 billion mark next year. Mike says our current economic conditions are looking favorable - inflation is decreasing, job...

As liquid alternatives rise as a popular investing strategy, we check in with Fidelity’s Director of Alternatives, Rory Poole. Rory discusses the latest market trends affecting liquid alternatives and how they may fit in a client’s portfolio. Rory defines an alternative as any investment where the value is not solely driven by the stock or bond market going up. He says alternatives can involve many different types of strategies and assets and many investors don’t even realize that they own...

Canada and the U.S. share many commonalities. Cultural influences, social values, and democratic political systems, to name a few. But the gap between the two countries has widened when it comes to the health of the consumer. Thomas Goldthorpe, portfolio manager, and Brendan Cochrane, equity research analyst, are today’s guests, joining host Pamela Ritchie. They’ll unpack the health of the consumer in both countries, including why U.S. is showing signs of recovery while Canada’s trade down...

Today on the show, we highlight the 2024 Fidelity Retirement Report and its findings on how Canadians are viewing and preparing for retirement. Host Glen Davidson sits down with Peter Bowen, VP of Tax and Retirement Research and Michelle Munro Director of Tax and Retirement Research, as they break down the perspectives, challenges, and trends of pre-retirees and retirees. Peter notes the survey noted many pre-retirees are delaying retirement - delaying beyond 65 or in some cases not even...

Today we welcome special guest Laura Tamblyn-Watts, CEO of CanAge and Author of “Let’s Talk about Aging Parents: A Real-Life Guide to Solving Problems with 27 Essential Conversations” . Laura tackles the topic of an aging population, how it could impact the financial advisor community and discusses other aging and generational trends and issues. Twenty years from now, about 1 in 4 Canadians will be 65 years or older. Canadians are living longer, and the sandwich generation is very prevalent...

As US equity markets slide, we check in with Denise Chisholm, Director of Quantitative Market Strategy, to get her thoughts on international equities and other opportunities. With Europe most likely looking to cut rates earlier than the US, does this make a strong case for international equities? Denise says not necessarily. Even though European and international assets are cheaper than North America, Denise stresses the importance of growth. International equities have always been cheaper,...

Today on the show, we are joined by special guest Danielle LeClair. Danielle is the Director of Manager Research at Morningstar Canada. Morningstar has been providing ratings to help investors find top-performing ETFs and Mutual Funds since 1985. Danielle deep dives into Morningstar’s methods and processes when it comes to determining star and medalist ratings. She also explains the importance of having a Canadian research team on the ground. Danielle explains how Canada is a different market...

On April 18 and 19 Fidelity Investments Canada hosted FOCUS 2024, a two-day event for advisors, featuring insights from Fidelity’s portfolio managers and subject matter experts. Today we’ll hear portfolio manager Salim Hart’s FOCUS session, sitting down for a discussion on-stage with host Glen Davidson. Salim is known to Canadian investors as co-portfolio manager on Fidelity Global Intrinsic Value, working alongside Sam Chamovitz and Morgen Peck. And today, in addition to speaking with Glen...

Between PPI, CPI, and retail sales, a slew of US economic data was released last week, and equities have continued to push higher as investors awaited the reports. But will the equity gains continue? Joining the show today to provide some answers, share how the latest bond market action is affecting his outlook, and much more, is Fidelity Director of Global Macro Jurrien Timmer. Jurrien discusses the significance of this new inflation data, particularly the Consumer Price Index, and its...

This month marks the 10-year anniversary of Fidelity Tactical High Income Fund, which is regarded as a one-stop solution for your investment needs, its multi-asset construction is instrumental in navigating today’s market landscape. So, what is the strategy behind the fund? And how is the fund performing 10 years in? Institutional Portfolio Manager Scott Mensi works alongside portfolio manager Adam Kramer, and is today’s guest. Scott joins host Glen Davidson, and will dive into what’s driving...