FidelityConnects

Max Lemieux, portfolio manager for Fidelity True North® Fund, says the Fund was in a good position prior to the virus. Max believes the crisis has been a great stress test for the portfolio, allowing him to gradually change positions in the Fund; slowly reducing defensive positions, but not leaving this “bucket” completely. The Fund also has a tilt toward higher-quality companies with healthy free cash flow, solid balance sheets and strong management teams. Max believes there are opportunities to find great, well-managed companies across every sector. Also, Max keeps 10% of Fidelity True North® Fund open to exposure outside of Canada, in order to buy into sectors that are not well represented in Canada, such as technology.

Recorded on May 21, 2020.

Andrew Clee, VP, ETFs, and Paul Ma, VP and lead portfolio strategist, outline the fundamentals of ETF portfolio construction and the pros and cons of different types of portfolios in today’s volatile environment. Andrew and Paul discuss active management, and how factor ETF’s allow portfolio customization based on specific investment objectives. It can be a good strategy to step away from cookie-cutter portfolios and focus instead on a “core and explore” strategy.

Recorded on May 22, 2020.

Nicole Connolly, Head of ESG and portfolio manager for Fidelity Women’s Leadership Fund, has been following ESG performance during the market downturn. Because the data available for ESG reflect the earlier bull market environment, it has been interesting to see how these companies perform through a downturn – and to see investors sticking to their investments, which suggests that ESG investors are long-term investors and committed to the causes they invest in. Since early 2019, quarterly flows into ESG products have been very strong, and flows into ESG products from the market peak on February 19 to its recent bottom continued to be positive. Nicole believes the crisis has changed individuals’ priorities, and that this shift has the potential to influence the way people think about their investments and the type of companies they choose to invest in.

Recorded on May 20, 2020.

Jurrien Timmer, Director of Global Macro, provides his weekly global macro update. Jurrien highlights that it was a tough week of headlines in the U.S., particularly as trade tensions with China continued, and the conversation began to shift from geopolitical concerns to what comes next in terms of fiscal stimulus. Today Jurrien looks at market disconnect between declining earnings estimates and economic measures, the amount currently sitting in money market funds, and the possibility of retesting lows, among other topics.

Follow @TimmerFidelity on Twitter for Jurrien’s comprehensive charts and graphs. 

Recorded on May 19, 2020.

Les occasions ne manquent pas en cette période sans précédent. M Lavallée discutera des secteurs auxquels il s’intéresse et de l’évolution du marché canadien. Hugo Lavallée réitère que malgré ces temps difficiles, les conditions actuelles favorisent la gestion active et les placements à contre-courant. Sa liste de surveillance s’est allongée, et il peut maintenant suivre des sociétés qui présentaient déjà un intérêt, mais qui étaient peut-être trop chères pour justifier un achat; il s’intéresse plus particulièrement aux sociétés qui sont actuellement en difficulté, mais qui ont des bilans sains et des liquidités enviables, si bien qu’elles redeviendront rentables d’ici un an ou deux.

Date : 30 avril 2020

Matt Siddle, portfolio manager of Fidelity Europe Fund, is encouraged by the decreasing number of cases of COVID-19 in Europe as a result of the lockdown, and recent developments in the countries that were hit hardest, but are now able to begin to return to work. Right now, Matt is looking for good businesses with attractive returns and strong balance sheets. He doesn’t consider himself to be an aggressive growth manager, but is still looking for good-quality companies with attractive valuations. In the short term, he believes we will see more volatility; however, his long-term outlook is very positive.

Recorded on May 15, 2020.

Portfolio manager Ramona Persaud divides the last four months into three phases. The first phase - before we knew there was a crisis - started back in January when, through the extensive research of Fidelity’s analysts, she was able to sense the possibility of a global pandemic before it developed fully. During the second phase, which Ramona calls the “re-risk” period, it was an incredible time to be an investor. It was a time to “go hard” and buy as much cyclicality as a portfolio could handle, because valuations were on an investor’s side. The third phase, which we are currently making our way through, is a rapid rerating, a tug of war between a great bull case and a great bear case. Phases three returns us to a market that oscillates between hope and fear. Contending with rolling dislocations, investors must be nimble so as not to miss buying or selling opportunities.

Recorded on May 14, 2020.

As the coronavirus pandemic puts traditional business models to the test, portfolio manager Dan Kelley shares his perspectives on how entrepreneurs and founder-led companies in tech and other sectors are adapting. For example, digitization was a trend Dan thought would be a tailwind for the next decade, but having been accelerated by the pandemic and working from home, it has become a theme for the next four to five years, he believes. Dan also believes that once consumer habits and routines switch online, it is unlikely they will go back to traditional operations. The value and convenience of online has been realized, and the companies who have been investing in online infrastructure for years - when others were not - have an advantage.

Recorded on May 13, 2020.

Le gestionnaire de portefeuille Daniel Dupont est notre invité aujourd’hui. M. Dupont, qui avait auparavant adopté une stratégie défensive, donne maintenant aux fonds qu’il gère une orientation offensive et investit pour tirer parti de la baisse des prix. Il explique à l’animateur Charles Danis où il trouve des occasions de placement intéressantes en cette récente période de volatilité des marchés, tout en se concentrant sur ses objectifs à moyen et long terme.

Date : 30 avril 2020

As the fallout from COVID-19 continues to drive market uncertainty, portfolio managers Jeff Moore and Michael Foggin discuss their fixed income market outlook and where turbulence could be creating opportunity for investors. The top three variables Jeff is currently looking at are the support of federal banks, how we exit high volatility, and what role demographics will play. Michael is looking for opportunities with equity market activity and rating agency updates. 

Recorded on May 12, 2020.