Today on the program, we welcome Evan Zehnal, Equity Research Analyst and Vishal Chopra, Equity Research Associate. They discuss the impact of macroeconomic factors on the tech sector, and highlight the challenges and opportunities amid economic uncertainties. Vishal covers Canadian technology and healthcare sectors, including software, hardware, pharmaceuticals, and med-tech companies. Evan focuses on innovative technologies within US software, cybersecurity, and internet sectors. They deep dive into AI and its impact on the tech sector, employment, and remote work. Evan discusses how AI enhances software development processes and user interactions through natural language processing including coding, iteration, testing, and user interface design. They touch on the challenges in chip supply and tech spending adding that global chip supply constraints affect capital spending, but anticipation of increased investment arises as supply challenges ease – this is driven by AI demand and private firms innovating with AI.  

Recorded on February 16, 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 innovative and trusted investment portfolios to help them reach their financial and life goals. Fidelity mutual funds and ETFs are available by working with a financial advisor or through an online brokerage account. Visit fidelity.ca/howtobuy for more information.

Today we welcome back Director of Global Macro Jurrien Timmer for his weekly perspective on the markets. Jurrien discusses his outlook on equity risk premium, small caps, emerging markets, fed policy and many more. Jurrien comments on current market dynamic shifts saying the transition from the late-cycle to the mid-cycle is evident, characterized by robust earnings rebound and an ongoing soft-landing phase, which bolsters bullish market sentiment. He adds new bull markets are typically driven by valuation initially, with prices advancing ahead of earnings, which then follow in subsequent quarters. Jurrien touches on ERP – equity risk premium. Analyzing the current market scenario, the market is currently trading at around 21 times forward earnings, indicating a relatively high valuation. This low ERP suggests heightened market sentiment and valuation, with the market anticipating future earnings expansion. But it also indicates a limited margin for error in the market's pricing, leaving it vulnerable to economic downturns or unforeseen shocks.

Recorded on March 4, 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 innovative and trusted investment portfolios to help them reach their financial and life goals. Fidelity mutual funds and ETFs are available by working with a financial advisor or through an online brokerage account. Visit fidelity.ca/howtobuy for more information.

Today on the program, we welcome director of ETFs Andrei Bruno. Andrei highlights the launch of Fidelity’s All-Equity ETFs, how it focuses on strategic rationale and market timing, plus the future potential of the products amid the backdrop of economic conditions. Andrei says the All-Equity ETFs were launched in order to build on the success of the existing all-in-one product suite and leverage the power of the factor ETFs suite. It also addresses client and advisor feedback by offering a solution that packages factor ETFs for regional equity exposure. Andrei adds the ETFs are designed as "active in design, but passive in implementation," offering a strategic asset allocation approach to maintain diversification over the investment cycle.

Recorded on February 15, 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 innovative and trusted investment portfolios to help them reach their financial and life goals. Fidelity mutual funds and ETFs are available by working with a financial advisor or through an online brokerage account. Visit fidelity.ca/howtobuy for more information.

Today on the show, we welcome Portfolio Manager Adam Kramer and Institutional Portfolio Manager Scott Mensi. They discuss their tactical approach to fixed income investing, and where they are finding new investment opportunities in today’s markets. Adam and Scott provide a tactical high income portfolio overview, explaining that the fund intends to provide a level of income that exceeds that of traditional balanced funds. It also allows investors to identify the most promising risk-adjusted opportunities by leaving asset allocation decisions to an experienced team, making it a favourable structure for investors today. Kramer and Mensi say there are areas within the marketplace that are attractive which include opportunities in high-yield bonds, convertible bonds, foreign bank debt and floating rate preferred shares. There is also potential in various equity sectors such as large-cap dividend players in the energy and gold mining industries, in addition to a few value names in small and mid-cap sectors. The importance of both proper income-to-risk matching and seeking assets with favourable risk-reward profiles are emphasized when looking for opportunities.

The podcast was recorded on February 12th, 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 innovative and trusted investment portfolios to help them reach their financial and life goals. Fidelity mutual funds and ETFs are available by working with a financial advisor or through an online brokerage account. Visit fidelity.ca/howtobuy for more information.

Today on the show, we welcome Brett Dley, Portfolio Manager of the Fidelity Market Neutral Alternative Fund. He explains how a long/short investing strategy may be successful in periods of volatility, and where he sees opportunities in 2024. Brett describes market-neutral alternative funds as an equity-based fund without any correlation to separate underlying assets. It operates by concurrently buying one stock and shortening another to maintain a net exposure of zero, and engages in approximately 35 to 40 pair trades. This allows it to create long and short positions to focus on stock-specific differences. Brett discusses the fund’s role for investors approaching retirement and its emphasis on reducing portfolio volatility. He adds by incorporating an investment with lower volatility, investors can potentially navigate market fluctuations more comfortably and prevent impulsive selling decisions during downturns. He also says in the current macro environment, the fund is specifically deployed in response to market conditions and is positioned to mitigate potential downside in a frothy market.

Recorded on February 1, 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 innovative and trusted investment portfolios to help them reach their financial and life goals. Fidelity mutual funds and ETFs are available by working with a financial advisor or through an online brokerage account. Visit fidelity.ca/howtobuy for more information.

Today on the show, we welcome Portfolio Manager Michael Plage to share his perspectives on today’s fixed income markets, and provide an update on Fidelity Multi-Sector Bond Fund. Michael gives us a quick fixed income overview, explaining that the diversification between stocks and bonds has been surprisingly positive, but likely will not last due to the Fed’s actions. Negative correlation between stocks and bonds can be detected through events like the regional bank crisis or geopolitical tensions, but this trend is believed to be advantageous in a few ways. It benefits bond portfolios during shocks to the equity market, and will be helpful to the bond market and holders of bonds within diversified portfolios. Michael believes mortgage-backed securities and corporate bonds are essential to the portfolio strategy, stating that agency mortgages constitute around 30% of the US investment-grade bond market. Currently multi-sector bonds are not particularly favoured due to tight trading and negative convexity, although certain areas within asset-backed securities like aircraft securitization have appeal. 

Recorded on February 9th, 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 innovative and trusted investment portfolios to help them reach their financial and life goals. Fidelity mutual funds and ETFs are available by working with a financial advisor or through an online brokerage account. Visit fidelity.ca/howtobuy for more information.

Today on the show, we welcome Investment Director Catherine Yeung. She provides an update on China’s recent growth, trade relations and the impact of regulatory and policy changes. Catherine says the Chinese government’s current focus is implementing a pragmatic policy which should maintain growth that is moderate yet robust. Catherine also reflects on critics calling China an “aging society”. She says there is prioritized shift in its growth dynamics, transitioning from high-quantity to high-quality with an expectation of maintaining a 4.5 to 5% growth rate. The emphasis is on innovation to drive growth in strategic sectors and move beyond traditional manufacturing.

Recorded February 8, 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 innovative and trusted investment portfolios to help them reach their financial and life goals. Fidelity mutual funds and ETFs are available by working with a financial advisor or through an online brokerage account. Visit fidelity.ca/howtobuy for more information.

For the third year in a row, FidelityConnects by Fidelity Investments Canada was ranked the #1 podcast by Canadian financial advisors in the 2023 Environics’ Advisor Digital Experience Study.

Today on the program we welcome Director of Global Macro Jurrien Timmer for his weekly commentary on the markets and what macro themes are moving the markets. In this episode Jurrien talks about bitcoin, valuation versus growth, earnings and the tech bubble. Jurrien talks about bitcoin’s endurance and uniqueness and its maturity. He touches on the impact of tech companies and says this tech bubble doesn’t resemble bubbles of the past. In the early 70s and late 90s, the premium of the top 50 stocks over the bottom 450 in terms of P/E ratio was close to 100%. In other words, the P/E was twice as high on those stocks. Today we are at 30%In terms of inflation Jurrien says there are concerns reaching the 2% target. Looking at long-term inflation rate of change, the 5-year rate has gone from 2 to 3, but to reach the 2% mark, year-over-year marks must dip below 2 to reach that target.

Recorded on February 26, 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 innovative and trusted investment portfolios to help them reach their financial and life goals. Fidelity mutual funds and ETFs are available by working with a financial advisor or through an online brokerage account. Visit fidelity.ca/howtobuy for more information.

For the third year in a row, FidelityConnects by Fidelity Investments Canada was ranked the #1 podcast by Canadian financial advisors in the 2023 Environics’ Advisor Digital Experience Study.