Today on the show, we welcome Portfolio Manager Maxime Lemieux. He discusses the Canadian equity markets and provides an update on Fidelity True North® Fund. Max goes over the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical disagreements, as well as the recovery process for the market. There have notably been tensions regarding Eastern Europe and the Middle East over shipping lanes and retailers in North America, and disruptions within those lanes have driven up costs for some goods. The recovery for many business cycles has been sluggish with a significant downturn in various sectors, and thanks to varied conditions across these sectors it has been difficult to establish clear trend lines within them. Max also provides his strategic investment approach, mentioning the importance of selectivity when investing in telecom companies because of potential rate and cost cuts. He also advocates for a barbell strategy, balancing defensive companies that have strong balance sheets with more growth-oriented investments.

Recorded on March 26th, 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.

Hello and welcome to Fidelity Connects – a Fidelity Investments Canada podcast – connecting you to the world of investing and helping you stay ahead. Today on the show, we welcome Portfolio Manager David Way. He outlines the portfolio benefits of liquid alternatives and Fidelity Long/Short Alternative Fund. Dave explains that this fund acts as a source of daily liquidity for investors to access investments beyond fixed income and equity. He believes that it can be a core holding for equity exposure and is meant to deliver attractive and absolute returns relative to other equity alternatives. The short side of the portfolio allows for more conviction and putting more power behind the long side, and has done well for protecting capital during periods of market drawdowns. Dave also discusses the Canadian economy, reinforcing that Canada is a much more indebted country than the US and faces significant interest resets. The oil prices are relatively healthy at the moment with a growing demand for copper, although the country still lags behind other economies in terms of productivity.

Recorded on March 27, 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 show, we welcome Portfolio Manager Jeff Moore. He brings his unique perspectives on what the market is expecting, scenarios you may want to plan for, and how he is positioning multi-sector fixed income portfolios for your clients. Jeff explains that the Federal Reserve's emphasis on "nowcasting" instead of forecasting suggests their confidence regarding current trends and perceived inflation control. Short term market reactions may be influenced by the Fed's projections, although longer term segments of the yield curve such as 10s and 30s will likely remain unaffected.  Current yields are still perceived as a favourable entry point for bonds. This especially applies to government bonds as they offer compelling total yields amidst stable inflation expectations and present potential opportunities for investors.

Recorded on March 18th, 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.

Joining us on the program for his weekly look at the markets is Director of Global Macro Jurrien Timmer.  Today Jurrien discusses inflation rates, a bullish outlook on the market, and Fed rate cuts. Jurrien says the stickiness of inflation continues. Hoping the rate would go down to 2% but 3 is now the new 2. What this in turn means is that the Fed could still cut rates, but it will probably cut less this year. Jurrien says the Fed could cut rates in June, but with the election season close don’t get your hopes up. As the Fed maintains its restrictive stance, warranting caution, Jurrien says the market appears resilient and is broadening. Markets adapt to Fed's reduced rate-cutting expectations and there is bullishness in the market as well. A type of cyclical bull market, Jurrien argues. 89% of stocks are above their 200-day and looking back historically bull market duration ranges from seven to 18 months, with a median of 30. As always Jurrien will be sharing his charts, so please head to @TimmerFidelity on X to follow along.

Recorded on April 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.

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 show, we welcome Portfolio Manager Steve DuFour. He gives us a look at the US equities on his radar, and how he determines which companies to invest in. Steve describes how the market is currently presenting several investable themes, which signals a favourable time for investors to explore those potential opportunities. Steve says artificial intelligence and the transition to electric vehicles are gaining prominence. The reshoring trend is being observed across multiple industries, and continues to evolve as companies reassess their supply chain strategies and make investments in facilities closer to home. Steve provides an overview U.S. Focused stock fund strategy, explaining that the fund follows a concentrated investment approach with a portfolio consisting of under 40 names. It focuses on identifying long-term investable trends amidst short-term market fluctuations, and leans towards companies exhibiting strong earnings growth compared to the market.

Recorded on March 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 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.

Joining us on the program today is Head of Quantitative Index Solutions, Bobby Barnes. Bobby discusses factors shaping today’s markets, AI, rate cuts, and much more. Bobby explains how there is a broadening of the stock market. Market is top-heavy with large stocks, leading to underperformance for most stocks. He adds it’s important to have active management and concentrate on stock picking. For him, he believes the focus should be on the twelve to eighteen-month horizon. Bobby also touches on the significance of AI on market dynamics.  He says AI is a theme to pay close attention to as it could potentially be a major factor at the stock level. Earnings are coming through right now for companies that are selling AI solutions. He adds the broadening out of the market and AI are connected. Turning to factor investing, he says things haven’t changed – what worked last year is working year-to-date. Bobby says drivers to follow are change in the cost of money, availability of money, consumer’s excess savings/consumer spending. He notes once the Fed cuts, you will not want to be in growth, quality, or momentum. 

Recorded on March 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.

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 show, we welcome long-time dividend investor Ramona Persaud. Ramona touches upon volatility, compound growth, and of course, her dividend investing strategy. Ramona explains how her investment strategy works with in a volatile market environment. She says she focuses on key pillars including excess return or alpha, downside protection and a reasonable level of income. Ramona says she’s currently looking at the markets with an open mind. She alludes that there may be a perception of a de-risked economy due to factors like inflation and supply chain issues. She adds, interest rates will most likely not go as high or as low post global financial crisis, but rather in between. When rates are high, this is good for value and great for economically sensitive stocks. Ramona believes there is a potential for a more stock-picking market where skilled picking can drive differentiation and success. She notes how dividend stocks have changed and evolved due to an increase in companies paying dividends. Historically, financials were the main dividend payers but have shifted over time. Ramona stresses the Importance of Active Management. Passive dividend strategies may not provide the desired volatility reduction. So for her, she advocates for an active and intentional approach to dividend investing.

Recorded on March 12, 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.

For today’s podcast, we’re excited to bring you an episode of our new “Behind the Numbers” series. In “Behind the Numbers”, Chris Pepper, VP, Corporate Affairs, speaks with Fidelity’s portfolio managers, analysts, subject matter experts, and more, about what brought them into investing and what drives them every day. Stacie Ware, quantitative analyst in Fidelity’s Merrimack, New Hampshire, fixed income team, is today’s guest. Stacie shares her intriguing background and life she lead before joining Fidelity.

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 show, we welcome Michelle Munro, director of tax and retirement research. She discusses the importance of women in wealth management, including how women view money and how advisors can better connect with their female clients. Michelle describes today’s female investor as well educated, active in the workforce, earning their own money and contributing to the household finances. The influence of women in financial decision making has seen a substantial increase, and we see more women in executive roles and starting their own businesses in the current landscape. Michelle explains that women view financial concerns somewhat differently than men, particularly in terms of retirement and personal outlook. Women are more goal-oriented in terms of investing, connect emotional well-being with financial stability, and must prepare for more years of retirement thanks to higher life expectancy. It is important for advisors to cater to their female clients, partially because while men are starting to transition to a “do it yourself” investing approach, women statistically still want advice from advisors.

Recorded on March 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 show, we welcome Portfolio Manager Sri Tella. He discusses his outlook for Canada’s bond markets, and the opportunities for fixed income following the latest Bank of Canada interest rate announcement. Sri notes that the BoC hinted at concerns regarding inflation, contributing to the uncertainty surrounding rate cut decisions. Shelter in particular is expected to contribute roughly 50% to inflation over this year. There were no indications of rate cuts given to the market, and some cuts have been priced out of the market which suggests a potential delay in the magnitude of future cuts. Sri also outlines the bond market sectors that he now sees as most attractive. Provincial bonds, securitized products and the energy sector are currently favored due to factors such as historical valuations, short duration combined with high spreads, and stability respectively. 

Recorded on March 7, 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.