FidelityConnects

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.

Today on the program we welcome special guest Lorna Kapusta, Fidelity’s Head of Women & Engagement. Lorna leads female-focused initiatives building experiences, solutions and designing resources to better serve the unique needs of women. Studies have shown women are actually more risk aware when it comes to investing. Women tend to weigh the effort they put in for the money they’ve earned. Lorna highlights how the advisor community should focus on understanding a woman’s approach to money and that the way her decision-making on investments is different than a man. Recognize the possibility that she is trying to achieve several things rather than just one. Studies have also shown women ended up doing well with a holistic approach to financial planning and sometimes on average a little bit better than men. Lorna also discusses what motivates women to invest, what factors go into that, and she highlights Fidelity’s Women Talk Money program that provides women a financial community with live discussions, special guests, and workshops.

Recorded on March 5, 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. Today, Chris catches up with Montreal-based portfolio manager Hugo Lavallée who has had a long career with Fidelity, but only after some initial hurdles getting his foot in the door.

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 Senior Cross-Asset Financial Analyst Lee Sotos. He looks at how the US financials sector is fairing in reaction to interest rates and global trends. Lee explains that the rates towards US Financials and Global Financial Fund are still being held, and that the market has decreased rate cuts this year moving from 6 to 3. The sector is still working towards a soft landing, although that is a difficult goal when unemployment remains high and components such as wage and inflation are engineered by the Federal Reserve. The Fed is currently being careful of the economy that is actively being pushed into a softer time period, where the rates stay higher up for longer. Lee also dives further into the Global Financial Services Fund, stating that its current team is primarily increasing fund payments of major companies like Visa and MasterCard. The team believes this fund is durable enough to keep up with a soft landing or even a no-landing scenario, and that it could have a more balanced approach should the rates go down faster than expected. 

Recorded on March 6, 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.