Generation ETFs

Each year, Horizons ETFs hosts the Biggest Winner: an ETF simulated trading competition that allows eligible Canadian investors to learn about trading in a virtually risk-free environment while competing for real cash prizes. Now in its 12th year, the Biggest Winner is offering a total of $21,000 in cash prizes and weekly draws. On this episode of Generation ETFs, Horizons ETFs' Executive Vice President of ETF Strategy, Mark Noble, is joined by ETF writer Tony Dong, as well as Biggest Winner 11 Champion James Lindhe to discuss ETF trading strategies, how this competition compares to managing a real life portfolio, as well as tips for Biggest Winner participants.

Despite volatility across most asset classes, gold offered stable and positive returns in 2022. Now in 2023, with a possible recession, rising interest rates and increased purchases by central banks, could there be more glittering good news for gold on the horizon? Horizons ETFs' Portfolio Manager Nick Piquard joins the Generation ETFs podcast to discuss the outlook for gold for the year ahead, why geopolitical concerns could increase the use case for the precious metal and how investors can potentially generate yield and earn income on their gold-focused investments.

Not since the 1970s have we seen a year as bad for global markets as 2022. Could 2023 have even more bad news in store for Canadian investors? Candice Bangsund, Vice President and Portfolio Manager with Fiera Capital’s Global Asset Allocation team, joins Mark Noble, Executive Vice President at Horizons ETFs to discuss central banks’ escalating fight against inflation, the resilience of the labour market and why she thinks cash will remain king as we head into what could be a deeper recession than the markets are expecting right now.

Oil and natural gas – two of the world’s most important commodities – have been in the spotlight since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia, a major exporter of natural gas to Europe, has wielded the fuel as a weapon, seeking to place pressure on the European bloc by restricting supply. Meanwhile, OPEC has also throttled crude oil production, prompting outcry from the Biden Administration. With the destruction of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, could Europe be facing a  “Cold Winter”? Will crude oil supply inflate prices again, prompting pain at the pumps for consumers? Dan Payne, Managing Director, Energy, National Bank of Canada joins Horizons ETFs’ Nick Piquard to discuss what could be in store for oil and gas markets this winter and into 2023, how Canada factors into the equation and how the growing electric vehicle and ESG factors are impacting the future outlook for these hot commodities.

In August 2022, President Biden signed the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act into law, paving the way for more than $50 billion in investments and subsidies in domestic semiconductor research, development and manufacturing. Semiconductors – considered by some to be the “new oil” – are an essential resource for electronics and increasingly, global economies like the United States and China are approaching their semiconductor policy as being critical to their national security and economic independence. National Bank Investments’ Geopolitical Analyst Angelo Katsoras once again joins Mark Noble, Executive Vice President, ETF Strategy at Horizons ETFs to discuss the latest update in the global semiconductor sector, how the new national subsidies could boost the sector and how the worsening relationships between the U.S., China, Taiwan and other semiconductor manufacturing countries could impact supply and demand in the years to come.

There’s a lot to be said about the state of the Canadian economy. While consumers are feeling the brunt of inflation, geopolitical pressures and surging commodity demand are giving the federal government more room to spend. Tight labour conditions and the prospect of cooling real estate demand are also impacting the national picture. Warren Lovely, Managing Director with National Bank Financial, serving as chief rates and public sector strategist within the firm’s highly regarded Economics and Strategy group, joins the Generations ETFs podcast to take the temperature of Canada’s economic health, what indicators investors should be paying attention to, and how Canadians can prepare themselves for the road ahead.

With record inflation, a possible recession looming, volatility plaguing equities and persisting weakness in bonds, how can investors “immunize” their portfolios against the threats and challenges of today’s marketplace? Mark Noble, Executive Vice President of ETF Strategy at Horizons ETFs is joined by Srikanth Iyer, Managing Director and head of i3 Investments of Guardian Capital to discuss how a dividend-focused strategy – with lessons from Warren Buffet – can help investors avoid the traps of high-flying stocks while outpacing inflation through attractive dividend income strategies. Mark and Srikanth cover how rate hikes, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the lessons of previous decades are informing the economic cycle right now and how advisors and investors can tactically incorporate data, artificial intelligence and ETFs to give their portfolios a needed booster shot against what’s ailing the investment landscape today.