Global Thinking

It is now abundantly clear that last year was a hinge moment in history. The world of tomorrow will resemble nothing of what we see today.

"All life is a process of breaking down, but the blows that do the dramatic side of the work…don't show their effect all at once." Great American author F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote in an essay for Esquire. The writer was referring to his personal challenges during the mid-1930s. But the observation could have applied to the global economy moving into 2022: we are only getting early glimpses of how transformational the pandemic has been. Full impacts are still to be seen.

In this Part 1 episode Rob sit's down with Tyler to review, and grade the team, on our 2022 Super Trends which were published in December of 2021. Tune in to hear how our views played out during a transformative year and which trends continue to unfold in our Part 2 episode.

Links are below to read the entire article, don't forget to subscribe to Global Thinking podcast and emails.

Forstrong Super Trends 2022: World in Transition

1. A Pandemic Reboot
2. A Clunk Transition to a Lower Carbon Future
3. China No Longer a Deflationary Force Upon the World
4. Canada: Stuck in the Middle
5. Breaking Up Big Tech
6. Policy Makers Fighting the Last War
7. Global Inflation: The Force Has Awakened

A special thank you to our partners and clients for joining us on this journey. It is a distinct privilege to steward your financial futures.

In this summer edition of the Global Thinking Podcast, Rob Duncan sits down with Forstrong's CEO and CIO, Tyler Mordy, to discuss the most topical macro issues moving markets today.

-Is the global economy in a recession or headed for one

-Has inflation peaked or will it be more persistent

-Why every bear market leads to a change in leadership

-What are the investment implications

To read more or subscribe to Forstrong's Global Insights, please visit Forstrong Global Thinking Insights.

For those who have been hiding under a rock the last 6 months, global markets are in uncharted territory. In the face of slowing economic growth and surging inflation, central banks are increasing interest rates at levels not seen in over 30 years. How have markets responded? Global equity and bond markets have plunged deep into negative double-digit territory, an outcome not seen in over 70 years of recorded history. So where to from here? As the sugar high from a surging tech boom fades and interest rates begin to normalize, opportunities are emerging globally. Consumption is still growing. The labour market remains robust. Capital Expenditure is positive. And yields are becoming attractive.

In this episode Rob sits down with the founder of Shaunessy Investment Counsel, and newest member of Forstrong, Terry Shaunessy, to talk about our recent partnership, his history on Bay St., and how ETFs and active asset allocation have helped his clients navigate volatile markets for over 20 years.

It is no surprise the last few months have been jarring for financial markets. The Fed, initially believing price spikes were short-term, were caught in an almost cartoon-like backpedal as inflation instead accelerated to a 40-year high. Now markets are on edge the Fed will tighten too much and short-circuit the economy. Forstrong's Tyler Mordy explains why he expects inflation to moderate and how global risk appetite will continue.

The world has been transfixed by a strange spectacle: a scarcity of nearly everything. It has been a cinematic experience complete with congested shipping lanes, gas shortages and rationed microchips. This kind of drama is entirely unfamiliar a decade after the global financial crisis's chronic oversupply. Now, the gluts of the 2010s are giving way to a far different world.

Welcome to the new shortage economy.

Rob sits down with Forstrong's CIO, Tyler Mordy, to talk investment implications and why this could be a barn burner.

Global stock markets maintain double digit gains year-to-date, but as the recent selloff deepens market pundits continue to point fingers and provide reasons why this is the end. In this podcast we sit down with Forstrong PM, David Kletz, to discuss Evergrande's impact on markets and our recent portfolio rebalance. Not surprisingly, we see the macro environment remaining supportive into year-end.

Viewing the globe, we note a very unusual situation — most likely attributable to the post-Covid rebound. For the first time on record, developed nations have been growing faster than global GDP growth. And global growth is currently faster than that of emerging countries. This must resolve itself in one way or another. What will be the likely outcome? Rob Duncan speaks with Forstrong Portfolio Manager, David Kletz, to discuss their recent rebalance and whether or not the reflationary trade still has room to run.

What happens when the world is cooped up — in some cases against its will — for more than a year? We are now getting answers to this global experiment. To no one's surprise, it turns out many are increasingly unwilling to delay gratification which has sent inflation soaring all around the world. Rob Duncan sits down with Forstrong's CIO, Tyler Mordy, to discuss how the pandemic is creating an inflationary regime shift with lasting impacts few can predict.

Has crypto-mania gone too far? Naysayers have an almost unlimited arsenal of reasons why this bubble will pop and leave investors in a wake of devastation. Citing everything from security issues to regulation, environmental impact to the explosion of offerings, these things should come with a warning label.

In a recent Ask Forstrong, The Cryptocurrency Bug: Catch Me if You Can, our CIO, Tyler Mordy, hammers home these warnings with cold hard facts. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile. Investors have lost billions in fraud and theft. There are now 4000 currency offerings claiming to be the future. And, last but not least, government regulation is cracking down to thwart tax-evaders and black market participants. Warning label firmly attached.

Yet many investors still have burning questions. Will cryptos impact my life and should I care about them? This is a much harder question to answer.

To tackle this question Rob Duncan sits down with Reza Samahin, Portfolio Manager and Professional Engineer, to provide insights into blockchain protocol, currency mining, differences between Bitcoin and Ethereum, smart contracts and decentralized finance.

We made the pivot from cryptocurrencies as the future of fiat to providing a future benefit and financial utility. It wasn't easy and it took 40 minutes, but if you want to impress your friends on your next Zoom call then click the link.

Social media platforms take center stage as rWallStreetBets channels it's Reddit commentary to prop up stocks impacted by the pandemic and targeted by hedge fund short-sellers. In this podcast Rob Duncan sits down with Forstrong's CEO & CIO, Tyler Mordy, to discuss this incredible phenomenon and how situations like this have played out in the past. While it received incredible headlines, investors should focus on what is really driving portfolio returns.