Investments Unplugged

Stagflation — sputtering economic growth coupled with rising inflation. Groovy … okay, not really that groovy. Just what is stagflation and how does it affect the investment world? The Capital Markets Strategy team takes a closer look at this idea and the impact it has, covering things like:

• how current stagflation differs from past stagflation

• employment and wages

• the price of oil as a consumption driver

• interest rates and the U.S. Federal Reserve

• the current inflation model.

Can you dig that?

“Extra! Extra! Economy causing unease for investors!” The media has covered many stories about how economic activity has been less than anticipated to some degree or other. When we look beyond the headings and captions, what do we see? The Capital Markets Strategy team discusses some indicators to consider when trying to read the current markets:

• oil and real estate prices

• 10-year Treasury bond yields

• inflation tapering and interest rates

• debt and credit conditions

… and many more.

Get the full story.

What’s the score on stocks? Are currencies inbounds? Should investors play through or go grab a drink from the 19th hole? Sandy Sanders, Head of U.S. Core Value Equity team at Manulife Investment Management, joins the Capital Markets Strategy team to look at current investment plays and conditions on the field, as well as:

• economic health of Canada and the U.S.

• earnings in cyclical vs staple businesses

• valuation and returns in the technology sector

• U.S. monetary policy

Get ready to listen in. Fore! Batter up! Hut!

Good day, class, and welcome to our back-to-school session. We hope you had a great summer! Join the Capital Markets Strategy team as they lead us in a discussion about what has happened in 2021, so far, and what we might expect in the months ahead. They cover a lot of subjects this year, including:

• fixed-income investments’ lackluster performance

• surprising performance of equity markets

• continuing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic

• valuations and earnings growth

• inflation’s effects on the 10-year Treasury yield.

Notebooks open? Ears ready? Let’s listen.

Equities are up; bonds are down. Stronger economic gains and job growth in the U.S. and Canada seem to show that a recovery is in progress. But what happens next? The Capital Markets Strategy team looks back at the first half of 2021 and peers ahead to where we may be going in second half. They cover things like:

• a possible equity market correction

• increasing interest in emerging markets

• valuation variations

• what prices of commodities like corn, copper, and coffee may indicate

• fixed-income risks and opportunities

… as well as other topics.

And what does all this have to do with inflation … or bears in the forest?

The bond markets don’t sleep, so why should you? The Capital Markets Strategy team is joined by Christopher Chapman and Peter Azzinaro, from the Strategic Income team at Manulife Investment Management, to discuss the activity within the fixed-income investment world. They cover topics like:

• the strategy around risk-adjusted returns

• looking at the bigger picture of the global bond market

• whether inflation is transitory or persistent

• where the 10-year Treasury yield could go from here

• shifting forces that could affect rates.

Listen in … and don’t get caught napping.

Distinguishing between market signals and market noise can help you make good investment decisions. Conrad Dabiet, Senior Managing Director at Manulife Investment Management, offers his insights on managing portfolios and lessons learned over his extensive career, such as:

• the core views and principles of his Value Equity team

• how the team has responded to pandemic-driven volatility

• learning about companies, understanding business, and finding opportunities

• the psychology of buying and selling.

Public investors play two games: an outer one and an inner one. Join Conrad and the Capital Markets Strategy team to find out the difference.

Have emerging markets changed enough to make them worth looking at as a core asset class? Philip Ehrmann, Senior Portfolio Manager at Manulife Investment Management, joins host Philip Petursson to discuss this and other topics related to emerging markets, such as:

• areas of the world that are considered emerging markets

• changes to the sector structure

• how politics can affect their evaluation

• building an emerging markets portfolio

• the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination programs.

And which English football team does Mr. Ehrmann root for? Listen in and he’ll tell you.

You ask — we hear you. The Capital Markets Strategy team loves receiving and responding to your questions. So, each quarter, the team will devote an entire podcast episode to answering the ones you ask most often. In this episode, they discuss topics like:

• Why are long-term bonds down currently?

• Where are yields and inflation headed, and what could it mean for fixed-income investors?

• What can we expect from the energy sector for the rest of this year?

• Are emerging markets still favourable for 2021?

• What’s the potential major market risk for the next 18 to 24 months?

Tune in to hear the team’s responses. And keep your questions coming in.

The 2021 Canadian federal government budget — it’s finally here. But what’s in it? John Natale, Head of Tax, Retirement, and Estate Planning Services at Manulife Investment Management, joins host Philip Petursson to share his thoughts about economic impacts of the 2021 federal budget:

• revenue generation through the “wealth consumption” tax

• affordable chid care effects on the labour force

• whether tax rates may increase

• how the government may pay for the projected deficit

… and other related topics.

And what can you do to minimize your tax burden? Let’s listen in.