Today on the show, Director of Global Macro Jurrien Timmer  covers recent market trends, Q4, earnings, P/E ratios and the Fed. In terms of a soft landing, inflation and the Fed Jurrien explains the market has been betting on a soft landing, and so far, this has been correct. And he adds several pillars support the soft-landing thesis.  During COVID, the labor market tightened significantly, with job openings outweighing job seekers at historic levels. Despite a subsequent softening in labor market conditions, the drawdown in excess labor demand has not led to a recession. This drawdown, combined with a decrease in inflation, allows for an economic softening without a recession. Jurrien says despite the influence of inflation, the fundamentals remain solid, indicating overall resilience in the market. In the US, wage growth now surpasses inflation, which is a positive development for consumers. Jurrien also speaks about Bitcoin and gold saying that he doesn’t believe the bitcoin rally will continue but does see it a viable asset in the long-term. As always, Jurrien shares his charts so please go to @TimmerFidelity on Twitter to follow along. And don’t forget Fidelity Canada’s VP of Product Andrew Clee will be back for his second Reddit AMA talking all about bitcoin and his thoughts on the markets. Submit your questions by March 20th and Andrew will answer them on March 21st.

Recorded on March 11, 2024.

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