Top Funds Report – March 2019
The market rally that started in January kept on rolling through February with all major markets ending the month higher. The S&P 500 gained 3.2% in U.S. dollar terms, while the MSCI EAFE Index rose by 2.6%.
Read MoreTop Funds Report – June 2018
Download a PDF Copy of this report Markets gain in the merry month of May But equity indices likely to remain rangebound as volatility becomes the new normal … May started out nicely for equity investors as markets rallied higher on stronger corporate earnings and rising oil prices. Over the course of the month, the volatility that we had seen in February, March, and April...
Read MoreTop Funds Report – May 2018
Download a PDF Copy of this report Stocks positive but yield concerns loom Rising inflation rates and geopolitical tensions could create headwinds… The stock market volatility that characterized trading in February and March continued through most of April. Geopolitical headlines dominated the news, with the growing prospect of a trade war between the U.S. and China, as well...
Read MoreTop Funds Report – January 2018
Download a PDF Copy of this report Review and Outlook for 2018 Scorecard on last year’s outlook, plus a look at what’s in store for the next 12 months. Last year around this same time, in my annual outlook commentary, I said that the biggest threat to the markets was valuation. Back then, the S&P 500 was trading at 21.3 times earnings and 17.6 times forward earnings. I noted...
Read MoreTop Funds Report – August 2017
July was a continuation of June, with bonds down on worries over higher interest rates, and equity market were mixed with a stronger Canadian dollar acting as a further headwind
July saw Bank of Canada Governor Steven Poloz pull the trigger, pushing the Bank’s key overnight lending rate higher by 0.25%. This move has sent yields up, with the yield on the Canada five-year bond move from 1.38% on June 30, to 1.65% on July 31. There was similar movement across the yield curve, with the Canada ten-year moving from 1.75% to 2.06%, and the long bond moved from 2.13% to 2.47%. This rise in yields pushed bond prices lower, with the long end of the curve taking most of the damage.
Read MoreTop Funds Report – March 2017
Download a PDF Copy of this report February sees some calm return to markets Equities around the globe move higher, volatility touches multi-year lows. Valuations remain a concern… February was a good month for investors, with gains across the board. Equity markets were the big winners, with the foreign markets leading the way. The S&P 500 rose by nearly 4% in U.S. dollar...
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