Top Funds Report – September 2013
Download the PDF Version of this Report Syria and tapering worry investors Concern over possible military action and outlook for higher yields push equities lower. Investor worries over when the U.S. Federal Reserve would begin tapering its bond buying program re-emerged in August, pushing yields higher. The yield on the benchmark ten year U.S. Treasury bond rose from 2.60% to 2.78%. In Canada,...
Read MoreTop Funds Report – August 2013
Download the PDF Version of this Report Third quarter starts off strong Calmer heads prevail as economic numbers continue to improve. The third quarter started off well with gains in both stocks and bonds. Worries over higher interest rates took a back seat to improving economic fundamentals both at home and abroad. In Canada, the S&P/TSX Composite Index rose by 3.2%, led by...
Read MoreTop Funds Report – July 2013
Download the PDF Version of this Report Fed Fears Continue to Spook Markets Investors sell bonds, equities and commodities in anticipation of the end of QEIII June proved to be a rough month on the markets as traders continued to digest comments from the U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke about the eventual end to the $85 million bond buying program. Many took these comments to...
Read MoreTop Funds Report – June 2013
Download the PDF Version of this Report Bond yields spike higher on Fed fears Investors speculate that Fed will end quantitative easing program sooner than expected Yields on the benchmark ten year government bonds rose on these rumblings, with the Canadian ten year moving from 1.69% to 2.06%, and the U.S. ten year rose to 2.16% from 1.87%. This caused a selloff in the bond markets, with...
Read MoreTop Funds Report – May 2013
Download the PDF Version of this Report Global Markets Rally Sharply Higher Weakness in gold and materials continues to weigh on Canadian equities Global equities continued their impressive streak of gains while Canadian equities were lower thanks to continuing weakness in the materials and energy sectors. The S&P/TSX Composite Index shed 2.07%, while the S&P 500 gained 0.95% in...
Read MoreTop Funds Report – April 2013
The first quarter of 2013 rewarded investors, as global equity markets surged higher. The U.S. led the way with the S&P 500 rising by nearly 13%, finishing at a record high. International equities were also strong, as the MSCI EAFE Index and MSCI World Index rose by 7.4% and 10.1% respectively. Were it not for the rise in the Canadian dollar, these gains would have been even higher.
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