Dave Paterson’s Top Funds Report is published on a monthly basis and highlights the best funds that were reviewed in the past month. This is an invaluable tool that provides you with indepth, expert analysis on a wide range of mutual funds and ETFs.
You can browse through our previous editions below. You can also view our recent Mutual Fund Reviews here.
If there is a fund that you would like to see reviewed in a future edition, please send your request to feedback@paterson-associates.ca.
Top Funds Report – September 2014
Download the PDF Version of this report Markets Higher in August Except for Japan and Asia, all equity markets higher. Bonds rally on accommodative central banks and geopolitical uncertainty August was another strong month for investors, as most markets ended in positive territory. The exception was the MSCI EAFE Index, which was lower by 0.4% in Canadian dollar terms as Asian Pacific markets, specifically Japan were lower. Bonds were higher as the combination of accommodative central banks and increasing geopolitical uncertainty...
read moreTop Funds Report – August 2014
Download the PDF Version of this report Markets Mixed in July Geopolitical tensions and profit taking combine for a mixed month. If July only had thirty days, it would have been a pretty decent month in the global equity markets. Unfortunately, there are 31 days in July, and the last day was not kind to investors. A wave of selling took hold, driving markets lower, and taking a largely positive month across the board, and turning it into a mixed bag. The S&P/TSX Composite gained 1.4% on the month, despite a 1.25% decline on...
read moreTop Funds Report – July 2014
Download the PDF Version of this report Investors Rewarded with Strong Gains With recent run-ups, equities look ready for a pause. The first half of the year was profitable, with most investors seeing modest gains. Canadian equities led the way with the S&P/TSX Composite Index gaining nearly 13%, handily outpacing most other developed markets, thanks to an impressive rebound in the energy and materials sectors. The Bank of Canada is in a rather tricky position. They would like to start moving rates higher to help stem the...
read moreTop Funds Report – June 2014
Download the PDF Version of this report Canadian Equities Modestly Lower Global equities and bonds rally higher on central bank actions. Both equities and bonds rallied higher in May, rewarding investors with positive returns. One notable exception were Canadian equities, which were weaker, dropping 0.3% in the month thanks to a selloff in the resource sector. With tensions between the Ukraine and Russia easing, many commodities sold off, bringing the energy and materials sectors with them. Fortunately the big banks posted a solid round of...
read moreTop Funds Report – May 2014
Download the PDF Version of this report Canadian Equities Lead the Way Second quarter starts much like the first ended – bonds higher, global equities mixed. After a solid first quarter, April offered a bit of everything for investors. Fixed income and Canadian equities provided modest gains, while global equities were mixed. Directionless economic data combined with modest inflation pressures helped push bond yields lower in the month. The yield on the benchmark Government of Canada ten year bond ended the month at...
read moreTop Funds Report – April 2014
Download the PDF Version of this report Canadian Markets Shine on Gold Rebound Political tensions push gold and commodities higher, Canadian equities benefit. With political tensions heightened after Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula, gold and other safe haven assets experienced a rise in the first quarter of the year. This certainly helped the Canadian equity markets, which saw the S&P/TSX Composite Index rise by more than 6%. Small and mid-caps were even stronger, gaining nearly 8%. Global markets were also largely...
read moreTop Funds Report – March 2014
Download the PDF Version of This Report Despite February Gains, Outlook Uncertain Tension between Russia and the West, and conflicting central banks cloud near term forecast.. While markets were strong in February, the near term outlook does not look quite as favourable. There are a number of troubling situations that have been capturing investor attention of late. They include: Russian Annexation of Crimea In February, an uprising in the Ukraine resulted in Russian forces seizing control of the Crimea region. In March, a referendum...
read moreTop Funds Report – February 2014
Download the PDF Version of This Report Equities Mixed as Bonds Rally Higher Uncertainty around emerging markets and strength of economy weighs on sentiment. January was a bumpy ride for investors with global equity markets mixed. In Canada, a strong rebound from the gold sector helped the S&P/TSX Composite Index gain 0.82% for the month. Global markets didn’t fare quite as well, as the S&P 500 lost 3.46% in U.S. dollar terms while the MSCI EAFE Index dropped by more than 4%. For Canadian investors, these losses were turned into...
read moreTop Funds Report – January 2014
Download the PDF Version of This Report The Best of 2013 With 2013 now just a memory, let’s take a look at the highlights of the year that was. Health Care Equity In the past two years, healthcare has risen by more than 80%. While there are a number of reasons to remain positive on the sector, the recent run-up causes me some concern and I would expect that we will likely see some sort of correction soon. If you have held health care in your portfolio for any length of time, you may want to consider taking some profits, to...
read moreTop Funds Report – December 2013
Download the PDF Version of this Report Global markets continue their march higher Investors remain optimistic amid improving economic data. Global equity markets rallied higher for the third month in a row, with the U.S. leading the way with a broad based rally. The S&P 500 gained more than 3% in U.S. dollar terms on an improving global economy. Factor in a weakening Canadian dollar and the gains were even higher for Canadian investors, with the S&P 500 returning nearly 5% in Canadian dollar terms European markets were also higher in...
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