The Living Market Podcast

The changing face of retirement and how to fund it

In this special edition of the podcast, IG Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Strategist, Philip Petursson is joined by Aurèle Courcelles, Vice-President, Tax and Estate Planning at IG, as they discuss the essentials of retirement income. Aurèle explains how it’s important to plan your retirement paycheque in advance and how to work out how much it should be, depending on the kind of retirement you want. He also outlines all the potential sources of retirement income, and how to minimize your retirement tax bill and government clawbacks.

The Trump noise put into perspective

Investors can get caught up in politics, says IG Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Strategist, Philip Petursson, but it’s far more important to focus on current market and economic fundamentals. He gives a breakdown of three key economic truths; a solid U.S. economy, with low unemployment and encouraging growth expectations; forecasts for improved corporate earnings and greater manufacturing; and a realistic investor sentiment that is avoiding over-confidence.

Value investing isn’t dead, it’s just been redefined

There’s a big divide within the investing community as to what value investing is and whether it’s relevant, says IG Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Strategist, Philip Petursson. However, Philip believes that valuation always matters, it just needs redefining. He explains what value investing is, why it’s underperformed recently and which metrics to use to discover value stocks with real potential.  

For once, we take a less balanced approach

To begin the new year, IG Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Strategist, Philip Petursson decides to deviate from his usual balanced approach and go all out with his wildest and most fearless predictions for 2025. Philip offers five possible scenarios, including a Chinese equities renaissance, a boom in mergers and acquisitions, a culling of profitless tech companies and the energy consequences of a continuing surge in AI investment.

Politics adds to the loonie’s woes

The Canadian dollar was struggling even before this week’s political turmoil, says IG Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Strategist, Philip Petursson. A soft economy and the difference in monetary policy between Canada and the U.S. had already pushed the loonie down toward US$0.70. The uncertainty following Chrystia Freeland’s resignation means the loonie is likely to lose even more value. Philip discusses the potential market beneficiaries of such a weakened loonie.

Risks and opportunities: what to watch out for in 2025

There are several risks we should expect to come across in the new year, says IG Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Strategist, Philip Petursson. These include central bank rate cuts (or the lack of them), high valuations, extreme consumer optimism, ongoing geopolitical risks and highly concentrated equities. Philip offers advice on how to protect your portfolio from the volatility that some of these risks could cause, while also taking advantage of the opportunities that they could bring. 

Does the data merit optimism or caution?

November was a surprisingly good month for U.S. equities after a disappointing October, says IG Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Strategist, Philip Petursson. Not only did the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 enjoy the best monthly returns of the year, but they were both outshone by the Russell 2000 (the index of smaller U.S. companies), which saw a monthly increase of 11%, a direct result of euphoria surrounding Trump’s America First agenda. Philip asks, is this performance sustainable, or have markets become complacent, ignoring some persistent risks? 

What does 2025 have in store?

In this special podcast, IG Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Strategist, Philip Petursson presents his economic outlook for the new year. He discusses how growing demand and manufacturing are boosting the global economy, how inflation is likely to develop, the pros and cons of a weak Canadian dollar and diverging central bank policies. Philip also explains how bonds are poised to deliver good long-term returns, which could in turn put pressure on stock prices. He feels that this pressure, along with overly high equity valuations, will make disciplined stock selection even more important.

Domestic U.S. policies put smaller companies in the spotlight

The Forgotten 493 and smaller U.S. companies have been making a comeback since the U.S. elections, says IG Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Strategist, Philip Petursson. These smaller companies derive most of their income from within the U.S. and so are considered more likely to benefit from the American-first policies expected from the incoming government. Philip says that it’s the ideal time to start broadening your exposure by looking beyond the Magnificent Seven (Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Tesla, Nvidia and Meta) and considering smaller U.S. companies.

What’s driving the post-U.S. election wild ride?

Markets have been on a wild ride since the U.S. election results, says Ashish Utarid, Assistant Vice-President, Investment Strategy at IG Wealth Management. The S&P 500 reached a new high, bitcoin mania is back, and credit spreads are reaching levels not seen in over a decade. However, Ashish believes that markets are too eager to price in the benefits while ignoring the risks. He explains the differences in market conditions between the beginning of Trump’s first and second terms, and why he recommends a more cautious approach.