The Living Market Podcast

Emerging markets were seen as a big opportunity: what happened?

Back in 2001, emerging markets (particularly Brazil, Russia, India and China) were recognized as having all the ingredients to be attractive investment opportunities. But recently, emerging markets have underperformed. Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist for IG Wealth Management, explores why this happened and whether China’s stimulus plans and low valuations can turn it around.

Is the Bank of Canada willing to risk a recession to tame inflation?

Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist for IG Wealth Management, says monetary policy is not an exact science. It’s more like filling a bathtub with hot and cold water to try to reach the perfect temperature. The Bank of Canada’s recent 1% interest rate hike was more like dropping a block of ice into the bathtub. Listen in as Philip discusses whether weaker economic growth may be a side effect of the BoC’s determination to tame inflation.

Recession is on people’s minds – but will it happen?

Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist for IG Wealth Management, says the online search for the word “recession” hit its highest level in 15 years during the week of June 12. Does this mean the U.S. economy is headed for a recession, or are people’s recession fears being stirred up by the media? Listen in as Philip investigates the data that would signal that a recession is imminent.

It’s time to talk about oil

Energy makes up 8% of Canadian GDP and has a big impact on the loonie’s value relative to the U.S. dollar. Host Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist for IG Wealth Management, explores reasons why crude is so high (including high demand, war in Ukraine and capacity limitations), and how this will affect Canada’s energy sector, the S&P/TSX Composite Index and the loonie.

At the half-way point for 2022, where might we go from here?

Host Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist for IG Wealth Management, says he’s not surprised about the evaluation correction, high inflation or the rising interest rate environment. He is, however, surprised by the magnitude of each and suspects that the majority of investors are equally surprised. Listen in as he discusses where we thought we’d be, where we are and where we’re going.

The rule of 20

Host Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist for IG Wealth Management, explains the rule of 20, a way of measuring whether the stock market is over- or undervalued. Listen in as Philip explores how the rule of 20 relates to current market activity, how markets are still considered overvalued (in spite of recent corrections) and the role that inflation plays in all of this.

Focus on what the Bank of Canada is doing and less on what they are saying.

The Bank of Canada’s decision to raise its benchmark interest rate to 1.5% came as no surprise, says host Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist for IG Wealth Management. Its claim that it was willing to act more forcefully was more surprising. Listen in to find out why Philip believes further hikes may not be needed, given that inflation growth may peak in the summer.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a mailroom for the equity markets?

While at a previous organization, host Philip Petursson (Chief Investment Strategist for IG Wealth Management) became aware that the mailroom was the hub for the company’s day-to-day information. If Philip wanted to know what was going on in the organization, he’d ask his friend in the mailroom. Listen in as Philip explains how corporate bonds can act like the equity markets’ mailroom.

Could economists today be fixated on the half-empty glass of the economy?

A 2018 IMF research paper concluded that economists tend to miss predicting recessions, just as they tend to miss strong economic booms. Yet recessions don’t just happen out of the blue, they’ve historically been preceded by certain economic conditions. Listen in as Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist for IG Wealth Management, discusses which economic conditions he pays attention to.

Could we be watching the real-time evolutionary process of the loonie?

“I’m not talking about the beloved lake loon of cottage country, rather the Canadian dollar, which should be soaring alongside the price of oil, but seems to have lost its wings. What is happening to the loonie?” asks host Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist for IG Wealth Management. He explains how the traditional correlations between the loonie and the U.S. dollar seem to be broken and discusses the other factors now at play. Listen to find out where he thinks the dollar is headed, as Philip navigates The Living Market.