The Living Market Podcast

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.

Making sense of the market’s post-election reaction

IG Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Strategist, Philip Petursson discusses the most important things to understand to make sense of the market’s reaction to the U.S. election results. He explains how the post-election period has historically been a favourable time for the stock market, and how tax cuts, trade tariffs and futures are likely to pan out. He also provides three key take-aways around equity performance, long bond yields and U.S./Canadian dollar valuations.

How to be tax smart with your donations

The end of the year is often a time when investors think about ways to minimize next year’s tax bill, says IG Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Strategist, Philip Petursson. In this special edition of the podcast, Philip and his guest, IG’s Aurèle Courcelles, Assistant Vice-President, Tax and Estate Planning, explain how to make tax-efficient charitable donations. Aurèle discusses how to reduce your tax bill with in-kind donations, life insurance donations and charitable foundations.

Will this jumbo rate cut be followed by more?

Canadian consumers have been in need of some serious interest rate relief, says IG Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Strategist, Philip Petursson, and the Bank of Canada gave them just that this week, with a half-a-percentage-point rate cut. While this came as little surprise (markets had been pricing in this rate cut for a couple of weeks) it was still very welcome. Philip explains what this will mean for mortgage holders, the loonie and the economy, and what kind of cuts we might expect going forward.

How tariffs could damage the U.S. economy

If elected, Donald Trump is promising to impose higher tariffs on imports from China and other countries, says Ashish Utarid, Assistant Vice-President, Investment Strategy at IG Wealth Management. Tariffs are designed to protect domestic industries, incentivize change in foreign countries and generate revenue for the U.S. federal government. However, as Ashish explains, there are several negative side effects to tariffs that could have a significant impact on the U.S. economy in 2025.  

Will the Bank of Canada surprise with a high rate cut?

In the Bank of Canada’s (BoC) next meeting, a larger-than-previously-expected rate cut of 0.5 percentage points is likely, says Pierre-Benoît Gauthier, Vice-President, Investment Strategy at IG Wealth Management. Given that inflation has been tamed (it’s now down to 2% — or 0.5% if you cut out shelter costs) and the economy has stalled in the last couple of years, it makes sense that the BoC will surprise us with a larger rate cut. Pierre-Benoît explains what this will mean for investors.

Signs of optimism from the third quarter

In his review of the third quarter of the year, IG Wealth Management’s Chief Investment Strategist, Philip Petursson delves into the reasons behind investors’ growing enthusiasm for higher-risk investments. He also gives an overview of the quarter’s highlights, including Canadian, European and (finally) U.S. central banks cutting interest rates (having won the battle with inflation); the shift to supporting weakening labour markets; the effects of Chinese stimulus measures; and the likely impact of the upcoming American elections.