Insight is Capital™ Podcast

Candice Bangsund, Vice-President, Portfolio Manager of Global Asset Allocation at Fiera Capital joins us for a wide ranging discussion about both fixed income and equity markets, the nature of global monetary policy and central bank stimulus. We talk about where the opportunity set is for investors. Valuations are high in both equity and fixed income markets, and investment income is at an historic low. We talk about where investors can rebalance their portfolios for both higher income, as...

Our wide-ranging conversations with Brian Wesbury, Chief Market Economist, at First Trust Portfolios, where we discuss the state of the U.S. economy, the consequences of the COVID-19 lockdown, what empirical data says about the true state of affairs. Recently, Wesbury has been quoted as saying "The recession is over," and we discuss what he meant by that. Show notes: • What is your background? • What are some of your most remarkable findings during this pandemic period? • There's never...

Our conversation with Hans Albrecht and Nicolas Piquard, portfolio managers at Horizons ETFs. In this wide ranging discussion, we discuss markets and market conditions, investor economics, (low) bond yields and (low and threatened) dividend yields. We go in-depth on the misunderstood opportunity of covered call writing as an overlay equity investing strategy, that is available via covered call ETFs, that produce a sustainable, tax efficient, high monthly income for every-day investors...

Our conversation with Steve Hawkins, President and CEO, Horizons ETFs, we discuss markets, trends, and why cash balances shouldn't be a drag on investing, which led his firm to launch two new cash management ETFs. HSAV, launched earlier this year, and HSUV.U, launched more recently, solve some of the perennial problems of cash balances, earning nearly zero-interest, which are a drag on returns and revenue, sitting in investment accounts. Transcript

Risk Parity is the answer: What was the question?Adam and Pierre focus their discussion on diversification as a combination of "diversity" and "balance". Diversity is about holding investments that are designed to thrive in very different market environments, and for different reasons. Balance has the objective of ensuring that investments are all able to express their unique personalities. Risk parity is the ultimate expression of diversification. Sadly, many investors are misguided about...

Brooke Thackray is an expert on seasonal investing, a research analyst for Horizons ETFs, and sub-advisor of the Horizons Seasonal Rotation ETF (Ticker: HAC). He is also the author of 9 books and guides on the subject. Full transcript

Our conversation with Resolve Asset Management's Mike Philbrick and Rodrigo Gordillo. We discuss how in little more than 10 weeks we have gone from "What's going on with the market? Is the world ending?" to "What's going on with the market? Why isn't the world ending?" Investors have a second chance now in the midst of the COVID-19 shutdown shock, the biggest single economic event of our lifetimes, to revisit their portfolio construction, and to reconstruct their portfolios so as to capture...

Michael Greenberg, Vice-President and Portfolio Manager, at Franklin Templeton Multi-Asset Solutions joins us to talk about his perspective on COVID-19 shocked markets, and his outlook on markets, behavioural finance, rebalancing, and opportunities. Full transcript

Our conversation with Hubert Marleau, Market Economist, Palos Management, about macro, micro, and mini-micro market and economic considerations in the present and his clear-eyed expectations of what the future holds, post-COVID-19.

Our conversation with Judy Paradi and Paulette Filion, partners at StrategyMarketing.ca, and co-authors of the terrific new book, “Invest in HER, The Smart Financial Advisor’s Guide to Winning Female Clients.” According to numerous studies, women are on course to control about half of all accumulated wealth in Canada within the next decade. The financial industry, though, which remains dominated by males, has been slow to evolve in light of this extraordinary socio-economic trend. This...

Our conversation with Capital Markets Strategist, Guy Haselmann, on COVID-19's market, economic and social shock, and contemplating what the exit from the economic shutdown may look like, and how it may reshape things.

Sandy Liang, Portfolio Manager of the Purpose Credit Opportunities Fund, Purpose Investments shares his expert critique on the differences and similarities between the 2008 and 2020 Bond and Credit Market Crisis. In our conversation, Sandy Liang provides valuable insight on how the credit market works, his fund's defensive posture going into the drawdown, and the correction/opportunity set that has revealed itself.

Mark Noble, EVP, Horizons ETFs, and Head of ETF Strategy joins us for this in-depth conversation. We explore some controversial long-time questions about ETFs, equity and fixed income markets liquidity in the context of the high-speed COVID-19 pandemic market panic, in this honest discussion about whether or not ETFs have been a blessing or a curse to capital markets. Transcript (coming soon)

David Picton, President and Portfolio Manager, Picton Mahoney Asset Management, joined us at the CETFA Mindpath ETF Conference. The lifespan and sustainability of the 60/40 portfolio has been a subject great debate as both equity and bond markets ascend the late end of this market cycle. Investors are facing high equity valuations, low dividend yields, and low bond yields. Risk is rising, while expectations of future returns from both equities and bonds get cut. In this enlightening...

Daniel Straus, Vice President, Head of ETF Research and Strategy, at National Bank Financial, joined us for an insightful conversation about the the trends that are shaping the retail investment advice landscape in Canada. Canada, birthplace of the first ETF (turning 30 in 2020), is also now the world leader in development and adoption of actively managed ETFs. We talk about the fundamental reason and differences that have enabled the Canadian market to foster financial innovation. It's...

Rodrigo Gordillo and Mike Philbrick, co-founders of Resolve Asset Management contend that it's time to get comfortable being uncomfortable. We're late in the cycle, bond yields are at lows, equity valuations are very high, and that means long term investment returns from the conventional 60/40 equity bond portfolio have a high probability of being lower than expected, and that near-term downside risk is proportionately higher. When your clients think about risk they most often recall or...

We recently sat down with Som Seif, Founder and CEO of Purpose Investments, to catch up with him on markets and strategy. In this episode, we discuss the Fed's about face on interest rates, and what it may mean for investors. But more relevant in this conversation was the angle of discussion on where and how investors/advisors may posiition fixed income and equities for total return in the acutely uncertain period we find ourselves in. Conventional bond investing are now a high risk, low...

Dan Richards, CEO, Client Insights, joined us at the CETFA Mindpath ETF 2018 Conference, to talk about how advisors need to excel in terms of the value that they provide to clients. The level of scrutiny that investors are putting on what they're getting for what they're paying is intensified, and will continue to intensify. Many advisors are locked in the past to some extent, and there is also a degree of not looking at the cost/value concern from the investor's point of view. Dan...

Goshka Folda, President & CEO, Investor Economics, and Global Head of Research, Strategic Insight, chatted with us at the 2018 Mindpath CETFA ETF Conference to discuss her research firm's findings of what it will take for advisors to remain the advisor of choice, to be irreplaceable, in the future, as the nature of the investment business evolves, as a result of the convergence of AI, Fintech, and the proliferation of ETFs. On an increasing basis, advisors are facing mounting pressure as...

Jason Del Vicario is a discretionary portfolio manager at Hillside Wealth Management (operating within Holliswealth/IA Securities) in Vancouver, BC. Jason's experience is varied, however, not unlike that of many Canadian advisors. Over the course of his career, and as a result of key decisions, he evolved into the discretionary fee-based portfolio manager he always envisioned being. Many advisors entered the financial advice business with a vision of how that would look, what it would be to...