February 2020
When Sickness Strikes
Markets started the year with a lift from the phase one trade agreement between the U.S. and China and firming economic signals. However, the backdrop abruptly shifted as the outbreak of the coronavirus dashed hopes for a strong turnaround in global trade and industrial activity. While the long-term impact of…
2020 BC Budget Commentary
Finance Minister Carole James tabled the 2020 British Columbia provincial budget on February 18, 2020. The budget projects surpluses of $227 million for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, $179 million for the 2021-2022 fiscal year and $374 million for the 2022-2023 fiscal year. The following pages are a summary of the…
Expanding the Toolkit
Stock and bond markets have rallied significantly since 2009 when central banks cut interest rates to zero and increased the money supply through quantitative easing programs. More than 10 years later, most of this stimulus is still in place. Traditional balanced portfolios consisting of publicly traded equity and fixed income…