BMO ETFs: Views from the Desk

The past week has seen more positive vaccine news, but also a stalemate in US stimulus talks – tempering markets with both confidence and caution. In this episode, Alfred Lee, Chris McHaney and Kevin Prins examine the forces at play and offer a range of income and growth solutions while they wait for the fog to clear. They also discuss the new index changes to select BMO ETFs, which guarantee larg...

As equity markets sway according to daily news and macroeconomic trends, investors have a choice to manage the volatility – or gain from it. In today’s podcast, Alfred Lee, Chris Heakes and Mark Raes zone in on VIX-proofing the portfolio with innovative strategies that generate income, such as covered calls. And looking at the long-term, our experts also make the case for gold and preferred shares...

After a streak of good news – including three potential vaccines, the Biden transition and several well-received cabinet appointments – is it finally time for investors to stop playing defense? In today’s podcast, Mark Raes, Alfred Lee and Chris Heakes discuss tactical positions that are hard to ignore in the current rally. In particular, our experts provide insights on Small-cap and Value ETFs th...

The past week has seen ground-breaking news in the fight against the pandemic, and the markets are cheering on. For Advisors considering whether to capture those vaccine-inspired gains, our experts, Mark Raes, Alfred Lee and Chris McHaney, have one piece of advice – stay the course on defensive growth. In this podcast, we hear the benefits of Quality ETFs and Government Bonds as reliable bets, whi...

Despite lingering uncertainty over the US election, markets broke to new highs this week as Pfizer announced a vaccine that is 90% effective for treating COVID-19. Some sectors rallied, other lagged behind – and the factor reversal was historic. For help sorting the wheat from the chaff, Mark Raes, Chris Heakes and Matt Montemurro discuss which ETF strategies are poised for success in this tumultu...

Since the market crash in the spring 2020, equity indexes have recovered to record highs. However, the gains have been concentrated in “new economy” companies, leaving banks, energy and REITs trailing behind. As the year-end approaches, Danielle Neziol and Alfred Lee outline Tax-Loss Harvesting strategies to leverage on these underperforming sectors, which can help offset taxes payable on the more...

Election day is passed, but the uncertainty is far from over. In today’s timely episode, Brian Belski, Jon Adams and Mark Raes comb through the results and map out strategies for assets across the investment universe.   Mark Raes is the Head of Product at BMO Global Asset Management. He is joined on the podcast by Brian Belski, Chief Investment Strategist at BMO Capital Markets, and Jon Adams, a C...

Mere days away from the U.S. elections, the guessing game is on. Who will win the White House? To weather the storm, Mark Raes, Alfred Lee and Chris Heakes offer a defensive approach that can convert election uncertainty into consistent portfolio returns. Our experts also discuss the Q4 BMO Fixed Income and ETF Guided Strategy Reports, where they make the case for a departure from the traditional...

Canadian banks have historically been a trusted source of yield and growth in client portfolios, generating a total annualized return-to-date of 12% across the past 25 years. Despite this impressive track record, the sector has faced some headwinds in 2020 – a weak economy, low interest rates, soaring loan loss provisions – and valuations look compelling. In this special edition of Deep Dive, Dani...

No matter the outcome of the US election, the emerging theme of volatility is expected to run well into 2021. In today’s episode, Mark Raes, Alfred Lee and Chris McHaney take a broad sweep of de-risking strategies that Advisors can use to get the best returns for their clients. This includes covered calls and option-writing, premium yield and alternative exposure, as well as Real Return Bonds (RRB...

When it comes to striking a balance between growth and safety, investors naturally gravitate toward US exposures. However, with a cloud of uncertainty hovering over our neighbours in the south, where can Canadian investors find their target yield? Listen to Mark Raes, Alfred Lee and Chris Heakes as they provide valuable insights on Quality, with a global tilt, and preferred shares, as favourable b...

Investors who benefitted from this year’s market rally have much to be thankful for, but is it time for a brief pause? The temptation to sell winners and replace them with new opportunities has certainly grown stronger in Q4. To that end, Mark Raes, Chris Heakes and Chris McHaney deliver rebalancing ideas to take back to your client portfolios, focusing on ex-US geographies that offer both safety...

After the chaos of the first U.S. Presidential Debate, the only certainty is that uncertainty lies ahead. With this in mind, Mark Raes, Chris Heakes and Alfred Lee forecast multiple election outcomes, ranging from a Democratic sweep to a continuation of the status quo, providing tactical solutions to help position the portfolio in each scenario. Our experts also offer strategies to “get paid while...

Read the episode summary. Although many investors shy away from Emerging Markets, they do so to their own disadvantage. A truly global portfolio means investing in geographies outside of North America, with growth assets that diversify from traditional U.S. equities. In this special edition of Deep Dive, Danielle Neziol, Product Specialist, BMO Global Asset Management and Chris Heakes, ETF Special...

As implied volatility surges due to political and COVID-related concerns, investors are faced with a dilemma: How should they meet portfolio goals while also managing the heightened downside risk? For answers to this timely question, Mark Raes, Chris Heakes and Matt Montemurro get creative with their ETF recommendations – offering a number of innovative exposures to capture growth and yield, even...

While it is tempting to time to market, the current volatility is anything but predictable. A prudent investing style is required to meet fluctuations across equity valuations, commodity prices and the economy. To this end, Mark Raes, Chris Heakes and Chris McHaney weigh in on multiple market scenarios, with valuable trade ideas to maintain a defensive growth position as the uncertainty plays out....

The season of volatility is upon us, bringing with it a correction that is hard to ignore. However, there’s light at the end of the tunnel, according to Mark Raes, Chris Heakes and Matt Montemurro. In this episode our experts discuss government bonds as a safe haven on the fixed income side of the portfolio, as well as other ways to navigate uncertainty in the market. For greater upside, they also...

The mood of the market is generally stable, but with Fall upon us, the return of volatility may be closer than previously imagined. From tighter spreads in corporate credit, to changes in the Federal Reserve’s policy mandate, the fixed income market is particularly vulnerable to a rise in uncertainty. To that end, Mark Raes, Chris McHaney and Matt Montemurro dig deeper into strategies that support...

With generally positive third-quarter earnings for Canadian banks, the sector received a welcome lift in both market sentiment and outlook. Will U.S. financials similarly surprise to the upside? To answer this question, Mark Raes, Chris Heakes and Chris McHaney offer their insights on how to choose strong satellite positions that complement a core holding of Quality in the portfolio. Our experts a...

Once exclusive to institutional investors, Alternative asset classes are now available across the board. But which “alts” should investors use to complete their portfolios? In this special edition of Deep Dive, Danielle Neziol, Product Specialist, BMO Global Asset Management and Chris Heakes, ETF Specialist and Portfolio Manager, take a sweeping look at ETFs that provide low correlation to the bro...

With a U.S. election on the horizon, investors are seeking income-generating strategies to outlast the market volatility. To that end, our experts take a tour of the BMO ETFs roadmap, identifying the best yield opportunities to help meet your clients’ financial planning needs. Listen in as guest host, Kevin Prins, Managing Director, Head of ETF Managed Accounts Distribution, speaks with Chris Heak...

With markets at pre-COVID levels, and corporate spreads tightening for the fifth consecutive month, some investors are tempted to take profits and move to safer ground. To this end, Mark Raes, Head of Product at BMO Global Asset Management, speaks with Matt Montemurro and Charles Myssie, two ETF Specialists and Portfolio Managers, about the upside potential for gold, bond and quality ETFs – taking...

As tensions run high south of the border, investors may need complementary strategies to ride out the market jitters. To this end, Mark Raes, Chris Heakes and Chris McHaney outline satellite positions that go hand-in-hand with a defensive growth exposure and bring a new dimension to the core holdings such as Quality and Low Volatility ETFs. From call/put options to European equities, U.S. financia...

As prominent tech CEOs appear for anti-trust hearings on Capitol Hill, Mark Raes, Chris McHaney and Matt Montemurro take a deeper look at the likes of Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Google (Alphabet). Are they vulnerable to regulatory risk? Where else should investors look for growth? In this episode, our experts offer insight into the future of Big Tech, as well as trade ideas to cover the breadth a...

Across the pond, the European Union approved an enormous stimulus package for countries still coping with the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the ground breaking step, global markets are expected to remain volatile in the near future. Are there tactical opportunities to be found in the market dislocations? Will European equities catch up with the U.S. stock market? For answers to these timely questi...