Investments Unplugged

When camping in the woods, the last thing you want to run into is a bear—but if you do, there are things you can do that can help you live through such an encounter. Similarly, when investors face a bear market or the potential for one, there are ways to help protect yourself from being ravaged by a downturn: • Try to overcome your natural panic and fear; don’t run. • Be familiar with the environm...

Despite the lack of evidence, people tend to believe a middle child has certain personality traits and can be difficult to deal with. Investors may think of mid caps in similar ways. Jeff Mo, Portfolio Manager, U.S. Mid Cap Equity at Mawer Investment Management, joins the Capital Markets Strategy team to talk about the benefits that mid caps may provide for your investment portfolio. They cover to...

Seven is often considered a lucky number. But luck doesn’t usually factor into it when talking about recession indicators. The Capital Markets Strategy team discusses whether we’re headed for a recession in the near future by looking closely at seven economic indicators they pay attention to: • 10-2 inverted yield curve • ISM Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index • positive inflationary trends •...

Up … up … up—inflation has been rising, towering like Mount Everest over the economy. In response to this high inflation, on March 16, the U.S. Federal Reserve increased interest rates for the first time in about three years. Our Capital Markets Strategy mountaineers take a look at the path the Fed announcement may be climbing, hiking over areas like: market reactions to the Fed announcement quant...

This month seems to be ending with a bang—literally. The tension between Ukraine and Russia has escalated, which has been affecting market volatility. The Capital Markets Strategy team looks at the global state of affairs through the lenses of historical, political, and investment data, covering topics like: • short-term and long-term effects of geopolitical and military situations • disruptive vs...

Maybe it’s time to take that fixed-income vehicle into the shop for a tune-up? Ace investment mechanics Dan Janis and Tom Goggins, from Manulife Investment Management’s Strategic Income team, join the Capital Markets Strategy team to answer questions around what’s happening in fixed-income markets, including: • Are fixed-income investments still worth holding? • What will the Bank of Canada and th...

Our 2022 road trip has barely gotten underway and equity market volatility already has some investors wondering if they’ve secured their homes before leaving. What does the Capital Markets Strategy team think this recent short-term market weakness is likely being caused by? One word: uncertainty. In this episode, they discuss: • the recent market selloff • what the U.S. Federal Reserve may do with...

The investment journey over the next year may likely include a number of stops along the way, but the Capital Markets Strategy team sees the potential for it to be a scenic and enjoyable route. In this episode, the team looks at a number of important questions to prepare for the coming trip, including: • Is inflation going to rise or fall? • What do historical trends say about growth? • Equities a...

The holiday season is finally here after a year that has had more twists than candy cane stripes. The busy elves in the Capital Markets Strategy workshop take a look back at some of the investment and economic themes of 2021 — some naughty, some nice. They wrap up the year end and tie a ribbon around topics like: • fixed-income returns and the 10-year Treasury yield • equities and credit • inflati...

Stagflation — sputtering economic growth coupled with rising inflation. Groovy … okay, not really that groovy. Just what is stagflation and how does it affect the investment world? The Capital Markets Strategy team takes a closer look at this idea and the impact it has, covering things like: • how current stagflation differs from past stagflation • employment and wages • the price of oil as a cons...

“Extra! Extra! Economy causing unease for investors!” The media has covered many stories about how economic activity has been less than anticipated to some degree or other. When we look beyond the headings and captions, what do we see? The Capital Markets Strategy team discusses some indicators to consider when trying to read the current markets: • oil and real estate prices • 10-year Treasury bon...

What’s the score on stocks? Are currencies inbounds? Should investors play through or go grab a drink from the 19th hole? Sandy Sanders, Head of U.S. Core Value Equity team at Manulife Investment Management, joins the Capital Markets Strategy team to look at current investment plays and conditions on the field, as well as: • economic health of Canada and the U.S. • earnings in cyclical vs staple b...

Good day, class, and welcome to our back-to-school session. We hope you had a great summer! Join the Capital Markets Strategy team as they lead us in a discussion about what has happened in 2021, so far, and what we might expect in the months ahead. They cover a lot of subjects this year, including: • fixed-income investments’ lackluster performance • surprising performance of equity markets • con...

Equities are up; bonds are down. Stronger economic gains and job growth in the U.S. and Canada seem to show that a recovery is in progress. But what happens next? The Capital Markets Strategy team looks back at the first half of 2021 and peers ahead to where we may be going in second half. They cover things like: • a possible equity market correction • increasing interest in emerging markets • val...

The bond markets don’t sleep, so why should you? The Capital Markets Strategy team is joined by Christopher Chapman and Peter Azzinaro, from the Strategic Income team at Manulife Investment Management, to discuss the activity within the fixed-income investment world. They cover topics like: • the strategy around risk-adjusted returns • looking at the bigger picture of the global bond market • whet...

Distinguishing between market signals and market noise can help you make good investment decisions. Conrad Dabiet, Senior Managing Director at Manulife Investment Management, offers his insights on managing portfolios and lessons learned over his extensive career, such as: • the core views and principles of his Value Equity team • how the team has responded to pandemic-driven volatility • learning...

Have emerging markets changed enough to make them worth looking at as a core asset class? Philip Ehrmann, Senior Portfolio Manager at Manulife Investment Management, joins host Philip Petursson to discuss this and other topics related to emerging markets, such as: • areas of the world that are considered emerging markets • changes to the sector structure • how politics can affect their evaluation...

You ask — we hear you. The Capital Markets Strategy team loves receiving and responding to your questions. So, each quarter, the team will devote an entire podcast episode to answering the ones you ask most often. In this episode, they discuss topics like: • Why are long-term bonds down currently? • Where are yields and inflation headed, and what could it mean for fixed-income investors? • What ca...

The 2021 Canadian federal government budget — it’s finally here. But what’s in it? John Natale, Head of Tax, Retirement, and Estate Planning Services at Manulife Investment Management, joins host Philip Petursson to share his thoughts about economic impacts of the 2021 federal budget: • revenue generation through the “wealth consumption” tax • affordable chid care effects on the labour force • whe...

The economy continues to reopen, more people are receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, and the day when the pandemic is no longer a significant part of our lives draws closer. In light of this, the Capital Markets Strategy team discusses their economic outlook at the end of the first quarter of 2021: • Could massive pent-up demand and low inventories affect the economic rebound? • How does monetary and...

Inflation rates — should we be paying attention to them now? And what do they have to do with long-term bond yields? The Capital Markets Strategy team weighs in on several subjects related to inflation and fixed-income investments: • Will inflation increase in 2021? • What do bond yields tell us about the economy? • Where do unemployment, wage pressure, and fiscal stimulus fit into this scenario?...

What happens when a dividend growth strategy is applied to exchange-traded funds (ETFs)? In this episode of Investments Unplugged, Brett Hryb, Head of Beta Management at Manulife Investment Management, joins host Philip Petursson to talk about this and related topics, including: • portfolio building and management • dividend payout ratios • blending active and passive investment strategies • what...

Market corrections happen often. But exactly when they’ll occur, no one can say with any certainty. “Trying to pinpoint why is a fool’s game,” says Philip Petursson. Listen in as Philip and the Capital Markets Strategy team discuss several topics related to market corrections: • What are corrections and why do they happen? • What’s a bear market and how’s it different from a correction? • How can...

What about bonds? Roshan Thiru and Sivan Nair, from the Canadian Fixed Income team at Manulife Investment Management, talk with host Philp Petursson in this episode of Investments Unplugged. They discuss challenges, opportunities, and the outlook for fixed-income investments: • the flexibility of investing in different kinds of bonds • disciplined approaches to strategic and tactical asset allocat...

Join the Capital Markets Strategy team for a lively discussion about what they think could happen in the economy and financial markets through 2021. The team’s energetic exchange covers many possibilities for this year, including: • market returns • inflation and interest rates • oil prices related to the demand for oil • an extension of the 2020 gold rally. Listen in.