Invested Newsletter
INVESTED: July Edition
Good morning! Discover the latest trends and insights in this month’s Invested newsletter! Viewpoint Investment Partners Co-Founder Mac Van Wielingen shares powerful takeaways from his recent Business Council of Alberta speech. Learn how to maximize your multi-year donations with insights from the Viewpoint Foundation. Plus, explore Canada’s shifting economy in this month’s Trend Watch, as […]
From the Desk of Our CIO
Gold Rush 2024: Geopolitical Shifts Provoke Central Bank Buying
While it hasn’t had the splashiest of headlines like cocoa, coffee, or copper this year, gold has been putting together a solid rally over the course of 2024, with front-month roll-adjusted futures up +19.1% to July 17th. One of the most interesting things about the rally has been that it’s happening at the same […]
Invested Newsletter
INVESTED: June Edition
Dive into the latest trends and insights in this month’s Invested newsletter! Viewpoint CCO Paula Sexsmith explores Canada’s T+1 settlement rule, while trust-based philanthropy is revolutionizing charitable giving. We also explore shifts in Canada’s financial and energy sectors and gain insights from Viewpoint CIO Scott Smith on the risk parity framework. Happy reading! VIEWPOINT SPOTLIGHT […]
Research Roundup
Unlocking the Potential of Direct Commodities in Real Asset Funds
In the ever-evolving landscape of real asset investments, fund managers seek strategies to enhance portfolio resilience and performance. A compelling opportunity lies in the strategic allocation to direct commodities. This approach offers several advantages that align closely with the objectives of real asset funds, particularly those aiming for robust inflation protection, liquidity management, and diversification. […]
From the Desk of Our CIO
Frexit Fears Spark Investor Anxiety
Global equity markets have powered higher for the first half of 2024, gaining ground on strong margin growth and the prospect of declining inflationary pressures. The U.S. equity market has been a stand-out, increasing by +19.8% in CAD terms, brushing off geopolitical concerns and any uncertainty around the upcoming U.S. election in November. While election […]
From the Desk of Our CIO
Dairy Dilemma: Bird Flu Outbreak Sends Milk Markets into a Churn
If you thought the current macroeconomic landscape wasn’t interesting enough (e.g., ongoing geopolitical conflicts, election uncertainty, etc.), we can now add an influenza outbreak to the 2024 bingo card. In late March of this year, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) detected an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI H5N1), known informally as […]
From the Desk of Our CIO
Doubling Down: CPI Crowds Fed Decision Day
Inflation data and the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) interest rate decisions are arguably two of the biggest announcements on the recurring economic calendar, with employment data rounding out the “big three.” The monthly inflation report for the U.S. has only coincided with the Fed’s interest rate announcement 13 times since 2008, so it’s a rare occurrence […]
From the Desk of Our CIO
Is the Juice Worth the Squeeze: Extreme Weather Underpins the OJ Rally
In what continues to be a challenging growing season for certain agricultural commodities, orange juice prices have resumed their upward trend as a combination of disease and extreme weather continue to wreak havoc on orange crops in Brazil. Frozen orange juice prices are up +32% so far this year, as excessive heat during the key […]
From the Desk of Our CIO
Two to Tango: Choreographing the BoC & Fed’s Monetary Policy Moves
About a month ago, I wrote a brief note pondering if it was time to start getting back to benchmark duration weights in U.S. fixed income portfolios. The rationale for why it is too early to be extending duration is due to U.S. monetary policy being in a balancing feedback loop, which is the basis […]