December key drivers As we have seen for much of the latter part of 2020, markets moved higher in December despite the continued surge in the virus and the ongoing impact on the global economy. Boosted  by optimism of “turning the corner” on the virus, the S&P 500 gained close to 4% during the month, while the Russell 2000 Index rose more than 8%. Outside of the US, emerging markets...

The Federal Reserve’s meeting concluded without a major change to policy.  Markets were not anticipating anything as significant as a rate change, but some have been expecting the Fed to extend the maturity profile or the size of its Treasury holdings as a bridge to eventual broad vaccination.  The Fed did give the market guidance on the length of time over which the current asset...

October key drivers A combination of increased uncertainty heading into the November general election combined with a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the US weighed heavily on global equity markets during October. The S&P 500 declined approximately 2.7% in the month, while the MSCI EAFE benchmark fell 4%. The one bright spot during the month was the MSCI Emerging Markets Index...

The views expressed in the blog and podcasts reflect the assessments of the applicable professionals based on current market conditions and other circumstances and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIBC Private Wealth Management. The views expressed here are for informational purposes only and are not intended to endorse, recommend, or favor either political party or any particular...

September key drivers The advance in global equity markets paused in September with the S&P 500 declining more than 3%, NASDAQ down more than 5%, and MSCI EAFE losing more than 2%. Given the surge in equities over the summer leading into September and the fact that September tends to be challenging month for stocks, this pause is not surprising. Headwinds during the month continued to...

The views expressed in the blog and podcasts reflect the assessments of the applicable professionals based on current market conditions and other circumstances and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIBC Private Wealth Management. The views expressed here are for informational purposes only and are not intended to endorse, recommend, or favor either political party or any particular...

Last Wednesday, September 16th, the Federal Reserve held its first scheduled meeting since the adoption of a new policy framework. The framework had been under review for several quarters and a change was expected.  Changes of note Making maximum employment a broad-based goal rather than having policy guided by deviations from maximum employment. In other words, the Fed will...

Big savers who think they are maxing out their 401(k) contributions each year may have a powerful way to contribute even more if their plans offer mega-backdoor Roth options. In 2020, as an account owner, you may be limited to contributing $19,500 to your 401(k) ($26,000 for those age 50 and older) through elective deferrals. However, current regulations generally permit a total of $57,000...

August key drivers Although COVID-19 is still very much impacting the global economy, markets are forward looking and are pricing in a return to growth in 2021. The S&P 500 posted a gain of more than 7% in August, while the MSCI EAFE and MSCI EM indices gained over 5% and 2%, respectively. With interest rates stuck close to 0%, risk assets continue to attract investor capital. Congress...

As the Republican convention winds up, the two parties are presenting a divergent assessment of the current state of the nation, and an even more different vision for the future. With barely two months to go before the election, we assess the state of the race. Former Vice President Joe Biden has a significant, but not insurmountable, lead in national polls (Exhibit 1). Prior to COVID-19 and...

Wind, solar, battery storage and other emerging electrification technologies have been growing rapidly for years, and we believe should have several more decades of steady growth ahead. Several companies and industries will capitalize on this trend. However, we view regulated electric utilities as particularly well-positioned to take advantage of this structural shift over the long term....

Buying a house in another country can be a complicated process with many additional considerations and moving parts that can be difficult to navigate. It is not uncommon for wealth advisors to assist clients with real estate purchases—whether it is to invest in commercial real estate or purchase a second home. More rare, however, is when a client calls and needs help purchasing and closing on...

July key drivers Despite near-term concerns over a spike in COVID-19 cases in the U.S., equity markets continued to rally with the S&P 500 posting gains of over 5% in July, while emerging markets continued to outpace the U.S. gaining nearly 9%, as measured by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. High-yield corporate bonds gained as well in the month as the search for yield kicked in.  ...

Second quarter market overview: U.S. and international equities Following the largest quarterly decline in U.S. markets in twelve years and a brutal first quarter internationally, markets rapidly reversed course in the second quarter. Gains were prompted by massive stimulus packages from central banks around the world, signs that Coronavirus growth was slowing and optimism surrounding progress...

The Fed restated a message of accommodation with very few changes from the one delivered on June 10. Policy Very little was expected from the Fed and not much was delivered.  The target range for federal funds was maintained at 0 to 0.25% and balance sheet expansion will continue at least at the current pace over the coming months.  There was an outside chance that the Fed would...

December key drivers As we have seen for much of the latter part of 2020, markets moved higher in December despite the continued surge in the virus and the ongoing impact on the global economy. Boosted  by optimism of “turning the corner” on the virus, the S&P 500 gained close to 4% during the month, while the Russell 2000 Index rose more than 8%. Outside of the US, emerging markets...

The Federal Reserve’s meeting concluded without a major change to policy.  Markets were not anticipating anything as significant as a rate change, but some have been expecting the Fed to extend the maturity profile or the size of its Treasury holdings as a bridge to eventual broad vaccination.  The Fed did give the market guidance on the length of time over which the current asset...

October key drivers A combination of increased uncertainty heading into the November general election combined with a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the US weighed heavily on global equity markets during October. The S&P 500 declined approximately 2.7% in the month, while the MSCI EAFE benchmark fell 4%. The one bright spot during the month was the MSCI Emerging Markets Index...

The views expressed in the blog and podcasts reflect the assessments of the applicable professionals based on current market conditions and other circumstances and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIBC Private Wealth Management. The views expressed here are for informational purposes only and are not intended to endorse, recommend, or favor either political party or any particular...

September key drivers The advance in global equity markets paused in September with the S&P 500 declining more than 3%, NASDAQ down more than 5%, and MSCI EAFE losing more than 2%. Given the surge in equities over the summer leading into September and the fact that September tends to be challenging month for stocks, this pause is not surprising. Headwinds during the month continued to...

The views expressed in the blog and podcasts reflect the assessments of the applicable professionals based on current market conditions and other circumstances and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIBC Private Wealth Management. The views expressed here are for informational purposes only and are not intended to endorse, recommend, or favor either political party or any particular...

Last Wednesday, September 16th, the Federal Reserve held its first scheduled meeting since the adoption of a new policy framework. The framework had been under review for several quarters and a change was expected.  Changes of note Making maximum employment a broad-based goal rather than having policy guided by deviations from maximum employment. In other words, the Fed will...

Big savers who think they are maxing out their 401(k) contributions each year may have a powerful way to contribute even more if their plans offer mega-backdoor Roth options. In 2020, as an account owner, you may be limited to contributing $19,500 to your 401(k) ($26,000 for those age 50 and older) through elective deferrals. However, current regulations generally permit a total of $57,000...

August key drivers Although COVID-19 is still very much impacting the global economy, markets are forward looking and are pricing in a return to growth in 2021. The S&P 500 posted a gain of more than 7% in August, while the MSCI EAFE and MSCI EM indices gained over 5% and 2%, respectively. With interest rates stuck close to 0%, risk assets continue to attract investor capital. Congress...

As the Republican convention winds up, the two parties are presenting a divergent assessment of the current state of the nation, and an even more different vision for the future. With barely two months to go before the election, we assess the state of the race. Former Vice President Joe Biden has a significant, but not insurmountable, lead in national polls (Exhibit 1). Prior to COVID-19 and...

Wind, solar, battery storage and other emerging electrification technologies have been growing rapidly for years, and we believe should have several more decades of steady growth ahead. Several companies and industries will capitalize on this trend. However, we view regulated electric utilities as particularly well-positioned to take advantage of this structural shift over the long term....

Buying a house in another country can be a complicated process with many additional considerations and moving parts that can be difficult to navigate. It is not uncommon for wealth advisors to assist clients with real estate purchases—whether it is to invest in commercial real estate or purchase a second home. More rare, however, is when a client calls and needs help purchasing and closing on...

July key drivers Despite near-term concerns over a spike in COVID-19 cases in the U.S., equity markets continued to rally with the S&P 500 posting gains of over 5% in July, while emerging markets continued to outpace the U.S. gaining nearly 9%, as measured by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. High-yield corporate bonds gained as well in the month as the search for yield kicked in.  ...

Second quarter market overview: U.S. and international equities Following the largest quarterly decline in U.S. markets in twelve years and a brutal first quarter internationally, markets rapidly reversed course in the second quarter. Gains were prompted by massive stimulus packages from central banks around the world, signs that Coronavirus growth was slowing and optimism surrounding progress...

The Fed restated a message of accommodation with very few changes from the one delivered on June 10. Policy Very little was expected from the Fed and not much was delivered.  The target range for federal funds was maintained at 0 to 0.25% and balance sheet expansion will continue at least at the current pace over the coming months.  There was an outside chance that the Fed would...

December key drivers As we have seen for much of the latter part of 2020, markets moved higher in December despite the continued surge in the virus and the ongoing impact on the global economy. Boosted  by optimism of “turning the corner” on the virus, the S&P 500 gained close to 4% during the month, while the Russell 2000 Index rose more than 8%. Outside of the US, emerging markets...

The Federal Reserve’s meeting concluded without a major change to policy.  Markets were not anticipating anything as significant as a rate change, but some have been expecting the Fed to extend the maturity profile or the size of its Treasury holdings as a bridge to eventual broad vaccination.  The Fed did give the market guidance on the length of time over which the current asset...

October key drivers A combination of increased uncertainty heading into the November general election combined with a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the US weighed heavily on global equity markets during October. The S&P 500 declined approximately 2.7% in the month, while the MSCI EAFE benchmark fell 4%. The one bright spot during the month was the MSCI Emerging Markets Index...

The views expressed in the blog and podcasts reflect the assessments of the applicable professionals based on current market conditions and other circumstances and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIBC Private Wealth Management. The views expressed here are for informational purposes only and are not intended to endorse, recommend, or favor either political party or any particular...

September key drivers The advance in global equity markets paused in September with the S&P 500 declining more than 3%, NASDAQ down more than 5%, and MSCI EAFE losing more than 2%. Given the surge in equities over the summer leading into September and the fact that September tends to be challenging month for stocks, this pause is not surprising. Headwinds during the month continued to...

The views expressed in the blog and podcasts reflect the assessments of the applicable professionals based on current market conditions and other circumstances and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIBC Private Wealth Management. The views expressed here are for informational purposes only and are not intended to endorse, recommend, or favor either political party or any particular...

Last Wednesday, September 16th, the Federal Reserve held its first scheduled meeting since the adoption of a new policy framework. The framework had been under review for several quarters and a change was expected.  Changes of note Making maximum employment a broad-based goal rather than having policy guided by deviations from maximum employment. In other words, the Fed will...

Big savers who think they are maxing out their 401(k) contributions each year may have a powerful way to contribute even more if their plans offer mega-backdoor Roth options. In 2020, as an account owner, you may be limited to contributing $19,500 to your 401(k) ($26,000 for those age 50 and older) through elective deferrals. However, current regulations generally permit a total of $57,000...

August key drivers Although COVID-19 is still very much impacting the global economy, markets are forward looking and are pricing in a return to growth in 2021. The S&P 500 posted a gain of more than 7% in August, while the MSCI EAFE and MSCI EM indices gained over 5% and 2%, respectively. With interest rates stuck close to 0%, risk assets continue to attract investor capital. Congress...

As the Republican convention winds up, the two parties are presenting a divergent assessment of the current state of the nation, and an even more different vision for the future. With barely two months to go before the election, we assess the state of the race. Former Vice President Joe Biden has a significant, but not insurmountable, lead in national polls (Exhibit 1). Prior to COVID-19 and...

Wind, solar, battery storage and other emerging electrification technologies have been growing rapidly for years, and we believe should have several more decades of steady growth ahead. Several companies and industries will capitalize on this trend. However, we view regulated electric utilities as particularly well-positioned to take advantage of this structural shift over the long term....

Buying a house in another country can be a complicated process with many additional considerations and moving parts that can be difficult to navigate. It is not uncommon for wealth advisors to assist clients with real estate purchases—whether it is to invest in commercial real estate or purchase a second home. More rare, however, is when a client calls and needs help purchasing and closing on...

July key drivers Despite near-term concerns over a spike in COVID-19 cases in the U.S., equity markets continued to rally with the S&P 500 posting gains of over 5% in July, while emerging markets continued to outpace the U.S. gaining nearly 9%, as measured by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. High-yield corporate bonds gained as well in the month as the search for yield kicked in.  ...

Second quarter market overview: U.S. and international equities Following the largest quarterly decline in U.S. markets in twelve years and a brutal first quarter internationally, markets rapidly reversed course in the second quarter. Gains were prompted by massive stimulus packages from central banks around the world, signs that Coronavirus growth was slowing and optimism surrounding progress...

The Fed restated a message of accommodation with very few changes from the one delivered on June 10. Policy Very little was expected from the Fed and not much was delivered.  The target range for federal funds was maintained at 0 to 0.25% and balance sheet expansion will continue at least at the current pace over the coming months.  There was an outside chance that the Fed would...

December key drivers As we have seen for much of the latter part of 2020, markets moved higher in December despite the continued surge in the virus and the ongoing impact on the global economy. Boosted  by optimism of “turning the corner” on the virus, the S&P 500 gained close to 4% during the month, while the Russell 2000 Index rose more than 8%. Outside of the US, emerging markets...

The Federal Reserve’s meeting concluded without a major change to policy.  Markets were not anticipating anything as significant as a rate change, but some have been expecting the Fed to extend the maturity profile or the size of its Treasury holdings as a bridge to eventual broad vaccination.  The Fed did give the market guidance on the length of time over which the current asset...

October key drivers A combination of increased uncertainty heading into the November general election combined with a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the US weighed heavily on global equity markets during October. The S&P 500 declined approximately 2.7% in the month, while the MSCI EAFE benchmark fell 4%. The one bright spot during the month was the MSCI Emerging Markets Index...

The views expressed in the blog and podcasts reflect the assessments of the applicable professionals based on current market conditions and other circumstances and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIBC Private Wealth Management. The views expressed here are for informational purposes only and are not intended to endorse, recommend, or favor either political party or any particular...

September key drivers The advance in global equity markets paused in September with the S&P 500 declining more than 3%, NASDAQ down more than 5%, and MSCI EAFE losing more than 2%. Given the surge in equities over the summer leading into September and the fact that September tends to be challenging month for stocks, this pause is not surprising. Headwinds during the month continued to...

The views expressed in the blog and podcasts reflect the assessments of the applicable professionals based on current market conditions and other circumstances and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIBC Private Wealth Management. The views expressed here are for informational purposes only and are not intended to endorse, recommend, or favor either political party or any particular...

Last Wednesday, September 16th, the Federal Reserve held its first scheduled meeting since the adoption of a new policy framework. The framework had been under review for several quarters and a change was expected.  Changes of note Making maximum employment a broad-based goal rather than having policy guided by deviations from maximum employment. In other words, the Fed will...

Big savers who think they are maxing out their 401(k) contributions each year may have a powerful way to contribute even more if their plans offer mega-backdoor Roth options. In 2020, as an account owner, you may be limited to contributing $19,500 to your 401(k) ($26,000 for those age 50 and older) through elective deferrals. However, current regulations generally permit a total of $57,000...

August key drivers Although COVID-19 is still very much impacting the global economy, markets are forward looking and are pricing in a return to growth in 2021. The S&P 500 posted a gain of more than 7% in August, while the MSCI EAFE and MSCI EM indices gained over 5% and 2%, respectively. With interest rates stuck close to 0%, risk assets continue to attract investor capital. Congress...

As the Republican convention winds up, the two parties are presenting a divergent assessment of the current state of the nation, and an even more different vision for the future. With barely two months to go before the election, we assess the state of the race. Former Vice President Joe Biden has a significant, but not insurmountable, lead in national polls (Exhibit 1). Prior to COVID-19 and...

Wind, solar, battery storage and other emerging electrification technologies have been growing rapidly for years, and we believe should have several more decades of steady growth ahead. Several companies and industries will capitalize on this trend. However, we view regulated electric utilities as particularly well-positioned to take advantage of this structural shift over the long term....

Buying a house in another country can be a complicated process with many additional considerations and moving parts that can be difficult to navigate. It is not uncommon for wealth advisors to assist clients with real estate purchases—whether it is to invest in commercial real estate or purchase a second home. More rare, however, is when a client calls and needs help purchasing and closing on...

July key drivers Despite near-term concerns over a spike in COVID-19 cases in the U.S., equity markets continued to rally with the S&P 500 posting gains of over 5% in July, while emerging markets continued to outpace the U.S. gaining nearly 9%, as measured by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. High-yield corporate bonds gained as well in the month as the search for yield kicked in.  ...

Second quarter market overview: U.S. and international equities Following the largest quarterly decline in U.S. markets in twelve years and a brutal first quarter internationally, markets rapidly reversed course in the second quarter. Gains were prompted by massive stimulus packages from central banks around the world, signs that Coronavirus growth was slowing and optimism surrounding progress...

The Fed restated a message of accommodation with very few changes from the one delivered on June 10. Policy Very little was expected from the Fed and not much was delivered.  The target range for federal funds was maintained at 0 to 0.25% and balance sheet expansion will continue at least at the current pace over the coming months.  There was an outside chance that the Fed would...

December key drivers As we have seen for much of the latter part of 2020, markets moved higher in December despite the continued surge in the virus and the ongoing impact on the global economy. Boosted  by optimism of “turning the corner” on the virus, the S&P 500 gained close to 4% during the month, while the Russell 2000 Index rose more than 8%. Outside of the US, emerging markets...

The Federal Reserve’s meeting concluded without a major change to policy.  Markets were not anticipating anything as significant as a rate change, but some have been expecting the Fed to extend the maturity profile or the size of its Treasury holdings as a bridge to eventual broad vaccination.  The Fed did give the market guidance on the length of time over which the current asset...

October key drivers A combination of increased uncertainty heading into the November general election combined with a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the US weighed heavily on global equity markets during October. The S&P 500 declined approximately 2.7% in the month, while the MSCI EAFE benchmark fell 4%. The one bright spot during the month was the MSCI Emerging Markets Index...

The views expressed in the blog and podcasts reflect the assessments of the applicable professionals based on current market conditions and other circumstances and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIBC Private Wealth Management. The views expressed here are for informational purposes only and are not intended to endorse, recommend, or favor either political party or any particular...

September key drivers The advance in global equity markets paused in September with the S&P 500 declining more than 3%, NASDAQ down more than 5%, and MSCI EAFE losing more than 2%. Given the surge in equities over the summer leading into September and the fact that September tends to be challenging month for stocks, this pause is not surprising. Headwinds during the month continued to...

The views expressed in the blog and podcasts reflect the assessments of the applicable professionals based on current market conditions and other circumstances and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIBC Private Wealth Management. The views expressed here are for informational purposes only and are not intended to endorse, recommend, or favor either political party or any particular...

Last Wednesday, September 16th, the Federal Reserve held its first scheduled meeting since the adoption of a new policy framework. The framework had been under review for several quarters and a change was expected.  Changes of note Making maximum employment a broad-based goal rather than having policy guided by deviations from maximum employment. In other words, the Fed will...

Big savers who think they are maxing out their 401(k) contributions each year may have a powerful way to contribute even more if their plans offer mega-backdoor Roth options. In 2020, as an account owner, you may be limited to contributing $19,500 to your 401(k) ($26,000 for those age 50 and older) through elective deferrals. However, current regulations generally permit a total of $57,000...

August key drivers Although COVID-19 is still very much impacting the global economy, markets are forward looking and are pricing in a return to growth in 2021. The S&P 500 posted a gain of more than 7% in August, while the MSCI EAFE and MSCI EM indices gained over 5% and 2%, respectively. With interest rates stuck close to 0%, risk assets continue to attract investor capital. Congress...

As the Republican convention winds up, the two parties are presenting a divergent assessment of the current state of the nation, and an even more different vision for the future. With barely two months to go before the election, we assess the state of the race. Former Vice President Joe Biden has a significant, but not insurmountable, lead in national polls (Exhibit 1). Prior to COVID-19 and...

Wind, solar, battery storage and other emerging electrification technologies have been growing rapidly for years, and we believe should have several more decades of steady growth ahead. Several companies and industries will capitalize on this trend. However, we view regulated electric utilities as particularly well-positioned to take advantage of this structural shift over the long term....

Buying a house in another country can be a complicated process with many additional considerations and moving parts that can be difficult to navigate. It is not uncommon for wealth advisors to assist clients with real estate purchases—whether it is to invest in commercial real estate or purchase a second home. More rare, however, is when a client calls and needs help purchasing and closing on...

July key drivers Despite near-term concerns over a spike in COVID-19 cases in the U.S., equity markets continued to rally with the S&P 500 posting gains of over 5% in July, while emerging markets continued to outpace the U.S. gaining nearly 9%, as measured by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. High-yield corporate bonds gained as well in the month as the search for yield kicked in.  ...

Second quarter market overview: U.S. and international equities Following the largest quarterly decline in U.S. markets in twelve years and a brutal first quarter internationally, markets rapidly reversed course in the second quarter. Gains were prompted by massive stimulus packages from central banks around the world, signs that Coronavirus growth was slowing and optimism surrounding progress...

The Fed restated a message of accommodation with very few changes from the one delivered on June 10. Policy Very little was expected from the Fed and not much was delivered.  The target range for federal funds was maintained at 0 to 0.25% and balance sheet expansion will continue at least at the current pace over the coming months.  There was an outside chance that the Fed would...

December key drivers As we have seen for much of the latter part of 2020, markets moved higher in December despite the continued surge in the virus and the ongoing impact on the global economy. Boosted  by optimism of “turning the corner” on the virus, the S&P 500 gained close to 4% during the month, while the Russell 2000 Index rose more than 8%. Outside of the US, emerging markets...

The Federal Reserve’s meeting concluded without a major change to policy.  Markets were not anticipating anything as significant as a rate change, but some have been expecting the Fed to extend the maturity profile or the size of its Treasury holdings as a bridge to eventual broad vaccination.  The Fed did give the market guidance on the length of time over which the current asset...

October key drivers A combination of increased uncertainty heading into the November general election combined with a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the US weighed heavily on global equity markets during October. The S&P 500 declined approximately 2.7% in the month, while the MSCI EAFE benchmark fell 4%. The one bright spot during the month was the MSCI Emerging Markets Index...

The views expressed in the blog and podcasts reflect the assessments of the applicable professionals based on current market conditions and other circumstances and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIBC Private Wealth Management. The views expressed here are for informational purposes only and are not intended to endorse, recommend, or favor either political party or any particular...

September key drivers The advance in global equity markets paused in September with the S&P 500 declining more than 3%, NASDAQ down more than 5%, and MSCI EAFE losing more than 2%. Given the surge in equities over the summer leading into September and the fact that September tends to be challenging month for stocks, this pause is not surprising. Headwinds during the month continued to...

The views expressed in the blog and podcasts reflect the assessments of the applicable professionals based on current market conditions and other circumstances and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIBC Private Wealth Management. The views expressed here are for informational purposes only and are not intended to endorse, recommend, or favor either political party or any particular...

Last Wednesday, September 16th, the Federal Reserve held its first scheduled meeting since the adoption of a new policy framework. The framework had been under review for several quarters and a change was expected.  Changes of note Making maximum employment a broad-based goal rather than having policy guided by deviations from maximum employment. In other words, the Fed will...

Big savers who think they are maxing out their 401(k) contributions each year may have a powerful way to contribute even more if their plans offer mega-backdoor Roth options. In 2020, as an account owner, you may be limited to contributing $19,500 to your 401(k) ($26,000 for those age 50 and older) through elective deferrals. However, current regulations generally permit a total of $57,000...

August key drivers Although COVID-19 is still very much impacting the global economy, markets are forward looking and are pricing in a return to growth in 2021. The S&P 500 posted a gain of more than 7% in August, while the MSCI EAFE and MSCI EM indices gained over 5% and 2%, respectively. With interest rates stuck close to 0%, risk assets continue to attract investor capital. Congress...

As the Republican convention winds up, the two parties are presenting a divergent assessment of the current state of the nation, and an even more different vision for the future. With barely two months to go before the election, we assess the state of the race. Former Vice President Joe Biden has a significant, but not insurmountable, lead in national polls (Exhibit 1). Prior to COVID-19 and...

Wind, solar, battery storage and other emerging electrification technologies have been growing rapidly for years, and we believe should have several more decades of steady growth ahead. Several companies and industries will capitalize on this trend. However, we view regulated electric utilities as particularly well-positioned to take advantage of this structural shift over the long term....

Buying a house in another country can be a complicated process with many additional considerations and moving parts that can be difficult to navigate. It is not uncommon for wealth advisors to assist clients with real estate purchases—whether it is to invest in commercial real estate or purchase a second home. More rare, however, is when a client calls and needs help purchasing and closing on...

July key drivers Despite near-term concerns over a spike in COVID-19 cases in the U.S., equity markets continued to rally with the S&P 500 posting gains of over 5% in July, while emerging markets continued to outpace the U.S. gaining nearly 9%, as measured by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. High-yield corporate bonds gained as well in the month as the search for yield kicked in.  ...

Second quarter market overview: U.S. and international equities Following the largest quarterly decline in U.S. markets in twelve years and a brutal first quarter internationally, markets rapidly reversed course in the second quarter. Gains were prompted by massive stimulus packages from central banks around the world, signs that Coronavirus growth was slowing and optimism surrounding progress...

The Fed restated a message of accommodation with very few changes from the one delivered on June 10. Policy Very little was expected from the Fed and not much was delivered.  The target range for federal funds was maintained at 0 to 0.25% and balance sheet expansion will continue at least at the current pace over the coming months.  There was an outside chance that the Fed would...

December key drivers As we have seen for much of the latter part of 2020, markets moved higher in December despite the continued surge in the virus and the ongoing impact on the global economy. Boosted  by optimism of “turning the corner” on the virus, the S&P 500 gained close to 4% during the month, while the Russell 2000 Index rose more than 8%. Outside of the US, emerging markets...

The Federal Reserve’s meeting concluded without a major change to policy.  Markets were not anticipating anything as significant as a rate change, but some have been expecting the Fed to extend the maturity profile or the size of its Treasury holdings as a bridge to eventual broad vaccination.  The Fed did give the market guidance on the length of time over which the current asset...

October key drivers A combination of increased uncertainty heading into the November general election combined with a resurgence of COVID-19 cases across the US weighed heavily on global equity markets during October. The S&P 500 declined approximately 2.7% in the month, while the MSCI EAFE benchmark fell 4%. The one bright spot during the month was the MSCI Emerging Markets Index...

The views expressed in the blog and podcasts reflect the assessments of the applicable professionals based on current market conditions and other circumstances and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIBC Private Wealth Management. The views expressed here are for informational purposes only and are not intended to endorse, recommend, or favor either political party or any particular...

September key drivers The advance in global equity markets paused in September with the S&P 500 declining more than 3%, NASDAQ down more than 5%, and MSCI EAFE losing more than 2%. Given the surge in equities over the summer leading into September and the fact that September tends to be challenging month for stocks, this pause is not surprising. Headwinds during the month continued to...

The views expressed in the blog and podcasts reflect the assessments of the applicable professionals based on current market conditions and other circumstances and do not necessarily reflect the views of CIBC Private Wealth Management. The views expressed here are for informational purposes only and are not intended to endorse, recommend, or favor either political party or any particular...

Last Wednesday, September 16th, the Federal Reserve held its first scheduled meeting since the adoption of a new policy framework. The framework had been under review for several quarters and a change was expected.  Changes of note Making maximum employment a broad-based goal rather than having policy guided by deviations from maximum employment. In other words, the Fed will...

Big savers who think they are maxing out their 401(k) contributions each year may have a powerful way to contribute even more if their plans offer mega-backdoor Roth options. In 2020, as an account owner, you may be limited to contributing $19,500 to your 401(k) ($26,000 for those age 50 and older) through elective deferrals. However, current regulations generally permit a total of $57,000...

August key drivers Although COVID-19 is still very much impacting the global economy, markets are forward looking and are pricing in a return to growth in 2021. The S&P 500 posted a gain of more than 7% in August, while the MSCI EAFE and MSCI EM indices gained over 5% and 2%, respectively. With interest rates stuck close to 0%, risk assets continue to attract investor capital. Congress...

As the Republican convention winds up, the two parties are presenting a divergent assessment of the current state of the nation, and an even more different vision for the future. With barely two months to go before the election, we assess the state of the race. Former Vice President Joe Biden has a significant, but not insurmountable, lead in national polls (Exhibit 1). Prior to COVID-19 and...

Wind, solar, battery storage and other emerging electrification technologies have been growing rapidly for years, and we believe should have several more decades of steady growth ahead. Several companies and industries will capitalize on this trend. However, we view regulated electric utilities as particularly well-positioned to take advantage of this structural shift over the long term....

Buying a house in another country can be a complicated process with many additional considerations and moving parts that can be difficult to navigate. It is not uncommon for wealth advisors to assist clients with real estate purchases—whether it is to invest in commercial real estate or purchase a second home. More rare, however, is when a client calls and needs help purchasing and closing on...

July key drivers Despite near-term concerns over a spike in COVID-19 cases in the U.S., equity markets continued to rally with the S&P 500 posting gains of over 5% in July, while emerging markets continued to outpace the U.S. gaining nearly 9%, as measured by the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. High-yield corporate bonds gained as well in the month as the search for yield kicked in.  ...

Second quarter market overview: U.S. and international equities Following the largest quarterly decline in U.S. markets in twelve years and a brutal first quarter internationally, markets rapidly reversed course in the second quarter. Gains were prompted by massive stimulus packages from central banks around the world, signs that Coronavirus growth was slowing and optimism surrounding progress...

The Fed restated a message of accommodation with very few changes from the one delivered on June 10. Policy Very little was expected from the Fed and not much was delivered.  The target range for federal funds was maintained at 0 to 0.25% and balance sheet expansion will continue at least at the current pace over the coming months.  There was an outside chance that the Fed would...