March key drivers Despite recent upward trends in new COVID-19 cases in the US and Europe, markets continue to move higher as evidence of the slow reopening of the global economy continues to emerge. For the month, the S&P 500 index gained over 4%, while the Russell 3000 Value index gained over 5%, suggesting the growth to value rotation in the US was picking up. Overall, risk assets...

As noted in our primer piece, The Buzz about Bitcoin, news about cryptocurrency is everywhere, as are stories of fortunes being made. Here, we tackle the question of Bitcoin’s investment merits. We will get into the core investment questions around Bitcoin, but first it’s important for an investor to understand the type of investment something like Bitcoin represents in a portfolio. A...

February key drivers Despite the selloff in global equities towards the end of February, which was sparked by rising interest rates, markets for the most part moved higher during the month. The S&P 500 posted a  gain of over 2.7%, while small cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, gained over 6%, reflecting the optimism of a re-opening of the US economy in the future....

Many developing nations are undergoing significant fundamental changes. Economies that were once dominated by agriculture and low-cost manufacturing are now shifting away from low-cost labor-intensive industries to higher-paying service-oriented ones. As emerging markets economies transition to more sophisticated industries, better jobs are created and more people within the country have an...

This is the first blog in a multi-part series that focuses on cryptocurrency developments. Read part 2: Bitcoin is a phenomenon: But is it a good investment? Bitcoin appeared seemingly out of nowhere, 11 years ago, and has since become the fastest-growing, best-performing asset/currency in the world.[1]  Let’s pull back the curtain and learn more about this phenomenon. A brief history...

As we turn the page on an unprecedented and tumultuous 2020 and start to look at the year ahead, environmental, social and governance (ESG) trends appear poised for a momentous 2021. The principles of ESG should continue to serve as an economic and cultural roadmap for organizations across the globe, and a blueprint for businesses to navigate, adapt and engage with issues that are meaningful...

January key drivers For the most part, global equity markets were lower in January driven by COVID-19 fatigue, the need for additional fiscal stimulus in the US and concerns over extreme valuations. For the month, both the S&P 500 and the MSCI EAFE indexes declined 1%, while the MSCI Emerging Markets Index was up 3%. Small cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, gained 5%,...

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...

March key drivers Despite recent upward trends in new COVID-19 cases in the US and Europe, markets continue to move higher as evidence of the slow reopening of the global economy continues to emerge. For the month, the S&P 500 index gained over 4%, while the Russell 3000 Value index gained over 5%, suggesting the growth to value rotation in the US was picking up. Overall, risk assets...

As noted in our primer piece, The Buzz about Bitcoin, news about cryptocurrency is everywhere, as are stories of fortunes being made. Here, we tackle the question of Bitcoin’s investment merits. We will get into the core investment questions around Bitcoin, but first it’s important for an investor to understand the type of investment something like Bitcoin represents in a portfolio. A...

February key drivers Despite the selloff in global equities towards the end of February, which was sparked by rising interest rates, markets for the most part moved higher during the month. The S&P 500 posted a  gain of over 2.7%, while small cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, gained over 6%, reflecting the optimism of a re-opening of the US economy in the future....

Many developing nations are undergoing significant fundamental changes. Economies that were once dominated by agriculture and low-cost manufacturing are now shifting away from low-cost labor-intensive industries to higher-paying service-oriented ones. As emerging markets economies transition to more sophisticated industries, better jobs are created and more people within the country have an...

This is the first blog in a multi-part series that focuses on cryptocurrency developments. Read part 2: Bitcoin is a phenomenon: But is it a good investment? Bitcoin appeared seemingly out of nowhere, 11 years ago, and has since become the fastest-growing, best-performing asset/currency in the world.[1]  Let’s pull back the curtain and learn more about this phenomenon. A brief history...

As we turn the page on an unprecedented and tumultuous 2020 and start to look at the year ahead, environmental, social and governance (ESG) trends appear poised for a momentous 2021. The principles of ESG should continue to serve as an economic and cultural roadmap for organizations across the globe, and a blueprint for businesses to navigate, adapt and engage with issues that are meaningful...

January key drivers For the most part, global equity markets were lower in January driven by COVID-19 fatigue, the need for additional fiscal stimulus in the US and concerns over extreme valuations. For the month, both the S&P 500 and the MSCI EAFE indexes declined 1%, while the MSCI Emerging Markets Index was up 3%. Small cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, gained 5%,...

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...

March key drivers Despite recent upward trends in new COVID-19 cases in the US and Europe, markets continue to move higher as evidence of the slow reopening of the global economy continues to emerge. For the month, the S&P 500 index gained over 4%, while the Russell 3000 Value index gained over 5%, suggesting the growth to value rotation in the US was picking up. Overall, risk assets...

As noted in our primer piece, The Buzz about Bitcoin, news about cryptocurrency is everywhere, as are stories of fortunes being made. Here, we tackle the question of Bitcoin’s investment merits. We will get into the core investment questions around Bitcoin, but first it’s important for an investor to understand the type of investment something like Bitcoin represents in a portfolio. A...

February key drivers Despite the selloff in global equities towards the end of February, which was sparked by rising interest rates, markets for the most part moved higher during the month. The S&P 500 posted a  gain of over 2.7%, while small cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, gained over 6%, reflecting the optimism of a re-opening of the US economy in the future....

Many developing nations are undergoing significant fundamental changes. Economies that were once dominated by agriculture and low-cost manufacturing are now shifting away from low-cost labor-intensive industries to higher-paying service-oriented ones. As emerging markets economies transition to more sophisticated industries, better jobs are created and more people within the country have an...

This is the first blog in a multi-part series that focuses on cryptocurrency developments. Read part 2: Bitcoin is a phenomenon: But is it a good investment? Bitcoin appeared seemingly out of nowhere, 11 years ago, and has since become the fastest-growing, best-performing asset/currency in the world.[1]  Let’s pull back the curtain and learn more about this phenomenon. A brief history...

As we turn the page on an unprecedented and tumultuous 2020 and start to look at the year ahead, environmental, social and governance (ESG) trends appear poised for a momentous 2021. The principles of ESG should continue to serve as an economic and cultural roadmap for organizations across the globe, and a blueprint for businesses to navigate, adapt and engage with issues that are meaningful...

January key drivers For the most part, global equity markets were lower in January driven by COVID-19 fatigue, the need for additional fiscal stimulus in the US and concerns over extreme valuations. For the month, both the S&P 500 and the MSCI EAFE indexes declined 1%, while the MSCI Emerging Markets Index was up 3%. Small cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, gained 5%,...

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...

March key drivers Despite recent upward trends in new COVID-19 cases in the US and Europe, markets continue to move higher as evidence of the slow reopening of the global economy continues to emerge. For the month, the S&P 500 index gained over 4%, while the Russell 3000 Value index gained over 5%, suggesting the growth to value rotation in the US was picking up. Overall, risk assets...

As noted in our primer piece, The Buzz about Bitcoin, news about cryptocurrency is everywhere, as are stories of fortunes being made. Here, we tackle the question of Bitcoin’s investment merits. We will get into the core investment questions around Bitcoin, but first it’s important for an investor to understand the type of investment something like Bitcoin represents in a portfolio. A...

February key drivers Despite the selloff in global equities towards the end of February, which was sparked by rising interest rates, markets for the most part moved higher during the month. The S&P 500 posted a  gain of over 2.7%, while small cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, gained over 6%, reflecting the optimism of a re-opening of the US economy in the future....

Many developing nations are undergoing significant fundamental changes. Economies that were once dominated by agriculture and low-cost manufacturing are now shifting away from low-cost labor-intensive industries to higher-paying service-oriented ones. As emerging markets economies transition to more sophisticated industries, better jobs are created and more people within the country have an...

This is the first blog in a multi-part series that focuses on cryptocurrency developments. Read part 2: Bitcoin is a phenomenon: But is it a good investment? Bitcoin appeared seemingly out of nowhere, 11 years ago, and has since become the fastest-growing, best-performing asset/currency in the world.[1]  Let’s pull back the curtain and learn more about this phenomenon. A brief history...

As we turn the page on an unprecedented and tumultuous 2020 and start to look at the year ahead, environmental, social and governance (ESG) trends appear poised for a momentous 2021. The principles of ESG should continue to serve as an economic and cultural roadmap for organizations across the globe, and a blueprint for businesses to navigate, adapt and engage with issues that are meaningful...

January key drivers For the most part, global equity markets were lower in January driven by COVID-19 fatigue, the need for additional fiscal stimulus in the US and concerns over extreme valuations. For the month, both the S&P 500 and the MSCI EAFE indexes declined 1%, while the MSCI Emerging Markets Index was up 3%. Small cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, gained 5%,...

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...

March key drivers Despite recent upward trends in new COVID-19 cases in the US and Europe, markets continue to move higher as evidence of the slow reopening of the global economy continues to emerge. For the month, the S&P 500 index gained over 4%, while the Russell 3000 Value index gained over 5%, suggesting the growth to value rotation in the US was picking up. Overall, risk assets...

As noted in our primer piece, The Buzz about Bitcoin, news about cryptocurrency is everywhere, as are stories of fortunes being made. Here, we tackle the question of Bitcoin’s investment merits. We will get into the core investment questions around Bitcoin, but first it’s important for an investor to understand the type of investment something like Bitcoin represents in a portfolio. A...

February key drivers Despite the selloff in global equities towards the end of February, which was sparked by rising interest rates, markets for the most part moved higher during the month. The S&P 500 posted a  gain of over 2.7%, while small cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, gained over 6%, reflecting the optimism of a re-opening of the US economy in the future....

Many developing nations are undergoing significant fundamental changes. Economies that were once dominated by agriculture and low-cost manufacturing are now shifting away from low-cost labor-intensive industries to higher-paying service-oriented ones. As emerging markets economies transition to more sophisticated industries, better jobs are created and more people within the country have an...

This is the first blog in a multi-part series that focuses on cryptocurrency developments. Read part 2: Bitcoin is a phenomenon: But is it a good investment? Bitcoin appeared seemingly out of nowhere, 11 years ago, and has since become the fastest-growing, best-performing asset/currency in the world.[1]  Let’s pull back the curtain and learn more about this phenomenon. A brief history...

As we turn the page on an unprecedented and tumultuous 2020 and start to look at the year ahead, environmental, social and governance (ESG) trends appear poised for a momentous 2021. The principles of ESG should continue to serve as an economic and cultural roadmap for organizations across the globe, and a blueprint for businesses to navigate, adapt and engage with issues that are meaningful...

January key drivers For the most part, global equity markets were lower in January driven by COVID-19 fatigue, the need for additional fiscal stimulus in the US and concerns over extreme valuations. For the month, both the S&P 500 and the MSCI EAFE indexes declined 1%, while the MSCI Emerging Markets Index was up 3%. Small cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, gained 5%,...

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...

March key drivers Despite recent upward trends in new COVID-19 cases in the US and Europe, markets continue to move higher as evidence of the slow reopening of the global economy continues to emerge. For the month, the S&P 500 index gained over 4%, while the Russell 3000 Value index gained over 5%, suggesting the growth to value rotation in the US was picking up. Overall, risk assets...

As noted in our primer piece, The Buzz about Bitcoin, news about cryptocurrency is everywhere, as are stories of fortunes being made. Here, we tackle the question of Bitcoin’s investment merits. We will get into the core investment questions around Bitcoin, but first it’s important for an investor to understand the type of investment something like Bitcoin represents in a portfolio. A...

February key drivers Despite the selloff in global equities towards the end of February, which was sparked by rising interest rates, markets for the most part moved higher during the month. The S&P 500 posted a  gain of over 2.7%, while small cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, gained over 6%, reflecting the optimism of a re-opening of the US economy in the future....

Many developing nations are undergoing significant fundamental changes. Economies that were once dominated by agriculture and low-cost manufacturing are now shifting away from low-cost labor-intensive industries to higher-paying service-oriented ones. As emerging markets economies transition to more sophisticated industries, better jobs are created and more people within the country have an...

This is the first blog in a multi-part series that focuses on cryptocurrency developments. Read part 2: Bitcoin is a phenomenon: But is it a good investment? Bitcoin appeared seemingly out of nowhere, 11 years ago, and has since become the fastest-growing, best-performing asset/currency in the world.[1]  Let’s pull back the curtain and learn more about this phenomenon. A brief history...

As we turn the page on an unprecedented and tumultuous 2020 and start to look at the year ahead, environmental, social and governance (ESG) trends appear poised for a momentous 2021. The principles of ESG should continue to serve as an economic and cultural roadmap for organizations across the globe, and a blueprint for businesses to navigate, adapt and engage with issues that are meaningful...

January key drivers For the most part, global equity markets were lower in January driven by COVID-19 fatigue, the need for additional fiscal stimulus in the US and concerns over extreme valuations. For the month, both the S&P 500 and the MSCI EAFE indexes declined 1%, while the MSCI Emerging Markets Index was up 3%. Small cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, gained 5%,...

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...

March key drivers Despite recent upward trends in new COVID-19 cases in the US and Europe, markets continue to move higher as evidence of the slow reopening of the global economy continues to emerge. For the month, the S&P 500 index gained over 4%, while the Russell 3000 Value index gained over 5%, suggesting the growth to value rotation in the US was picking up. Overall, risk assets...

As noted in our primer piece, The Buzz about Bitcoin, news about cryptocurrency is everywhere, as are stories of fortunes being made. Here, we tackle the question of Bitcoin’s investment merits. We will get into the core investment questions around Bitcoin, but first it’s important for an investor to understand the type of investment something like Bitcoin represents in a portfolio. A...

February key drivers Despite the selloff in global equities towards the end of February, which was sparked by rising interest rates, markets for the most part moved higher during the month. The S&P 500 posted a  gain of over 2.7%, while small cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, gained over 6%, reflecting the optimism of a re-opening of the US economy in the future....

Many developing nations are undergoing significant fundamental changes. Economies that were once dominated by agriculture and low-cost manufacturing are now shifting away from low-cost labor-intensive industries to higher-paying service-oriented ones. As emerging markets economies transition to more sophisticated industries, better jobs are created and more people within the country have an...

This is the first blog in a multi-part series that focuses on cryptocurrency developments. Read part 2: Bitcoin is a phenomenon: But is it a good investment? Bitcoin appeared seemingly out of nowhere, 11 years ago, and has since become the fastest-growing, best-performing asset/currency in the world.[1]  Let’s pull back the curtain and learn more about this phenomenon. A brief history...

As we turn the page on an unprecedented and tumultuous 2020 and start to look at the year ahead, environmental, social and governance (ESG) trends appear poised for a momentous 2021. The principles of ESG should continue to serve as an economic and cultural roadmap for organizations across the globe, and a blueprint for businesses to navigate, adapt and engage with issues that are meaningful...

January key drivers For the most part, global equity markets were lower in January driven by COVID-19 fatigue, the need for additional fiscal stimulus in the US and concerns over extreme valuations. For the month, both the S&P 500 and the MSCI EAFE indexes declined 1%, while the MSCI Emerging Markets Index was up 3%. Small cap stocks, as measured by the Russell 2000 index, gained 5%,...

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...