We're just 3 months past the "Liberation Day" Tariffs and despite initial concerns, the S&P 500 is up 6% and the TSX has gained 10% YTD.

To move beyond the headlines we look at specific economic indicators: US Manufacturing (one of our go-to indicators) is up. But while that is green, other indicators are flashing red, indicating a cautious yet optimistic market sentiment. It's a nuanced scenario we're navigating.

We also discuss interesting insights from a recent article on Canada’s financial industry (link below): bank-employed investment reps face significant pressure to sell products often not in the best interest of clients.

At Tower, we're independent, our duty is first and foremost our clients. Your success is our success, and we strive to build trust through direct, transparent relationships. #marketupdate #economicindicators #investmentmanagement #investmentinsights #clientfirst #financialtransparency

If you have questions, topic ideas or want to discuss your own investments please reach out, we'd love to hear from you.info@towerasset.ca

Bank reps under pressure to sell: https://www.investmentexecutive.com/news/from-the-regulators/bank-reps-under-pressure-to-sell-osc-and-ciro/

Market Recap and Economic Indicators [00:00:00]

Overview of 2025 market performance, key indices, and economic indicators like manufacturing orders, jobless claims, and inflation.

Sector Rotation in Markets [00:02:21]

Shift from tech giants to industrials and how this affects overall market performance.

Bank Sales Pressure Article [00:02:47]

Summary of an article on sales pressure at banks and how it impacts client interests.

Tower’s Independence and Business Model [00:03:46]

Emphasis on Tower’s independence from banks and client-focused investment management.

Co-Investment Philosophy [00:05:32]

Tower partners invest alongside clients, using the same strategies and paying the same fees.

Personalized Client Relationships [00:06:26]

Tower’s direct, personal approach versus distant portfolio managers at banks or brokers.

In this episode, we discuss the current financial market turmoil caused by Trump Administration.

Since the end of March, markets around the world have been in free fall, and the S&P 500 is in a correction by many measures. The reason for the sudden crash is the introduction of substantial tariffs on essentially all imports into the US.

Why is the US changing the way the world trades? Is there a good faith argument for this given the turmoil it's caused? As with any complex issue, the answer is unclear, but we cover the rationale behind tariffs and their potential benefits for U.S. trade relations and Canada's internal trade improvements.

We also discuss what we are doing to manage client portfolios during these challenging times. No one likes to see their portfolio balances go down, it's difficult, but the most important thing is not to panic. Markets cannot go up forever and corrections are inevitable. A dip in the market provides an opportunity for strategic rebalancing, structuring your portfolio for solid growth in the eventual recovery.

If you have questions, topic ideas or want to discuss your own investments please reach out, we'd love to hear from you.info@towerasset.ca

[00:00:00] Market Turmoil Overview

Discussion on the current turmoil in the market due to trade wars and tariffs.

[00:01:31] Impact on Client Accounts

Overview of how accounts are being managed during market fluctuations.

[00:02:10]Understanding Tariff Implications

Analysis of trade imbalances and the potential long-term effects of tariffs.

[ 00:03:23] Opportunities for Canada

Discussion on how tariffs could benefit Canada's interprovincial trade.

[00:04:05] Human Ingenuity in Markets

Emphasis on human creativity in overcoming market challenges.

[00:05:05] Strategic Rebalancing and Deploying Capital

Explanation of the strategy to rebalance client accounts amidst market changes.

[00:06:14] Investment Strategies Overview

Description of three investment strategies: Momentum, Value (Enhanced Index), and Dividend.

In this episode, we delve into the intricacies of our various investment strategies, providing a detailed analysis of their performance and offering valuable insights for investors.

The Canadian Momentum strategy did well in 2024 (~18%) but it did slightly underperform compared to the TSX Total Return index. However, the strategy is still outperforming in the longer 3 and 5 year horizons.

Our Enhanced Index strategies also did well and handily outperformed comparable target risk portfolios developed by Morningstar. This was true for both the Aggressive Growth (80/20) and Growth (65/35) iterations of the strategy. And finally, while it's track record is short at only 4 months, the Canadian High Dividend Strategy is also outperforming its benchmark in year-to-date returns and dividend yield.

We are happy to announce that we will likely be launching a US Momentum Strategy later this year, as our test account outperformed the S&P 500 in 2024. By analyzing two years of daily returns and incorporating a volume adjustment, we've refined our approach to maximize performance.

#momentuminvesting #investing #dividendinvesting #investmentstrategy #dividendyield If you have questions, topic ideas or want to discuss your own investments please reach out, we'd love to hear from you. info@towerasset.ca (00:00:35) Canadian Momentum Strategy Overview Tarek discusses the performance of the Canadian momentum strategy compared to the TSX. (00:02:20) Enhanced Index Strategies Returns Tarek reviews returns of enhanced index strategies and their comparison to Morningstar benchmarks. (00:03:40) New Canadian High Dividend Strategy Tarek discusses the new Canadian High Dividend strategy and its initial performance. (00:04:06) Market Trends in December Tarek explains the market dynamics in December and the impact of the U.S. jobs report. (00:05:24) Testing New U.S. Momentum Strategy Tarek shares insights on testing a new momentum strategy in the U.S. market. (00:06:35) Strategy Development Process Tarek describes the use of data analysis and coding to refine the new momentum strategy. (00:08:36) Future Plans for Strategy Rollout Tarek outlines plans to implement the new strategy adjustments in client accounts.

The election of Donald Trump as President of the United States has significant implications for financial markets, particularly from a Canadian investor's perspective. Markets reacted positively to Donald Trump's election with the S&P 500 and the TSX showing solid gains in the days following the election. At the same time, valuations are at all-time highs with stock prices gaining more than earnings (potential bubble?). We delve into the nuances of market performance, economic indicators, and investment strategies in the wake of Trump's presidency. Donald Trump is inheriting a strong economy, will his policies continue this momentum? Tune in to find out. #uselection #trump #stockmarket #dividendinvesting #trading # investing If you have questions, topic ideas or want to discuss your own investments please reach out, we'd love to hear from you. info@towerasset.ca (00:22) Trump's Election Impact Discussion on Trump's election effects, highlighting significant market enthusiasm, with S&P 500 and TSX increases. (00:55) U.S. Economic Overview Analysis of strong U.S. economic indicators, including low unemployment and high GDP growth, with valuation concerns. (01:43) Market Valuations Concerns Concerns about stock prices rising faster than earnings, speculating on potential recession or market bubble. (03:16) Defensive Strategies in Investing Introduction of defensive strategies to mitigate risks associated with potential market downturns and bubbles. (04:27) Fundamental Indexing Strategy Explanation of the fundamental indexing strategy focusing on companies with strong fundamentals rather than market capitalization. (05:31) New Dividend Strategy Introduction Introduction of a new dividend strategy, highlighting its strong yield and performance since inception. (08:12) Market Concerns and Headwinds Addressing potential market headwinds from tariffs and uncertain trade negotiations affecting Canadian investors.

In this episode, Tarek and Mark explore the comparative merits of investing in real estate versus capital markets, particularly the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). With Canadian real estate prices soaring over the past few decades, many investors are drawn to the tangible nature of property investments. However, Tarek presents compelling data that challenges the notion that real estate is the superior investment choice. #realestateinvesting #stockmarket #tsx #diversification #housingmarket If you have questions, topic ideas or want to discuss your own investments please reach out, we'd love to hear from you. info@towerasset.ca [00:01:10] Data Comparison: Real Estate vs. Capital Markets. Presentation of data comparing real estate returns to TSX returns over a specified timeframe. [00:03:57] Reasons to Invest in Real Estate [00:03:52] Strengths of Real Estate Investing [00:04:57] Challenges of Real Estate Investing [00:06:29] Idiosyncratic Risk in Real Estate The risk of having a large portion of wealth tied to a single property is examined.

Did you know that our Canadian Momentum strategy has outperformed the TSX year-to-date through August? 🏦📈 The TSX index has returned a healthy 11.4%, so listen to the episode to see how much we outperformed. New Dividend Strategy: We’ve developed a fresh dividend strategy focusing on high-yield, stable companies. Our goal? To ensure these dividends are sustainable and likely to grow over time. Our selected stocks boast a dividend yield more than double the TSX index’s 2.92%. This positions our strategy favorably against major high-dividend ETFs from firms like BlackRock and Vanguard. #investing #StockMarket #financialplanning #dividendstocks #dividendyield If you have questions, topic ideas or want to discuss your own investments please reach out, we'd love to hear from you. info@towerasset.ca [00:00:00] Year-to-Date Returns Discussion of year-to-date returns through August, highlighting impressive performance numbers. [00:01:49] Enhanced Index Performance Performance of an enhanced index strategy with an 80/20 equity to fixed income mix. [00:02:58] Dividend Strategy Criteria [00:05:38] Comparison with TSX Dividend Yield

In this episode, we discuss recent stock market trends, highlighting a potential shift from the dominance of large tech stocks, known as the "magnificent seven," to smaller-cap stocks and a broader market. This may be the beginning of the market rotation we've been talking about. Next we discuss the importance of a diversified investment strategy and introduce a new dividend yield portfolio focused on high dividend-paying stocks in Canada. The portfolio aims to provide a steady income stream with tax advantages and is expected to yield around 6%. Tune in to find out more details! If you have questions, topic ideas or want to discuss your own investments please reach out, we'd love to hear from you. info@towerasset.ca (00:02:00) The Magnificent Seven Discussion on the concentration of returns in major tech stocks, highlighting their impact on the market. (00:02:45) Valuation Concerns Tarek mentions the high valuations of tech stocks, particularly Nvidia's P/E ratio. (00:03:53) Positive Signs for Smaller Stocks Returns are shifting towards smaller-cap stocks, indicating a potential market rotation. (00:06:11) New Dividend Yield Portfolio Strategy Mark introduces the new dividend yield portfolio strategy focused on high dividend-paying Canadian stocks. (00:08:01) Expected Yield and Tax Advantages Discussion on the expected yield of around 6% and the tax benefits of dividends over other income.

In this episode of Tower Talk, we delve into various market topics, including private equity, election year impacts, and US equity concentration. We discuss the liquidity crisis in private equity (yes, there is a liquidity crunch) with large funds facing challenges due to lack of exits. The conversation shifts to the historical trend of how markets perform during US election years. Finally, we highlight the significant concentration of the US in world equity markets and then further concentration within the S&P 500 and its risks. #investingstrategies #usmarket #privateequity #uselection If you have questions, topic ideas or want to discuss your own investments please reach out, we'd love to hear from you. info@towerasset.ca (00:01:02) Private Equity - Discussion on challenges faced by pension funds and endowments, illiquidity, overvaluation, and potential impact on investment portfolios. (00:04:05) Election Year Impact - Analysis of the historical market performance during US election years. (00:05:06) Concentration in US Equities - Discussion on the substantial representation of the US market in the global investable universe, significant concentration of top companies in the S&P 500, and concerns about lack of diversification and single-name risk. (00:09:33) Stock Valuations and Investment Strategy - Examination of the high price-to-earnings multiples of top companies, and a potential market rotation. Show notes: FTSE All World Index S&P 500 Returns during US Elections