Ascendant Wealth Partners Insights

 

A top down summary and up to date information on the economy and investment markets – read our updates to learn more about how current events impact your portfolio.

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The Imposition of Tariffs and our thoughts on Canadian Equities

March 6, 2025 | Ascendant Wealth Partners

A lot has happened during Trump’s first 100 days in office and we now find ourselves in an uncertain environment with respect to tariffs and trade policy. In this special edition of the Pinnacle, we discuss our Canadian equity market views, and where suitable, the reallocation we are making to reduce Canadian equity exposure in client portfolios.

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The Pinnacle – Special Report

January 28, 2025 | Ascendant Wealth Partners

It has only been one week since Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States and Canada has been caught in the crosshairs of the tariff debate. In this special report, we provide our insights and thinking on what tariffs could mean for Canada, including a review of the potential impacts across our investment portfolios.

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2024: Year-in-Review

January 3, 2025 | Ascendant Wealth Partners

A common market truism goes: “Bull markets climb a wall of worry; bear markets slide down a river of hope”. Simply put, most bull markets are accompanied by a coterie of naysayers. Often, skeptics (bears) have a reasonable thesis as to why a positive trend in market performance should (or could) come to an end – in these environments, a bull market that continues to trend higher is said to “climb the wall of worry”.

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What the Trump Victory Means for Markets

November 7, 2024 | Ascendant Wealth Partners

We expect a pro-growth economic agenda will be pushed forward with the Republicans retaking control of the Presidency and the Senate. While the House is too close to call at this time, the Republicans are now favoured to win a narrow House majority. As a reminder, our comments below are focused on the economic implications of a Trump led Republican government. It is important to separate economics and market outcomes with Trump’s domestic, social, and foreign policies.

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Fall 2024: The Pinnacle

October 23, 2024 | Ascendant Wealth Partners

In this Fall 2024 edition of the Pinnacle, we pose questions to Jim Bantis, Senior Portfolio Manager and Head of Asset Allocation at Ascendant Wealth Partners, on topics such as interest rate policy, the upcoming U.S. election, recent stimulus announcements out of China, and the change in equity market leadership that is taking hold. Before we get to this interview, a quick recap on the markets.

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Summer 2024: The Pinnacle

July 12, 2024 | Ascendant Wealth Partners

In this edition of the Pinnacle, we will review key developments and market performance from the first half of 2024, including the AWP Team’s latest market outlook and commentary. As well, we will discuss Canada’s growth challenge, including an interview with Nathan Janzen from the RBC Economics team, who shares his insights. We also speak with Jim Bantis and Bruce Leboff, Co-Chairs of the Ascendant Wealth Partners Asset Allocation Committee, who share their thoughts on our positioning to Canada and other key themes.

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Canada’s growth challenge: Why the economy is stuck in neutral

July 15, 2024 | RBC Economics Team

An in-depth look at the reasons behind Canada’s drop in productivity over the past two decades and possible solutions.

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Food for thought - May 2024

May 30, 2024 | RBC Portfolio Advisory Group

May has been a noticeably better month for global markets, largely fueled by data from the U.S. A weaker pace of job growth and inflation numbers that did not show the kind of acceleration seen in prior months have rekindled hopes that the U.S. Federal Reserve may start cutting interest rates in the second half of the year.

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Spring 2024: The Pinnacle

April 16, 2024 | Ascendant Wealth Partners

In this quarter’s publication, we will review key developments and market performance from Q1 2024, including the AWP Team’s latest market outlook and commentary. Additionally, we will be providing an overview of alternative and private investments as an asset class – including a discussion on the potential role alternatives can play for diversification in a portfolio.

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Food for thought – earnings season

February 23, 2024 | RBC Portfolio Advisory Group

Global equity markets have maintained their strong start to the year, despite investors needing to recalibrate their expectations for the timing of interest rate cuts. 

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Winter 2024: The Pinnacle

January 10, 2024 | Ascendant Wealth Partners

We are cautiously optimistic heading into 2024. With general yields at levels not seen in over 15 years, intermediate fixed rate coupon bonds are once again an attractive opportunity. In addition, U.S. mid cap equities are compelling in an asset class dominated by the Magnificent Seven.

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Food for thought - Canadian banks

December 1, 2023 | RBC Portfolio Advisory Group

­The month of November finished on a high note, marking one of the best months this year for global equity and fixed income markets.

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Fall 2023: The Pinnacle

October 12, 2023 | Ascendant Wealth Partners

A topline summary of the economy as well as the investment markets and how they impact your portfolio, The Pinnacle is penned by Ascendant Wealth Partners’ Evan Howard.

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RBC Insights

 

Discover articles from thought leaders across RBC on a variety of relevant and engaging topics.

Turning the Tables: How Canada can shake off the U.S. softwood lumber dispute and grow the sector

Turning the Tables: How Canada can shake off the U.S. softwood lumber dispute and grow the sector

March 28, 2025 |Ajay Nandalall
Canada’s intractable softwood lumber dispute with the U.S. has long cast a shadow over the country’s promising forestry sector. However, reimagining its potential, building a value-added industry, and seeking new markets could be the playbook that Canada...
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U.S. equities: Signs of a cycle peak, with a Q2 reprieve likely

U.S. equities: Signs of a cycle peak, with a Q2 reprieve likely

March 28, 2025 |Robert Sluymer, CFA, Technical Strategist

As a volatile Q1 comes to a close, we think technical analysis provides a useful perspective on the potential paths of equity markets in the months ahead.

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Unraveling the uncertainties facing stock markets

Unraveling the uncertainties facing stock markets

March 21, 2025 |Kelly Bogdanova

To say it’s been a testing time for markets and investors is an understatement. Amid what can be confusing and rapidly shifting market dynamics, we give our thoughts on four key questions on investors’ minds about the U.S. equity

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Canada’s housing market retreats amid trade war

Canada’s housing market retreats amid trade war

March 19, 2025 |Robert Hogue
The threat of U.S. tariffs has become top of mind for those considering buying or selling a home in Canada. Concerns about the significant damage that hefty tariffs would inflict on the economy prompted many buyers and sellers to hit pause in February—leading...
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Video: Bank of Canada cuts interest rate to 2.75% as U.S. trade tensions persist

March 13, 2025 |Josh Nye

The Bank of Canada lowered its benchmark interest rate again in March, this time to 2.75% from 3%.

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Tariffs: Bracing for market impact

Tariffs: Bracing for market impact

March 11, 2025 |Joseph Wu, CFA and Josh Nye
The 2018–2019 U.S.-China trade conflict underscored how tariff uncertainty can dampen sentiment, depressing valuations even if the earnings impact turns out to be modest. Given an unusually wide range of potential tariff outcomes, what approach should...
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Power, storage, and electrification: A revolution

Power, storage, and electrification: A revolution

March 11, 2025 |Frédérique Carrier

As burgeoning demand and innovation transform the energy landscape, we examine key trends that are likely to shape the future of renewable power and industrial electrification.

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Vortex of volatility

Vortex of volatility

March 07, 2025 |Kelly Bogdanova

A period of rapid-fire developments has understandably put investors on edge. We make sense of five catalysts tugging on stock markets and elucidate why we’re not ready to throw in the towel on the two-year-plus bull market just yet.

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Ascendant Wealth Partners

The Imposition of Tariffs and our thoughts on Canadian Equities

March 06, 2025 |Ascendant Wealth Partners
A lot has happened during Trump’s first 100 days in office and we now find ourselves in an uncertain environment with respect to tariffs and trade policy. Despite a hopeful outlook from market participants for concessions or further extension, as of March...
Read more
What is the impact of tariffs on the U.S. economy?

What is the impact of tariffs on the U.S. economy?

March 06, 2025 |Mike Reid and Carrie Freestone
The effective U.S. tariff rate is now at its highest level since the 1940s after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico on March 4. A new order was also signed for China, increasing tariffs to...
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