December Global Insight & 2019 Investment Outlook, #Macromemo by Eric Lascelles, Financial Market, Interest and Exchange Rate Forecasts & Our Community Corner

December 12, 2018 | Rhonda Hymers


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Good afternoon,

December brings the joy of the holidays, and yet for some it can be a stressful and lonely time. This year our team feels fortunate to sponsor the Kelowna Food Bank as well as a single mom from “Mama’s for Mama’s”. It is wonderful to see the way our community pulls together with donations to many local charities who make a meaningful difference for those less fortunate. Thank you to all who lend their hearts, time and resources in the service of others.

As capital markets continue to work through challenges, we remain committed to our focus on market fundamentals along with a strict adherence to our investment discipline and process. This is a discipline focused on adhering to our target asset allocation, buying quality businesses that have the ability to pay and grow dividend income, and buying businesses that have demonstrated a solid track record of delivering shareholder value over the long term. Layered over this discipline is a process focused on maximizing tax efficiency and rebalancing portfolios on a regular basis to maintain our target asset allocation.

In early 2018, we have made a number of adjustments in portfolios to take a slightly more defensive approach for clients. This was done by increasing quality and lowering duration in fixed income investments, shifting towards more defensive equity investments with a greater focus on dividend income and strictly adhering to our process for regular portfolio rebalancing. We rebalanced holdings in the months of January, March and October 2018.

Thus far, indicators are not signaling an elevated threat of recession, and therefore RBC Global Asset Management is maintaining a Market Weight recommendation on overall, global equity exposure in portfolios, and for U.S. exposure as well.

Global Insight 2019 Investment Outlook

Click Here to read

Global Insight Weekly

With equity markets hit by a fresh surge of volatility, vigilance is the watchword for the late-cycle period.  We look at several inflamed pressure points and the appropriate posture to take toward equities as the market works through these challenges.

Click Here to read 

Produced by RBC Global Asset Management's Chief Economist Eric Lascelles.

December 3 - December 7, 2018

U.S. - China trade | U.S. 2019 slowdown | Oil Update | Central bank focus

In this week’s #MacroMemo, we discuss the U.S.- China trade détente and our forecast for a U.S. 2019 slowdown. We also provide an update on oil and discuss what central banks should be focusing on. Read it here:

Financial Market Monthly Forecast & Interest Rate / Exchange Forecast

Forecasts are below:

Click Here to view Financial Market Forecast

Click Here to view Interest Rate and Exchange Forecast

In Our Community:

In November, teenagers aged 13-18 participated in our two part educational series - Building Wealth for the Future and Dining Etiquette.  It is so important to educate our teenagers and help prepare them for the real world.  We aim to help accomplish this by teaching them the fundamentals of budget worksheets, savings and income management and taxation.  The dining etiquette workshop helped them with building confidence in social and business situations; learning etiquette through group discussions and role playing all over a three course meal.   

We have included a few photos below for you to enjoy.

 "Leverage the strength that you have; that no one else can be you"

~ Todd Wheatland ~