Thoughts on the Market

Picks and Shovels

Picks and Shovels

December 23, 2025 - Maddy Bodden

The current gold rush in the investing world is the battle to win the artificial intelligence race. The pot of gold for the eventual winner(s) is beyond calculation. While we continue to own some of the industry leaders such as Microsoft and Amazon, we are starting to be a bit concerned about valuations. At this point, we are looking more at companies that are essential to the build out of AI data centers, the essential picks and shovels, which trade at much lower price/earnings multiples, but will still participate in the growth of the sector. We will also examine the key drivers of the economy to see where there is value to be had. This month, we will review the geography of the AI and economic landscapes and explore where future pitfalls and veins of profit may be.

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My Favourite Season

November 3, 2025 - Maddy Bodden

Fall is upon us, to the delight of nature lovers and North American sports fans. You can enjoy a drive to see the fall colours and watch baseball, basketball, football and hockey in the same weekend. It is also the time of our favourite season of all: third quarter US earnings season.

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The first cut is the deepest

The first cut is the deepest...Except for interest rates

October 3, 2025 - Maddy Bodden

Cat Stevens’ emotional ballad is about lost love, but one thing remains true as it relates to the stock market: investors love interest rate cuts. So why is the first cut important? One interest rate cut does not make a trend as it is only a simple data point. However, if more interest rate cuts happen, a trend begins, and the market gains momentum. This month, we will focus on North American interest rates and their projected impact on both the market and the economy.

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RBC Insights

U.S. equity returns in 2025: Record-breaking resilience

January 08, 2026 |Kelly Bogdanova

U.S. stocks powered through tariff turbulence on the way to all-time highs. But it’s only natural to question whether the three-year winning streak can be extended. We look at what drove equities in 2025 and how prospects for 2026 are shaping up.

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Early 2026 tax tips

Early 2026 tax tips

January 07, 2026 |RBC Family Office Services
When the end of the year approaches, many individuals place a greater focus on tax planning to minimize their income tax liability. Beyond the end of the year, however, there are some areas of tax planning that often get overlooked. For example, there...
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Building on a narrow base

January 06, 2026 |Atul Bhatia, CFA

Long-term economic trends have left the U.S. economy increasingly reliant on spending by upper-income households. We unpack the potential implications for economic stability and Federal Reserve policymaking.

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Executive summary: Global Insight 2026 Outlook

December 19, 2025 |The Global Portfolio Advisory Committee

The future is here … and gathering speed. We share key insights from our Global Insight 2026 Outlook, highlighting the forces likely to shape financial markets as well as potential investment opportunities for the year ahead and beyond.

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The Fed takes a turn down easy street

December 12, 2025 |Thomas Garretson, CFA

Another rate cut from the Federal Reserve this week has taken U.S. interest rates into a new era where we think every rate cut not only means that policy gets easier, but risks becoming too easy, all while the decisions only get harder.

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Featured image for article S&P 500 rally: When a rising tide lifts some boats more than others

S&P 500 rally: When a rising tide lifts some boats more than others

December 05, 2025 |Kelly Bogdanova

The rally in 2025 and throughout the longer bull market cycle has been uneven with the largest of large-cap stocks dominating. Key charts illustrate this phenomenon, and we discuss how to factor this into portfolio strategies.

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More but less

December 02, 2025 |Jim Allworth

After three consecutive years of strong gains for most equity markets, nothing historically rules out a fourth.

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Quarter-century crossroads

December 02, 2025 |Eric Lascelles

Key themes have the potential to shape economic developments and drive certain sectors for decades to come.

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Europe in the age of trade uncertainty

Europe in the age of trade uncertainty

November 28, 2025 |Frédérique Carrier

The longstanding relationship between the U.S. and Europe is changing, with deep consequences for the euro area and its economy. We look into the impact of this metamorphosis on the corporate sector and discuss the related investment opportunities.

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Building on a narrow base

November 21, 2025 |Atul Bhatia, CFA

Long-term economic trends have left the U.S. economy increasingly reliant on spending by upper-income households. We unpack the potential implications for economic stability and Federal Reserve policymaking.

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