Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist at IG Wealth Management breaks down the key factors influencing the market this week, from gauging the optimism of small businesses to the implications of the U.S. Federal Reserve potentially reducing the size of its balance sheet. Philip explores the market’s addiction to liquidity and the challenges of navigating low yields and high valuations.

Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist at IG Wealth Management, explores the surprising connection between the S&P's upward movement and the simultaneous spike in expected volatility, a situation that has never happened before. He explains how traders' focus on single-name leverage is distorting the volatility landscape and discusses the potential implications for the market as it heads into a busy October with significant economic data releases.

Right now, liquidity is plentiful, demand is strong, and even the riskiest bonds are trading just fine, says Ashish Utarid, Assistant Vice-President, Investment Strategy at IG Wealth Management. He says if credit spreads start drifting wider, that’s your cue to pay attention. This week Ashish dives into the bond market and explores the significance of credit spreads and their implications for the economy.

In this special edition of The Living Market, Aurèle Courcelles and Sheryl Troup from IG Wealth Management’s Tax and Estate Planning team share their expertise on year-end tax planning. They discuss critical strategies, such as income splitting, capital gains planning and charitable giving, and provide key dates and final tips to help listeners stay organized and ensure they don't miss out on important tax saving opportunities.

As we move into the final quarter of the year, Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist at IG Wealth Management reveals all the data points that keep supporting strength in the equities markets. While on the surface, things might look messy, almost every indicator is a positive for equities. Philip explains how monetary and fiscal policy, credit, company balance sheets and low global bond yields are all favourable, explaining why equities continue to win over bonds.

As expected, both the Bank of Canada (the BoC) and the U.S. Federal Reserve cut their overnight interest rates this week, says Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist at IG Wealth Management. The BoC didn’t really have a choice, he says, with unemployment at its highest in a decade (apart from during the pandemic) and inflation within targets. But can we expect more cuts in the near future? And how could it all impact your portfolio?

Recent labour market data in Canada and the U.S. reveals signs of weakness, with significant job losses and rising unemployment, says Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist at IG Wealth Management. He examines the data, the policy implications and the forward-looking indicators that investors should watch out for.

There is a disconnect between market performance and the headlines that dominate the news, says Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist, IG Wealth Management. He highlights how, in the past year, the market has defied expectations in Europe, Israel and China, despite negative narratives. Philip emphasizes the importance of trading based on actual market conditions, rather than emotional reactions to news and politics.