I had a great time back on BNN Bloomberg today on Trading Day. We covered a lot of ground, and what a week to be talking about markets! U.S. Big Tech Earnings are crushing it. About 84% of S&P 500 companies are beating estimates this quarter, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of double-digit earnings growth. Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft all reported, and artificial intelligence (AI) spending is THE story. As Amazon CEO Andy Jassy put it: “We are in the middle of the biggest inflections of our lifetime.”
– Canada’s new “Canada Strong” Sovereign Wealth Fund. Prime Minister Mark Carney is making a bold move to invest in our own infrastructure and economic independence. Think of it as wartime spending at a critical juncture, but retail investors should wait for the details on risk, liquidity, and return structure before jumping in. And please, be vigilant about scams using deepfake AI to promote fake “government-backed” platforms. Always verify. Always talk to your advisor.
– Interest rates signal no relief in sight. Both the Bank of Canada (2.25%) and the U.S Federal Reserve (3.50-3.75%) held steady this week. Central banks are stuck in the classic stagflation bind: weak growth, sticky inflation, and oil near $100. Don’t expect rate cuts anytime soon.
– The Spring Economic Update brought some good news. The deficit improved by $11.5B from the fall forecast, supported by a resilient economy and surging oil revenues.
– The US. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell’s bold move confirmed he’ll stay on as a Fed Governor after his chairmanship ends May 15, a powerful statement about protecting institutional independence. That matters enormously for long-term market stability.
– My takeaway? We’re living through a remarkable moment: a new sovereign wealth fund, OPEC fracturing, central banks in a bind, and AI reshaping the corporate landscape. This is exactly when disciplined, diversified investing matters most.
If you have any questions about how this relates to you or your investment portfolio and financial plan, please give us a call at 778-655-2410 or email us at thewonggroup@wellington-altus.ca
Sincerely,
Maili Wong, CFA, CFP, FEA
Senior Portfolio Manager & Senior Wealth Advisor
Wellington-Altus Private Wealth Inc.
Board Director
Wellington-Altus Financial Inc.
