Page and Associates Ltd.

Family Wealth Management

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Bank of Canada Increases Overnight Rate to 2.5%

Today, the Bank of Canada surprised markets with a 100 basis point (1%) increase in its target overnight lending rate to 2.5%. (Press Release: Bank of Canada increases policy interest rate by 100 basis points, continues quantitative tightening – Bank of Canada).

Markets had been expecting another 0.75% increase based on the bank’s comments in May that it expected the neutral rate (neither stimulative nor restrictive to economic growth) to be about 2.5%, but that it would re-evaluate this target based on inflation and other statistics. Inflation has remained persistent in the face of ongoing supply chain disruptions, Chinese COVID lockdowns, and the war in Ukraine, and job vacancies remain at record highs without sufficient labour force to meet the demand surge after this year’s re-opening.

The Bank of Canada said this week that the neutral rate may need to go to 3-3.5% to balance demand to available supply, and the economy was strong enough to absorb the interest rate increases without causing a recession, so it wanted to ‘front load’ the rate increases to reduce inflation pressures immediately, and avoid even higher targets being needed in the long term. We should therefore expect a further rate increase at the bank’s next meeting September 9th, and at the next US Federal Reserve meeting July 26-27.

While the bank does not believe the higher rates will cause a recession, they do expect economic growth to slow. Still, their expectations are for reasonable growth rates of 3.5% this year, 1.75% in 2023, and 2.5% in 2024. Because inflation measures price changes from past levels, they expect about 8% inflation readings for the balance of the year, but a return to 3% by the end of 2023.

Bond markets had anticipated further rate increases so their yields and prices had already adjusted before the announcement. Top GIC rates are now over 4% for a 1-year term, and top daily interest deposit rates of 1.3% may see an increase in the coming days.

Video summary: Monetary Policy Report – July 2022 – Bank of Canada
Full Report: Monetary Policy Report – July 2022 (bankofcanada.ca)

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Recoveries Beat Bear Markets

Empire Life’s blog post of June 22 provided an interesting analysis of past periods of market contractions over 20%, and subsequent recoveries. One notable chart shown here:

The chart makes it clear that expansion phases usually last longer than contractions, and have a larger impact. The article compares this period with the 1970-1985 period of peak inflation and interests rates, noting similar depth and duration of corrections about -23% over 6 months, and recoveries of 55-70% over the following 18 months. Those recovery phases produce returns well above the market average.

Will investors see an environment of low inflation and interest rates similar to the past two decades or something closer to the inflationary environment five decades ago? Perhaps the answer is “somewhere in the middle”. But, here are a few things to remember:


• In either case and as history has shown, staying invested has proven to be a beneficial strategy for the long-term investor.
• Adding to your investments, particularly after large market contractions will likely help expedite your portfolio’s recovery.


Full Article: https://blog.empirelife.ca/blog/corrections-what-we-can-learn-from-the-past

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Resist the Urge to Time the Market

The past trading week went down as the worst week for the TSX since March 2020. The S&P500 benchmark officially ended down 20% from its prior peak in December as the US Federal Reserve hiked its key overnight rate by 0.75% for the first time since 1994. And the media is stoking fears of further declines and possible recession. It is times like these that emotions take over and has investors asking “should we sell to avoid further declines?”

What we do know from history is that the best market days are clustered in with the worst market days and being out of the market for these best days significantly impacts long term returns.

Source: https://ci-arena.ci.com/od/bb0dfeb6

Also, most stock market gains happen shortly after a bear market. Even after the 2008 Great Financial Crisis, most major benchmarks had regained their prior highs in 2 – 3 years.

Source: https://ci-arena.ci.com/od/48cf0671

Investors who exit the market during a bear market risk missing this rebound. Missing even 12 months of the post-2008 recovery would have significantly reduced their returns over the next 12 years.

Source: https://ci-arena.ci.com/od/fea210a9

It is important during periods of volatility to stick to the plan you created with your advisor. This plan incorporates your long term financial goals along with your near term cash flow needs and risk assessment, and will help you through this market as it has done for many investors in the past.

You can call us anytime to review your objectives and make sure your portfolio allocation is appropriate and consists of high quality portfolio managers.

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Patience will be Rewarded, Active Managers Still Beating the Benchmark

The below chart highlights the returns from May 1st, 2007 until yesterday’s close – a period of roughly 15 Years. This includes the Global Financial Crisis, the COVID-19 Pandemic, and countless corrections/world events in between.

We’ve shown the returns of 3 of Fidelity’s flagship equity strategies against the S&P 500 and TSX over that time period. Their returns against the indices have been staggering and serve as a reminder that not all active managers are created equal. We believe that Portfolio Managers Mark Schmehl and Dan Dupont have proven themselves as the “elite of the elite”, which is why they have been on our preferred managers list for some years already.

Volatility is part of investing; perhaps some investors have forgotten that over the past 3 years. Rather than trying to figure out when/how it will end — use downturns as an opportunity to add/diversify for clients with the appropriate time horizon and stick to your investing principles. Patience is the ultimate path to success.

15 Years of Returns: Fidelity Special Situations, Canadian Growth Company, and Canadian Large Cap

Source: Fidelity Investments Canada ULC