The following is an excerpt from the quarterly newsletter distributed to clients. Q1 2024 – Return of Hype Market mood rose in the first quarter of 2024. Between benign inflation and resilient economic performance in advanced market economies, investor optimism broadly improved. Central banks tried to temper the most aggressive of expectations, arguing the battle […]
Our succinct perspective on key investment and wealth-related issues. Looking to History to Understand the World Today Ted Conrod, President at Focus, recently hosted an exciting evening with one of Canada’s preeminent historians and an acclaimed author, Margaret MacMillan. Unquestionably, with conflicts raging in Europe and the Middle East and 70 nations (representing over half the […]
The following is an excerpt from the quarterly newsletter distributed to clients. 2023: I beg your pardon, I never promised you a recession 2023 was another wild and unprecedented year in the investment world. To paraphrase Voltaire, we have seen so many extraordinary things in the past ten years that nothing seems extraordinary anymore. Although […]
Our succinct perspective on key investment and wealth-related issues. Inflation and Interest Rates: “Higher for Longer” or “Lower, Sooner”? James Stellick, Managing Director at Focus, recently hosted an evening with David Rosenberg, Founder & President of Rosenberg Research. In front of over 100 guests at the Park Hyatt Hotel, David delivered a thoughtful thesis as […]
The following is an excerpt from the quarterly newsletter distributed to clients. Steady as the tide goes out The global economy withstood pressures again this quarter. Despite ongoing monetary policy tightening by central banks and recessionary fears, growth remained resilient (albeit slower). Policy makers continue efforts to bring inflation under control, a journey that is […]
Our succinct perspective on key investment and wealth-related issues. Planning strategies to keep the peace One of the best kept secrets in North America is the Muskoka Lakes. Ontarians know them. New Yorkers, too. But much of the rest of the continent is blissfully unaware of the watery treasure that resides just north of Toronto: […]
The following is an excerpt from the quarterly newsletter distributed to clients. Looking Back, Moving Forward March 2023 marked an important anniversary for investors. We are now three years from the COVID-lows in financial markets, when a novel virus erupted onto the world stage, causing a global pandemic and shutting down the global economy. It […]
Our succinct perspective on key investment and wealth-related issues. Japan was set to be taken. Sailing from the mainland were some nine hundred ships and one hundred thousand men under the command of Kublai Khan, grandson of legendary conqueror, Genghis Khan. The seasoned military commander had marshalled a force powerful enough to overwhelm the island’s […]
We are pleased to welcome Anthony Chan who joins the firm’s Operations team as Senior Manager. Get to know Anthony as he shares some insights about himself below. What do you do at Focus and what do you enjoy most about your role? Anthony: I manage Trade and Fund Operations at the firm, enabling […]
The following is an excerpt from the quarterly newsletter distributed to clients. 2022: A year to remember, and for some, to forget It may come as a surprise to some (especially those who don’t follow the financial markets), but 2022 will go down in history as one of the worst years on record for most […]