Monthly Market and Portfolio Review
Markets kicked off June with a bang, dipped mid-month, then came roaring back to close with back-to-back gains. The Toronto Stock Exchange Composite Index (TSX) rose 2.6%, the S&P 500 (S&P) jumped 5.0%, and the Nasdaq Composite Index (Nasdaq) surged 6.6%, with all three hitting record highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) advanced 4.3%, flirting with its own all-time peak.
Early in the month, cooling US–China trade tensions and fresh hopes for rate cuts lifted investor sentiment – especially after President Trump publicly pressured the US Federal Reserve (Fed) to lower rates following soft jobs data. Oil prices climbed on news of Alberta wildfires and falling US output, boosting energy stocks despite some market jitters.
Mid-month brought volatility. Israeli airstrikes on Iran sent oil and gold prices soaring as investors rushed into safe-haven assets. Meanwhile, the Fed kept rates steady, signaling cuts were still possible – but not imminent. That put a damper on the rate-cut crowd.
By month-end, markets bounced back. A cease-fire between Israel and Iran lowered geopolitical risk, oil prices stabilized, and consumer sentiment improved. Inflation came in a bit hotter than expected, which kept the Fed cautious, but investors shrugged it off. Growth stocks, especially in technology, once again started to drive the markets.
With fresh talk of a July rate cut and geopolitical fears easing, investors piled into artificial intelligence (AI) leaders like Nvidia (NASD: NVDA) and Microsoft (NASD: MSFT), both of which hit new all-time highs. That momentum helped push the S&P and Nasdaq to record closes.
In Canada, the TSX followed a similar path. Oil and gold gains lifted the index early on, while optimism around US–Canada and US–China trade talks helped it reach record highs. But sentiment wobbled after the US doubled tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. On the economic front, the Bank of Canada held rates at 2.75%, with core inflation still near 3%, reinforcing expectations for a hold through summer.
Late in the month, President Trump walked away from trade talks over Canada’s retroactive digital services tax – but the Canadian government dropped the tax, reopening negotiations. With that last-minute positive twist, the TSX closed June at a record high. Not bad—not bad at all!
In short: June brought oil shocks, geopolitical flare-ups, trade drama, and inflation uncertainty – but markets powered through, extending the monthly win streak across all four indexes. With three of them closing at record highs and growth stocks back in favour, this summer rally just might have legs. 😊
| Portfolio | Monthly Streak |
| Portfolio 1: | 2 – month winning streak |
| Portfolio 2: | 3 – month winning streak |
| Portfolio 3: | 2 – month winning streak |
May was always going to be a tough act to follow, but June held its own, delivering weekly gains in three out of four weeks. Portfolio 1 once again led the pack, outperforming all the major indexes (as shown in the chart below), while Portfolio 2 quietly extended its monthly win streak to three in a row.
Energy stocks helped kick things off early in the month, but it was the surge in tech, especially AI-related names, that really gave portfolios 1 and 3 a strong lift. Otherwise, it was a fairly quiet month on the trading front. The only move I made was selling Andlauer Healthcare Group (TSE: AND) after it was acquired by UPS (NYSE: UPS), with plans to redeploy that capital elsewhere.
With geopolitical tensions easing, inflation steady, and the potential for new trade deals on the horizon, the stage looks set for a promising summer rally. Keep your fingers crossed the upward momentum holds. 🌞
What My Three Portfolios Did in June
Portfolio 1 for June 2025: UP 
Activity
International Brokers (NASD: IBKR): IBKR recently became more affordable for everyday investors. On June 18, 2025, the company completed a 4-for-1 stock split – the first in its history. That means every existing share was split into four, increasing the total number of shares while lowering the price per share from around $172at the time, to roughly $43.
This doesn’t change the value of the company itself, but it does make each share easier to buy. Lower share prices can help open the door to a wider pool of investors, especially those just starting out. While stock splits don’t boost a company’s fundamentals, they’re often seen as a vote of confidence in future growth—and a signal that management believes demand for the stock will keep growing.
Sold: Andlauer Healthcare Group Company (TSE: AND) see June 6, 2025 Weekly Update
Dividends Received this month:
Companies followed by DRIP (Dividend Re-Investment Plan) indicate additional shares were purchased with the dividend. Any cash leftover was added to the cash balance.
Canadian $
TMX Group Ltd (TSE: X)
Yellow Pages Ltd (TSE: Y)
Decisive Dividends (TSE: DE) DRIP
Dream Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust (TSE: DIR.UN) DRIP
CN Rail (TSE: CN)
Hammond Power Solutions (TSE: HPS.A)
Tourmaline Oil (TSE: TOU)
US $
Visa Inc. (NYSE: V)
Interactive Brokers Group Inc (NASD: IBKR)
Alphabet Inc (NASD: GOOGL)
Skyworks Solutions Inc (NASD: SWKS)
Home Depot Inc (NYSE: HD)
Quarterly Reports
CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc.
First quarter 2026 financial results on June 3, 2026
Carnival Corporation & plc
Second quarter 2025 financial results on June 24, 2025
Portfolio 2 for June 2025: UP
Activity
No significant activity to report this month.
Dividends Received this month:
Canadian $
Fortis (TSE: FTS)
Whitecap Resources Inc (TSE: WCP) DRIP
SmartCentres Real Estate Investment Trust (TSE: SRU.UN) DRIP
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP (TSE: BIP.UN)
Dream Industrial Real Estate Investment Trust (TSE: DIR.UN) DRIP
Brookfield Infrastructure Corp (TSE: BIPC)
iA Financial Corporation (TSE: IAG)
Tourmaline Oil (TSE: TOU)
Hammond Power Solutions (TSE: HPS.A)
US $
Zoetis Inc (NYSE: ZTS)
Microsoft (NASD: MSFT)
Quarterly Reports
MongoDB, Inc.
First quarter 2026 financial results on June 4, 2026
Dollarama Inc.
First quarter 2025 financial results on June 11, 2025
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc.
Fourth quarter 2025 financial results on June 25, 2025
Portfolio 3 for June 2025: UP
Activity
No significant activity to report this month.
Dividends Received this month:
Canadian $
Royal Bank of Canada (TSE: RY)
SmartCentres Real Estate Investment Trust (TSE: SRU.UN) DRIP
Brookfield Wealth Solutions (TSE: BNT)
Brookfield Renewable Corp (TSE: BEPC)
Brookfield Asset Management (TSE: BAM)
US $
Evolution AB (OTCM: EVVTY)
Microsoft (NASD: MSFT)
Vertiv Holdings (NYSE: VRT)
Quarterly Reports
Enghouse Systems Limited
Second quarter 2025 financial results on June 5, 2026