July was a month of shifting investor preferences, with the major indexes moving in noticeably different directions. The Toronto Stock Exchange Composite Index (TSX) and Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), with their greater exposure to traditional companies, extended their monthly winning streaks. Meanwhile, the more growth-oriented S&P 500 Index (S&P) and Nasdaq Composite Index (Nasdaq) extended their monthly losing streaks. Just as the markets had a mixed month, so did my three portfolios. And like the major indexes, the portfolios showed how different sector exposure can produce very different results, particularly when technology stocks fall out of favour.
Tag: RY
Weekly Update for the week ending July 17, 2026
Why Interest Rates Impact Some Stocks More Than Others
After better-than-expected inflation reports helped push markets higher, technology stocks led the charge while more defensive sectors lagged. The difference comes down to a key investing concept: some stocks are far more sensitive to changes in interest rate expectations than others.
In this week’s update, I explain why growth stocks like Nvidia often react differently than dividend-paying companies like utilities, and how Fed policy influences investor behaviour.
Monthly Portfolio Update June 2026
June was a reminder that markets don’t always move on a single headline. Geopolitical tensions, soaring oil prices, renewed inflation concerns, and shifting interest rate expectations combined to reshape market leadership. While the DJIA and TSX continued to climb, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq stumbled as investors reassessed high-growth technology stocks. In this month’s review, we look at the forces that shaped the markets and see how my three portfolios performed along the way.
Weekly Update for the week ending July 3, 2026
AI Spending: When Hype Meets Reality
AI stocks have been back in focus, but not for the reasons that drove their earlier surge. After pushing to fresh highs, parts of the sector have started to cool as investors take a closer look at what’s actually fuelling the rally beneath the surface. The story is shifting from pure excitement around artificial intelligence to something more grounded – the rising cost of building it.
What was once framed as a software-driven revolution is increasingly looking like an infrastructure buildout, with massive spending going into chips, data centres, networking, and energy systems. That shift is starting to raise new questions about funding, profitability, and how long this level of investment can realistically continue without more pressure on balance sheets.
This week I discuss what’s driving the latest move in AI-linked stocks, why spending has become the central theme, and how that ripple effect is starting to show up across the broader market.
Weekly Update for the week ending June 12, 2026
What’s Priced In? Why Markets Don’t React the Way You Expect
One of the biggest early lessons in investing is that markets don’t react to headlines—they react to expectations. Understanding what’s already “priced in” can completely change how you read market moves.
Monthly Portfolio Update April 2026
While March ended as one of the toughest months in years, April delivered a strong rebound. All four major indexes recovered sharply, erasing losses and posting one of their best monthly performances since the pandemic rebound in 2020.