Mid-Year Financial Checkup and Exciting News!
Bill’s Blog June 17, 2021
It is hard to believe, but 2021 is almost halfway complete. Maybe because I am getting older, time seems to be flying by. So let us do a quick mid-year financial checkup and provide some guidance.
The financial markets have seemed to have peaked (major indexes), at least for now. However, we continue to have parts of the economy booming while other sectors are barely hanging on. As a result, there has been a stock rotation happening to more defensive positions and sectors, at least with big money and astute portfolio managers. Also, one should reconsider being passive with your investments to an active approach. I will discuss a possible solution for you at the end of this blog.
Thankfully, it appears the covid issue is coming to somewhat of a conclusion with a sizable part of the world vaccinated and a significant portion of the population already having a natural immunity based on scientific research and data (herd immunity).
Nevertheless, government-mandated lockdowns have done severe damage to the Canadian and global economies. By September 2020, 58,000 small businesses in Canada had permanently closed. By April of 2021, up to 181,000 businesses shut down, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). As a result, hundreds of thousands of jobs are gone and immense financial stress on individuals and families. I sincerely feel their pain as a fellow business owner as so many people’s dreams came to a crashing end.
As other financial analysts and I forecast at the beginning of the year, this would be a year of volatility, and this has been accurate. You cannot print 10’s of trillions of dollars without consequences (both good and bad). Even as I write this blog today, most commodities have taken a beating, and many indexes are down again. However, as mentioned in a previous blog, the crypto market did its expected crash a few weeks ago and now seems to be consolidating. I expect more volatility for the remainder of the year and possibly a sizable correction or crash in significantly overvalued assets pumped up with record debt (Stocks, bonds and possibly real estate).
Jay Powell, the Federal Reserve Chairman (the most powerful central banker on the planet, excluding the BIS), has told us inflation is only “transitory.” However, it is essential to understand that what Mr. Powell says, most central banks follow his lead (including the Bank of Canada). He may be correct regarding inflation, but there is a fierce debate by economists and financial analysts as to whether it is a short-term or a more extended problem.
I do know for sure that many day-to-day essentials like housing, food, gas, cars, critical commodities like lumber, iron, steel, and copper are in severe inflation. But, as I had mentioned in a previous blog, inflation and deflation happen in cycles. So, for now, we have severe inflation in many asset classes, and in the future, we will experience deflation.
Key takeaways:
- Be proactive and defensive with your wealth management.
- Stock markets are peaking, and a stock rotation is happening with smart money.
- Hopefully, covid will soon be a thing of the past.
- Expect more volatility in markets for the remainder of the year.
Now on to the exciting news!
I will be hosting a webinar on July 8 at Noon PST for 45 minutes (10 to 15 minutes Q&A to follow) with Senior Portfolio Manager Mark Taucar from Accilent Capital Management Inc. (Toronto, Canada). Mark is a very seasoned and top Canadian manager that takes a discretionary active portfolio approach. Mark has a proprietary system and developed four different portfolio mandates based on the client’s risk profiles and objectives. Please join us on July 8 at Noon sharp, as Mark will share his market insights and thoughts on the remainder of 2021, management style, and ideal client. If you are looking for a more active management style to protect your wealth, I highly recommend joining the webinar. Please register at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1z3JK_0QRFSjM72cJXI3Ng
Second, I will soon be launching my new course called Wealth Foundation Series. I am in the final stages, video editing, and I hope to launch in the next few weeks. To get a sneak preview of the course objectives and who it is for, please visit our courses page.
I will soon add a short promo video. I am offering an introductory $100 discount for the first 100 students (A special price of $297.00 CDN). This course was almost 30 years in the making (my wealth journey), as I will share the many lessons I had to learn personally to build wealth that lasts a lifetime. Wealth Foundation Series course is not a get-rich scheme. The course will educate you on the critical principles and disciplines essential to building wealth long-term and not taking unnecessary or foolish risks to your capital. You will gain essential knowledge and strategies from the six lessons that I have personally incorporated into my own life. So I hope you will join me on the exciting journey of building wealth through my course, learning how to keep it, and hopefully leaving a legacy.
Remember, increasing your financial IQ will help you make superior financial decisions over your lifetime…keep learning.
All the best in 2021,
Bill