Some scientists would suggest that time is an arrow, moving forward in a single direction. This negates the possibility of travelling back through time, which would be disappointing because so many great books and movies are based on that premise. HG Wells wrote about time travel famously in his 1895 novel, The Time Machine, for example. It also means the likelihood of encountering the Terminator or Marty McFly are slim.

In the 2000 film, Frequency, starring Dennis Quaid, a man from the present provides someone from the past with a wealth-changing stock tip. If only investing were as easy as talking to time travellers.

The human and economic cost caused by natural disasters such as hurricanes is staggering. Of the 363 billion-dollar weather disasters since 1980 in the United States (as of August 2023), hurricanes are responsible for over $1.3 trillion in damage, with an average cost of $22.8 billion per event. Mother Nature is a force to be reckoned with. (2)

This isn’t a treatise about climate change. It’s about the economic impact of natural disasters. Damage caused by storms, earthquakes and other disasters is almost always repaired - at a cost.

Summer is finally here! For some that means more gardening and more golf, for others it’s a chance to spend more time with children or grandchildren who are enjoying a summer break. However you enjoy your summer, enjoy it to its fullest!

But just because the season may have changed, it doesn’t mean that the markets have paused to notice.

“The beauty of diversification is it’s about as close as you can get to a free lunch in investing.”

— Barry Ritholtz, American author, newspaper columnist, blogger, equities analyst, founder and CIO of Ritholtz Wealth Management.

“Trust is the glue of life. It's the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It's the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” – Stephen Covey, an American educator, author, businessman, and speaker.

Often, we get so caught up in markets, interest rates and inflation that we forget to pause and reflect on other things that are as important. This week is no different, because what has been dominating newsfeeds is something completely different and arguably less important on a global or historical scale. Finally, the Bank of Canada has cut its benchmark interest rate by 0.25 per cent (often referred to as 25 basis points or 25 “bips”).

Not a week goes by that we don’t see evidence of deception and fraud in the financial industry. It’s understandable; the industry is built around money and there are criminals who want to find an easy way to extract that cash from their marks.

Well, despite recent reduction in global food prices, the inflationary impact still lingers, particularly in many developing countries. Many low- and middle-income economies are still trapped in the food crisis precipitated by the high costs of food.

Look out! There’s a bear in the woods. The bear here being sticky inflation. Some say it’s hiding behind every tree, although it did cool off somewhat in April.

“As AI becomes the new infrastructure, flowing invisibly through our daily lives like the water in our faucets, we must understand its short- and long-term effects and know that it is safe for all to use." – Kate Crawford, researcher, writer, composer, producer and academic, who studies the social and political implications of artificial intelligence.