By Scott Ronalds

It was a strong start to the year for stocks around the globe, with the MSCI World Index gaining 10% (in Canadian dollar terms). U.S. and Japanese stocks were among the top performers, while Canada was one of the weaker performing markets (up 3%) as a result of its heavy weighting in gold and mining stocks. Bonds also had a positive quarter, albeit a much more modest one, led by a strengthening in corporate and provincial bond prices.

Our funds fared well in the quarter, with a tilt towards foreign stocks and corporate bonds being key factors. As for asset mix, we continue to recommend a full allocation to stocks (in relation to your long-term asset mix), a below-average position in bonds and a healthy cash weighting. As a reminder, this positioning is best reflected in the Founders Fund.

In this podcast, we review the quarter in further detail and highlight some of the key takeaways from our Quarterly Report.

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