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Guns, Gold, and Getting Paid: Global Investing in a Fractured World

Release Date: 06/30/2025

Crisis Fatigue: Have Investors Tuned Out Risk?

Global Thinking

Markets are rallying. Oil is rising. War is ongoing. And yet, investors seem to be moving on. In this episode of the Global Thinking Podcast, Rob Duncan sits down with Forstrong Lead Portfolio Manager David Kletz to unpack the biggest question facing markets today. Is this resilience — or complacency? While headlines focus on conflict in the Middle East, the real story is unfolding beneath the surface. Oil shocks are feeding into inflation, central banks are losing flexibility, and market leadership is beginning to shift in ways that could redefine this cycle....

Chasing Alpha: SPIVA 2025, Active vs Passive Investing, and Why Most Managers Underperform

Global Thinking

In this episode of the Global Thinking Podcast, host Rob Duncan sits down with Dr. Joe Nelesen from S&P Dow Jones Indices to break down the SPIVA Canada 2025 report and what it reveals about active vs passive investing. The data is clear. Most active managers underperform their benchmarks — not just in 2025, but over longer time horizons. This raises a critical question for investors and advisors alike. Is it still worth chasing alpha? Rob and Joe explore: Why active managers consistently struggle to beat the market The role of fees, market efficiency, and survivorship bias Where...

Sell First, Ask Questions Later: A Crash Course in Oil Shocks

Global Thinking

In this episode of the Global Thinking Podcast Rob Duncan sits down with Forstrong CEO & CIO, Tyler Mordy, to unpack the market reaction to the escalating conflict involving Iran and why investors may be focusing on the wrong risk. When geopolitical shocks hit, markets tend to do what they always do: sell first and ask questions later. But history suggests most conflicts don’t leave a lasting mark on markets. The real question isn’t the headlines, it’s whether this turns into something more consequential. The answer, as Tyler explains, comes down to one key transmission...

Liquidity Illusion: The Wake-Up Call in Canadian Private Markets

Global Thinking

In this episode of the Global Thinking Podcast, host Rob Duncan sits down with Nimar Bangesh of Obsiido to unpack one of the most infuriating developments in Canadian investing this year: fund gating. After years of rapid growth, private markets have become mainstream in Canadian portfolios. But recent gating events have forced investors to confront a hard truth — liquidity in alternatives isn’t guaranteed. Is this simply how private markets are designed to function, or is it a warning sign that investor expectations have drifted too far from reality? Rob and Nimar break down...

From Chaos to Conviction: Positioning Portfolios for Stability in 2026

Global Thinking

2025 looked like the kind of year that should have broken markets — geopolitical shocks, political dysfunction, and nonstop macro stress. Instead, risk assets powered ahead. That disconnect is exactly why investors should be paying attention. In this episode of the Global Thinking Podcast Rob Duncan sits down with Forstrong’s Lead Portfolio Manager, David Kletz, to explain why markets ignored the noise, why Canada quietly led global equity returns, and how fiscal spending has become the real backstop for risk. They dig into the uncomfortable reality of a K-shaped economy, where a...

Double Vision: Investing in a Split-Screen World

Global Thinking

In this episode of the Global Thinking Podcast, Rob Duncan is joined by Forstrong CEO and CIO, Tyler Mordy, to unpack a market that refuses to send a single, clear signal. Equity markets are strong, yet risks are building — a Split-Screen World where optimism and fragility coexist. Tyler provides some insight into the annual Forstrong Super Trends report, Double Vision. From recession risk and cracks in credit to AI’s gap between investment and earnings. The conversation then shifts to the bigger forces shaping 2026: the rise of fiscal dominance, the return of the real economy, and the...

Canada in the Crosshairs: Hard Markets, High Rates, and Hidden Opportunities

Global Thinking

In this episode of the Global Thinking Podcast, host Rob Duncan sits down with Matthew Barasch, Senior Portfolio Manager at RBC Dominion Securities, for a candid, wide-ranging look at the realities of investing in today’s market environment. Barasch calls this one of the toughest years of his 25-year career — a market defined by narrow leadership, stubborn inflation, and a handful of tech and gold names carrying the load while everything else fights to keep up. But beneath the volatility, Barasch sees a shift taking shape. He argues the worst may be behind Canada, pointing to...

Don’t Stop Believin’: Why Global Markets Still Have Room to Run

Global Thinking

In this episode of the Global Thinking Podcast Rob Duncan sits down with Lead Portfolio Manager, David Kletz, to explore the powerful shift in global market leadership that has defined the year. Since “Liberation Day,” momentum has moved decisively toward International and Emerging Markets, with Europe and Asia driving much of the advance. While U.S. equities have staged a recovery, they face mounting challenges — weakening dollar, government shutdowns, and a softening labor market. In contrast, International markets are showing renewed strength, supported by attractive...

Wired for Growth or Blown Fuse?

Global Thinking

Emerging Market equities are the year’s top performer, with Canadian and International equities close behind — leaving U.S. stocks lagging. Will America stage a comeback, or are we entering a new era where global equities take center stage? In this episode of the Global Thinking Podcast host, Rob Duncan, sits down with Forstrong's CEO/CIO, Tyler Mordy, to explore whether the bull market is wired for further growth or primed to blow a fuse. Tariffs, delayed AI profits, and stubborn interest rates loom as short-circuit risks. On the flip side, government spending, easing monetary...

From Generational Wealth Myths to Modern Advising: Wealth 3.0

Global Thinking

In this episode of the Global Thinking Podcast, host Rob Duncan sits down with Jamie McBride of Stewart & Kett to unpack the evolution of wealth management and the rise of Wealth 3.0. Wealth 3.0 represents a shift beyond spreadsheets and tax strategies toward an approach that prioritizes family values, collaboration, and open conversations about legacy. Rob and Jamie explore why the “three generations myth” is often misunderstood, how advisors can move from dictating solutions to facilitating dialogue, and what it really takes to help families flourish across generations. ...

More Episodes

In this episode of Global Thinking, Forstrong Portfolio Manager Rob Duncan sits down with friend of the firm, Chris McHaney, Executive Vice President and Head of Investment Management and Strategy at Global X Investments Canada Inc., for a wide-ranging conversation on where global capital is moving, and why.

Many of the themes Chris is tracking - rising defense spending, a potential commodities supercycle, renewed interest in international markets like EAFE and India - align closely with Forstrong’s own global investment roadmap. Both firms share a belief that in an increasingly fractured world, opportunity lies in regions and sectors that many investors are still underestimating.

They also unpack the role of covered call ETFs in generating yield, and explore how fixed income is re-emerging as a strategic allocation. From inflation trends to interest rate dynamics and the strength of the U.S. dollar, this episode is rich with insight for globally minded investors.

Topped off with a few summer reading picks and some contrarian takes, it’s a fast-paced and practical conversation that reinforces Forstrong’s commitment to thinking differently about where the world is headed next.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Global Thinking Podcast

01:21 Understanding GlobalX Investments and Chris’s Role

06:31 Market Outlook and Investment Strategies

07:00 Navigating Market Volatility and Diversification

10:57 Global Investment Opportunities and Rebalancing

16:16 The Rise of Defense Spending as an Investment Theme

19:21 Interest Rates and Fixed Income Perspectives

23:32 Currency Trends and Hedging Strategies

26:38 Commodities and the Potential Supercycle

32:14 Trends in the ETF Industry and Flows

34:47 Exploring Covered Call ETF Strategies