Market Environment – Energy Shocks and the AI Economy In February, markets faced several crosswinds. The US Supreme Court ruled against the use of the International Economic Emergency Powers Act to justify the April 2025 reciprocal tariffs, while tensions between the United States and Iran escalated into armed conflict, adding to geopolitical uncertainty. Against this […]
Market Environment – AI from Narrative to Numbers At the start of 2026, investors entered the year with a mix of optimism and uncertainty. While outlooks were published and geopolitical risks remained elevated, one theme continued to shape market narratives and investor focus: artificial intelligence. As the “Magnificent Seven” report earnings, AI-related themes were increasingly […]
Market Environment As we begin 2026, US equity markets appear to be at an inflection point. 2025 was shaped by a resilient economy, evolving policy dynamics, and rapid technological innovation, offset against elevated valuations and geopolitical uncertainty. The bull market that began in late 2022 is now entering its fourth year, during which large-cap equities […]
Inside the fund’s first year: lessons, opportunity sets, and 2026 themes Celebrating one year of the Pender US Small/Mid Cap Equity Fund. In this episode, Laura Baker sits down with Aman Budhwar to reflect on the Fund’s first year, the investment framework behind its early consistency, and how Aman is navigating opportunity and risk across […]
Market Environment The first 10 months of the year were exceptionally resilient for US equities, but the market took a pause in November. Even with a solid set of earnings and revenue beats, the momentum did not carry through, and the broader US market advanced only 0.2% during the month. This was somewhat surprising given […]
Investment Strategy and Current Opportunity Why is the current opportunity set attractive? AMAN BUDHWAR: The US small- and mid-cap universe offers a uniquely attractive opportunity today due to its scale, diversification, and exposure to powerful long-term growth themes. Many investors are surprised to learn that the US small- and mid-cap market alone is larger […]
Market Environment October was a notable month for US markets. The period began with a government shutdown that surpassed the 35-day record set in 2019. While the shutdown has both direct and indirect implications for the broader US economy, the equity market reaction has been limited, with investors remaining focused on corporate earnings and monetary […]
Macro Backdrop US markets were dominated by macro headlines in September. The government shutdown entered its first week with partisan gridlock, though behind the scenes there are signs of agreement emerging around extending enhanced subsidies for Affordable Care Act (ACA) health-insurance plans. At the same time, the Institute of Supply Management’s services index fell back […]
Highlights The US consumer is increasingly under pressure from a combination of higher inflation and lower job opportunities. While the market is fixated on a potential Fed rate cut, we have positioned the portfolio to benefit from opportunities over the medium to long term. The S&P MidCap 400 Index posted total returns of 3.6% for […]
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