Investments Unplugged

Episode 118 | Middle East conflict: evolving dynamics, investment takeaways

17 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode overview In this episode of Investments Unplugged, hosts Kevin Headland and Macan Nia continue their timely dialogue around the geopolitical t...

Episode 117 | Timely perspective on turmoil in the Middle East

25 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode overview In this episode of Investments Unplugged, hosts Macan Nia and Kevin Headland discuss the investment implications of the Middle East c...

Episode 116 | “Womenomics” and investing for longevity

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Episode overview In this episode of Investments Unplugged, hosts Kevin Headland and Macan Nia mark International Women’s Day by exploring longevity ...

Episode 115 | RRSP vs. TFSA, beneficiary pitfalls, and much more: timely tax and estate strategies with John Natale

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Hosts Kevin Headland and Macan Nia recently sat down with John Natale, Head of Tax, Retirement & Estate Planning Services at Manulife, to unpack: •...

Episode 114: Fearless forecasts—does improbable mean impossible?

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Some industry predictions may seem outlandish—or even impossible. But does that mean they’re not worth considering? Kick off 2026 with Kevin and M...

Episode 113: 2025 in the rearview—are markets in for another strong year?

05 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 113: 2025 in the rearview—are markets in for another strong year?Hosts:Kevin Headland (Co-chief Investment Strategist)Macan Nia (Co-Chief In...

Episode 112| Curveballs, candies, and shutdowns—navigating an eventful October

03 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Blue Jays were swinging for the fences, but investors are facing numerous curveballs of their own. In our latest episode of Investments Unplugge...

Episode 111 | Recession risks, tariffs, and market disparities: a candid view from behind the scenes

29 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Episode overviewIn this special episode, hosts and Co-Chief Investment Strategists Kevin Headland and Macan Nia welcome Nathan William Thooft, Chief I...

Episode 110 | Back to school, back to business

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We’re just weeks away from yet another school year—but not before Macan heads out on a last-minute vacation. Will Kevin be forced to deal with a m...

Episode 109 | Behind the headlines: a deep dive into the latest stories

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Summer has officially kicked into high gear, and many of us are looking to wind down and bask in the heat. Yet, headlines continue to pour in—making...

Episode 108: Half-year outlook—all eyes on the second half of 2025

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Warmer days are on the horizon, and while many of us are planning our next vacation spots, others are looking back at the half year and recalibrating ...

Episode 107: The future of the U.S. dollar: dissecting the Mar-a-Lago Accord

26 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Is the greenback currently at an inflection point? Listen in as our Capital Markets Strategy Team weighs in on the U.S. administration’s proposed ec...

Episode 106: U.S. trade policy in review—how “Liberation Day” tariffs roiled markets

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The magnitude of the U.S. administration’s “Liberation Day” tariffs surely caught investors off guard. How did markets react to the news? Will U...

Episode 105: Europe front and center—is capital beginning to flow overseas?

27 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

European equities have recently outpaced their U.S. counterparts, setting the stage for a potential resurgence in overseas markets. Is this the start ...

Episode 104: Navigating tariffs, policy and Canada-U.S. trade tensions

05 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Rising tensions, evolving trade policies, and potential tariffs have sparked widespread discussions—even going as far as rallying hockey fans on bot...

Episode 103: 2025 at a glance—what’s in store for investors?

28 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

2025 is in full swing! What can we expect from equity and fixed income markets as the year gradually unfolds? Our first podcast episode of 2025 is an...

Episode 102: Outlook 2025—gearing up for the year ahead

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The festive holiday season is upon us and what better time than now to reflect and prepare for the road ahead. Don’t miss out on this unique opp...

Episode 101: Fortified, not glorified: who says investing shouldn’t be boring? —Market Insights Monthly special edition

25 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Data surprises, recession concerns, shifting U.S. Federal Reserve policy? What if building a resilient portfolio mattered more than predicting future ...

Episode 100: Achievement unlocked—looking through the rearview mirror

08 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Here we are—100 episodes and 7 years later! This truly is a remarkable milestone for our Investments Unplugged podcast, which has seen roughly 86,00...

Episode 99: Gearing up for the final stretch of 2024—Market Insights Monthly special edition

27 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Children are heading back to the classroom for yet another school year. What better time than now to reinforce our portfolios with lessons learned fro...

Episode 98: All-caps in focus —Market Insights Monthly special edition

09 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The dog days of summer are over, and volatility is back with a vengeance. In just a short period of time, we’ve dealt with a messy unwinding of carr...

Episode 97: Looking to power your income portfolio? —Market Insights Monthly special edition

28 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Unruly markets, unpredictable interest rates and a possible resurgence in inflation—are all your income options on the table? In this podcast episo...

Episode 96: Getting down to fundamentals—Market Insights Monthly special edition

23 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are you inundated with stories? One of the most important rules when making investment decisions is to avoid getting caught up in headlines. In t...

Investing, happily, ever after—is your portfolio set for a fairytale ending? (Part 2)

02 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In part two of our happily, ever after series of Investments Unplugged, we continue to compare timeless tales to the current markets. In this conversa...

Episode 95: Investing, happily, ever after—is your portfolio set for a fairytale ending?

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What comes to mind when we think of fairytales? Fairytales are a means to teach children about opportunities, risks, and how to navigate a complex wor...

Episode 94: Explore the alternative route to your financial destination—Market Insights Monthly Special Edition

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Strengthen your defence and sharpen your offence with Manulife liquid alternatives. Join us as we unveil our two new alternative fixed-income solutio...

Episode 93: Investing in real assets —Market Insights Monthly Special Edition

02 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sticky inflation, economic uncertainty, and geopolitical risks. Now isn’t exactly the time to let your guard down. Tune in to our new podcast episo...

Episode 92: Q&A - let's talk about recessions

15 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Recession is a word that gets thrown around often. But what exactly is a recession and how does it impact investors? Join us for an in-depth Q&A sessi...

Episode 91: Dividends in a different light—Market Insights Monthly Special Edition

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dividend investing is evolving, and so should your approach. Tune in to our new podcast episode to learn about the unique set of challenges faced b...

Episode 90: Darkest before dawn—are investors nearing an inflection point?

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Make no mistake about it, the economy is dealing with its fair share of challenges. But are there bright spots ahead? In this podcast episode, we sit ...

Episode 89: A look ahead to 2024—addressing your unanswered questions (part 2)

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 89: A look ahead to 2024—addressing your unanswered questions (part 2) After patiently waiting for many months, signs that our fixed income ...

Episode 89: A look ahead to 2024—addressing your unanswered questions

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

With 2024 in full swing, what’s our take on equities and bonds? Rather than sharing our views in our usual way, we’ve adopted a Q&A format to resp...

Episode 88: Watching our bond scenario unfold: ready for phase 2?

01 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Consumer exhaustion is kicking in, yields have come down, and the economy is beginning to show signs of slowing. Since outlining our three-themed bon...

Episode 87: Under the microscope: looking closely at a potential recession

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 87: Under the microscope: looking closely at a potential recession Recession—it’s a word that continues to dominate the minds of investor...

Episode 86 - Back to school—studying three investment themes

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

School has started once again. And while students return to their classrooms and books, investors’ minds turn to their portfolios, the economy, and ...

Episode 85: In the spotlight—A.I. and interest rates

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many topics waltz across the minds of investors. They twirl through our thoughts and sometimes step on our toes. Two things have been leading us latel...

Episode 84: Recurring tides—market questions that regularly roll in

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Every so often, we find ourselves swimming in a sea of similar-sounding questions about what’s affecting or going to affect the markets. These inqui...

Episode 83: Uncertainty shock—looking at bank failures

04 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Lightning struck some U.S. and European banks recently, and investors may be feeling like the jolt is still coursing through them. Frances Donald, Glo...

Episode 82: A.I.—far-reaching or far out?

23 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Star Trek, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Terminator, Blade Runner, The Matrix—artificial intelligence (A.I.) has been a recurring science fiction theme...

Episode 81: All that glisters is not gold—why bonds may be better than GICs

08 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

To bond or not to bond? That is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to invest in bonds or guaranteed interest certificates (GICs) preoccup...

Episode 80: 2023 market outlook—what the signals are telling us

18 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

A new year has arrived. Many investors are breathing a collective sigh of relief that 2022 is done and are looking for indicators of better investment...

Episode 79: Out of the hospital—three opportunities for fixed-income investors

03 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cold and flu season struck and early and hard in 2022. It has also been a somewhat sick time in the markets this past year. Could 2023 give investors ...

Episode 78: Lessons learned—a conversation with Dan Janis

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This special episode features a discussion with our soon-retiring colleague and friend, Dan Janis, Co-Head of Global Multi-Sector Fixed Income at Manu...

Episode 77: Eyeing the bond markets

09 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Episode 77: Eyeing the bond markets Unusually painful performance in fixed-income investments this past year seems to be blurring investors’ vision...

Episode 76: Back to (still in) investment school

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For children, school has begun again. For investors, school is never really out. What subjects should you pay attention to? Will the bell ring to end ...

Episode 75: On the road again, and answering some top-of-mind questions

09 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With in-person interactions once again becoming the norm, this summer, the Capital Markets Strategy team has been criss-crossing the country, meeting ...

Episode 74: Bears come in two sizes: big bears and baby bears

06 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Bear markets aren’t new—15 have happened since 1950—and some have been worse than others. What’s happening with the current economy and market...

Episode 73: The bumpy bond road

24 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fixed-income markets have been going down a rocky road so far in 2022. Are we in for a continued rough ride? Or will the dirt path become a smoother h...

Episode 72: When bears attack—rules of survival

09 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When camping in the woods, the last thing you want to run into is a bear—but if you do, there are things you can do that can help you live through s...

Episode 71: Mid caps—the misunderstood middle child

18 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Despite the lack of evidence, people tend to believe a middle child has certain personality traits and can be difficult to deal with. Investors may th...

Episode 70: Seven key indicators of an oncoming recession

19 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Seven is often considered a lucky number. But luck doesn’t usually factor into it when talking about recession indicators. The Capital Markets Strat...

Episode 69: The Fed raised interest rates—is this the start of a rate-tightening climb?

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Up … up … up—inflation has been rising, towering like Mount Everest over the economy. In response to this high inflation, on March 16, the U.S. ...

Episode 68: History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes

24 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This month seems to be ending with a bang—literally. The tension between Ukraine and Russia has escalated, which has been affecting market volatilit...

Episode 67: Is fixed income dead? No, but you may want to look under the hood.

10 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Maybe it’s time to take that fixed-income vehicle into the shop for a tune-up? Ace investment mechanics Dan Janis and Tom Goggins, from Manulife Inv...

Episode 66: Did you lock the door? … An unexpected pit stop!

31 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our 2022 road trip has barely gotten underway and equity market volatility already has some investors wondering if they’ve secured their homes befor...

Episode 65: 2022 outlook — mapping the road ahead

10 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The investment journey over the next year may likely include a number of stops along the way, but the Capital Markets Strategy team sees the potential...

Episode 64: We’re making a list, checking it twice

17 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The holiday season is finally here after a year that has had more twists than candy cane stripes. The busy elves in the Capital Markets Strategy works...

Episode 63: This isn’t the 1970s stagflation. Keep those bell-bottoms in the closet.

22 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stagflation — sputtering economic growth coupled with rising inflation. Groovy … okay, not really that groovy. Just what is stagflation and how do...

Episode 62: Charting a course for 2022 — reading past the headlines

10 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

“Extra! Extra! Economy causing unease for investors!” The media has covered many stories about how economic activity has been less than anticipate...

Episode 61: Keep hitting singles and doubles ... eventually, you'll end up in the fairway

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What’s the score on stocks? Are currencies inbounds? Should investors play through or go grab a drink from the 19th hole? Sandy Sanders, Head of U.S...

Episode 60: Back to school

28 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Good day, class, and welcome to our back-to-school session. We hope you had a great summer! Join the Capital Markets Strategy team as they lead us in ...

Episode 59: Two steps forward, one step back

12 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Equities are up; bonds are down. Stronger economic gains and job growth in the U.S. and Canada seem to show that a recovery is in progress. But what h...

Episode 58: There's no sleeping in fixed income …

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The bond markets don’t sleep, so why should you? The Capital Markets Strategy team is joined by Christopher Chapman and Peter Azzinaro, from the Str...

Episode 57: Working on your inner game

21 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Distinguishing between market signals and market noise can help you make good investment decisions. Conrad Dabiet, Senior Managing Director at Manulif...

Episode 56: Emerging markets, innit?

07 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have emerging markets changed enough to make them worth looking at as a core asset class? Philip Ehrmann, Senior Portfolio Manager at Manulife Investm...

Episode 55: Because you kept asking — now quarterly!

20 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You ask — we hear you. The Capital Markets Strategy team loves receiving and responding to your questions. So, each quarter, the team will devote an...

Episode 54 — Only two things in life are certain ...

28 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The 2021 Canadian federal government budget — it’s finally here. But what’s in it? John Natale, Head of Tax, Retirement, and Estate Planning Ser...

Episode 53 — Where do we go from here?

14 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The economy continues to reopen, more people are receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, and the day when the pandemic is no longer a significant part of our...

Episode 52 — The (inflationary) elephant in the room

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Inflation rates — should we be paying attention to them now? And what do they have to do with long-term bond yields? The Capital Markets Strategy te...

Episode 51 — That's a great idea ... but is it investable?

08 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when a dividend growth strategy is applied to exchange-traded funds (ETFs)? In this episode of Investments Unplugged, Brett Hryb, Head of...

Episode 50 — Corrections are 100% predictable ... in hindsight

19 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Market corrections happen often. But exactly when they’ll occur, no one can say with any certainty. “Trying to pinpoint why is a fool’s game,”...

Episode 49 — Is fixed income still yielding opportunities?

08 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What about bonds? Roshan Thiru and Sivan Nair, from the Canadian Fixed Income team at Manulife Investment Management, talk with host Philp Petursson i...

Episode 48 — The 2021 fearless forecast

22 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Join the Capital Markets Strategy team for a lively discussion about what they think could happen in the economy and financial markets through 2021. T...

Episode 47 — The eternal optimist

04 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sandy Sanders, Head of the U.S. Core Value Equity Team at Manulife Investment Management, joins host Philip Petursson for this Investments Unplugged e...

Episode 46 — Dress for the returns you want, not the ones you have ...

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Gaining insight about what the future holds, and the financial benefits that could come with it, takes more than hope and guesswork. In this episode o...

Episode 45 — Because you asked…round 2

26 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This episode of Investments Unplugged continues the Q&A of episode 38. The Capital Markets Strategy team once again answer some of the burning questio...

Episode 44 — Thinking strategically about fixed income

10 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This episode of Investments Unplugged features Daniel Janis, Head of the Global Multi-Sector Fixed Income Team at Manulife Investment Management, who ...

Episode 43 — If the markets could vote, who would they choose?

08 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What’s a great way to generate less-than-ideal investment outcomes? Base your decisions on political emotions. The U.S. presidential election is fas...

Episode 42 — Never let a good opportunity to learn pass you by

01 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Over the past six months, we’ve seen a bear market, a recession, decades-high unemployment, unprecedented monetary and fiscal stimulus, and a powerf...

Episode 41 — That’s gold, Jerry! Gold!

22 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Investments Unplugged Jamie Robertson, and Alex Richard, both with Manulife Investment Management’s Asset Allocation team, join h...

Episode 40 — A kid in a candy store

28 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This episode of Investments Unplugged features Sandy Sanders, Head of the U.S. Core Value Equity Team at Manulife Investment Management, who joins Phi...

Episode 39 — This too shall pass …

07 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Will we see a global economic recovery in the next 18 months? In this episode of Investments Unplugged, the Capital Markets Strategy team share their ...

Episode 38 — Because you asked: COVID-19 edition

13 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this Q&A episode of Investments Unplugged, the Capital Markets Strategy team respond to some of the common questions they’ve been receiving since...

Episode 37 — Can we use megatrends as a basis for investing?

22 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Investments Unplugged, the Capital Markets Strategy team discusses megatrends — the social, demographic, environmental, and techn...

Episode 36 - Fixed income — are bonds stronger now?

25 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This episode of Investments Unplugged features Manulife Investment Management’s Global Multi-Sector Fixed Income Team’s Director and Senior Invest...

Episode 35 - Planning and positioning for a recovery

11 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Investments Unplugged, the Capital Markets Strategy team looks at strategies and ideas to prepare for a market recovery, including ...

Episode 34 – Quotes to invest by

21 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Investments Unplugged, the Capital Markets Strategy team share words of wisdom they’ve learned, which have shaped them as investo...

Episode 33 – Hope is not an investment strategy

14 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Investments Unplugged, host Philip Petursson is joined by Apollo Lupescu, Vice President at Dimensional Fund Advisors (DFA). Apollo...

Episode 32 – How to survive a bear attack

17 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Investments Unplugged, Kevin Headland, Senior Investment Strategist at Manulife Investment Management, joins host Philip Petursson ...

Episode 31 – Asset allocation in turbulent times

09 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Investments Unplugged, host Philip Petursson finds out how Manulife Investment Management’s Asset Allocation team was prepared fo...

Episode 30 - Invest in Canada, eh.

25 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Investments Unplugged, Patrick Blais, Senior Portfolio Manager at Manulife Investment Management talks with host Philip Petursson a...

Episode 29 - Coronavirus, an economically disruptive, not destructive event

11 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Investments Unplugged, Macan Nia and Kevin Headland, Senior Investment Strategists at Manulife Investment Management, join host Phi...

Episode 28 - Pay attention to the world’s yield signs

30 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Investments Unplugged, you’ll hear from Terry Carr, Senior Managing Director and Head of Fixed Income, Canada for Manulife Invest...

Episode 27B - Asset allocation — out with the old year, in with the new

21 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In part two of a two-part Investments Unplugged episode, you’ll hear more from Manulife Investment Management’s Asset Allocation team on how marke...

Episode 27A - Asset allocation — out with the old year, in with the new

15 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In part one of a two-part Investments Unplugged episode, you’ll hear from Manulife Investment Management’s Asset Allocation team on how markets an...

Episode 26 - ESG: with great investing comes great responsibility

06 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) investing is no passing phase. In this episode, host Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist at Manulife...

Episode 25 - Fearless Forecast for 2020

03 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Manulife Investment Management’s Capital Markets Strategy team lays down their “Fearless Forecast” for 2020. Kevin Headland and Macan Nia, Senio...

Episode 24 - How low can we go?

25 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When your clients ask for an explanation of negative interest rates, and how it could affect their investment returns, how do you respond? In this epi...

Episode 23 - Don’t let the tax tail wag the dog

01 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Investments Unplugged, host Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist at Manulife Investment Management, speaks with special gu...

Episode 22 - Going global with Mawer

09 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Philip Petursson, Chief Investment Strategist at Manulife Investment Management, is joined by Paul Moroz, Chief Investment Officer of Mawer Investment...