The Canadian Investor

Markets remain highly volatile as the Iran conflict drives one of the largest oil supply disruptions in decades. We break down what’s happening in energy markets, why this shock could last longer than expected, and how it may impact global growth, inflation, and investor portfolios.

We then shift to actionable ideas, discussing ETFs and sectors that could help navigate this environment, including energy, utilities, consumer s...

Markets remain highly volatile as tensions in the Middle East continue to drive sharp swings across equities, bonds, and commodities. We break down how rising oil prices and inflation expectations are impacting different sectors, why the S&P 500 and Nasdaq are down year-to-date, and how diversification is helping investors navigate the current environment.

We then turn to private credit, where issues continue to surface. A KKR ...

In this episode, we break down what goeasy’s collapse could signal for the broader Canadian economy and banking sector.

We revisit past Canadian bank failures, connect them to today’s rising job losses and economic weakness, and explain why subprime lenders tend to crack first in a downturn.

We also discuss whether Canadian banks could face headwinds after a strong run, and compare Goeasy to Propel to assess risks acros...

The Bank of Canada kept rates unchanged, but the bigger story may be just how stuck policymakers are becoming. We discuss weakening growth, stubborn pockets of inflation, higher energy prices, and what the latest CPI data says about the Canadian economy.

We also break down Alimentation Couche-Tard’s latest earnings and why the market was underwhelmed despite decent headline growth. Same-store sales, consumer pressure, and slo...

In this episode of The Canadian Investor Podcast, we break down Constellation Software’s latest earnings and conference call, including what management had to say about AI, software pricing, acquisition strategy, and why the company may be looking more closely at public market opportunities.

We then shift to the growing stress in private credit. We discuss new data showing record default rates in 2025, redemption pressure hit...

In this episode of The Canadian Investor Podcast, we break down the stunning collapse in Goeasy after the company shocked investors with a major financial update ahead of earnings. What was expected to be a gradual deterioration turned into a full-blown blow-up, with sharply higher charge-offs, a suspended dividend and buyback program, withdrawn guidance, potential restatements of past financials, and debt covenant issues that coul...

In this episode of The Canadian Investor Podcast, Simon Belanger and Dan Kent kick things off with a surprising ripple effect from the AI boom: a full-blown RAM/memory shortage that’s sending PC upgrade costs through the roof. They break down why high-bandwidth memory (HBM) is crowding out “normal” consumer RAM production, how Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix are prioritizing the most profitable AI-driven demand, and...

In our very first YouTube Live (also released on the podcast feed), we pivot from a planned “all-banks” episode after major U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran pushed markets into risk-off mode. We break down the key market transmission mechanism—energy—through the Strait of Hormuz, rising shipping risk, and why yields can rise during conflict when inflation expectations jump.

From there, we shift into what Can...

In this news-style episode, Simon and Dan break down Citrini Research’s The 2028 Global Intelligence Crisis—a “note from the future” dated June 30, 2028 that frames the most bullish AI adoption path as a surprisingly bearish outcome for the real economy. They walk through the core feedback loop: companies deploy AI to boost productivity and margins, layoffs rise (especially in white-collar roles), consumer s...

Simon and Dan kick off with a quick update on the Canadian Investor Podcast’s first YouTube Live (March 3rd at noon ET).

Then it’s straight into the GoEasy saga: Q4 earnings get pushed right up near the regulatory deadline, adding to a growing list of red flags around leadership turnover and loan-book quality. Simon and Dan explain why, like poker, you can’t cherry-pick the information you like.

Next, Canadian Tir...

Simon and Dan take a break from the usual AI doom talk to focus on the other side of the trade: industries AI is unlikely to disrupt—and may actually strengthen. They discuss why parts of the “real economy” (natural resources, waste collection, skilled trades, and critical infrastructure work) have durable moats tied to physical assets, regulation, and human accountability.

In Stocks on Our Radar, Dan revisits Sho...

Simon and Dan are back with another earnings-driven episode — this time focused entirely on Canadian companies.

They dig into a fresh batch of results across insurance, commodities, transportation, and airlines, discussing what’s actually driving performance beneath the headlines, why some stocks are pulling back despite strong fundamentals, and how different business models are holding up in a slowing economy.

The conv...

In this news and earnings episode, Simon and Dan break down Canada’s January CPI print and why food inflation still feels painfully high despite softer headline numbers. They dig into TELUS’ rough quarter, the surprise CEO change, and what it means for leverage, dividends, and long-term turnaround prospects.

The guys also cover Shopify’s strong Q4 results and growing AI integration—discussing whether AI is a...

Simon and Braden reunite for a throwback 1-on-1 to break down what’s behind the recent “SaaS apocalypse.” They discuss why AI uncertainty is crushing software multiples, how coding agents could reduce seat counts, and where value capture might shift next (subscriptions vs. usage-based and hybrid pricing). They also separate the real risks (in-house tools at large enterprises, margin pressure from AI features) from...

In this jam-packed news and earnings episode, Simon and Dan dig into the hyperscaler AI spending arms race—and what it could mean for shareholders. They break down Alphabet’s blowout quarter (surging Cloud growth, stronger engagement from AI-powered search, and a push to “own the transaction layer” online), but also debate the market’s unease as buybacks take a back seat to massive capex plans.

They th...

In this mixed earnings and macro episode, Simon and Dan break down Palantir’s explosive growth (and wild stock reaction), Microsoft’s cloud slowdown fears amid massive AI capex, and Starbucks’ underwhelming turnaround outlook. They also dig into what today’s volatility says about tech valuations, why hyperscalers are under pressure to prove returns on AI spending, and whether investors should start looking b...

In this bonus episode of The Canadian Investor Podcast, Simon Belanger and Dan Kent break down the market turbulence driving major moves in gold and silver, and discuss why the Fed is “trapped” regardless of who replaces Jerome Powell—using the Kevin Warsh chatter as a jumping-off point for fiscal dominance, bond demand, and what it all means for risk assets. They also run through earnings and capital allocation d...

Markets have been chaotic over the past few sessions, so we pivot to a mostly-news episode to unpack what’s really driving the volatility.

We start with “SaaSmageddon” — the sharp selloff across software stocks following rapid advances in AI, including Claude’s new capabilities. We discuss why investors are suddenly questioning data-driven moats, seat-based subscription models, and whether traditional ...

In this episode, Simon and Dan break down key investing metrics the financial media barely talks about—including free cash flow per share, free cash flow payout ratio, net interest margin, stock-based compensation, and leverage/interest coverage—and why these can matter more than the usual headline numbers.

Then in Stocks on Our Radar (presented by EQ Bank), Simon covers Pure Storage—an under-the-radar AI infrastr...