The first year of a presidential cycle has historically delivered solid market performance, and current data reinforces optimism for December. Kim Inglis at Raymond James reviews 80 years of S&P 500 history: in the 12 instances where the index rose 5% or more through November's end, December finished positive every time, averaging about 2% gains.

"Every single time, December has ended up to be a positive month," she says. While history does not guarantee repetition, the pattern suggests momentum from a strong November often carries through year-end.

Wealth management firms large and small confront persistent staffing obstacles heading into 2026, intensifying the industry's M&A momentum. Emily Blue, founder of Hue Partners, highlights data from Cerule Associates showing quality of staff as the top challenge, followed closely by training junior advisors. Senior "hunters" accustomed to sourcing business struggle to mentor fresh CFP professionals who start as "farmers" before transitioning to client acquisition. "It is really challenging... and incredibly time-consuming" Emily Blue notes.

Record highs spark hesitation, yet data since 2000 shows investing at peaks outperforms waiting. Kim Inglis at Raymond James presents a chart indicating that buying only on record highs delivered average 12-month returns of about 7.5%, compared to 6.9% otherwise. "Investing at record highs doesn't actually translate into it being a bad time to invest" she argues.

Markets appear primed for a pause after an extended strong run, with elevated valuations leaving asset classes vulnerable to surprises. Kim Inglis at Raymond James notes the S&P 500 delivered 15%+ returns in six of the last seven years, a rare streak, and volatility has been subdued since spring 2025. "You can't go to the track and sprint forever" she analogizes. A breather would be natural and healthy, offering chances to buy high-quality names on temporary dips.

After a record breaking year of inflows into the ETF space in 2025, there is strong momentum at the start of 2026, with investors adding more than $100 billion to exchange traded funds in just the first two weeks of the new year. And while passive strategies still dominate among ETFs, actively managed funds are increasingly fueling growth in the ETF space.

Asset TV's latest Canada Benchmarking Report reveals December 2025's most-watched content spotlighting fixed income as the breakout star. CIBC claimed the top company spot for viewer engagement followed by BlackRock, Franklin Templeton and BMO. Franklin Templeton secured the most-watched video award with its analysis on why Canadian fixed income reaches a new turning point.

Franklin Templeton's latest global investment manager survey covering $1.7tn in assets and concluded just days ago paints a 2026 outlook that defies perennial bearish noise. U.S. 10-year yields settle between 4% and 4.5%. S&P 500 returns hover around 9% in line with earnings growth. Expectations jumped from one Fed rate cut to three. This steepens the yield curve from 50 basis points to 100 basis points on the two-to-ten spread. The shift breaks the bifurcated pattern of U.S. growth dominance versus value elsewhere.

Markets handed investors hefty 2025 gains, making year-end tax maneuvers essential. Raymond James' Kim Inglis recommends portfolio reviews for loss positions to harvest capital losses and offset gains. Steer clear of superficial loss rules: wait 30 days before repurchasing identical securities. For cherished holdings, swap temporarily into sector proxies like consumer staples ETFs, then repurchase originals after the window.

Asset management sails into 2026 on slowing organic growth, propelled by three intertwined forces: technology as the dominant accelerant, a stark demographic barbell, and lingering macro uncertainty. Marc Barrachin, Global Head of Products at ISS Market Intelligence, highlights the dramatic pace of tech change reshaping expectations for investors and advisors alike.

Gold and silver have started 2026 strong, with both metals hitting fresh highs as investors navigate market volatility brought on by the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, questions about the Fed’s independence, and a proposal to cap credit card interest rates.

According to the World Gold Council, spot gold prices now sit at $4,641 an ounce while spot silver prices broke $90 for the first time in history.

Asset TV's ETF Editor in Chief Kristin Myers joined CBS News to discuss the President's latest proposal: a cap on credit card interest rates at 10%.

Source: What a 10% credit card interest rate cap could mean for borrowers

Covered call strategies carve a hybrid niche, blending equity growth with bond-like income sans the whipsaws of pure plays. Greg Gipson of CIBC Global Asset Management highlights yield variability as the old guard's Achilles heel: equity dividends ebb with payouts and prices, while fixed income yields have gyrated wildly over five years. "Those numbers are variable over time," he observes, from corporate hikes to rate routs eroding bond appeal.