Views from the Desk

Podcast: What Canada’s Election Results Mean for Investors

May 6, 2025

In today’s episode, Bipan Rai, Matt Montemurro, and your host, Erika Toth, break down the recent federal election results. They discuss the Liberal government’s priorities, interprovincial trade barriers, the economic outlook — and what it all means for investors. 

Erika Toth is a Director of Institutional and Advisory at BMO Global Asset Management (BMO GAM). She is joined on the podcast by Bipan Rai, Head of ETF Strategy, Exchange Traded Funds at BMO GAM, and Matt Montemurro, Managing Director and Head of Fixed Income & Equity Index ETFs, Exchange Traded Funds, at BMO GAM. The episode was recorded live on Tuesday, May 62025.

ETFs mentioned:

Total returns, as of 2025/04/30: ZWU: 1 yr: 19.85%, 3yr: 2.51%, 5 yr 6.67%, 10 yr: 4.05%, SI: 4.86%

Annualized distribution yield, as of 2025/05/06: ZWU: 7.62%

This yield is calculated by taking the most recent regular distribution, or expected distribution, (excluding additional year end distributions) annualized for frequency, divided by current NAV. The yield calculation does not include reinvested distributions.

USMCA: United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement

NAFTA: North American Free Trade Agreement

T-Bills: Treasury bills

G7 Markets: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States

EM: Emerging Markets

Beta: A measure of the volatility, or systematic risk, of a security or a portfolio in comparison to the market as a whole.

Duration: A measure of a bond’s sensitivity to changes in interest rates. It is expressed in years and helps investors understand how much the price of a bond is likely to change when interest rates move. Essentially, duration estimates the percentage change in a bond’s price for a 1% change in interest rates.

Spread: The difference between two related values, often prices or yields.

Term premium: Extra return investors receive for holding a bond for a longer period, as there is a higher risk that interest rates may change during the life of the bond.

Yield curve: A line that plots the interest rates of bonds having equal credit quality but differing maturity dates. A normal or steep yield curve indicates that long-term interest rates are higher than short-term interest rates. A flat yield curve indicates that short-term rates are in line with long-term rates, whereas an inverted yield curve indicates that short-term rates are higher than long-term rates.

Volatility: Measures how much the price of a security, derivative, or index fluctuates.

Disclaimers:

The episode is for informational or educational purposes only and does not provide investment advice or recommendations.

See full disclaimers here: Find an ETF

The viewpoints expressed by the speakers represent their assessment of the markets at the time of publication. Those views are subject to change without notice at any time. The information contained herein is not, and should not be construed as, investment, tax or legal advice to any party. Investments should be evaluated relative to the individual’s investment objectives and professional advice should be obtained with respect to any circumstance. 

Any statement that necessarily depends on future events may be a forward-looking statement. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although such statements are based on assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from expectations. Investors are cautioned not to rely unduly on any forward-looking statements. In connection with any forward-looking statements, investors should carefully consider the areas of risk described in the most recent simplified prospectus.

Distribution yields are calculated by using the most recent regular distribution, or expected distribution, (which may be based on income, dividends, return of capital, and option premiums, as applicable) and excluding additional year end distributions, and special reinvested distributions annualized for frequency, divided by current net asset value (NAV). The yield calculation does not include reinvested distributions. Distributions are not guaranteed, may fluctuate and are subject to change and/​or elimination. Distribution rates may change without notice (up or down) depending on market conditions and NAV fluctuations. The payment of distributions should not be confused with the BMO ETF’s performance, rate of return or yield. If distributions paid by a BMO ETF are greater than the performance of the investment fund, your original investment will shrink. Distributions paid as a result of capital gains realized by a BMO ETF, and income and dividends earned by a BMO ETF, are taxable in your hands in the year they are paid. Your adjusted cost base will be reduced by the amount of any returns of capital. If your adjusted cost base goes below zero, you will have to pay capital gains tax on the amount below zero. 

Cash distributions, if any, on units of a BMO ETF (other than accumulating units or units subject to a distribution reinvestment plan) are expected to be paid primarily out of dividends or distributions, and other income or gains, received by the BMO ETF less the expenses of the BMO ETF, but may also consist of non-taxable amounts including returns of capital, which may be paid in the manager’s sole discretion. To the extent that the expenses of a BMO ETF exceed the income generated by such BMO ETF in any given month, quarter, or year, as the case may be, it is not expected that a monthly, quarterly, or annual distribution will be paid. Distributions, if any, in respect of the accumulating units of BMO Short Corporate Bond Index ETF, BMO Short Federal Bond Index ETF, BMO Short Provincial Bond Index ETF, BMO Ultra Short-Term Bond ETF and BMO Ultra Short-Term US Bond ETF will be automatically reinvested in additional accumulating units of the applicable BMO ETF. Following each distribution, the number of accumulating units of the applicable BMO ETF will be immediately consolidated so that the number of outstanding accumulating units of the applicable BMO ETF will be the same as the number of outstanding accumulating units before the distribution. Non-resident unitholders may have the number of securities reduced due to withholding tax. Certain BMO ETFs have adopted a distribution reinvestment plan, which provides that a unitholder may elect to automatically reinvest all cash distributions paid on units held by that unitholder in additional units of the applicable BMO ETF in accordance with the terms of the distribution reinvestment plan. For further information, see the distribution policy in the BMO ETFs’ simplified prospectus. 

Portfolio holdings and allocations subject to change without notice.

The BMO ETFs or securities referred to herein are not sponsored, endorsed or promoted by MSCI Inc. (“MSCI”), and MSCI bears no liability with respect to any such BMO ETFs or securities or any index on which such BMO ETFs or securities are based. The prospectus of the BMO ETFs contains a more detailed description of the limited relationship MSCI has with BMO Asset Management Inc. and any related BMO ETFs.

All investments involve risk. The value of an ETF can go down as well as up and you could lose money. The risk of an ETF is rated based on the volatility of the ETF’s returns using the standardized risk classification methodology mandated by the Canadian Securities Administrators. Historical volatility does not dictate how volatile an ETF will be in the future. An ETF with a risk rating of low” can still lose money. For more information about the risk rating and specific risks that can affect BMO AAA CLO ETF’s returns, see BMO AAA CLO ETF’s prospectus. 

For a summary of the risks of an investment in BMO AAA CLO ETF, please see the specific risks set out in the prospectus.

Commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with investments in exchange traded funds. Please read the ETF Facts or simplified prospectus of the BMO ETFs before investing. The indicated rates of return are the historical annual compounded total returns including changes in unit value and reinvestment of all dividends or distributions and do not take into account sales, redemption, distribution or optional charges or income taxes payable by any unitholder that would have reduced returns. Exchange traded funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

For a summary of the risks of an investment in the BMO ETFs, please see the specific risks set out in the BMO ETF’s simplified prospectus. BMO ETFs trade like stocks, fluctuate in market value and may trade at a discount to their net asset value, which may increase the risk of loss. Distributions are not guaranteed and are subject to change and/​or elimination.

BMO ETFs are managed by BMO Asset Management Inc., which is an investment fund manager and a portfolio manager, and a separate legal entity from Bank of Montreal.

This podcast is for information purposes. The information contained herein is not, and should not be construed as, investment, tax or legal advice to any party. Particular investments and/​or trading strategies should be evaluated relative to the individual’s investment objectives and professional advice should be obtained with respect to any circumstance.

BMO Global Asset Management is a brand name under which BMO Asset Management Inc. and BMO Investments Inc. operate.

BMO (M-bar roundel symbol)” is a registered trademark of Bank of Montreal, used under licence.