Picture this: It's 1971, and President Nixon just ended the gold standard, severing the dollar's convertibility to gold. The fixed price of $35 per ounce was history. Fast-forward to today—the U.S. national debt has ballooned past $35 trillion, political gridlock is the norm, and gold has just hit another record high. Coincidence? Hardly.

Gold's surge to record territory in 2025 isn't just another market anomaly. It's the result of a perfect storm: macroeconomic pressures, unprecedented central bank buying, and a world that feels increasingly unstable. But before you rush to load up on bullion, let's separate the golden truths from the fool's gold.

In this episode Canadian bond portfolio manager, Crista Caughlin, and balanced portfolio manager, Steven Visscher discuss Q2’s market and economic activity. Topics covered include “Liberation Day's” tariff shocks, central bank policies, inflation, and other themes.

Investors today confront the most serious Middle East crisis in decades. The Israel-Iran conflict has demonstrated how quickly regional tensions can escalate to unprecedented levels, with the potential for direct military confrontation creating ongoing market uncertainty.