The Fundamentals Podcast

Artificial Intelligence

In this episode of The Fundamentals Podcast, Jordan Rasmussen, Senior Institutional Portfolio Manager at Jarislowsky Fraser, is joined by Jeremy Schaal, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager, U.S. Equities, and Christopher Knapp, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager, Emerging Markets Equities, to explore what comes after AI’s initial surge. They examine where economic value is concentrating across chips, platforms, and applications, and why energy, infrastructure, and semiconductor supply remain critical bottlenecks. They also discuss the intensifying U.S.–China dynamic and the race for capital and talent. Listen in for a timely and thought-provoking conversation on where AI goes from here and what it could mean for investors.

Private Assets

In this episode of The Fundamentals Podcast, Isaac Dell, Associate Institutional Portfolio Manager at Jarislowsky Fraser, is joined by Byron Monaghan, Director of Private Assets at Scotia Global Asset Management, to discuss the growing role of private assets in portfolio construction. The conversation explores how investors should think about expected returns, liquidity trade-offs, and portfolio sizing, as well as the evolution from traditional closed-end drawdown funds toward evergreen fund structures. Isaac and Byron also examine why private markets remain relevant in 2026, highlighting current dynamics across private equity, private credit, real estate, and infrastructure, and discuss how Scotia Global Asset Management’s evergreen private asset solutions are designed to provide investors access to private markets.

Fixed Income Markets

In this episode of The Fundamentals Podcast, Trevor Boose, CFA,  Senior Institutional Portfolio Manager, sits down with Marc-André Gaudreau, CFA, Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager, and Head of Fixed Income at Jarislowsky Fraser to discuss the shifting landscape of bond and credit markets. Marc-André reflects on the adjustment from years of near-zero rates, the impact of competing central bank priorities, and how policy shifts, fiscal pressures, and market volatility are having an effect across the curve. He highlights why flexible, benchmark-agnostic strategies are increasingly valuable for managing volatility and capturing opportunities. His key message: fixed income is more compelling today than it has been in years for investors able to stay nimble and selective.

U.S. Equity Markets

In this episode of The Fundamentals Podcast, Jordan Rasmussen, Senior Institutional Portfolio Manager, speaks with Jeremy Schaal, Managing Director and Portfolio Manager of U.S. Equities at Jarislowsky Fraser, about the U.S. equity markets in 2025. They discuss how concentrated gains in mega-cap tech and AI-driven optimism are masking underlying risks tied to high valuations, policy shifts, and infrastructure strains. The conversation also examines overlooked opportunities in consumer staples and utilities, as well as the importance of diversification and defensive positioning in uncertain times.

An Interview with Stephen Jarislowsky

In this special episode of The Fundamentals Podcast, Quyn Pham sits down with Stephen Jarislowsky to mark his upcoming 100th birthday. He shares candid reflections on his journey from wartime counterintelligence to building one of Canada’s leading investment firms, emphasizing ethics, discipline, and purpose over legacy. With characteristic humility, Mr. Jarislowsky discusses the principles that shaped his career and the importance of living a moral life.