BMO ETFs: Views from the Desk

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 GAM. She is joined by Bipan Rai, Head of ETF Strategy, Exchange Traded Funds at BMO GAM, and Matt Montemurro, ...

Trump’s trade wars are creating ripple effects that are being felt far and wide. In today’s episode, ETF Strategist Bipan Rai, and your host, Zayla Saunders, discuss which sectors are bracing for impact or flying under the radar.

Recorded live on April 30, 2025.

ETFs:

• BMO US Equity Buffer Hedged to CAD ETF - April (ZAPR)
• BMO MSCI EAFE Index ETF (ZEA)
• BMO Gold Bullion ETF (ZGLD)
• BMO Global Infrastructure Index ETF (ZGI)

• Rea...

A post-election special from BMO ETFs and alternatives strategist Bipan Rai and guest Ali Jaffery, executive director and senior economist at CIBC. Housing, infrastructure and defence spending are top priorities for the newly elected Liberal government. However, the pair discuss how rising trade and recession risks could upend that agenda and force new stimulus measures instead. This podcast was recorded live on April 29, 2025.

In this episode, Jonathan Lau, Olivia Li, and host, Skye Collyer, take a deep dive into covered call ETFs—discussing how they work and strategies to utilize them for portfolio positioning in today’s marketplace.

 Skye Collyer is a Director of ETF Distribution at BMO Global Asset anagement (BMO GAM). She is joined by Jonathan Lau and Olivia Li, Portfolio Managers at BMO Exchange Traded Funds. Recorded live on Tues, April 15, 2025.

ET...

A volatile U.S. dollar amid broader trade uncertainty has many Canadian investors questioning whether to add or pare their FX hedges. Bipan Rai, managing director of ETF and structured solutions strategy at BMO ETFs, provides a brief history of the dollar’s evolution as the global reserve currency, and his view on where the greenback goes from here. This episode was recorded live on April 22, 2025.

Show link (Spotify): ⁠⁠⁠⁠http...

Tariff risk is a significant challenge for the Canadian economy—but it’s certainly not the only one confronting policy makers and the private sector. Benjamin Tal, deputy chief economist for CIBC joins Bipan Rai, director of ETF strategy at BMO ETFs to discuss how to handle Trump’s tariff shock, as well as other economic risk factors facing Canada. This episode was recorded live on April 10, 2025.

Show link (Spotify): ⁠⁠⁠https://op...

Gold prices have skyrocketed as investors both big and small have poured into the precious metal seeking its relative stability amid ongoing trade uncertainty and market risks. Daniel Ghali, director, commodities strategy at TD Securities joins Bipan Rai, director of ETF strategy for BMO ETFs to discuss who’s behind gold’s big moves and where prices could go as the year progresses. This episode was recorded live on April 8, 2025.  

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Trump’s tariffs have sent stock markets on a roller-coaster ride. Are investors ready for more? In this episode, ETF Strategist Bipan Rai, and host, Erin Allen, dive into the four corrective channels to watch and share ideas for defensive portfolio positioning.

Erin Allen is Director of Online Distribution at BMO Exchange Traded Funds. She is joined on the podcast by Bipan Rai, Head of ETF Strategy, ETFs at BMO Global Asset Managem...

In this episode, ETF Strategist Bipan Rai, and host, Erika Toth, share why they are proceeding with market caution over exuberance and provide a Q2 update on portfolio positioning.

Erika Toth is a Director of Institutional and Advisory, BMO GAM. She is joined by Bipan Rai, Head of ETF Strategy, ETFs, BMO GAM. Recorded live on March 31, 2025.

• BMO International Dividend ETF (ZDI)
• BMO MSCI China Selection Equity Index ETF (ZCH)
• BMO L...

In this episode, Matt Montemurro, and your host, Acushla Vestby, explore the evolution of the traditional bond laddering strategy—and what the next generation of target maturity bond ETFs has in store for investors.

Acushla Vestby is the Managing Director and Head of Structured Solutions & National Accounts at BMO GAM. She is joined on the podcast by Matt Montemurro, Managing Director & Head of Fixed Income & Equity Inde...

Volatile markets have greeted the tariff regime the Trump Administration appears intent on enacting. Ahead of a key April 2nd deadline for a wave of U.S. reciprocal trade levies to be imposed, Chris Krueger, Managing Director, Washington Research Group, TD Cowen and host Bipan Rai, BMO ETFs Strategist, discuss some of the pressing questions that investors, policymakers and markets are seeking clarity on. This episode was recorded l...

Will inflation’s sudden spike push the Bank of Canada to press pause on rate cuts? In this episode, Bipan Rai, Matt Montemurro, and your host, Erika Toth, examine Canada’s latest CPI print. They also discuss the outcome of this week’s Fed meeting, the outlook for the REITs, and fixed income positioning for the months ahead.  

The episode was recorded live on March 19, 2025.

ETFs:

• BMO Short Corporate Bond Index ETF (ZCS)
• BMO High Q...

In this episode, Sohrab Movahedi, Bipan Rai, and your host, Skye Collyer, take a deep dive into Canada’s Big Six banks, from first-quarter earnings results to Trump’s tariffs and all the key themes in between.

This episode was recorded on March 10, 2025.

ETFs:

• BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF (ZEB)
• BMO Covered Call Canadian Banks ETF (ZWB)
• BMO Equal Weight US Banks Hedged to CAD Index ETF (ZUB)
• BMO Equal Weight US Banks Index ETF (Z...

What are ETF flows telling us? In this episode, ETF Strategist Bipan Rai, and host, Erika Toth, pour over the latest industry data and provide insights on how to navigate choppy markets.

Recorded live on March 6, 2025.

ETFs:

• BMO Money Market Fund ETF Series (ZMMK)
• BMO Ultra Short-Term Bond ETF (ZST)
• BMO Aggregate Bond Index ETF (ZAG)
• BMO Core Plus Bond Fund (ZCPB)
• BMO Gold Bullion ETF (ZGLD)
• BMO All-Equity ETF (ZEQT)
• BMO MSCI EAFE High...

Trump’s tariffs are coming—the question is: when? In this episode, ETF Strategist Bipan Rai, and host, Zayla Saunders, discuss key dates and the potential real-world implications of a prolonged trade war.

Recorded live on Feb 26, 2025.

ETFs:

• BMO Short Federal Bond Index ETF (ZFS)
• BMO Government Bond Index ETF (ZGB)
• BMO Aggregate Bond Index ETF (ZAG)
• BMO MSCI EAFE Index ETF (ZEA)
• BMO Gold Bullion ETF (ZGLD)
• BMO SPDR Health Car...

What are the sectoral flows into and out of the Global Industry Classification Standards, or GICS, telling us? In this episode, special guest Michael Arone, ETF Strategist Bipan Rai, and your host, Erika Toth, delve into the leaders and laggards. They also look back at historical trends and ahead for potential opportunities.

The episode was recorded live on Feb 19, 2025.

ETFs:

• BMO SPDR Industrials Select Sector Index ETF - Series...

Looking to invest overseas with ease? In this episode, special guests Johan Ahlberg, Acushla Vestby, and your host, Erin Allen, explore the fundamentals of Canadian Depositary Receipts (CDRs) and how they give investors greater access to foreign markets.

Recorded live on Jan 30, 2025.

• CDR Directory
• BMO Smarter Investing Podcast

Disclaimers:

This podcast is for information purposes. The information contained herein is not,...

As the world reacts to Trump’s tariffs, questions mount. In this episode, ETF Strategist Bipan Rai, Portfolio Manager Jeremy Yeung, and your host, Michelle Allen, explore what this could mean for supply chains and Tech.

How are today’s hot-button issues impacting markets? In this episode, ETF Strategist Bipan Rai, and your host, Erika Toth, share more on their cautiously optimistic outlook.