The S&P/TSX Total Return Index contracted by 3.1% in May that is less then both the S&P 500 (-6.35%) and the MSCI ACWI ex. USA (-5.26%). At May end, after a first declining month, the YTD S&P/TSX Total Return Index was up 13.4%.
Markets have been on a roller coaster as the probability of tariff wars are rising. On top of tariffs, US investors were increasingly concerned in regards to potential regulation of the American mega cap technology companies due to the monopolistic nature of their business models.
The best TSX sector in May was Information Technology, up 4.3%, as the largest players such as CSU OTEX, GIB.A and SHOP,) all posted good quarterly results. On the other hand, the worst sector was Health Care, down 13.8%, a sector in which INOC is not invested.
Looking more specifically at INOC, defensive stocks such as ATD and DOL outperformed nicely as investors were looking for a safe heaven away from the surrounding chaos. INOC’s best performer in May was CCL.B following better than expected results. The three weakest performers for the month were Norbord, Magna, and Linamar, their poor performance was driven by macro economics and politics but also in the case of Magna by management downward revision of this year financial results guidance.
