The last year has seen central banks across the world cut down interest rates to record lows since the 2008 financial crisis. Almost all governments have launched stimulus programs and have refused to up rates. The US Fed has said that it expects inflation to rise to 2.4% and it’s a matter of time before Canada follows suit. As inflation continues to climb in Canada, here are five stocks that are worth investing into:

The global marijuana market is growing at a fast pace and investors want to be a part of this growth story. A report by Grand View Research Inc. says that the global legal marijuana market size is expected to reach $84.0 billion by 2028, and is expected to expand at a CAGR (compounded annual growth rate) of 14.3% from 2021 to 2028. The report says, “Increased legalization of marijuana for medical and adult-use and the growing adoption of these products for the treatment of chronic diseases are the key factors driving the market for legal marijuana.”

Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE: PLTR) develops software solutions for federal government agencies and commercial businesses. Its proprietary Palantir Gotham software is highly coveted in defense and intelligence agencies, owing to its pattern identification from datasets and reports. Palantir Foundry, on the other hand, is a big hit among businesses as it creates a central operating system for data storage, integration, and analysis.

Water is one of the most vital components of life. It is thus natural that some investors seek to include water stocks in their portfolios. In general, water stocks have simple business models and are resilient to recessions thanks to the essential nature of their business.

Bell Canada, a subsidiary of BCE, Inc. (TSX: BCE, NYSE: BCE)) is the second largest telecommunications company in Canada. With dual listing in Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), BCE is the second largest telecommunications company in Canada, with over 9 million combined prepaid and postpaid subscribers as of December 31, 2020. BCE shares listed in the NYSE have gained 23.3% over the past year, and 6.1% year-to-date. Following the release of the company’s impressive earnings report which surpassed analyst expectations, BCE has gained 3.9% over the past month.

While COVID-19 has taken center stage for the past year, there remains a huge need for advance testing, treatment options and cures for other diseases. That points toward personalized medicine and next-generation genomic sequencing (NGS) solutions.

There are many players in the sequencing market, each of which offers a different twist and exposure for investors.

2021 has been earmarked as the year for global recovery from one of the worst recessions in modern history. With complete lockdown during the initial months of the pandemic followed by the prolonged period of social distancing reducing activity, most countries, including Canada, are currently dealing with the repercussions of the economic slump.

The gaming industry has been booming for the last few months. During the Covid-19 pandemic, situation when all other industries were struggling to survive in the market, the gaming industry was surging. An article in Nasdaq.com said, “According to NPD Group, total consumer spending on video gaming in the United States continues to soar as it registered a 26% year-over-year rise to $18.6 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020.”

The electric vehicle frenzy, pioneered by Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) has triggered a global automotive evolution. The rising climate change concerns across the world has been one of the key reasons behind the rapid rise of the electric vehicle industry, bolstered by favoring governments. However, with the global economy currently grappling with one of the worst recessions in modern history, the automobile industry is currently in a slump. Consequently, without adequate earnings and revenue growth, EV stocks are presently trading at surmounting valuations, raising concerns regarding a potential asset bubble.

After a horrendous 2020, this year markets are filled with optimism as vaccines are being rolled out. Among Canadian stocks, there have been a few that have fared better than most even in the pandemic thanks to excellent survival strategies and highly agile operations. These champions are ideal for making investments. So, if you are looking to invest in some strong names, take a look at these companies that might just be worth keeping an eye on:

The GameStop frenzy has left many people wondering about the connotation and implications of a market squeeze. While the speculative rally kickstarted by a Reddit group is battling to take on the biggest hedge funds in the United States, a similar situation in the commodity markets is brewing. Retail traders have been formulating another coup to take on the precious metals industry, allowing silver futures to hit an eight-year high of $30.03 per ounce on February 1st.

Value investors can use the power of catalysts to boost their returns in 2021, even if the broad market isn’t the bonanza it was in 2020.

The S&P 500 surged 16% in 2020, despite a global pandemic and an accompanying economic recession. Given that backdrop, it’s reasonable to think that 2021 may not produce a repeat of 2020. Selecting the right stocks could be the difference between a great year and a ho-hum year.

Market analysts and economists are worried about a market crash in the near future. Stock markets around the world are trading at their highest while economic data is the weakest it has been in decades. In such a scenario, a market crash seems like it’s just around the corner. Smart investors should look to prepare a stock portfolio that can hold its own in a falling market.

When it comes to the TSX, here are three stocks that can prove to be smart defensive plays in a volatile market. These stocks should perform better during a market crash than traditional growth stocks.

What do basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal, former speaker Paul Ryan, former Disney top executive Tom Staggs and former astronaut Scott Kelly have in common? They are all part of SPACs (Special Purpose Acquisition Company).

What’s a SPAC?

A SPAC is a company that is formed solely to raise capital through an IPO (initial public offering) so that it can acquire an existing company. When a SPAC is created, it doesn’t have commercial operations, i.e. it doesn’t have any business to speak of. A SPAC is on the lookout for a great business (or two) it can buy.