News Releases

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Aug. 30, 2011) - Usually, the term "lazy, hazy summer" applies both to vacations and the financial markets. But that was before the summer of 2011.

There is no question that this summer has been like few others in recent memory. In the last three months alone, Canadian investors have witnessed the following:

• A worsening financial crisis in Europe as the future of the Euro—and of the European Union itself—comes into question
• Standard and Poor's downgrading the U.S. credit rating for the first time
• Significant market volatility around the world during the month of August
• Political and social unrest in Arab/Middle Eastern hotspots such as Libya and Syria
• Dramatic shifts in the value of key commodities such as oil and gold

So what is a Canadian investor to make of all this, with the Fall coming up? The Fall often sees markets come alive, and in the past has seen major events like the crash of 1929 and Black Monday in 1987.

Serge Pépin, Head of Investments for BMO Investments Inc., is available to put the summer in perspective and help investors prepare for what is sure to be an interesting Fall. Topics Mr. Pépin can address include:

• Can we expect the Fall, traditionally a busy trading season and often prone to market downturns, to be any different?
• What can investors do to insulate themselves?
• Are there any safe havens? Where is the smart money going?
• While Canada has remained fairly strong, will sluggish U.S. markets eventually impact us and, if so, how and to what extent?
• Gold and oil- what can we expect moving forward?
• China has remained fairly quiet—what is happening there and are markets like China and India still as hot as they were in the past?