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Product updates - See our latest!
Good news! The updates to Equitable’s individual insurance solutions, scheduled for October 5th, 2024, as announced last week, are now in effect!
What’s new in this product update?
1. A new premium rate band for Equimax® policies with $5 Million and more of basic life insurance coverage.2. A new illustration for switches from Paid-up Additions (PUA) to the Cash dividend option when premium offset is selected.3. A new way to calculate commission on Equimax life insurance, Term life insurance, and EquiLiving® critical illness insurance plans when clients choose monthly payments.4. A new life Evidence of Insurability Schedule (Form #1343)
…and there’s more!
Visit our new splash page for a complete summary of the product changes, our latest video, and links to our sales tools and important resources:
Please refer to our Transition Rules for all the details on processing your applications.
Need more information? Please contact your Equitable wholesaler.
® or TM denote trademarks of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada. -
Calming client fears about inflation and market volatility
Watch any news report or read any social media feed and you will see stories about inflation and market volatility. Inflation is one of the reasons that investing in equities is important - they can help to provide long-term returns that offset the effects of inflation. Help your clients stay on track during periods of market volatility and elevated inflation by following a few key investment strategies.
Time diversification through dollar-cost averaging
Volatile markets can provide opportunities. While your client may be skeptical, remind them about the benefits of dollar-cost averaging. Dollar-cost averaging adds time diversification, meaning your client buys into the market at different points in time. Regular investing can even allow your client to see growth during times of volatility. To learn more, click here.
It is time in the markets, not timing the markets that works long-term
Investing for the long-term allows your client to ride the waves of the investment market. The S&P/TSX Composite Index, for example, has had a compound annual return of approximately 7.8% over the past 25 years.[1] These returns account for the most recent financial crisis and the dot-com bubble. Previous market declines have offered buying opportunities for clients who have funds to invest. To learn more, click here.
Keep your clients invested with segregated funds
Segregated funds, like Equitable Life’s® Pivotal Select™, offer additional benefits beyond those offered by mutual funds and Exchange Traded Funds. Segregated fund guarantees (maturity and death) can protect your clients’ money during periods of market stress. A segregated fund guarantee will provide your client with the better of the guaranteed amount or the market value at the maturity date or date of death. A Pivotal Select segregated fund guarantee can give your client the confidence to stay invested during market uncertainty. To learn more about using Equitable Life’s segregated funds to keep your client invested, click here.
To learn more about the advantages of investing with Equitable Life, click here.
® Denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada.
[1] Annualized S&P/TSX Composite total return from January 3, 1995, to February 28, 2020. -
Equimax Participating Whole Life illustration reports are getting a makeover!
As you’ve heard us say before, we focus exclusively on our clients and partners. We are continually looking for ways to make it easier to do business with Equitable®. With this in mind, we’ve taken a long hard look at our illustration reports for Equimax® Participating Whole Life. We have updated our reports to help make them easier to use.
The new Equimax illustration report will have:
● A new look and feel that matches our refreshed branding
● Updated content that is clearly written and client-friendly
● A reorganized layout based on advisor feedback
● A cleaner, streamlined design
All of these changes will go live on February 24, 2024 through the desktop and web illustration software on EquiNet®.
Have questions or want to share feedback? Talk to your Equitable Wholesaler today!
® or ™ denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada. -
Market Commentary April 2026

Key Takeaways
• Markets started 2026 constructively, with positive returns in both stock and bond markets in the first two months of the year. However, the war on Iran by the U.S. and Israel drove significant changes to markets in March. The biggest driver was the spike in oil prices. Oil prices increased over 70% during the quarter to over US$100 per barrel as 20% of global oil production became trapped in the Middle East when Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz.
• Canadian equities returned 3.9% in the first quarter, outperforming U.S. equities which lost -4.3%. The Canadian market benefitted from its 40% exposure to strong performing Energy, Materials and Utilities sectors, which each gained over 10% in Q1. Conversely, the U.S. market has much less exposure to those strong performing sectors and therefore fell as geopolitical tensions weighed on performance of most other sectors.
• Canadian bonds posted modest gains as early-quarter strength was largely offset by March weakness. Rising commodity prices reignited inflation fears and prompted speculation for central bank interest rate hikes. Credit spreads widened as concerns regarding defaults and liquidity in the private credit market intensified.
• The Bank of Canada and the U.S. Federal Reserve held policy rates unchanged during the first quarter. Both central banks maintained a wait-and-see approach amid slowing labour markets, persistent inflation risks, and heightened global uncertainty.
Economic and Market UpdateEconomic Summary: The U.S. economy continued to grow at a steady pace in the first quarter. Inflation remained above the Federal Reserve’s target. The labour market showed signs of cooling as hiring slowed, but the unemployment rate remained stable. However, higher energy prices and risks to global supply chains added near term inflation pressures and weighed on the global outlook. The Federal Reserve held its policy interest rate unchanged during the quarter, maintaining the target range at 3.50% to 3.75%. Chair Powell highlighted ongoing uncertainty and reiterated that the Federal Reserve is well positioned to adjust policy as economic conditions evolve.
In Canada, economic growth remained subdued in the first quarter as excess supply persisted, and the labour market softened. Inflation stayed close to the 2.0% target, though rising global energy prices increased short term inflation risks. Trade uncertainty continued to weigh on confidence and business activity. The Bank of Canada held its policy interest rate steady at 2.25% throughout the quarter. The Governing Council noted it stands ready to respond if the economic outlook shifts materially.
Bond Markets: The Canada Aggregate Bond Index returned 0.23% in the first quarter. A strong start to the year in January and February (+2.25%) was mostly offset by a weak March (-1.97%), as higher oil prices from the war in Iran led to higher interest rates on Canadian bonds (bond prices fall as interest rates go up). The increase in interest rates was most predominant in shorter term bonds, with higher oil prices driving inflation fears. These inflation fears reframed the market’s interest rate cut expectations for 2026: a 40% chance of an interest cut by the Bank of Canada has now shifted to a 70% chance of not just one, but two 25 basis point increases to the Bank of Canada overnight rate in 2026. In addition, the war in Iran has resulted in a higher risk premium for corporate bonds: credit spreads (i.e. the extra yield on corporate bonds versus government bonds to compensate for their extra risk) moved higher in March after reaching record low levels in January and February. These higher credit spreads resulted in corporate bonds modestly underperforming the overall index, albeit still with positive returns. Despite the modest risk off tone, investors remain buyers of corporate bonds as evidenced by investors’ enthusiasm to support the primary issuance market. Corporate bond supply continues to set new records, with an impressive $50 billion in new issuance in the quarter, a record start to the year and 23% higher than the same period in 2025.
Stock Markets: The first quarter of 2026 marked a period of heightened investor caution with geopolitical tensions rising. Equity markets remained under pressure in March, as dip buyers remained cautious. Early market volatility was driven by several geopolitical developments, including Japan’s snap election, events in Venezuela, and U.S. interest in Greenland. Private credit markets also came under pressure as liquidity tightened and default risks increased, particularly in semi-liquid lending structures. The war on Iran raised concerns around demand destruction and inflation, pushing oil prices above US$100 per barrel for the first time since 2022. Gold continued to rise strongly early in the quarter. However, it later recorded its sharpest decline in years, driven by central bank selling. Despite this pullback, gold finished the quarter up 8% and continues to be viewed as a key safe-haven asset.
U.S. Equities: U.S. equities entered the first quarter with strong momentum, supported by robust earnings growth from technology companies. While earnings results confirmed this strength, investor sentiment weakened, particularly toward Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) companies. Rapid progress in AI agents developed by firms such as Anthropic and Google highlighted how quickly generative AI could automate core SaaS functions. As a result, software stocks sold off sharply in February, triggering a broader rotation away from largecap growth. Furthermore, tighter financial conditions and rising geopolitical tensions reduced risk tolerance and drove sharp sector rotation. The Energy sector led market performance, while Technology lagged and Financials underperformed due to stress in credit markets.
Canadian Equities: The Canadian stock market was supported by its high exposure to commodities. That structural tilt helped Canadian equities outperform U.S. equities as macro narratives shifted toward inflation concerns and supply risks. Performance during the quarter was marked by a sharp whipsaw between gold and oil, reflecting shifting investor sentiment. Investors sold gold aggressively and scrambled to source U.S. dollars as financial conditions tightened. Conversely, oil prices rose sharply on Middle East supply disruptions, lifting Energy stocks to become the strongest-performing sector of the quarter, up 29%.
Bottom line: The first quarter showed how quickly geopolitical shocks can reshape sectors’ performance. Canada outperformed U.S. growth markets due to its higher exposure to commodities, as energy prices rose and inflation concerns returned. The sharp move in gold and oil prices highlighted the market’s sensitivity to macro developments. The war against Iran forced investors to reprice both inflation expectations and Federal Reserve policy expectations. Looking ahead, geopolitical stability, energy prices, and central bank policy are likely to remain key drivers of market performance and sector leadership.
Downloadable Copy
Mark Warywoda, CFA
VP, Public InvestmentsIan Whiteside, CFA, MBA
AVP, Public InvestmentsJohanna Shaw, CFA
Director, Public InvestmentsJin Li
Director, Equity Investments
Wanyi Chen, CFA, FRM
Sr. Quantitative Analyst
Andrew Vermeer, CFA
Senior Analyst, Credit
Elizabeth Ayodele
Analyst, Credit
Edward Ng Cheng Hin
Analyst, Credit
Kate (Huyen) Vinh
Analyst, Equity
Francie Chen
Analyst, Rates
ADVISOR USE ONLY
Except for statements of historical fact, all statements in this document are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements represent the portfolio manager’s current best judgment as to what may occur in the future. However, forward-looking statements are subject to many risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, and are based on the portfolio manager’s present opinions and views. For this reason, the actual outcome of the events or results predicted may be materially different from what is expressed. Furthermore, the portfolio manager’s views, opinions, or assumptions may subsequently change based on previously unknown information, or for other reasons. Equitable assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this document. The reader is cautioned to consider these and other factors carefully and to not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Investments may increase or decrease in value and are invested at the risk of the investor. Investment values change frequently, and past performance does not guarantee future results. Professional advice should be sought before an investor embarks on any investment strategy. - [pdf] Invest with Equitable
- [pdf] Daily/Guaranteed Interest Account Application - TFSA


