The global economy began 2018 in a rare period of synchronized growth. U.S. tax cuts helped turbocharge business optimism and the world gleefully tagged along. Then Trump threw down the gauntlet on trade and rising interest rates began to complicate the picture for debt-laden emerging markets. How big a disruption will tit-for-tat tariffs ultimately be? And what's in store for Canada's economy as those U.S. tax cuts raise questions over competitiveness north of the border.

The Canadian property market from warehouses to offices is booming. Though REITs have had a relatively strong performance this past year, the industry still faces headwinds from rising interest rates, trade tensions and a volatile Canadian dollar. What's the outlook for Canadian real estate investment trusts and what can investors expect moving forward?

Through the power of the Bloomberg terminal, we'll showcase the tools and solutions required to compete in the local and global financial markets. With a specific focus on the Bloomberg Barclays Canada Aggregate Index, which caters to the needs of the local Canadian fixed income market, we'll show how we can provide investors and managers a competitive choice in the selection of a benchmark index.

Canada faces an infrastructure backlog that could be a drag on growth. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is allotting C$180 billion over 12 years, but it doesn't believe that's enough either -- the country is launching an infrastructure bank in hopes of spurring big projects. We'll go straight to the source to understand what kind, to what end, and hope to draw conclusions as to where the investment opportunities lie.

Gold companies emerged from a five year downturn battle-scarred and under enormous pressure from shareholders to slash debt and repair their balance sheets. With most of the heavy lifting done, the industry is now addressing production woes and the heavy capital injections required to replenish shrinking pipelines. Is a fresh wave of borrowing imminent or will miners stay on the sidelines? If global trade tensions disrupt economic growth, what will that mean for the U.S. dollar, inflation, and ultimately the willingness of miners to spend? And in a climate in which sexier commodities like EV metals and cryptocurrencies

As the ETF market grows globally, we'll drill down into the specific opportunities investors and issuers are seeing in Canada. For example, active managers have captured a large percentage of Canada’s ETF market compared with its U.S. counterpart; thanks to result of a regulatory advantage that lets fund managers keep their strategies close to their vest. Additionally across the region, we're also seeing a rise in AI managed ETFs, ESG focused funds, and balanced ETFs potentially becoming the future of the industry. We'll gather thought leaders in the space to examine all aspects of this growing investment opportunity.

Canada's energy sector has posted a remarkable recovery this year, with oil prices rising above $70 a barrel and the discount on Canadian crude shrinking. Yet the good fortune hasn't been equally distributed. Many smaller oil and gas producers are still facing pipeline bottlenecks and working to repair balance sheets battered by the downturn, while oilfield-service providers have struggled to increase prices. Meanwhile, midstream operators are having a difficult time funding all of the projects their customers are demanding. We'll talk to companies spanning the energy supply chain and the credit-rating spectrum about the outlook for these issues.

The Canadian energy recovery has boosted the fortune of struggling oil companies, while natural-gas producers continue to contend with sustained low prices. We'll speak to energy retailers about debt plans, capital spending and the credit impact of volatile prices.

The global green bond market has been pretty impressive this year, and the market in Canada has been no exception with a number of first-time issuers, including the city of Toronto. What are the drivers behind the green bond boom? What market developments are needed to secure green bond growth? How do green, social and sustainability bonds fit into the strategies of credit investors?

These AAA rated entities are broadly viewed as very sophisticated investors and they're also on the cutting edge of new bond issuances, providing enhanced yield vs their respective benchmarks. We'll discuss selling debt both in their domestic market and outside it.

With interest rates rising across the board, insurance companies stand to reap its rewards. At the same time, political upheaval, regulatory changes and technological disruptions are forcing insurance companies to keep up with the rapid evolution of the business. What does Canada's largest property and casualty insurer think about the state of the industry today in North America? What are the biggest risks in the market to look out for and what are some potential tailwinds? What is the emerging role of technology in the sector?

The Canadian telecom sector seems on the verge of being upended. New wireless players are challenging the Big Three incumbents and upcoming wireless spectrum auctions could reshape the landscape. Pressure continues to build on the broadcast front amid the streaming steamroller. Meanwhile, there is increased need for infrastructure spending to keep pace with technological change and to increase rural penetration. How will major and regional players adapt and what will be their financing needs in coming years? What impact will the Bank of Canada's policies play on domestic bond issuance? This year Rogers, BCE and Telus sold 30 year bonds in U.S. Dollars; will that trend continue?

Canadian economic risks range from trade tensions to housing policy and likely interest- rate hikes in both Canada and the U.S. How are the top money managers positioning themselves, what are their thoughts on the future of the Canadian economy and how the Bank of Canada should react?