Buzz on the Bullboards: Pulling gains out of volatile territory

As the global economy navigates uncertainties, investors have been watching the performance of key stock markets for insights into prevailing sentiment and economic health.

Over the past week, the TSX and the trio of indices on Wall Street – the Dow Jones Industrial Average, NASDAQ Composite and S&P 500 – experienced a mix of volatility and resilience in a roller-coaster ride amid domestic and global developments, and amidst a backdrop of macroeconomic indicators, geopolitical tensions and corporate earnings.

As the largest investor hub in Canada, Stockhouse has plenty of small-cap focused users invested in the dramatic gains and losses made each week.

First up is one of the most popular companies on the Bullboards, BlackBerry (TSX:BB, Forum). Once known for being the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer, this one-time tech heavyweight is now exclusively a software provider with a stated goal of end-to-end secure communication for enterprises.

The Waterloo, Ontario-based tech company has officially opened its Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence (CCoE) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The new CCoE will aim to deliver cybersecurity training and cyber threat intelligence to help Malaysia and partners in the region better prevent, deter and respond to cyber threats facing governments and organizations in the Indo-Pacific region.

The company also announced its new BlackBerry Cybersecurity Curriculum is now available through the new facility, offering a range of course offerings and certifications to help grow a skilled cybersecurity workforce and ecosystem in Malaysia and the region. These programs are designed to help the nation address a reported shortfall of around 12,000 cybersecurity professionals.

The CCoE curriculum offers training courses on BlackBerry cybersecurity products and services to upskill in areas such as AI and machine learning, as well as highly specialized courses delivered by the SANS Institute, Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst and others.

Recent developments with cannabis legislation overseas appears to have far-reaching implications for domestic stocks in the market.

Germany’s upper house, the Bundesrat, passed legislation to partially legalize cannabis starting April 1, allowing adults to cultivate, possess and store the plant for personal consumption. The law also removes cannabis from Germany’s narcotics list, which should help to facilitate medical access over the near term across physicians, pharmacies and patients. The move makes Germany the third European Union member to legalize cannabis, following Malta and Luxembourg.

As the European Union’s largest economy, Germany has become an instant force in global cannabis, representing more than US$5 billion in additional annual tax revenue, according to a 2021 study by the University of Düsseldorf.

This could be good news for cannabis pharmaceutical company, MediPharm Labs Corp. (TSX:LABS, Forum), which appears ready to capitalize on this upcoming legalization of the psychoactive plant. Germany’s changes in April position MediPharm’s established German operations to benefit from the oncoming ramp up in demand from the country’s more than 70 million adults.

Its wholly owned subsidiary, Beacon Medical GMBH holds numerous German GMP medical cannabis licenses to import, wholesale and distribute cannabis products. The subsidiary boasts 14 product approvals and distribution via German partners Adrex Pharma, Cansativa and Medical Pharma Resource.

MediPharm is also a provider of turnkey medical cannabis supply, having partnered with STADA – a global health and pharmaceutical company – as its exclusive medical cannabis supplier. MediPharm oversees manufacturing and distribution to STADA pharmacies, helping to maintain the latter’s No. 2 market share in German medical cannabis oil sales.

We finish off with a look at one of the top Canadian transport manufacturers. Bombardier Inc. (TSX:BBD, Forum) recently broke more than 30 speed records with its new Global 7500 as it develops the next generation of business aircraft.

The most recent record-setting flights include travelling from Farnborough in Hampshire, England, to Muharraq, Bahrain, on Feb. 28 and Phoenix, Arizona, to Paris, France, on March 6.

The Global 7500 business jet fleet has surpassed more than 100,000 flying hours and has accomplished more than 165 deliveries.

With a top speed of Mach 0.925 and a range of 7,700 nautical miles (14,260 kilometres), the Global 7500 business aircraft continues to push the boundaries of business travel. Business jets fly at higher altitudes, which means less traffic and better conditions.

Its Smooth FlexWing design generates greater lift on takeoff and approach, maximizing aerodynamic efficiency and boosting performance while reducing fuel burn and lowering emissions.

The Global 7500 also set more than 20 new flight records in the fall of 2023, including routes from Singapore to Anchorage, Alaska, and Montreal to Geneva, Switzerland.

These records are still pending approval by the FAI, the World Air Sport Federation, as the Global 7500 aircraft are actively flying worldwide on customer and demonstrations missions.

The closest comparable business jet still in service is the Gulfstream G500-G700 series, which has a range of 7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km) at a top speed of Mach 0.925.

The Canadian business jet manufacturer debuted its Global 7500 aircraft at the Singapore Airshow back in February and boasted its longest-range flight in business aviation, with more than 8,225 nautical miles (15,232 km) flown.

The past week witnessed a blend of volatility and resilience across the TSX and Wall Street indices, underscoring the intricacies of global financial markets. Staying abreast of macroeconomic trends, corporate developments, and geopolitical events remains paramount in making informed investment decisions in an ever-changing landscape.

As we head into a long weekend in Canada, we will see one fewer trading day in our markets, yet the news from around the world will continue to flow.

Stay safe and healthy wherever you are, and we will be back next week to report the latest trends from the markets and movements in the Stockhouse Bullboards. For previous editions of Buzz on the Bullboards: click here.

The material provided in this article is for information only and should not be treated as investment advice. For full disclaimer information, please click here.