Since March 2020, we’ve had to find ways to adapt to life with lockdown, quarantine, working from home and social distancing. As we changed the way we work, play and socialize, our buying and investment patterns have shifted as well.Now, with the announcement of three new vaccines, there’s been a collective shift as we begin to see a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel. It could be a game-changer.At the end of the day, the stock market is about people buying and selling and we want to help you become a better investor so you can have a positive impact on your future.On this episode, Ruben, Marcelo, and I talk about how buying behaviours have changed during the pandemic. We’re covering what's been driving these purchases, how people’s emotions are affecting their portfolio, the impact of the vaccines that are now on their way, implications for investors during and after the pandemic, and so much more!Thank you for listening!Key Topics:·      Why consumer trends during the pandemic important are to us as investors (2:50)·      The growing demand for suburban real estate across the country (4:07)·      The dramatic shift in real estate prices Marcelo has seen since last year (5:28)·      How being in lockdown is pushing people into bigger homes (6:29)·      Increasing interest in cottage ownership (7:56)·      Changing patterns of discretionary spending (8:40)·      Why current consumer spending patterns may not be sustainable in the long run (10:30)·      How the pandemic is impacting dog ownership (11:37)·      Is the working-from-home trend here to stay? (13:31)·      Maintaining company culture with employees working from home (15:20)·      Sports that are on an upswing since the pandemic was declared (16:29)·      Industries that are on the decline because of the pandemic (18:04)·      What Ruben is looking forward to doing after the pandemic (18:47)·      The activities Marcelo plans to participate in after the pandemic (19:46)·      What we’re missing in social interactions (20:21)·      Insights from the performance results of the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (triple-Q) and the Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index Fund ETF (22:29)·      How vaccine announcements have impacted the market (25:08)·      How the recency bias is affecting our investment decisions (27:25)·      The losing sectors suffering the most during the pandemic (28:00)·      Where investors should be looking (28:55)·      Our key takeaways you can apply to your portfolio as an empowered investor (30:04)·      And much more!Thanks for Listening!Be sure to subscribe on Apple, Google, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And feel free to drop us a line at