Index: Investment Strategist and Brian Belski

index: The index has fallen almost 7 per cent this year, to 15,107, according to The Toronto Star. Brian Belski, chief investment strategist at BMO Capital Markets, believes the Canadian stock market is positioned for a huge recovery and a huge surprise with respect to performance . Nathan Denette / THE CANADIAN PRESS He's not paring his bullish view on Canada, admonishing a group of portfolio managers in Toronto for being scared of low oil prices, household debt and the perception that fiscal policy is uncompetitive. Belski's year-end target for the S&P/TSX Composite Index is 17,600, 16 per cent above current levels, although he admitted in a recent note that 16,500 to 17,000 is looking more realistic. I think Canada is positioned for a huge recovery and a huge surprise with respect to performance, Belski told the Portfolio Management Association of Canada's national conference Thursday, adding that investors will shift their money back to the country amid volatility in Europe and emerging markets. He prefers high-quality names like Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., Suncor Energy Inc., Trans Canada Corp. and Enbridge Inc. Despite historically low Canadian crude prices, which are trading at a 42 U.S. discount to already-weak West Texas Intermediate, Belski sees a massive bounce in energy stocks next year. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.