Get On Board: Darren Sisson's Locomotive Logic for 2025
Navigating Global Volatility: How Darren Sissons is Building a Resilient Portfolio with Big Pharma, Industrial Gases, and Cross-Continent Railways

Darren Sissons, partner and portfolio manager at Campbell, Lee & Ross Investment Management, is no stranger to navigating volatile markets. His latest appearance on BNN Bloomberg offers a sharp look at where smart money should be headed in today’s politically charged, economically fragile global landscape. With a steady hand and a global lens, Sissons has laid out a focused strategy that leans on resilience, diversification, and future-ready innovation. His top picks—AstraZeneca, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, and Linde Plc—aren’t just solid companies. They represent stability in a world that’s anything but.
2025: A Trump-Driven Reset
The backdrop for Sissons’ outlook is shaped by what can only be described as a second Trump Shockwave. While the 2024 market boom had much to do with bipartisan electioneering and massive U.S. stimulus, 2025 has been a different beast entirely. President Donald Trump’s return to the White House has reignited trade wars, particularly targeting China. With executive orders flying fast and rhetoric growing hotter—like the controversial “fifty-first state” comments—many global investors have found themselves rattled. But Sissons argues that this volatility brings opportunity, especially for investors who understand the cyclical nature of Trump's economic influence.
Opportunities in the Rubble
In his view, growth stocks in the U.S. were grossly overvalued by the end of 2024. A decade of gains pushed valuations into unsustainable territory. But the Trump-driven correction has created a once-in-a-cycle buying window—especially for growth-at-a-reasonable-price (GARP) plays. Biotechnology and pharmaceutical stocks, which had been overlooked amid the AI craze, now shine with promise. Med-tech, logistics, and segments of the software industry are also entering value territory, drawing the attention of long-view investors.
Avoiding China, Focusing on Resilience
Sissons believes that strategic avoidance of China-linked equities remains crucial. The lesson from Trump’s first administration still holds true: China is the prime geopolitical target. Instead, the focus should shift toward industries that either benefit from reshaped trade alliances or are neutral to geopolitical shocks. It's a sharp-edged form of portfolio insulation. Sissons also warns against blind optimism. Markets appear to be pricing in the successful resolution of the ongoing tariff standoff—but he cautions that only the UK has finalized a deal so far. Other trade partners are largely on the sidelines, waiting, watching, and resisting Washington’s pressure.
