“Neither a borrower nor a lender be,” wrote William Shakespeare. In the investment arena, well-known investors such as Sir John Templeton have echoed the same sentiment over the years. But   Read More

To avoid risk, think like a trader, says Ken Norquay, a Hamilton, Ontario-based Chartered Market Technician (CMT) and author of Beyond the Bull, a book about behavioral finance and the   Read More

“In the stock market — or in any widely traded market — there’s an inevitable fact of life: bear markets happen. It’s a topic I’d just as soon avoid. After   Read More

Asia-Pacific stock markets have performed reasonably well this year, and that might continue over the near term. But we think the real investment lure in this region is its long-term   Read More

Charles Ellis, author of Winning the Loser’s Game, believes that you should build your portfolio as you would a house. Your house should be suitable to the climate, not last   Read More

There’s been little market action in either gold or silver over the past few months, says John Embry, chief investment strategist for Toronto-based Sprott Asset Management.

For one thing, both July   Read More

Sometimes things just go on and on and on. Take, for example, the loonie’s duel with the greenback.

So observes Keith Richards, Barrie, Ontario-based portfolio manager of Value Trend/Wealth Management, who   Read More

When stock markets are undervalued, it’s usually a good time to invest aggressively in the index offerings that track them. When market valuations rise, however, a more circumspect approach is   Read More

State Street Corp. provides big institutional investors with investment research, investment management, investment servicing and trading services. It recently reported on the cash holdings of individual investors. In Canada, individual   Read More

“This year’s Annual General Meeting could not have mirrored today’s real-life world and stock markets better. What a template! Talk about proven – and inspirational – value investing.”

So enthused Michael   Read More

Speculating can be fraught with danger. Hold too long in a bull market and you can quickly lose all your gains. Famed American investor of the 1920s, Bernard Baruch, reportedly   Read More

Quick, now: can you name the new whipping boy in the investment world? If you said bonds, you’d be right. After last year’s “taper tantrum” — i.e., the sell-off in   Read More

THE MARKET THIS MONTH: June is in the weakest six-month period for stock prices. Ongoing rising stocks and a long time with no stock market setback are risks. If a   Read More

Equity markets are fairly valued and bonds are expensive.

If you want your investments to outperform the overall markets, you’ll have to buy some of your securities when prices are low.   Read More

This overly bullish market may be expecting a pullback this summer. Time to.. Get Defensive!

There has been a noticeable rotation lately out of higher-risk securities such as biotech, U.S. Small   Read More

Just in case you haven’t yet noticed, we’ve been getting mixed signals on interest rates of late.

True, yields on corporate bonds have been creeping up to around 4.5 per cent.

And   Read More

Continue to add to existing funds, especially those in your portfolio with weak short-term records. They’ll be back.

Our thinking: As long as you have your time horizons properly thought out,   Read More

World markets currently less desirable than developed markets, where some of the best opportunities lie in the oil patch..

March was a volatile month for the markets, with worries over global   Read More

Building an investment portfolio is a particularly difficult task at potential turning points in the market.

At market lows, investors not only have to be aware of additional downside risk, but   Read More

Five spring times ago, the doomsayers were running roughshod. This spring, the principal worries are of how much longer a bull run for the ages can last, how big the   Read More

In view of our previous recommendation to ETF investors that they buy unhedged ETFs when investing in the U.S., we now recommend such an ETF for investors seeking exposure to   Read More

Correction will coincide with six-month seasonal downswing

We’re still tiptoeing through queasy stock markets. So, don’t rest easy just yet.

A correction of some sort is under way — one that neatly   Read More

Worries over emerging markets continue, but North America looks poised for a recovery

The stock market has been in quite a funk these last few weeks.

Expectations of a reduction in stimulus   Read More

Continue to pursue a dollar-cost averaging program, emphasizing conservative, diversified, large-cap funds. Emerging markets hold appeal for aggressive investors.

OUR CURRENT THINKING: Notwithstanding the possibility of a sharp market correction   Read More

When you buy stocks in sectors and sub-sectors of the market, keep your goals in mind. If you’re a conservative, income-seeking investor, focus on utilities, financial stocks and consumer goods   Read More

Some of my research involves sentiment indicators, which measure the level of bullish or bearish behavior by two distinct groups of investors.

One group, sometimes referred to as the “smart   Read More

It’s best to diversify across the five main sectors of the economy: finance, utilities, consumer products and services, manufacturing and resources. Each of these broad sectors is made up of   Read More

As 2014 continues to unfold, both gold and silver are starting to perform impressively.

Both metals appear to have made major bottoms following gold’s plunge to US$1,180 an ounce at the   Read More

Where to put new money now

Continue to add new money to existing positions. Emphasize those positions that have suffered relative short-term weakness. 

OUR CURRENT THINKING: Stock markets in North America and   Read More

THE MARKET THIS MONTH: April is the last month in the best six-month period for stocks. The U.S. and global economies are expected to grow faster in 2014 and raise   Read More

Just when folks are told to steer clear of certain investments, the trend changes. But that’s typical, is it not?

At the start of this year, the market mavens told investors   Read More

On this page, we outline what we expect the economy and stocks to do over the next 180 days. This assists us in listing 25 stocks that we expect to   Read More

THE MARKET THIS MONTH: March is in the best six-month period for stocks (from November through April). Also, the U.S. and global economics  are expected to grow in 2014 and   Read More

– Ken Norquay

We profit from the downtrend of the Canadian dollar by increasing the foreign content of our overall portfolios.

Investors who have owned U.S. stocks since 2011 know exactly what   Read More

– John Stephenson, CFA

After the banner finish to the market last year, the price action on the S&P 500 has so far been somewhat dismal with stocks consolidating and digesting   Read More

– Keith Richards

Take advantage of short-lived reprieves to buy U.S. Dollars

The loonie recently cracked $0.93, a key support level against the U.S. dollar, fueling the likelihood of an even bigger decline.

Moreover,   Read More

– Ken Norquay, CMT


Is there an economic indicator that can help the average investor sort out the long-term ups and downs of the financial markets?


In my book, Beyond the Bull,   Read More

Investor’s Digest of Canada, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

-By Brian Hoffman

Should American equities start to climb higher — and, steeper — we could see a   Read More

Here are four long-term factors that favor higher company earnings and stock prices.
First, baby-boomers continue to buy financial assets as they save for retirement. The first Canadian boomers, born   Read More

The MoneyLetter, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

 
– John Stephenson, CFA For better or for worse, Obamacare is now the law of the land in the   Read More

Money Reporter, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846
What to do about common stocks

We experienced a nice little year-end rally in Canadian stocks. Over the past   Read More

The Investment Reporter, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

The global economy is expected to grow more quickly in 2014. Also, North American companies are sitting on   Read More

The MoneyLetter, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

– Keith Richards

As we begin the New Year, many of us find ourselves reflecting on past decisions we’ve made   Read More

Canadian Mutual Fund Adviser, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

Below, we discuss four equity funds we think you should consider investing in in 2014. They may   Read More

Investor’s Digest of Canada, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846- Edited from an article by Elvis Picardo

The TSX Composite Index turned in a good performance in   Read More

Canadian Mutual Fund Adviser, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

Among resource issues, energy stocks have held up relatively well this year. That may reflect the   Read More

The Investment Reporter, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

The U.S. is doing better. So we’ve shifted our focus from U.S. companies that earn most of their   Read More

Canadian Mutual Fund Adviser, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

The Canadian stock market may yet catch up to the U.S. market. Or perhaps the U.S.   Read More

The MoneyLetter, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

Markets have come roaring back lately, fueled by optimism that the Fed is in no hurry to start scaling   Read More

Investor’s Digest of Canada, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

– Edited from an article by Sunil Vidyarthi, M.B.A., PhD
 
What’s your take on the umpteenth version of   Read More

The MoneyLetter, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

According to Keith Richards (Portfolio Manager at Value Trend), the major U.S. markets have entered into a new mega-year   Read More

Investor’s Digest of Canada, MPL Communications Inc.
133 Richmond St.W., Toronto, ON, M5H 3M8. 1-800-804-8846

– Edited from an article by Nick Barisheff
 
Ask the man on the street where all the world’s   Read More