Behavioural finance analyst Ken Norquay ponders a dilemma: For stock market investors, negative news about the economy is good—positive news is bad. Go figure.
Skeptics like to say: “Seeing is believing.”   Read More

Behavioural finance analyst Ken Norquay ponders a dilemma: For stock market investors, negative news about the economy is good—positive news is bad. Go figure.
Skeptics like to say: “Seeing is believing.”   Read More

If China starts to sell a small portion of its holdings of US bonds and bills, US interest rates could go even higher. China has a very significant ‘ace in   Read More

If China starts to sell a small portion of its holdings of US bonds and bills, US interest rates could go even higher. China has a very significant ‘ace in   Read More

Companies that raise their dividends each year enable you to beat inflation and maintain or improve your lifestyle over the long haul. The 16 dividend stocks below remain buys.
Stocks that   Read More

Look to iShares CDN S&P/TSX Capped Financials Index Fund for a signal that Canadian stocks are due for a correction. When trying to gauge market outlook, financial stocks are a   Read More

There appears to be lots of cheer as the markets keep rising. But the 200-day moving average suggests this is a bear . . . in bull’s clothing. Understanding institutional   Read More

In mid-2015 Baxter will split into two companies. One will focus on medical products for healthcare solutions; the other on developing and marketing biopharmaceuticals.
On March 9, there was an anniversary   Read More

Although cheap gas is great for motorists, it could wreak havoc with Canada’s energy sector, as well as the market for junk bonds.
Central banks throughout the West last year found   Read More

The European Central Bank, or ECB, ushered in a new era by launching an aggressive bond-buying program in January. The euro zone is one of the global economy’s biggest trouble   Read More

With the recent plunge in petroleum prices, PFB Corp. (TSX─PFB) is likely laughing all the way to the bank. That, at least, is what Don Walker might tell you.

Mr. Walker   Read More

Canadian Oil Sands Limited (TSX─COS) has reduced its quarterly dividend to $0.05 a share for the first quarter of 2015. The company had previously indicated its intention to reduce its   Read More

 “As a technical analyst, I tend to avoid making longer-term predictions about markets, sectors or commodity prices. I find that forecasting market movements or events out beyond a few months   Read More

Often a small mutual fund is able to outperform large funds by getting a couple of big winners early on. This may attract the attention of investors who can quickly   Read More

In their most recent evaluation of Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (TSX─CNQ; NYSE─CNQ), Jeff Martin and Tyler Reardon, analysts with Peters & Co. in Calgary, don’t pull any punches.

They admit that   Read More

 One day, the Cassandras are warning us we’re about to run out of oil; the next day, we’re glutted with the stuff and the price is plunging.

So says Sunil Vidyarthi,   Read More

It’s the job of any financial writer to see through fresh eyes, to look for traps and false assumptions in the world of money. Investors who weathered the stormy bear markets of 2000 to 2003 and 2008 to 2009 know only too well what can happen to the unwary.   Read More

Oil prices have plummeted since June, 2014. Other commodity prices have declined. This has hurt the share prices of the producers. Oil companies are a lot cheaper than they were. The same is true of many mining companies that we review   Read More

Among the stocks we recommended as best buys over the second half of 2014 was Enerplus Corporation (TSX─ERF; NYSE─ERF). Unfortunately, this stock was one of the worst performers on our   Read More

 Alimentation Couche-Tard (TSX—ATD.B), one of our Key stocks, is acquiring The Pantry in the U.S. That company operates 1,512 convenience stores in 13 states. This transaction is large. But given   Read More

Forecasting market performance is notoriously tricky. That would be true even if you were handed information about significant economic factors predestined to play out in the year ahead. Writing in   Read More

Oil prices have plunged, of course. We expect prices to remain lower for an extended period of time. That’s partly because ‘fracking’ shale oil can be turned on and off   Read More

PotashCorp (TSX—POT; NYSE–POT) is a buy for long-term price gains and high dividends that have risen each year since 2010.

Potash says it is “the world’s largest crop nutrient company and   Read More

This past year, 2014, was a difficult one for Europe. According to estimates provided by The Economist, the euro area is likely to have grown just 0.8 per cent for   Read More

Where should you put new money now?

Continue to add to stock funds, emphasizing diversified, conservative offerings. Longer-term, risk-tolerant investors may want to be more aggressive with specialized funds.

We think the   Read More

We regularly point out that it pays to buy the big five Canadian banks. They remain buys for long-term price gains as well as high and rising dividends.

All five earned   Read More

Over the past few decades, Steven Hudson started two businesses: Newcourt Capital and, later on, a hair club for men and women.  So, now that he’s started a third business,   Read More

Hamilton, Ont.-based Ken Norquay is a CMT (Chartered Market Technician) and the author of the behavioural finance book Beyond the Bull which discusses the impact of your personality on your   Read More

Alimentation Couche-Tard is earning record profits again. We expect the company to earn record profits this year and next. It remains a buy for further long-term gains and small but   Read More

Recently, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (or “OPEC”) decided against cutting its production. This sent the price of oil down further.

OPEC could have cut back its production to raise   Read More

TransCanada Corp. (TSX—TRP), one of our Key stocks, is pleased with the outcome of the U.S. mid-term elections. That’s because the pro-business Republican party now controls both the Senate and   Read More

Plunging petroleum prices may have chilled the oil patch and the halls of government alike. But they’ve given investors a heaven-sent opportunity to scoop up some best-of-breed outfits in the   Read More

Montreal-based SNC-Lavalin is one of the world’s leading engineering and construction groups and a major owner of infrastructure. It provides services in a variety of sectors including oil and gas,   Read More

“If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?” When Shelley wrote his famous poem “Ode to the West Wind”, he was looking forward to the gentler times of spring. Instead,   Read More

Canadian Pacific Railway earned record results in the first nine months of 2014. As trade with Asia and traffic grows, so should its earnings. This will give the railroad the   Read More

Gold may stay low. We still see more factors working against it than for it. Though you might hold a little gold for diversification purposes, remember its drawbacks.

In November, gold   Read More

B.C.-based Kelso Technologies describes itself as a “railroad equipment supplier that produces and sells proprietary tank car service equipment used in the safe loading, unloading and containment of hazardous materials   Read More

The supply of oil and gas has risen. The demand growth for oil and gas has decreased. Both factors have sent down the price of oil. West Texas Intermediate—North America’s   Read More

You’ll often hear start-ups being touted as nimbler and more innovative than older companies. But there are advantages to a company having been around for a while. Just ask Michael   Read More

High-yielding equity securities will probably continue to perform well in the years ahead as baby boomers are still in the midst of retiring, creating demand for income-producing securities.

Many investors either   Read More

Ensign Energy Services’ shares fell in a recent selloff of oil services stocks. But the company is building its fleet of rigs in Canada, the U.S. and overseas. This will   Read More

If there’s one thing Teck Resources Ltd. (TCK.B–TSX) knows how to do, it’s how to tread water.

That’s what Jorge Beristain, Wilfredo Ortiz and Jeremy Kliewer might tell you. They’re analysts   Read More

The advantage of investing internationally lies mainly in broadened diversification, which cuts risk. Similarly, you can cut risk by investing in dividend-paying stocks.

Here are two complementary exchange-traded funds that together   Read More

In recent years, it’s been fashionable to take a bearish view of energy stocks. But not everybody is an energy bear. The manager of CI Canadian Investment Fund thinks energy   Read More

Dave Keil, P.Eng., MBA, CFA, runs a small closely held fund from his base at Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos. Originally from Toronto, Dave draws on a wealth of   Read More

Analysts Doug Young and Bradley Romain of Desjardins Capital Markets are keeping the Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS-TSX) on deposit as a “hold” with average risk and a 12-month price   Read More

Royalty trust ARC Resources Ltd. (TSX—ARX) got off to a strong start this year. With record first-quarter production and funds from operations (FFO), the company says it’s well on its   Read More

“Believe it or not, one asset class I’ve always found that stacks up well is timberland. This is especially true when stock market indexes seem on the verge of tumbling   Read More

There are better investment choices in the transportation industry than a commercial airline for your portfolio. But many investors still seem to be captivated by the notion of glamour attached   Read More

Despite the long-term outperformance of equities compared to other asset categories, many stock and mutual-fund investors still manage to lose money. Why is this the case, and how can you   Read More

Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB) performed better than expected in its first quarter. Analysts had expected the company’s earnings per share, or EPS, to come in at $0.56 on an adjusted basis.   Read More

Quick now, what’s Canada’s biggest export to China? A metal like copper or zinc; fuel like coal, oil or gas, or even a fertilizer like potash?  Well, how about canola,   Read More