Market Insights

Decorative pattern

Market Insights

To Clients: Portfolio Rebalancing

(August 2008)Show clients that you’re proactive about their investment portfolio by sending them this customizable template letter. Dear [client name], When we first developed your investment portfolio, we determined that the following asset mix best reflected your risk tolerance and time horizon. Today, your portfolio looks like this: While equity market gains are obviously a […]

By Staff |July 31, 2008

2 min read

Decorative pattern

Market Insights

Commodities on a bumpy, but profitable road

Canadian investors have lucked out in many ways, because the domestic stock market is heavily weighted in producers of arguably the three most sought-after commodities — energy, gold and fertilizer. Physical resource prices have reached record highs, meaning investors could get burned if they try to time the market, but investment managers still see stock […]

By Mark Noble |July 30, 2008

6 min read

Decorative pattern

Market Insights

Cooling real estate industry still a good investment

(August 2008) Despite higher land transfer costs, property tax hikes and a shortage of homes, last year, across the nation, first-time homebuyers and real estate investors persevered. Now, halfway into 2008, the patience of would-be buyers is paying off. Riding the six-year tumultuous real estate ride (particularly in the last 36 months) — with record-setting […]

By Romana King |July 30, 2008

8 min read

Decorative pattern

Market Insights

Asset allocation can make or break a portfolio

(August 2008) Developing the right asset mix for your client can be tricky business. Advisors have to determine their clients’ risk tolerance, closely watch the markets, and there’s the not-so-small matter of making money. So what’s an advisor to do when clients’ portfolios are more volatile than an active volcano? Nothing. “I focus on the […]

By Bryan Borzykowski |July 30, 2008

5 min read

Decorative pattern

Market Insights

High prices make resource rebalancing risky

The general consensus from money managers seems to be that fundamental demand, particularly in emerging markets, will continue to drive the commodities market. The three major drivers of resource markets in Canada have been energy, gold and fertilizers. Investors who got in on this bull market earlier are realizing huge returns on commodity prices that […]

By Mark Noble |July 24, 2008

6 min read

Decorative pattern

Market Insights

Long-term mutual fund assets drop: Investor Economics Insight

There have been a lot of losers during the past year’s market turmoil, and long-term mutual fund assets have been no exception. A new Investor Economics Insight report reveals that, in May 2007, long-term funds brought in just over $3 billion in net flows, but in the same month this year only $537 million came […]

By Bryan Borzykowski |July 4, 2008

4 min read

Decorative pattern

Market Insights

Changing Canada’s pension plan system

Make available two types of portfolios — one more and one less aggressive. Target a 60% retirement income replacement rate with premiums set accordingly, and would allow automatic annuitization of up to one-half of each participant’s assets, bringing a level of certainty to pension income — less than defined benefit plans, but possibly more than […]

By Peter Drake |July 2, 2008

4 min read

Decorative pattern

Market Insights

Active managers underperform again

Beating the S&P/TSX Composite Index has been a challenge for active managers for years, so it’s no surprise that that most Canadian mutual funds underperformed yet again. According to the Standard & Poor’s Indices Versus Active Funds (SPIVA) report, only 8.2% of Canadian equity active managers outperformed the Composite Index. “Compared to previous reports, it’s […]

By Bryan Borzykowski |June 25, 2008

3 min read

Decorative pattern

Market Insights

Investment managers cautious about Canada’s future

If you’re wondering how Canada’s investment managers are feeling about the country’s economic future, Morningstar Canada can sum it up in two words: cautiously optimistic. In the research company’s first Morningstar Investment Manager Survey in four years, the overall consensus among the 23 investment firms surveyed was that North America’s economy should improve in the […]

By Bryan Borzykowski |June 13, 2008

4 min read

Decorative pattern

Market Insights

Future of income trusts still uncertain

(May 2008) When Jim Flaherty announced in October 2006 that income trusts would be taxed in 2011, many investors thought the market was as good as dead. But that hasn’t been the case. In fact, the income trust sector has not only rebounded, its benchmark is outperforming the TSX Composite Index by about 7%. Leslie […]

By Bryan Borzykowski |May 29, 2008

5 min read

← Previous 1 … 464 465 466 467 468 … 473 Next →