Investments

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Market Insights

Road to ruin

While they’ve been around for just over two years, Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefit (GMWB) segregated funds have made a significant impact on the Canadian marketplace. The introduction of an investment vehicle that offers the opportunity to participate in investment markets while guaranteeing a stream of income for life has been so attractive to the marketplace […]

By Jason M. Pereira |March 1, 2009

5 min read

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Market Insights

Power of indexation

The battle still rages between those who propose to “be” the market and those who prefer to “beat” it. But thanks to a deluge of new options, passive and active products can now co-exist in portfolios. And with the recent advent of index mutual funds designed specifi cally for the MFDA channel, those advisors now […]

By Preet Banerjee |March 1, 2009

7 min read

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Market Insights

All over for stocks? Not yet

Equities rolled off a cliff last year, for the second time in a decade. And yet, stocks are still expected to deliver the best returns over the long haul — albeit muted returns compared to the blistering 1990s. That’s the conclusion of Elroy Dimson, Paul Marsh and Mike Staunton, researchers at the London School of […]

By Scot Blythe |February 19, 2009

3 min read

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Market Insights

Ravaged small caps may offer opportunity

Small caps fell harder and faster than large cap stocks in 2008. In fact, the definition of small cap itself is in question as valuations have plummeted to extreme lows. Yet, history suggests small caps usually have good performance during the early stages of a stock market recovery. A report released by Merrill Lynch on […]

By Mark Noble |February 18, 2009

5 min read

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Market Insights

Time to open an emergency account

It’s something every advisor knows and hopefully puts into practice: get your clients to establish an emergency bank account. From the 1970s through to the 1990s, this was a no-brainer, as interest rates were relatively good on the usual savings vehicles — high-interest savings accounts and Canada Savings Bonds. But in the last decade or […]

By Janet Freedman |February 10, 2009

4 min read

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Market Insights

Treating a household like a business

During recessions and market downturns, homeowners often take comfort in their biggest investment asset: their home. But should they? With spending and investing on many people’s minds these days, home prices, and the widespread conviction that investors never lose money on a house purchase, are being tested. As with much in life, the value of […]

By Scot Blythe |February 10, 2009

5 min read

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Market Insights

Budget 2009: Few items of interest for advisors

This year’s federal budget was not obviously aimed directly at financial advisors and their clients. There’s nothing comparable to measures we have seen in recent budgets such as pension income splitting in March 2007 or the tax-free savings accounts announced last February. Nevertheless, there are aspects of the 2009 budget that we should be thinking […]

By Peter Drake |February 3, 2009

3 min read

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Market Insights

Too late for defence

After licking his wounds following last year’s savage bear-market mauling, Bradley Radin believes it’s better to stay the course and position Templeton Global Smaller Companies for better times. “I’m in the camp that believes it’s too late to be defensive. You want to be on the offensive and be ready for the rebound,” says Radin, […]

By Michael Ryval |February 2, 2009

3 min read

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Market Insights

Analyst’s report ethical special equity

The hallmark of Ethical Special Equity has been its remarkable ability to keep pace with the index when markets are hot, while outperforming during tougher times. It’s management’s conservative approach and discipline have mitigated losses, beaten the fund’s benchmark and peers, and provided a smoother ride along the way. Our confidence in the management’s ability […]

By David O'Leary |February 2, 2009

3 min read

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Market Insights

Pitfalls of leveraging

The notion of borrowing money to invest likely isn’t first and foremost on most people’s minds in a down market. But I’ve come across yet another study touting the benefits of leveraging retirement savings. The release of the June 2008 working paper, Life-Cycle Investing and Leverage: Buying Stock on Margin Can Reduce Retirement Risk, written […]

By Jim Otar |February 1, 2009

6 min read

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