Products

ETFs evolve into active investments

Discussions about ETFs have a tendency to turn into a debate about passive versus active investing. Many of ETFs’ biggest boosters are investors who believe mutual fund managers can’t beat an index benchmark consistently, making the management expense ratio (MER) on mutual funds unwarranted. But the ETF doesn’t have to be a passive investment. Last […]

By Mark Noble |May 7, 2008

5 min read

Products

Transparent alternatives wanted

(March 2008) A few years ago the thought of a hedge fund manager tipping his hand or letting investors get a glimpse inside his “black box” was laughable, the stuff of fairy tales. This secrecy was acceptable — and still is — because alternative investments, hedge funds, were more narrowly defined and available only to […]

By Kate McCaffery |March 20, 2008

4 min read

Products

Investors overlooking muni-bonds

(February 2008) Everyone knows that government savings bonds are a safe way to invest, but they’re not much fun when it comes to returns. So some investors who want the security of a federal or provincial bond but like a bit more kick in the return are turning to often overlooked municipal bonds. Muni-bonds are […]

By Bryan Borzykowski |February 13, 2008

5 min read

Products

The new long-term private capital

(January 2008) With recent stock turmoil pushing BCE shares to well below the takeover price negotiated by a consortium led by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, speculation has been that Teachers’ will walk away from the deal. But Teachers’ incoming chief, Jim Leech, says simply, “I look forward to the time when Bell is out […]

By Scot Blythe |January 25, 2008

3 min read

Market ripe for distressed investing

(December 2007) “Buy low, sell high” is pretty much the mantra for everyone in the financial industry, but that doesn’t mean people should scoop up companies that are about to go bankrupt. Or does it? In today’s financial climate — with a number of businesses taking heavy losses, especially in the housing industry — some […]

4 min read

Crocus board deserves no protection: receiver

Directors and officers of the Crocus Investment Fund “abdicated their responsibilities” to more than 33,000 shareholders, according to a new report released by the court-appointed receiver, and that has convinced Russ Holmes to push for an end to their indemnification from a class-action lawsuit. Holmes, a partner at the Winnipeg office of Deloitte, spent more […]

6 min read

Canada finally gets the go-head to issue covered bonds

(July 2007) Just when you thought you knew everything there was to know about North America’s financial markets, along comes a brand new product that could have lasting effects on Canada’s financial industry. In late June the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions gave the go-ahead for Canadian banks to start issuing covered bonds […]

5 min read

130/30 poised to hit retail market

One of the most popular institutional investment strategies, the 130/30, is making its way into the retail market. Last week, UBS launched the first pair of 130/30 funds in the world aimed at this market segment. Although these types of funds are not approved for the average individual investor in Canada yet, industry observers say […]

By Mark Noble |July 10, 2007

5 min read

Hedge fund strategies: Making sense of it all

(July 2007) The hedge fund world is a universe in itself. There are many different strategies, with different objectives, but too often they are lumped together under the overarching “hedge funds” heading. Let’s make some sense of hedge fund strategies. First things first — there are three basic hedge fund strategies: a) Relative value strategies: […]

2 min read

Since You Asked: Defining alternatives

(June 2007) Advisor.ca is pleased to introduce a new monthly investment column by Pierre Saint-Laurent. “Since You Asked” will answer advisor frequently-asked questions concerning investments. Many advisors get confused by what alternative investments entail. Typically, one associates alternative investments, or alts for short, with hedge funds. However, there is much more to alts than just […]

4 min read