A new survey shows that millionaires, who currently have a negative attitude about the state of the U.S. and global economies, are optimistic that improvements to the investment climate will improve a year from now. The annual survey, commissioned by Fidelity Investments and released April 29, shows an improvement in the attitudes and behaviour of […]
Ontario Securities Commission Staff Notice 51-716 is still drawing considerable attention, given the public notice is part of a standard evaluation the provincial regulator undertakes of regular business disclosures. Since its release at the end of February, 51-716 has caught the attention of media outlets (including Advisor.ca, go to: ), lawyers and industry pundits. Most […]
In the past few quarters, farmers haven’t been feeding only cities; they’ve been feeding returns in the portfolios of investors, as agricultural commodities have soared. While this is great if you are well positioned, some macro-level economists, such as Donald Coxe, are worried that hedging your investments is not enough against the looming food crisis. […]
Comparing critical illness insurance policies just got a lot easier. At least, that’s the view of leading carriers, who hope to expand the product’s uptake by advisors. As of April 29, 2008, the 26 definitions currently in use in the Canadian market are now easier to understand and more clear and concise for both the […]
(April 2008) The world is changing. Where we once relied on coal, oil and gas for our energy needs, we are now switching to wind, sun and biofuel alternatives. Where we once relied on defined benefit pension plans to fund the time between retirement and death, we are now incorporating income annuities and innovative insurance […]
The greening of corporate finance can no longer be considered a fast fad or temporary trend, advised a panel of accountants and analysts from PricewaterhouseCoopers during a breakfast seminar on sustainability on Thursday. “Corporate social responsibility is now a mainstream paradigm,” said Peter Johnson, director of the sustainable business solutions practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in […]
The Ontario Securities Commission’s innocuously named Staff Notice 51-716 has drawn quite a bit of attention for its no-nonsense stance on environmental financial disclosure. According to various industry professionals, including Paul Cassidy, from Blake, Cassels and Graydon LLP’s Vancouver office, and Gray Taylor, from Toronto-based Bennett Jones LLP, the notice signals a shift in the […]
(April 2008) Imagine hiring an employee with an apparently sterling reputation, one who instills confidence and ease with his self-assured manner and personable daily banter. Now, imagine paying $40,000 six months after hiring that employee just to make him go away. That’s the average cost American firms report paying for a “bad hire,” including severance, […]
(April 2008) AIC Ltd. is moving ahead with a new “turnaround” strategy that it hopes will quell the rising tide of redemptions and market failings that have cost the company $6.5 billion — or about 58% in assets — in the last six years. The company is promoting its new partnerships with three American-based deep-value […]
Investors pummeled by poor returns as of late may find a “hidden opportunity” in Canada’s energy sector, according to Jeff Rubin, chief economist at CIBC World Markets. In a report released today, Rubin points out that while the pain of $100 US oil can be felt at the pumps, the high cost of crude hasn’t […]