(June 16, 2005) Advisors have been consistently shifting their compensation from deferred service charges or back-end loads since 2002, says a new report by Toronto consultancy Investor Economics. But it’s not just advisors: no-load funds offered primarily by banks and some highly regarded small independents have reached an historic high of 40% of long-term funds, […]
(June 14, 2005) Canada’s hedge fund industry, in the spotlight thanks to redemption freezes at two fund complexes, has released a set of guidelines that might help advisors and investors avoid problems in the future, or at least get a better grasp on the potential risks they are incurring. The guidelines, six months in the […]
(April 1, 2005) Front-running — the bane of a portfolio manager putting on a large order, only to have someone in the know step in front of it to profit — is not occurring in systematic fashion on Canadian securities markets. But Market Regulation Services (RS), which supervises trading on Canada’s stock exchanges, has found […]
(February 23, 2005) For the first time in three years, the budget makes no mention of Tax Pre-paid Savings Plans and warns that a new proposal on interest deductibility is in the works. Feds scrap foreign content rule, raise RRSP limits Goodale surprises with something for everyone Going global: Investment community welcomes the elimination of […]
(February 23, 2005) In a surprisingly bold stroke for a government presenting the first minority budget in 25 years, Finance Minister Ralph Goodale has opted to ditch the foreign property rule and raise the contribution limits for registered plans. While the 2005 budget has something for everyone — even gold bugs — the investor-friendly provisions […]
Former mutual fund analyst and Portus consultant Duff Young admits that, even for him, due diligence on alternative products can be a tough row to hoe. That’s not to say advisors should avoid alternative investments. However, advisors must make sure that the product is as advertised, and be wary of signing documents that might prevent […]
(December 16, 2004) Thanks to a global economic expansion of 5%, 2004 has been the strongest in the past 30 years. While growth is expected to decelerate in 2005, it will likely still be above trend, says Clément Gignac, chief economist at the National Bank of Canada. Gignac’s was one of a sheaf of reports […]
(October 25, 2004) Labour fund assets have almost returned to their 2000 levels — the peak of the Silicon Valley IPO boom — but sales are still down from the rates attained in the late 1990s, according to data from Toronto consultancy Investor Economics. “The number of Labour-Sponsored Investment Funds is at a record high,” […]
(September 23, 2004) Lacklustre equity markets took a chunk out of securities industry revenues in the second quarter, the IDA reports. Particularly hard hit were underwriting fees, although commission revenues from mutual funds and stock trading also suffered a decline. While operating profits slumped 30% on the back of a 9% decline in revenue after […]
(September 14, 2004) In a sign that the fortunes of venture fund investing in Canada are turning, Ventures West today announced the closing of the largest private venture fund in the country. The fund, which has attracted $250 million in commitments from some of the largest institutional investors in Canada, including the Caisse, Ontario Teachers, […]