(October 9, 2003) Older investors who’ve managed to build an estate, sometimes considerable, sometimes not, are concerned less with managing the buildup of their capital than with the appropriate reinvestment of their capital when they pass on. One could read that as a coded anti-estate-tax message. But it’s actually more complicated than that. It can […]
(October 7, 2003) There is a kind of folklore to the modern history of investing. First, at least for private clients, there were the trust departments of the banks, through the 1930s to the 1950s and later, which invested money with the aim of making an actual return. They may have made money, but not […]
(October 3, 2003) For many advisors, financial plans take in the “big picture” — things like saving for retirement and maximizing estate potential. But financial planning principles also apply to seemingly smaller events in a client’s life, which nevertheless constitute “big ticket,” such as buying a house or a car, says advisor and author Éric […]
(October 1, 2003) Going from a bull to a bear market has certainly put pressure on financial planners, but it has also presented opportunities, ranging from tax advice to more comprehensive risk management. It’s also provided another opportunity: keeping client trust with tried planning techniques, says a panel of top Quebec advisors. Annie Boivin, who […]
(September 11, 2003) With three major initiatives on the horizon, Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) staff acknowledge that fund companies may be feeling under the gun. What’s more, these initiatives all have a November-December due date, upping the pressure on investment product manufacturers to file comments on strictures they may think burdensome. “We hear from the […]
CI Fund Managements takeover of Synergy Mutual Funds last week secured CEO and founder Joe Canavan as president of Assante in what was really a three-part deal. What else did CI get? Little noticed, CI got another Bill to complement Legg Mason’s Bill Miller, who has beaten the S&P 500 12 years running. Skylon Capital, […]
(August 8, 2003) Perceptions not established facts drive the debate on securities regulation in Canada, says an academic study commissioned by Quebec’s securities regulator. The report is also highly critical of brokerage fees and the “extreme concentration” of investment dealers, as well as the Toronto Stock Exchange’s status as more than a “regional” small-cap exchange. […]
(June 13, 2003) In another sign that distressed markets are pushing alternative investments into the mainstream, the manager of Canada’s public pension system is putting out a tender for hedge fund managers to add value to its portfolio of 2,000 stocks. The CPP Investment Board (CPPIB) manages a $17.5 billion portfolio that includes global stocks, […]
(May 28, 2003) Confidence-eroding corporate scandals have focused attention on securities regulation, as has the abrading costs to issuers and investment funds, charged by 13 different jurisdictions. So much so that the federal government has stepped in to bring together divergent provincial securities commissions. In the insurance world, step-by-step harmonization of regulations is the preferred […]
(May 27, 2003) The Canadian chapter of the Investment Management Consultants Association (IMCA) is holding its annual two-day continuing education conference in Toronto on June 11 and 12. The theme this year, says conference organizer James Wanstall, vice-president of sales at Abria Financial Group, is adapting Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) to an environment that has […]