Investing is one of those things that really presents a problem for our caveman brains. You can explain the virtues of a long-term approach to your clients until you’re blue in the face — and they may even agree with you. But our most primitive instincts can derail long-term plans. When its crunch-time, we’re hard-wired […]
We all know that past performance is no guarantee of future returns, but a strong quarter on the stock market sure can change your outlook. That’s been the case with Canadian advisors, who have turned “clearly bullish” on equities, according to the latest quarterly survey by BetaPro Management. The survey asked advisors for their outlook […]
The advancement of financial planning as a respected profession has taken a significant leap forward, as turf-battles over who should be the gatekeeper of the title have taken a backseat to promoting it to the public. “More organizations, associations and regulators than ever before are working together in recognition that no single group can make […]
John O’Connell, founding partner of The Harbour Group at RBC Dominion Securities, and who recently left the company, has struck a deal to buy discretionary money manager Davis-Rea Ltd. He says he is officially still an employee of RBC until the end of the month. Having worked with RBC DS national director David Agnew for […]
Mutual fund sales were probably substantially negative in September, according to preliminary estimates from the Investment Funds Institute of Canada (IFIC). The industry group estimates sales could have ranged anywhere from $400 million in net redemptions, to $100 million in net sales. The good news is that long term funds enjoyed net sales of over […]
Unusually strong stock market gains in September helped to boost third quarter mutual fund returns, according to data from Morningstar Canada. In fact, every fund index tracked by the research firm posted a positive return for the quarter. Among the 24 indexes that track equity funds, half managed double digit returns over the past three […]
The federal government has announced it will scale back previously announced increases to Employment Insurance (EI) premiums, after intense pressure from unions and businesses. The employee-paid premium will rise by five cents per $100 of insurable earnings, starting in 2011, and 10 cents for subsequent years. The employer-paid premium will rise by seven cents in […]
While consumer confidence may be in the doldrums, the majority of investment managers remain bullish on Canadian stocks, according to the latest Russell Investment Manager Outlook survey. The poll found 56% of managers were optimistic about equities, with half of managers saying the market was undervalued. Just over one third (36%) said the market was […]
BANFF – Financial advisors need to plant their feet on rock-solid ethical standards and avoid the slippery slope of moral relativism or suffer the consequences of lost client trust, this according to the founder, former leader of the Reform Party of Canada, Preston Manning. The good news is, the financial services industry is already ahead […]
BANFF – The financial services industry is rife with legal pitfalls stemming from potential conflicts of interest, but not all of these involve the interests of the advisor. There is a very real possibility the conflict you face could be between two clients, as a marriage falls apart. The good news is that there is […]