Federal Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty has confirmed that he will table the federal budget on March 22, but he warns it won’t contain any radical spending plans. “As we transition to the next phase of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, measures in this budget will focus on the Harper Government’s key priority of the economy,” […]
The political upheaval that has swept across North Africa and, to a lesser extent, the Middle East, has stifled returns in foreign equity fund categories, while Canadian investments have benefited from surging resource prices, according to Morningstar Canada. When international tensions mount, there’s usually an upside for gold. February followed the historical pattern—bullion topped $1,400 […]
The head of the Toronto Stock Exchange has responded to criticism of his plan to merge the TMX Group with the London Stock Exchange Group, saying the deal will “deliver clear and significant benefits to Ontario.” Chief executive Tom Kloet appeared before the provincial legislature’s select committee, along with Xavier Rolet, CEO of the London […]
Canadian investors hoping to recover some of the lost ground in their portfolios should look no further than their own backyard, according to a report from CIBC World Markets. Canadian equities are likely the best bet for superior returns. “A diversified portfolio is always wise, but in terms of allocations for Canadian equity investors, it […]
After months of being lectured on their debt accumulation habits, Canadians have apparently taken up another bad habit, in part to combat the first: raiding their retirement plans. According to a survey conducted by Leger Marketing for BMO Financial, roughly 40% of Canadians with an RRSP admit they have made withdrawals from their plan before […]
While regulators and compliance departments are slowing easing off restrictions for advisors’ use of social media, the public is already basing financial decisions on what they read online. A survey conducted for Investors Group found that 42% of Canadians who save and invest are using social and online media to guide their decisions. The preferred […]
Political unrest has raged across the Middle East and North Africa for much of 2011. Aside from the tragic human cost in the region, the knock-on effects pose a threat well beyond the Arab world, which could derail the global economic recovery. Oil prices have spiked around the world, although promises from Saudi Arabia to […]
Clients saving for a new home purchase can breathe a sigh of relief—the cost of ownership eased for the second quarter in a row, according to RBC Economics’ Housing Trends and Affordability report. During the last quarter of 2010, the national reading of the RBC Housing Affordability Measure declined between 0.4% and 0.8% across the […]
North American advisors have enjoyed a substantial bounce back from the recession, with both asset levels and production reaching new highs by the end of 2010, according to a report from PriceMetrix. “The general health of the retail wealth management industry is improving. In many areas it has recovered from the downturn of 2008/2009 to […]
Anyone wanting to voice their opinion on the regulations governing banks in the insurance business should speak up—the comment period closes March 4.The federal government rather quietly issued draft regulations that appear to give the stamp of approval to locating insurance branches near banking branches. Under the proposed regulations, Section 10 of the Insurance Business […]