The introduction of the HST put the fund industry in a tight spot, having to sort out its complexities at a time when investor confidence is in a slump. The costs associated with sorting out the HST mess will eventually be borne by those same investors. “There is no way any company could place their […]
Irresistible is the pull of retiring to a destination blessed with balmier climes. The proof is for all to see in the recent European survey by Aon Consulting that revealed Spain and France as the retirement destinations of choice among an increasing number of Europeans. Escaping the harsh climate of their home country was noted […]
Life is about choices. And investors shopping for financial advisors are about to get about 80,000 of those. Coming to an online medium near you is an innovative financial advisor data base, Know Your Financial Advisor (www.kyfa.com), that claims to connect advisors and investors like never before. The website positions itself as Canada’s first secure […]
The loss of investor confidence is a predictable public response when the financial tide turns against continuous wealth accumulation. Too often it triggers knee-jerk investment decisions with investors, later settling into resigned expectation of low growth. So what can advisors pass on to their clients at a time like this? Advisors say they want to […]
An exclusive club for high-net worth clients is about to raise the bar for competent and objective advice in Canada. The advisor community, however, says the new club, Tiger 21, is far from a threat. Even the club insists they are not predatory; neither in instinct nor in intention. But somewhere between dismissive insouciance and […]
Unlike the average newcomer, business immigrants are not concerned with putting food on the table, but rather with how to continue their success and possibly reach new heights through endeavours in the new country. Their challenges and needs are unique, and largely involve grasping a new financial system that works very differently than the one […]
Canadian investors are suffering from signs of uncertainty and declining financial health thanks to Greece disease, according to the Russell Financial Health Index (RFHI). The study says they are most concerned about having a reliable source of income and leading an active and healthy lifestyle in retirement. “According to the RFHI, investors’ confidence in their […]
A recent report from Statistics Canada says home equity makes an important contribution to retirement income. However, retirement planners say it is not necessarily a sign of financial wellbeing.
Close on the heels of Global Dividend ETF and Canada’s first actively managed corporate bond ETF, Horizons AlphaPro launches Canada’s first actively managed Balanced ETF. The Balanced ETF, which begins trading today on the Toronto Stock Exchange, seeks to provide a consistent rate of return balanced between current income and long-term capital growth. “Balanced mutual […]
The world is witnessing a worrying trend: the rise of the “Austerians.” The term refers to policymakers bent on reducing government spending, according to James Montier, a member of the asset allocation team of GMO, a Boston-based global investment management firm. “This breed is the latest incarnation of what used to be called the deficit […]