BlackBerry buffs or iPhone fanatics, financial advisors are doggedly devoted to their smartphones. Although merely a means of communication, these devices turn into fix-all toolkits when appropriate applications are added to their functionality. Between the two, they share an army of applications that ostensibly take the legwork out of a plethora of day-to-day tasks. Advisor.ca […]
With the loonie at its strongest consistent place in the last two decades, now is a great time for Canadian investors to put it to some good use, preferably outside Canada, said experts at Franklin Templeton today at the Investment Outlook and Opportunities Forum 2010. “The Canadian dollar in the last couple of years has […]
A slowing Chinese economy, renewed concerns over European debt crisis and the dawdling U.S. recovery are wrecking havoc on Canadian exports. Major Canadian exports tumbled for the second straight month posting a month-over-month decline of 1.9% in June, according to Scotiabank’s Commodity Price Index. However, the June results of the SCPI, which measures price trends […]
This morning’s announcement from the Bank of Canada that it was raising its benchmark policy rate to 0.75% caught few Canadians by surprise. Members of the Canadian financial industry stress it is a sign that the country’s economy is going strong and that further rate hikes must be expected. “I think the comments from the […]
A strong tailwind of foreign investment is proving Canadian securities to be a great place to park funds. Investment in Canadian securities by non-residents strengthened substantially in May, with foreign inflows amounting to $23.2 billion, most notably for federal government debt instruments, says a recent report from Statistics Canada. Another $2.9 billion made their way […]
The emotional impact of the recent financial crisis has finally surfaced. Despite signs of economic recovery and stock market rebounds, investor confidence — across multiple wealth bands — remains tenuous at best. This is forcing many wealth management firms to incorporate elements of behavioural science into their practice, according to the latest Capgemini/Merrill Lynch World […]
The loonie will continue to advance against the U.S. dollar over the near term, but it’s sustainability on the longer term is doubtful. The commentary is part of a larger discussion on currencies and global interest rates, delivered by Francis Scotland, director of global macro research, Brandywine Global Investment Management. “It seems to me we’re […]
He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own, the saying goes. By that token, North Americans may not be feeling particularly secure. Allocations to philanthropic activities by high-net worth individuals’ (HNWI) increased in all regions except North America in 2009, according to the latest Capgemini/Merrill Lynch World Wealth Report […]
While U.S. crude production plummets in the aftermath of the BP oil spill, global demand for crude is set to soar next year. Fuelled by economic growth in developed countries, world oil demand is predicted to rise, according to an International Energy Agency (IEA) report. The growth indicates a shift in global consumption where emerging […]
Markets around the world are rife with skepticism as global recovery does little to rein in the growing risk perception amongst asset managers. Inflation and commercial real estate are feared to be the two biggest spoilsports in global markets, according to a study by RBC Capital Markets, the corporate and investment banking arm of Royal […]