Archive for the ‘Industry Changes + Trends’ Category

I have been asked more than a few times by advisors whether I think product commissions will be banned.  While we can never say never, I’ve had enough questions on this to warrant an article.  In the October issue of Investment Executive, I...

The Globe & Mail recently reported that indexing giant Vanguard has surpassed Fidelity as the world’s largest mutual fund company.  The article poses the question of whether this event indicates a growing interest in index-investing.  I...

I recently challenged gold bulls to ask themselves tough questions before devoting significant dollars to the yellow metal.  A related topic – the investment merit of gold – was the topic of discussion on our panel on The Early Shift...

Many subscribe to the buy local = save jobs mantra as a solution to the prevailing economic malaise.  While it’s intuitive, this notion that we only buy from our own city, province or country breaks down under closer inspection.  This was...

 “My advice to investors (who cannot give full time to a study of investments) is to seek out some trusted investment counsellor. The emergence of this new profession of disinterested investment analysts, who have no allegiances and whose job...

A few weeks ago, I resurfaced my arguments against concluding that Canadian mutual fund costs exceed those of all other developed countries.  This is turning into one of those perpetual debates.  And while the industry – i.e. IFIC –...

In 2001, I invested in a gold closed-end fund and held it for 4-5 years.  My rationale was based partly on what was then a low gold price and on this particular closed-end fund’s hefty 30% discount to net asset value.  Since I sold the...

The Globe & Mail’s latest mutual fund number cruncher focuses on the top-performing Canadian Equity funds for the ten years ending June 30, 2010.  Quantitative screens like this can be illustrative.  As I read that Mackenzie Saxon Stock...