Archive for the ‘Industry Changes + Trends’ Category

Many financial advisors say that I harp too much on fees.  Many investors (and investor advocates) say that I’m not tough enough on fund fees.  Sometimes, I just can’t win.  But nowhere are fees more important than in the selection...

Conchita is one lucky Chihuahua. When her owner, heiress Gail Posner, passed away in March 2010, she and two other dogs were left with a $3 million (USD) trust fund and an $8.3-million Miami Beach mansion. A bodyguard and housekeeper who take care...

In her latest Globe & Mail Number Cruncher, Shirley Won ranked the largest Canadian stock funds (including those with significant foreign stock holdings) by 5-year annualized return as of June 30, 2010.  The column also featured each of the...

I was quoted in today’s National Post regarding the launch of the Horizons AlphaPro Balanced ETF (HAA/TSX).  As is common practice in the ETF world, the firm only quotes the management fee on its website.  This fund, like most other AlphaPro...

The list of today’s economic worries seems as long as it’s ever been.  Bearish strategists underline negative economic statistics with 2009’s brisk recovery in stock prices.  But the mathematics of loss/recovery – and more...

Sponsors of exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, generally have websites loaded with great information. I visit the iShares website regularly. One of my favourite tools is iShares’ Tracking Error Chart.  For any iShares fund, it shows you how well...

Morningstar Canada recently introduced its Stewardship Grades for 27 Canadian fund companies.  Media coverage began slowly but picked up momentum.  The Toronto Star’s Jim Daw had some valid critique of the scoring scale.  Then, Tom Bradley...

Technology costs represent a significant portion of a company’s annual expenditures. As a business leader, not having a solid understanding of these costs can put your business at a competitive disadvantage. Here are the three technology numbers...

In a recent Globe & Mail article, I was quoted as saying that I was amazed that real estate mutual and segregated funds still existed.  I was surprised at the extent of feedback I received on this seemingly innocent quote.  But clearly, the...

Financial advisor compensation is one of those topics that is hotly debated but never fully resolved.  A recent article by the National Post’s Jon Chevreau sparked a private exchange between me and another person quoted in that article. ...