tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45771517227599589212012-01-08T01:01:23.648-08:00Your Life Your Planhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07445291923031722569noreply@blogger.comBlogger4571100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-40664096502803863432011-06-02T09:02:00.000-07:002011-06-02T13:00:41.161-07:00

It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future; and if your investment approach relies on making predictions, then your returns are only as good as your forecasts. I'd throw in timing as well. History shows that's a tough way to make a buck. The so-called 'experts' get it right less than 1-in-3, and we all underestimate the impact of outliers, or extreme events that few predict.

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-38415814709321758172011-06-01T10:04:00.001-07:002011-06-01T10:27:35.436-07:00

I have to share the following from today's edition of 'Diary of a Mad Hedge Fund Trader':There is no end to which they will go to understand the future direction of the world economy. Now apparently, the price of Brazilian bikini waxes is going through the roof; no joke, the Brazilian government includes this strategic activity in its basket of consumer services to calculate inflation. It is

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-59586992838171842092011-05-31T09:33:00.000-07:002011-05-31T09:53:41.216-07:00

Despite proven advantages of financial planning for retirement, the majority of Canadians don't have a financial plan for their future, according to an HSBC survey. According to their global study, 65% of Canadian respondents lack a financial plan, far more than the global figure of 50%. According to their study, those who have sought out advice and planned have amassed nearly 2 1/2 times more

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-2947288229502050682011-05-30T09:51:00.000-07:002011-06-03T07:15:49.129-07:00

The familiar rule of thumb for retirement income needs is 70% of pre-retirement income. Some financial planners think this is nonsense! They argue you need to look at your expenses and what you are actually spending today. Keep in mind that your lifestyle expenses will likely be higher in the 1st year of retirement than the 15th year. This assumes you aren't in a swank care home. A good question

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-57409394375725895522011-05-30T09:30:00.000-07:002011-06-01T07:35:27.193-07:00

There's an idealized view of retirement that either shows you on a beach at age 55 fit as a fiddle or in the Tuscan Villa. That sounds great but what is wrong with living the way you did before you retired, or close to it? Even working at something you always wanted to do. A great excercise for those retiring within five years is to go through a retirement navigator and visualizer to see what

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-67945773361610532592011-05-30T09:20:00.000-07:002011-05-31T07:35:38.052-07:00

On the other end of the spectrum from yesturday's topic about OAS clawback 2 surveys were released this year showing a high level of concern among Canadians close to retirement whether they had saved enough. The results from the TD Waterhouse poll of people between age 45-75 was that 67% worried they hadn't saved enough and 39% planned to keep working to fund their retirement. From the Chartered

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-51366936871550693352011-05-30T07:26:00.000-07:002011-05-30T07:41:07.788-07:00

Are you questioning whether you will retain your OAS or whether you will get it clawed back. Rob Carrick featured a great article in the Globe and mail this weekend on how to avoid the dreaded OAS clawback. The maximum monthly OAS benefit right now is $526.85 or $6,322.20. The government claws OAS back by 15% of incremental income above $67,668 and it completely eliminates OAS with income of

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-49680071334649287752011-05-27T07:02:00.000-07:002011-05-27T07:06:54.336-07:00

We are recommending a significant reduction in equities, with emphasis on U.S. and emerging markets shares," Mr. Coxe, who runs Coxe Advisors LLP, wrote in his latest Basic Points report. "Runaway bull markets reward strategists who look only one way when they cross one-way streets. We may not see such stock markets again for a long, long time."Here is a summary of his recommendations:1. Reduce

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-25813376772172876062011-05-25T20:57:00.000-07:002011-05-26T11:50:58.377-07:00

For more than 70 years, economists have been fixated with measuring economic output by gross domestic product; now GDP has its limitations: It doesn't take into account natural-resource depletion, and excludes unpaid services like volunteering. This week the OECD launched an alternative measure of well-being which appears to be a little broader. It includes 20 different indicators, from life

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-20123009645174564112011-05-18T10:43:00.000-07:002011-05-25T07:33:44.822-07:00

There's a lot of talk these days about rising inflation and rising interest; so I thought I'd summarize a dialogue in the most recent edition of the CFA Magazine. The article is titled 'The Race to Zero' and it's narrated by journalist Jonathan Barnes based on his interview with Richard Hokenson, founder of demographic economic firm Hokenson & Company.Hokenson feels that the future will

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-21456015446420715812011-05-17T06:49:00.000-07:002011-05-19T07:31:48.886-07:00

Starting this year the CPP retirement pension amount will increase by a higher percentage if taken after age 65 and will decrease by a larger percentage if taken before age 65. For example in the past if you took the CPP at age 70 you received 30% more than if you had taken it at age 65. By 2013, an individual who starts receiving CPP at age 70 will receive 42% more than if they had taken it at

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-52112608739234819002011-05-17T06:40:00.000-07:002011-05-17T07:02:24.403-07:00

There are some upcoming changes to CPP that will affect whether you take your CPP early or later than 65. You can elect to take it as early as 60 or as late as 70. If you are approaching age 60 and are eligible for CPP it is a worthwhile excercise to access when to apply for your CPP retirement pension. Some key considerations are employment opportunities, other retirement income, your health and

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-63350167195743003022011-05-17T06:30:00.000-07:002011-05-24T07:32:31.310-07:00

I recently ran the numbers comparing taking the CPP at age 60, 65 or age 70 from a present value perspective with 3% discount rate. If you took your CPP at age 60 versus age 65 the breakeven point is at age 72. This means that if you expect to live beyond age 72 you would be better off waiting till age 65 to take your CPP. If you took your CPP at age 65 versus age 70 the breakeven point is at

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-57073588443663775162011-05-11T11:32:00.000-07:002011-05-11T11:47:55.811-07:00

Well so far in May, North American stocks are down, more so in Canada than in the US thanks to falling commodity prices which is typical this time of year. Is this the seasonal 'sell in may, go away', or is this a buying opportunity?There's a correlation between bond yields and stock prices. Typically, when bond yields fall from January to May, stocks do relatively well from May to October;

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-67929424517492765692011-05-09T08:25:00.000-07:002011-05-16T07:35:24.111-07:00

The conventional thinking on spending in retirement was that there would be a burst of spending in the immediate years after retirement on things like travel, after which health issues and fatigue associated with age would lead to less active lives and lower spending. Maybe so... but most boomers will be dragged into their rocking chair kicking and screaming. If so it's possible spending will

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-39415720117431119382011-05-09T08:16:00.000-07:002011-05-13T11:51:57.728-07:00

Another finding from the US Trust Research I talked about yesturday is that many wealthy invetsors are interested in seeing the impact of their giving now, rather than leaving a legacy when they pass away. Despite this 4 in 10 affluent investors haven't sought advice on their legacy or philanthropic strategies. The implication for this in retirement planning is that advisors should enagage their

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-90022938706937409862011-05-09T08:06:00.000-07:002011-05-17T06:30:39.022-07:00

A recent research study sponsored by US Trust reinforced the dramatic differences in priorities for boomers compared to previous generations. High Net Worth Investors were asked what they wanted to acheive with their money. Financial freedom and financial security ranked at the top - no surprise there. Then came travel and improving relationships with family and freinds. Past generations would

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-87357581857028818952011-05-09T07:55:00.000-07:002011-05-11T07:05:35.338-07:00

A Merrill Lynch survey pointed out differences in how men and women expect to spend time in retirement. With regards to activities they plan to pursue once retired: 86% of Woman vs 66% of Men plan to travel, 74% of Women vs 60% of Men want to pursue a hobby, 64% of Women vs 43% of Men want to be involved in the community and 62% of Women vs 41% of Men want to do charity work. An implication of

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-4015547186484839252011-05-09T07:32:00.000-07:002011-05-10T07:34:22.133-07:00

A recent Meryl lynch survey of affluent boomers aged 46-64 offer some insights into how boomers are planning to operate differently in retirement than their previous retirees. 86% plan a more active lifestyle, 84% say their retirement will look different and 72% expect a higher standard of living. Digging deeper 70% plan to keep working, 32% expect to pursue additional professional success, 26%

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-23609279858201417932011-05-09T07:18:00.000-07:002011-05-09T07:55:26.583-07:00

Environics Research Group, a leader in social values research conducted a study contrasting attitudes towards retirement of today's boomers (age 50-62)with the previous generation of retirees who were in their sixties in 1992. Today the boomers are more likely to pursue active outdoor activities, explore exotic places and take classes to develop their interests. At the same time, they're much

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-79650625012521906772011-05-03T11:23:00.000-07:002011-05-03T11:40:58.201-07:00

The big news in Canada today is yesterday's election. The nation is still divided in terms of the popular vote, but we now have a right-of-center majority in parliament and a very left-of-center opposition. Contrary to expectation the TSX Composite index and the CDN$ have been in the red all day. So what can investors expect?The Tory government should be friendly to corporate bottom lines,

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-59825108657972979922011-04-25T08:45:00.000-07:002011-04-29T07:05:33.219-07:00

Despite what most people think, fixed income investments are not risk free. Some risks to consider are inflation risk, tax risk and renewal risk. Market risk is applicable in bonds and GIC's if you want to sell them before maturity. Generally speaking if you hold them to maturity you will receive both you principal and interest you are promissed. Bonds and GIC's are the least effective

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-90090037551334749952011-04-25T08:33:00.000-07:002011-04-28T07:36:00.192-07:00

Yesturday I referred to Daryl Diamonds book Buying Time. Once again I will highlight some information that can be useful in retirement income planning. He refers to them as the four D's Defer, deduct, discount and divde. Tax can be one of the most significant costs in retirement and therefore a significant saving. Using a retirement navigator will address these issues. Beyond that you should talk

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-90537735720288746622011-04-25T08:19:00.000-07:002011-04-27T07:07:02.113-07:00

Daryl Diamonds book "Buying Time" points out Boomers and their parents have significant differences between them. For starters Boomers are about to retire and they expect to retire earlier, live longer and do more in retirement. However most do not know how much money they will need to do this, and they are not as financially prepared as they need to be. Whereas, their parents are retired and

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-58014054858404201432011-04-25T08:11:00.000-07:002011-04-26T07:02:58.633-07:00

Yesturday I talked about life altering experiences in retirement and using a retirement navigator to address these retirement realities. The fact that these changes impact our situation is one of the reasons we emphasize using an advisor with whom you can work on your financial, lifestyle, investment and health risk management issues. A financial plan gives you a great snap shot of your current

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-42372888144939129822011-04-24T22:08:00.000-07:002011-04-25T08:11:34.415-07:00

Many of us think of retirement as one phase of life when in fact its comprised of many different stages over a 20-40 year period. Some of these stages may include: starting your retirement, arrival of grandchildren, healthcare issues, caring for spouse or aging parents, changing accommodations or loss of a spouse. All of these things can change your experience of retirement and in many cases

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-70087531539384489882011-04-21T07:13:00.000-07:002011-04-21T07:23:21.588-07:00

Yesturday I talked about the differences in gross & net income while you are working vs when you are retired. So how should you determine what you should use as a number to project out your income over time and how long your money will last based on certain assumptions about inflation and returns. Three commonly used methods are: 1. 70%of your pre-retirement earnings2. Do a budget based on

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-29851086469163586562011-04-18T10:44:00.000-07:002011-04-18T11:44:18.122-07:00

One of the changes that most people don't realize is that there can be significant differences between gross income and net income when you are employed vs when you are retired. For example when you are employed a gross income of $4,000 per month can be reduced to a net income of about $2,200 per month when you consider deductions for CPP, EI and group benefits. In addition taxes can be more

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-15217657864409388982011-04-18T10:37:00.000-07:002011-04-18T11:43:18.316-07:00

It is sometimes a large psychological shift for early retirees to shift from receiving a regular paycheque to one created from benefits and income from our own assets. At the time you retire you are basically finsihed saving money, unless you are an underspender of course. usually ists a shift from accumulating to drawing income and is the point in time when you have your greatest net worth. If

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-31712932151601915222011-04-18T07:08:00.000-07:002011-04-18T07:20:40.524-07:00

I was reading a book written by Daryl Diamond and he points out a few considerations that will change your income and costs in retirement compared to your working years. A few points worth noting are costs related to work disappear. Transportation, clothing specific to work,and meals and lunches if you ate out alot. Group insurance benefits (disability and life) are commonly terminated or at

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-56902480069394099262011-04-14T08:33:00.000-07:002011-04-14T08:45:36.536-07:00

According to Advisor Analyst client insights babyboomers 55 and over control over 60%of personal financial assets and are looking to live an active second half of their life. What that tells me is not only is wealth important to support your lifestyle but health is an important consideration too. Your run to the finish line might be painful if one of the two fails you. As part of your wealth

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-35242082734596266052011-04-13T11:21:00.000-07:002011-04-13T11:29:30.536-07:00

Sometimes the best advice to give for someone who is considering retirement and doesn't have sufficient savings is to be realistic. One solution is to accept that you may have to have a part time job. A surprisingly high percentage of retired people say they would like to work part-time, some because they have to and some because they want to.

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-79925901871583356362011-04-12T09:47:00.000-07:002011-05-02T11:54:08.872-07:00

At every stage of life people have a mission. For example as kids become teenagers they fight for independence, as they become adults they fire their parents and as they hit retirement they want freedom. As they age they go back to fighting for independence and maintaining control. They may lose their physical strength, their health may fail, friends pass away and people stop asking for their

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-88838781807579682872011-04-11T10:38:00.000-07:002011-05-02T11:55:18.614-07:00

Dan Richards advises advisors about retirement planning and his article this morning had some interesting points about baby boomers in retirement. Over the coming decade, nearly 10,000 boomers per day in North america will be turning 65 and retiring. They are different than retirees before them. They are all part of a group he calls "second-half champions". This refers to a more vigorous

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-47001555806934162772011-04-04T11:56:00.000-07:002011-05-02T11:57:22.098-07:00

Old age security and the Age Amount are 2 government administered benefits which can contribute greatly to your retirement income and cash flow. Changes have been made to theses programs in recent years to adapt to the expected increase of futuire benefit paymenst which will have to be made as Baby Boomers move through retirement. You may no loner get the full benefits if your incopme crosses

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-37199112120751895452011-04-04T11:40:00.000-07:002011-05-02T11:58:23.549-07:00

Building on yesturdays tip to look at the order you should draw on your various sources of income. This involves determining which assets and benefits to use, and when to use them. One school of thought is to draw on the least flexible and least tax efficient assets first to make up your base income. This would allow you to reserve the variable and/or tax favoured sources as discretionary in

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-40597304166004665732011-03-24T06:55:00.000-07:002011-03-24T07:16:27.331-07:00

One of the top headlines around the world today is the resignation of Portugal's Prime Minister after his government's austerity plans were voted down by opposition parties. Rather than prescribe their own medicine after suffering the effects of too much borrowing and spending, they'd rather stick their hand out to the EU. What ever happened to accountability? This is fuelling speculation that

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-34459468715292494982011-03-23T05:57:00.000-07:002011-03-23T06:16:10.975-07:00

Awhile back I highlighted the selling of US Treasuries by Bill Gross in PIMCO's total return fund. The latest edition of The Economist magazine picks up on the story and its implications. Why should we care? When the manager of the world's largest bond fund is avoiding US Treasuries, we should ask why?"Mr. Gross is particularly worried about the effect of quantitative easing by the Federal

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-65884917977357408822011-03-22T08:16:00.000-07:002011-03-22T08:22:31.354-07:00

Although equity markets have been hit by rising volatility and uncertainty this year, the trend in global earnings has remained positive. In fact the global earnings picture has continued to improve as all regions benefited from positive earnings recently. Scotia Capital put out a chart to illustrate revissions over the last three months. Positive revisions were strongest in North America with

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-49593957771739112622011-03-18T08:00:00.000-07:002011-05-06T11:52:30.794-07:00

When markets are volatile not only like the last few weeks but the last few years Withdrawl Sequence Risk can have a significant impact on your portfolio. This refers to the actual order of your withdrawls and returns. It doesn't really matter when you are accumulating money on a regular basis because of dollar cost averaging but it does matter when you are withdrawing income especially if you

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-53868691323535900952011-03-14T11:15:00.000-07:002011-03-14T11:21:56.210-07:00

The following is by David Andrews, and was featured on AnvisorAnalyst.com:"Gold is often viewed as a store of value and a hedge against economic Armageddon, but "Dr. Copper" is said to be the metal with a Ph.D. in economics for its ability to presage the future of the global economy. Prices have moved from a steep premium to a discount recently. February copper shipments into China fell 35%

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-14517003917226372032011-03-08T07:23:00.000-08:002011-03-08T07:37:21.664-08:00

Portfolio strategist, Vincent Delisle, asks the question: "When should investors start to be concerned about the current oil price spike?"Modest increases in oil prices occurring in sync with an improving US consumer/employment outlook typically have minor impacts; in addition, oil price increases during the initial stages of recoveries appear less threatening. In contrast, swift moves in oil

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-30623931477806126302011-03-04T10:41:00.000-08:002011-03-04T10:51:39.063-08:00

Credit Suisse tested some dividend strategies and the resulting for various sectors. They concluded that screening for the highest yielding stocks increased your relative return within that sector. When you looked for stocks with a high divedend yield and low payout ratio it enhanced your return even more. We expect the best performing dividend strategies to continue to perform well in 2011.

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-17775792699505895172011-03-02T07:13:00.000-08:002011-03-02T07:22:10.486-08:00

Looking for a negative day to establish a long position or even short the market? Witching Day is the third Friday of the month, and it has a track record of volatility and negative performance. This is the day that stock options and futures expire; however, it is the business day after, dubbed 'Witching Hangover' by Brooke Thackray and Bruce Lindsay, which has produced even bigger negative

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-90436362563018191392011-02-24T06:46:00.000-08:002011-02-24T07:09:03.299-08:00

A sustained and significant rise in oil prices could derail the global economic recovery by stirring inflation and putting the brake on spending. What's going on in the Middle East is driving oil prices higher, which have risen 7.35% since the start of the year. The worry is whether or not there will be supply disruptions like the ones that came with the 1973 oil embargo and the 1979 Iranian

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-5196155454885197612011-02-23T07:10:00.000-08:002011-02-23T07:26:35.731-08:00

Warren Buffett believes that the return that a company gets on its equity is one of the most important factors in making successful stock investments. Benjamin Graham defines stockholders equity as: "the interest of the stockholders in a company as measured by the capital and surplus."A high return on equity means that surplus funds can be invested to improve business operations without the

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-42216807498994436212011-02-22T06:03:00.000-08:002011-02-22T06:25:05.567-08:00

US crude futures hit a 2 1/2 year high, touching $94.49 a barrel, it's highest since October 2008. On Monday, Brent crude prices hit a 2 1/2 year high of $108.70. It's all due to geopolitical risk in the Middle East, including more recent events in Libya. Looking to possibly take advantage of the instability in some way, Iran sent two naval vessels through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean.

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-37707398046188191042011-02-21T06:36:00.000-08:002011-02-21T06:53:37.609-08:00

From The Economist:"China's inflation rate has become one of the world's most closely watched numbers. Last weeks release showed that inflation rose to 4.9% in January, up from 1.5% a year earlier. The increase was smaller than expected, but has not quelled fears that as inflation creeps up the government will need to slam on the economic brakes. Some economists, however, believe that China

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-74948395668308903732011-02-18T14:05:00.000-08:002011-02-21T11:55:12.904-08:00

Q: Gold in 2010 reached a 10 year high at over $1400. What do things look like moving forward? According to the World Gold Council,the main trends for gold in 2010 were: - Jewelry was very strong, led by Chinese and Indian consumption. Annual jewelry demand rose by 17% in 2010. - Investment demand remained stable in 2010, - Central banks shifted from net sellers to net buyers in 2010, the first

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-30952783274823271242011-02-18T07:36:00.001-08:002011-02-18T07:43:09.578-08:00

Q: We've been through some pretty big ups and downs in the last few years. What is the current feeling with investors?A: Some Investors appear to have forgotten the downs. According to morningstar US equity Mutual funds investors are returning in full force. Long-term flows roared back in January with nearly $30 billion in estimated inflows, reversing December's $10.6 billion outflow. This is

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-87766370962676273172011-02-17T07:14:00.000-08:002011-02-17T07:21:23.054-08:00

High-yield bonds have acted a lot like stocks over the past two years, but unlike stocks, bonds eventually have a pull-to-parity. So how much more can high-yield bonds run?Credit Suisse's fixed income research team highlight that the average yield on the Credit Suisse High-Yield Index is a record low 6.89% (since at least '86). The average high yield bond is now trading at nearly 104 compared

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-24119111864592175112011-02-16T07:15:00.000-08:002011-02-16T07:27:51.826-08:00

The Oil Winter/Spring strategy is one of the strongest seasonal out-performance trends according to Thackray. From 1984 to 2008, the two-and-a-half months starting on February 25 and ending May 9, the energy sector has outperformed the S&P500 23 out of 25 times, and by an average of 6%; also impressive is the positive performance 23 out of 25 times.As the winter progresses, refineries start to

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-41738410665853212692011-02-15T07:17:00.000-08:002011-02-15T07:25:33.300-08:00

Last week we had some economic data that moved the markets: America's unemployment rate fell to 9% in January from 9.4% in December. The number of unemployed people fell by about 600,000 to 13.9 million, while the size of the labor force did not change. In Canada, employment rose by 69,00 in January, but the number of those searching for work also increased. The unemployment rate went up by a

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-57660719147518221542011-02-14T06:54:00.000-08:002011-02-14T07:05:48.737-08:00

Few commodities are impervious to the 'China effect' - the upward pressure on prices from rampant demand in the world's bounciest big economy. Coffee is one - few Chinese drink the stuff. Wheat has been another - China is the world's biggest producer, remaining largely self-sufficient. That could be about to change.The UN Food and Agriculture Organization reported that rain and snowfalls were

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-73634581254219518542011-02-11T07:15:00.000-08:002011-02-11T07:24:12.659-08:00

Our trade surplus moved into positive territory in December. That's important because it suggests exports are improving for Canada. This is a good thing because to a large extent Canadians rely on supplying our resources to the world market to fuel our domestic growth and standard of living. A word of caution is that one explaination for the surge in exports is explained by increased demand for

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-33188231378879713422011-02-10T06:39:00.000-08:002011-02-10T06:57:22.711-08:00

I thought I'd share a retirment article by Betty Meredith and Kevin Seibert, which was featured on advisoranalyst.com:"Building a retirement plan is far different from creating a standard financial plan. Not only do you have to extrapolate your needs for the next 20-30 years, but you also have to convert assets, allocate income, and optimize taxes. Retirement requires a process, not just

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-35196636030468468902011-02-09T07:07:00.000-08:002011-02-09T07:29:20.020-08:00

As of Tuesday, 332 companies in the S&P500 had reported Q4 financial results; and of those, 70.5% reported positive earnings surprises. So far, adjusted earnings are tracking towards $22.98 per share, a 38% year-over-year increase. There are 20 companies in the S&P500 reporting today, and so far, five of the six that have reported already have beat expectations.According to Standard & Poor,

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-25588069915843781052011-02-08T11:43:00.000-08:002011-02-08T11:51:27.933-08:00

Is the outlook still positive?From a technical perspective markets appear to have momentum at their backs. North American markets are all trading above their 50 day moving averages and have been for some time now despite some disruptive geopolitical and economic setbacks. We still expect markets to produce positive returns in north America in 2011 but not as inspiring as 2009 and 2010. Dividends

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-11582342103446148012011-02-08T07:12:00.000-08:002011-02-08T07:19:52.287-08:00

Interesting research out of Credit Suisse this morning:"In today's markets, where thousands of participants compete for an edge, no statistical analysis is overlooked. This is also an era where holding periods for some can be measured in microseconds. With an eye towards intraday, statistical trading, as opposed to fundamental buy and hold, are some time intervals more profitable than others?

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-76280004542045845022011-02-07T07:02:00.000-08:002011-02-07T07:14:31.225-08:00

According to Stats Canada, over 69,000 jobs were created last month, which is a pretty strong number, raising hopes that a labor market recovery may finally be taking hold. In contrast, while the US jobless rate declined from 9.4% to 9%, that's largely due to people dropping out of the job market.The 69,200 gain far outpaced consensus of between 15,000 and 21,000. Now it's not so much the

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-69035832889068464532011-02-04T07:03:00.000-08:002011-02-04T11:43:17.389-08:00

(from The Economist)Continuing on with the inflation theme the past couple of days, it seems inflation is in the news everywhere. The big worry is that global monetary conditions are far too loose, thanks to rock-bottom interest rates, bloated central bank balance sheets in the rich world, and to emerging economies' inability, or unwillingness, to tighten policy enough in response; however, much

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-11060019906420065352011-02-03T07:05:00.000-08:002011-02-03T07:17:18.903-08:00

Inflation is creeping up around the globe, but economists disagree on the best way to measure consumer-price inflation. In many countries, ordinary folk as well as investment analysts suspect that governments are fiddling the figures for political reasons, and the true inflation rate is much higher than the officially reported one. If you find the theory of price indices hard to digest, why not

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-88694538430124867312011-02-01T08:08:00.001-08:002011-02-02T11:53:09.482-08:00

Generally speaking it can be tax effective for the higher income spouse to pay all the family's expenses, while the lower-income spouse invests as much of their income as practical. The investnment income earned will be taxed at a lower rate than if it were earned by the higher-income spouse. This assumes the higher income spouse is not incurring these expenses to earn an income and can't write

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-84979537162444643802011-02-01T07:51:00.000-08:002011-02-01T11:51:21.903-08:00

There are advantages to income splitting in retirement. For example, the tax on 2 $50,000 incomes is less than the tax on one $100,000 income. If you are age 65 and over Canadians receiving "qualified pension income" will be entitled to allocate (or split) up to 50% to their spouse. This means RPP payments, RRIF payments and RRSP annuity payments qualify. In addition, spouses can share their CPP

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-91763117852304052972011-01-30T21:23:00.000-08:002011-01-31T07:30:26.289-08:00

More from Dennis Dick's article - Staying a Step Ahead:The world of day trading has had quite a shake-up in the past few years thanks to high frequency trading (HFT) by computers, which can respond in milliseconds and can process thousands of orders per second. It's been especially hard for retail traders vs. proprietary traders - The difference is the former is the average individual, while the

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-26471063505589708852011-01-30T20:55:00.000-08:002011-01-30T21:21:20.164-08:00

I thought I'd share an interesting article by Dennis Dick, CFA which was featured in the latest CFA Institute Magazine - Staying a Step Ahead. It's an insightful article into the world of day trading, and if you'd like a copy, visit yourlifeyourplan.ca:The world of day trading has had quite a shake-up in the past few years; the reason - high frequency trading (HFT) by computers, which can

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-44611021715990663772011-01-28T12:15:00.000-08:002011-02-03T07:26:26.321-08:00

Q: We are hearing inflation numbers are low at this point. Everything I buy seems higher than it was a few years ago. Why are the inflation numbers being reported low yet I am spending more not less?A: There was an interesting article in the Economist on that called "Overcooked, undercooked" What do burger prices tell us about the reliability of official figures? It argues that some governments

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-54637360172539251602011-01-28T06:15:00.000-08:002011-01-28T06:38:55.300-08:00

Q: We hear terms like financial planning or wealth management thrown around alot. What is involved in wealth management? What type of credentials should you look for?A: 1st of all I should distinguish between the two. Financial planning everyone can and should be doing on a regular basis. Financial planning is a component of wealth management. The key distinction is that you have to have wealth

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-15013671289792061202011-01-26T22:19:00.000-08:002011-01-26T22:35:11.424-08:00

There's an interesting article in the latest print of The Economist titled Fluid logic - Here's the gist of it:"A bottle of Chateau Petrus '82 can cost over $5,000, whereas the equivalent volume of crude oil sells for less than 50 cents. Wine experts usually explain price movements by supply-side factors such as the effects of the weather and age, but research by two economists at the IMF, finds

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-8681967697695934392011-01-26T08:33:00.000-08:002011-01-27T08:08:44.919-08:00

Q; What is the most appropriate asset mix in retirement? Why is it important?A: An old standard is 100 - your age determines your equity exposure. Ie. 100- 70 would mean 30% in equities. Studies have shown that historically, a mix of 35% equity/65% fixed income is optimal from a volatility & growth standpoint or a risk and return standpoint.Why is your asset mix important. Russell has another

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-40885365080892241512011-01-26T08:16:00.000-08:002011-01-26T08:24:58.116-08:00

1. Equity Investing is still important after retirement. So don't retire from investing. Invest for retirement. If you don't feel like doing it hire someone.2. Retirement spending should be segmented by needs, each with an appropriate investment strategy. For example an estate pool where assets are set aside for inheritance, charity, etc.. A lifestyle pool. Funds set aside for entertainment,

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-27925575720502841592011-01-26T07:08:00.000-08:002011-01-26T07:13:07.440-08:00

Most major Asian markets rose overnight, with South Korean shares climbing on news of faster-than-expected economic growth last quarter, while Chinese stocks were led higher by a rise in resource companies. But Japanese stocks declined as news of another major vehicle recall hit shares of Toyota Motor, while Eisai tumbled after suffering a setback in the development program of a drug to treat

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-65670037221521568092011-01-23T19:39:00.000-08:002011-01-23T19:51:41.671-08:00

Alright, we're almost finished Neil Howe's and Richard Jackson's - Global Aging and the Crisis of the 2020s:A number of demographic storms are now brewing in different parts of the developing world. Consider China, which may e the first country to grow old before it grows rich. China's coming age wave may weaken the two pillars of the current regime's legitmacy: rapidly rising GDP and social

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-57619065787764291312011-01-21T06:39:00.000-08:002011-01-21T07:11:23.549-08:00

Q: Tell us about it. A: We started this event in 2002 and had about 125 people out and last night they sold 215 tickets. The money goes toward charity, specifically post secondary education. Each year we have 2 defenders who made their forecast last year and3 Forecasters. They have to predict the value of the Dow, the TSX, the Cdn $ and a long and short stock pick on December 31st, 2011.Q: Who

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-44759786792510081082011-01-20T06:41:00.001-08:002011-01-20T06:59:07.942-08:00

CBC featured a special report on The National "The Bottom Line: Are you ready for Retirement?" What was the message?With personal debt on the rise and workplace pensions disappearing, Canadians are finding themselves unprepared for retirement. They reported, "Roughly 70% of the working population of Canada does not have a pension. The average Canadian needs income of about $50,000 per year in

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-11304603811641397252011-01-19T07:36:00.000-08:002011-01-19T07:50:15.110-08:00

Yesturday you forecasted that Canada would outperform the US. What's so great about Canada? In the last 12 months foreigners have scooped up over $118 billion in Canadian securities. Scotia Capital believes this trend will continue because Canada has sound finances. They are also recommending an overweight position in Canada. What about the US? Aren't they going to determine what happens in

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-35623337104912393642011-01-19T07:07:00.000-08:002011-01-19T07:23:31.781-08:00

"Although the world's wealthy nations are leading the way into humanity's graying future, aging is a global phenomenon. The demographic outlook in the developing world, however, is shaping up to be one of extraordinary diversity. Notwithstanding this diversity, some demographers and political scientists believe that the unfolding of the transition is ushering in a new era in which demographic

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-50845935538809329712011-01-18T08:02:00.000-08:002011-01-18T08:30:15.761-08:00

CFA dinner coming up Thursday.Do you have any insight into the coming year. By all accounts our financial house is in orderInterest rates to remain low – no increase todayMfg upExports net plusAutomotive sector on reboundCommodities strong What do you forecast?I see Mark Carney didn't raise rates today. The Bank of Canada said the global recovery is “proceeding at a somewhat faster pace” than

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-89698922516478078342011-01-18T07:18:00.000-08:002011-01-18T07:33:09.896-08:00

"The impact of global aging on the collective temperament of the developed countries is more difficult to quantify than its impact on their economies, but the consequences could be just as important, or even more so. We may also see increasing pressure on governments to block foreign competition. This shift in business pschology could be mirrored by a broader shift in social mood.We know tht

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-48424321319175654822011-01-17T08:25:00.000-08:002011-01-17T08:45:27.375-08:00

Flaherty has tightened mortgage rules today – a follow through I guess on his warnings about too much Canadian household debt. Any comments? How important is household mtge debt in the scheme of things in the wealth accumulation department?1.The Finance department is expected to announce that they will stop backing amortization periods longer than 30 years. 2. Reduce government backing for home

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-72510664267513299692011-01-16T17:45:00.000-08:002011-01-16T18:07:07.072-08:00

Continuing on with Global Aging and the Crisis of the 2020's by Neil Howe and Richard Jackson:"Although population size alone does not confer geopolitical stature, no one disputes that population size and economic size together constitute a potent double engine of national power. The expectation that global aging will diminish the geopolitical stature of the developed world is thus based in part

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-57337854641069007032011-01-14T07:10:00.000-08:002011-01-14T07:28:22.107-08:00

I thought I'd make the next few days story time. There's a great piece by Neil Howe and Richard Jackson titled Global Aging and the Crisis of the 2020's which was featured in the latest Outside the Box. Both Neil and Richard work with the Center for Strategic and Interntional Studies on the Global Aging Initiative. When they write, it pays to pay attention. Global aging is likely to have a

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-57370802933982009492011-01-13T07:55:00.000-08:002011-01-13T08:18:50.609-08:00

Loonie at $1.02 yesterday. Who cares and why should we? What effect on Investment planning if any? Well I care. The Canadian dollar tends to move in the same direction as the stock market because the US dollar tends to be negatively correlated or moves in an inverse direction to the stock markets. For example today the markets are down and so is the loonie. In terms of investment planning, if the

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-67739921941048749812011-01-12T22:57:00.000-08:002011-01-14T07:50:38.060-08:00

To start the year, the oil prices turned south thanks to profit taking and weaker than expected employment reports.However, some new events have turned the market around:First, there was a fire on Jan. 6 at an oil sands upgrader, which forced Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. to shut production at its 110,000 barrels per day Horizon oil sands project. Then, the Trans Alaska Pipeline, had to

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-1637301592270764522011-01-10T07:54:00.000-08:002011-01-12T11:41:45.911-08:00

Q: How often should you be reviewing your retirement plan?A: As a general rule, your retirement plan should be reviewed at least annually. You want to make sure your retirement income goals are being met. That may seem obvious, but you would be surprised how many people I see, don't know the answer. In addition, unexpected events can come up and force new turns in life. Some examples of events

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-88217743741106849232011-01-10T07:00:00.000-08:002011-01-10T07:22:06.655-08:00

Here's your economic calendar lineup for this week:In Canada, we've got housing starts data tomorrow; new housing prices on Wednesday; and merchandise trade balance on Thursday.In the US, there's wholesale trade tomorrow, but Friday gives us CPI, capacity utilization, consumer sentiment, and business inventory data.On Thursday, we'll here from the Bank of England and the European Central Bank

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-41911685486687833852011-01-06T08:02:00.000-08:002011-01-06T08:21:13.492-08:00

A Washington Times editorial today says Canada is The Home of The Future.Points to our fundamental soundness – stable banking system, limited debt …stable housing market…commodities and our good manners and says our future is bright.I would like to add one to that list and that's a great hockey system. Despite our loss last night I think we still shine in the development of great hockey players.

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-63992035704426769942011-01-06T07:14:00.000-08:002011-01-06T07:32:38.264-08:00

The 'buy the dip' theme continues - US futures were indicating a strong open this morning, following strong gains in both Europe and Asia during their regular sessions, and in addition, street wide volumes remain robust; now as I speak, North American stock indexes are in the green with the exception of the TSX Composite index thanks to gold.The economic calendar is light today and much less

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-53767187644631559882011-01-05T10:40:00.001-08:002011-01-11T07:47:20.407-08:00

Q: Okay so all this retirement planning is great but what if you come up short?A: Hopefully you aren't already in retirement otherwise it may be too late. There are options to fill those gaps and extend the number of years your money will last. Some of those options may include postponing CPP or other pensions, working part time or creating additional lifetime income by repositioning existing

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-15643131413732866162011-01-05T10:26:00.000-08:002011-01-10T08:07:40.443-08:00

Q: When should you start drawing income from your RRSP's?A: You are required by law to convert your RRSP's into a RRIF at the age of 71. You can delay that to the end of the calender year and have your first payment come out in the following year. However, if you are considering doing it before that time, asset liquidation order is important. Conventional wisdom says to liquidate taxable assets

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-61455104855780140792011-01-05T10:02:00.000-08:002011-01-07T07:22:53.013-08:00

Q: What are the risks retirees face today?A: 1. Longevity Risk. The likelihood you will outlive your financial resources. 2. Inflation Risk. The likelihood your standard of living will drop due to inflation. 3. Health care Risk. The likelihood that medical expenses will consume a greater % of your budget. 4. Investing Risk. The likelihood that your investment performance will suck. The key is

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-47829276664856933312011-01-04T19:02:00.000-08:002011-01-04T19:10:41.818-08:00

Here are Dennis Gartman's top three trades for 2011:1. Long gold2. Long the Aussie dollar3. Long AgricultureGold is basically a psychological trade, but if there is one fundamental reason to own gold it's that countries like China will likely continue to increase their reserves of gold; relative to commodities, the US$ is likely to continue to fall so own the Aussie dollar; and based on supply

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-76583099321723719672011-01-04T09:53:00.000-08:002011-01-05T07:33:43.856-08:00

Q: What age do most people really start to think about retirement? And what should they be asking themselves?A: Most people start to get their act together and really start thinking about their retirement at 50. Research shows a continuing anxiety among Canadians with regard to funding their retirement - and often that concern is highest among mid and higher income earners used to more

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-83855738768970239782011-01-04T07:16:00.000-08:002011-01-04T07:44:46.346-08:00

At number 14 on the top investment stories of 2010 by Advisor Analyst readers is David Rosenberg's Themes for 2011:Now David is taking a bit of a contrarion stance, which means he's a little less bullish on stocks and a little less bearish on bonds. Emerging markets may struggle as policy makers try to manage inflationary pressure, and the US dollar should outperform on a relative basis, at

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-26676488959100876212011-01-04T07:09:00.000-08:002011-01-04T07:40:49.927-08:00

Happy New Year David. A new year. SO what do you see in store.Seems things are on the up ….spending, manufacturing, capital investment, commodities…Interest rates still low, inflation modest….is this going to be a good year? Happy New Year Guys! Things certainly appear to be started on a good note. January can be a good predictor of the year. On average, if January is up so is the year. The

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-27427336729693149472011-01-03T20:49:00.000-08:002011-01-03T21:28:41.894-08:00

First off, I want to wish everyone a happy new year. To my surprise, 2010 was a good year for investors. I wish I could say the same for the roughly 10% official unemployed and the other unofficial 10-20%.So, what's in store for 2011? The CFA Okanagan's Annual Forecast Dinner is coming up Thursday, January 20, where some of the industry's brightest will share their insights into the investment

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-15020457894217023672010-12-21T07:03:00.000-08:002010-12-21T07:19:09.551-08:00

As 2010 comes to a close, here are some seasonal strategies to consider to start the new year:One seasonal anomaly is that small cap stocks tend to outperform large cap stocks from roughly mid December through the beginning of March. The same could be said for both retail and materials stocks; and what about January being a predictor of the rest of the year? Investors and money managers are

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-34555959087748394472010-12-20T07:10:00.000-08:002010-12-20T07:24:48.916-08:00

Here's the economic calendar this week:We have CPI and retail sales data for Canada tomorrow; On Wednesday we have CPI, manufacturing and capacity utilization numbers for the US, followed by housing data on Thursday.With five days till Christmas expect market volumes to decline as investors and traders start to take their Christmas holidays. What's in store for the new year? Well the Bush era

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-90116189923610411582010-12-17T07:23:00.000-08:002010-12-17T07:53:40.942-08:00

Jim Flaherty, the Finance Minister for Canada announced a proposed "Pooled Retirement Pension Plan" yesturday.They will pool contributions from many individual companies and workers, allowing them to take advantage of large retirement funds. Argues it would make it easier and more affordable for small employers to offer pension plans and give self-employed the option to participate in a pension

David Allardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12288879201819572661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4577151722759958921.post-60492910921481520442010-12-17T07:05:00.000-08:002010-12-17T07:26:45.479-08:00

I've been getting lots of questions about gold lately. From a contrarion standpoint, that by itself could signal that the end is near. On the one hand, Fed policy would suggest that gold's upward trend is still intact. On the other hand, Terry Coxon provides a number of reasons why gold might falter:1. Punitive regulations forcing people to sell their gold is one reason. It's happened before,

Gordon Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10881180531029160728noreply@blogger.com0