CLAYMORE S&P/TSX CDN DVD ETF Ticker: CDZ / TSX Miserly bond yields won’t pay for a nice dinner these days. For that, you need the generosity of dividend-paying equities. Add the promise of capital gains and you may even opt for the nicer bottle of wine. Bond investors are suffering from the lowest yields in [...]
Read More »It’s just days since Christmas and crisis! Two little boys, buried under wrapping paper, flit frantically from Beyblades to Wii to Lego. They collapse, overcome not by plastic fumes but by too much choice. This could just as easily describe the world of exchange-traded funds, circa 2012. Early investors were happy with the ETF equivalent [...]
Read More »CLAYMORE S&P/TSX CDN PFD-COM Ticker: CPD / TSX Pity the equity markets. Over the last several weeks, in fits and starts, they have shown signs of cautious strength in response to signs of economic growth and new pro-growth policies in several major markets. But each time, they have been knocked flat by another wave of [...]
Read More »ISHARES MSCI BRAZIL Ticker: EWZ / NYSE Central bankers played the heroes last week, providing much needed liquidity to financial markets. Equity markets soared. Now, their continued strength depends on Euro-zone finance ministers, who this Friday will choose between saving the Euro currency through an ever-closer union or letting it fall apart. We’ve watched European [...]
Read More »ISHARES S&P 500 INDEX FUND C$ Hedged Ticker: XSP / TSX Early this year, we defied the doom-and-gloomers and declared ourselves bulls on large-cap U.S. blue-chips. We said they would outperform smaller U.S. companies and their global peers, including Canadian stocks. We also said the U.S. dollar would strengthen. Right on all counts, we remain [...]
Read More »BMO Equal Weight Utilities ETF ( Ticker: ZUT ) Globally equity markets staged an incredible recovery from their October lows. However, Europe’s ongoing troubles ensure that heightened anxiety will remain. Even more reason to keep a careful eye on risk inside your portfolio. Major equity indices for the United States, Europe and Emerging Markets rallied [...]
Read More »BMO Equal Weight REITs Index ETF ( Ticker: ZRE ) October has often been a fateful month for equities so this month’s equity rally has been a welcome relief. Though, with a week to go, hold off on the bubbly for now. Until there is a clear plan to resolve Europe’s sovereign debt issues market [...]
Read More »iShares CDN S&P/TSX Cap REIT ( Ticker: XRE ) One of the pillars supporting modern portfolio management is diversification. However, with markets around the world suffering equally, you could be forgiven for thinking that the pillar has crumbled and brought your portfolio down with it. But let’s not jump to such a hasty conclusion. It [...]
Read More »iShares S&P TSX Capped Energy ( Ticker: XEG.TO ) Canadian energy company shares are trading at levels not seen since the depths of the 2008 crisis, levels that can only be justified if the global economy falls into another recession and oil prices drop by half. Any outcome better than such a scenario and the [...]
Read More »Vanguard MSCI Emerging Markets ( Ticker: VWO ) At an investment conference the other day the mood in the room was optimistic, despite the recent thrashing the market has suffered. Of course, nibbling on oh so delicate pastries in a swanky hotel can have that effect. But really, many of the portfolio managers there, responsible [...]
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