Blog

Cutting Through the Noise


February 22, 2017

By Tom Bradley

We're No.2. We try harder.

We didn't win Morningstar's 'Steward of the Year' award this year. But we have every intention of living up to the old Avis motto – “When you’re only No.2, you try harder.”

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January 30, 2017

By Tom Bradley

The straight goods on economics

Five things they don't tell you about economics.

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January 25, 2017

By Scott Ronalds

Fifty-two grand!

With the turn of the calendar comes a fresh $5,500 in contribution room for your Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA). Even better, the lifetime contribution limit for these accounts now stands at $52,000!

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January 23, 2017

By Scott Ronalds

The costs of investing

A breakdown of the direct and indirect costs that impact returns.

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December 21, 2016

By Tom Bradley

50 million more reasons for CRM2 - Episode 4

With BMO being the latest bank guilty of double-charging their clients, the new client reporting regime ("CRM2") can't come soon enough.

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December 9, 2016

By Tom Bradley

You've been sold – Part 27

Unlike branch banking, investment management is an anti-scale business.

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December 5, 2016

By Tom Bradley

Don't sweat the return outlook

Investors hate risk, but at times the biggest risk is not investing at all.

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November 29, 2016

By Scott Ronalds

The agonizing reality of moving an account

A rant about Canada's slow moving banks.

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November 24, 2016

By Tom Bradley

It's all about Trump ... or is it?

Stocks have been surprisingly strong since Trump's acceptance speech. Investors shouldn't read too much into any one factor, however, that may appear to be driving markets.

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November 14, 2016

By Tom Bradley

73 million reasons for CRM2

The big banks have been behaving badly, double charging certain investors. Hopefully, new reporting regulations will shake out this kind of behaviour.

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November 9, 2016

By Tom Bradley

The Trump era begins

With Donald Trump heading to the White House, we have a lot to absorb and it’s too early to determine how and when we will make adjustments in the funds.

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October 26, 2016

By Tom Bradley

"The worst TV show ever"

Business TV is all about entertainment and action. Which means a show preaching patience and discipline wouldn't exactly make for scintillating theatre.

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October 24, 2016

By Salman Ahmed

Goodbye Brangelina, Hello Potrium

A look at two large corporate mergers and the insights they offer.

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October 17, 2016

By Tom Bradley

The 90% rule

Our clients achieve something that the clients of few other firms can claim: they do as well as our funds.

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October 7, 2016

By Tom Bradley

Trends analysis of Steadyhand portfolios

A number of trends are impacting the capital markets. We link them to what we're doing in our portfolios.

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September 19, 2016

By Salman Ahmed

Agrium and PotashCorp: It ain't over till it's over

Why we're watching closely the proposed merger of PotashCorp and Agrium.

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August 3, 2016

By Tom Bradley

Lower house prices - Be careful what you wish for

What will 'success' look like if the government's efforts are effective in cooling off the Vancouver housing market?

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July 27, 2016

By Salman Ahmed

The ETF industry is evolving, not in a good way

A look at how ETF providers are engaging in the same bad behaviours that the mutual fund industry has been guilty of.

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July 21, 2016

By Scott Ronalds

Investing: An amazing concept that deserves more love

At its core, investing is simply about owning companies. We sometimes forget just why this is a very cool thing.

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July 18, 2016

By Tom Bradley

Investors, advisors welcome to the age of transparency

CRM2 has finally arrived. Here’s what it means to fee and performance disclosure.

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July 6, 2016

By Tom Bradley

The pitfalls of negative interest rates

The world economy is not designed to work with negative interest rates. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t invest, but it does require that we proceed with caution.

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June 30, 2016

By Tom Bradley

Happy trails

It appears that trailing commissions, or trailers, are going the way of the dodo bird.

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June 24, 2016

By Tom Bradley

Brexit: What it means and what we're doing

The UK's 'Brexit' referendum has been a jolt to the capital markets. Here's what it means and what we're doing.

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June 20, 2016

By Tom Bradley

Please sir, I want some more

When I read about the steps the banks are taking to maintain their oligopolistic profits – staff cuts and fee increases – I feel a little like Oliver Twist asking for more gruel.

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May 12, 2016

By Tom Bradley

Markets are so volatile ... or are they?

Markets sure seem unstable lately. But how does today's volatility compare to the past? You'll probably be surprised.

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