Canadian Capitalist

I managed to get Google Earth, before downloads were temporarily suspended. The 3D terrain visualization is impressive, though high-resolution imagery is not available for many areas of Canada (the Rocky Mountains, for example). The software is very user-friendly and allows the image to be rotated and tilted and provides hours of fun. Google Earth is [...]

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Jonathan Chevreau, personal finance columnist for The National Post, reports on a study by Ibbotson Associates that shows that adding precious metals (gold, silver and platinum) to a portfolio composed of traditional asset classes “marginally improved the risk-return trade-off. The Ibbotson report was commissioned by Bullion Marketing Services Inc., which runs the Millennium BullionFund.
Gold does [...]

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Around this time of the year, the right-wing Fraser Institute announces the arrival of Tax Freedom Day. They report that, this year, it falls on June 25, until which Canadians have been working to just pay their taxes.
Recently, the left-leaning Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives challenged the Fraser Institute’s numbers saying that the “calculations understate [...]

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Recently, I enrolled in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan offered by my employer. The plan is typical of its kind and allows employees set aside a portion of total compensation to purchase company stock at a discount to market value. A potentially profitable feature is locking up a low stock price for a 24-month period.
I [...]

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I bought Sears Canada (TSX: SCC) about a year ago for around $17, for much of the same reasons described here. Recently, Sears announced that it is looking into strategic alternatives, including a possible sale of its financial services division. In response, the stock has strengthened considerably. I have sold my entire position, as Sears [...]

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The Toronto Stock Exchange closed above 10,000 for the first time since October 2000. Unlike the last time when Nortel accounted for most of the gains, the current rally is broad-based driven by energy, materials and financials.

I recently posted about Canadian stocks covered by ValueLine. Subsequently, ValueLine has added Canadian Natural Resources (TSX, NYSE: CNQ) [...]

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Discount broker Ameritrade is buying TD Bank’s Waterhouse unit in a deal valued at about $3 billion. As part of the deal, TD Waterhouse Canada has announced that it will purchase the Canadian operations of Ameritrade.
I made an earlier post that Ameritrade is a very good option for Canadians investing in US equities. While Ameritrade [...]

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Phone and cable companies offer a rebate for bundling services like wireless, internet and TV (cable or satellite). For example, Bell Canada offers $5 off each service in a bundle that includes satellite TV, high-speed internet and wireless. However, there is a catch: agreeing to bundle services means a 2-year agreement for each service with [...]

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BusinessWeek magazine’s Midyear Investment Guide is worth checking out. It mainly talks about adding other asset classes to a typical stock and bond portfolio to reduce overall volatility and boost returns. Some of the asset classes mentioned:

Foreign stocks: EAFE and Emerging market equities have a place in every portfolio.

Real Estate through REITs

Commodities: An ETF that [...]

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Ellen Roseman, personal finance columnist for The Toronto Star, has a great column on choosing a financial planner. For people not interested in DIY financial planning, finding a good advisor is as difficult as finding a good mechanic, only much more important.
Like many people, I had a negative experience with the financial planning industry. Just [...]

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