Food For Thought: A Weaker Canadian Dollar
The Canadian dollar’s (CAD) weakness has raised questions about its broader impact and the path forward: The CAD is trading below its historical average. To start 2025, it fell below 68 U.S. cents – a level not seen in two decades. The decline has been driven by factors such as diverging U.S. and Canadian monetary […]
Summer Vacation Time: Seven Reasons To Unplug From Your Smartphone
The double-edged sword of the information age is that it often feels as though the world is getting worse, even as many things have been gradually improving. While access to information has never been greater, the headlines are driven by negativity and sensationalism, rarely highlighting the progress being made. Yet, we’re living in one of […]
Why Warren Buffett’s Cash Reserve is Growing
Warren Buffett’s increasing cash reserves at Berkshire Hathaway have drawn significant attention from market watchers. In his latest annual letter – eagerly awaited each year by many investors for its sage wisdom – Buffett addressed the topic directly: “Despite what some commentators currently view as an extraordinary cash position at Berkshire, the great majority of […]
A Cloud of Uncertainty
The rhetorical tautology, “Predictions are difficult, especially about the future” may feel particularly relevant today.1 The start of 2025 has been marked by low visibility, with two events casting a cloud of uncertainty over investor sentiment: the launch of DeepSeek’s AI platform – claiming to be a significantly lower-cost model – and U.S. President Trump […]
Uncertain Times: Defensive Strategies for Investors
“The desire to perform all the time is usually a barrier to doing well in the long run.”- Howard Marks With slower economic growth, an evolving tariff situation and rising geopolitical uncertainty, many investors may be looking at ways to take a more defensive stance in their portfolios. A Flight to Safety: The Increasing Attention […]
The Evolving Trade War: Is A Recession Looming
When the U.S. launched a trade war in January, many were quick to warn of a possible recession. With Canada’s economy already growing at a sluggish pace – GDP growth is projected at just 1.8 percent for 2025 – the Bank of Canada estimated that a blanket 25 percent tariff would reduce annual GDP growth […]
Four Perspectives on the Investment Impact of the U.S. Election
Politics and money are never far apart. Election years frequently bring about questions surrounding changes to public policies, potential regulatory shifts and the ensuing effects on the markets and economy. This year’s U.S. election has been no exception, with investors keeping a close eye on possible changes that could influence industries, sectors and the overall […]
Half Full or Half Empty?
How do you view the glass – half full or half empty? This question aptly captures the dual nature of sentiment today. On one hand, our standard of living is among the highest in history, fuelled by technological advances, improved quality of life, substantial and growing wealth and increased life expectancy. On the other hand, […]
During Uncertain Times: Access to Alternatives
In the current environment of higher valuations, slower growth, and increased volatility, there’s been a renewed attention to alternative investments. Alternatives are often given focus during more challenging times since their performance doesn’t typically correlate with the markets. Alternatives generally refer to investments not available in publicly-traded markets. Most commonly, this includes private equity, infrastructure, […]
Does the Dow Matter? What’s in an Index
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA or Dow) is one of the most widely watched stock market indices and the second oldest in the world. Created in 1986 by Charles Dow, then editor of the Wall Street Journal, it originally comprised 12 companies from traditional heavy industries, such as Chicago Gas and National Lead, giving […]