Market Insights

Stick to gold and equities, avoid bonds

While there’s always a chance of catastrophe, the odds of an all-out financial Apocalypse are pretty long, according to Jurrien Timmer, director of global macro research and portfolio co-manager of the Fidelity Tactical Strategies Fund. In a recent webcast, he explained why he’s overweight equities and precious metals at the expense of investment grade bonds. […]

By Dean DiSpalatro |August 2, 2011

4 min read

Economic Indicators

Weekly Pulse: Running Out of Time

The weather around here has been pretty hot lately but it’s been even hotter in Washington, D.C., where Democrats and Republicans have been locked in a pitched battle over the debt ceiling, the credit cap that Congress puts on the national debt. In what is normally a mundane legislative process worthy of C-Span television coverage, […]

By David Andrews |August 2, 2011

5 min read

Industry

Tactical asset allocation

Should investors chisel their portfolios onto granite and wait them out for the long haul, regardless of what happens in the markets on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis? Or should money managers take a more flexible approach to the way they slice up their clients’ asset class percentages? Two top portfolio managers answer this question by explaining the difference between strategic and tactical asset allocation, and how and when to employ the latter.

By Dean DiSpalatro |August 1, 2011

7 min read

Industry

Net stocks trending up

People are using more information than ever before. What types of companies will find new growth opportunities in this rapidly changing ecosystem? The challenge is not just in understanding the technology, but also the fundamental shifts in human communication behaviour.

By Chip Brian |August 1, 2011

2 min read

Hedge funds struggling in June

Hedge funds continued to struggle in June as volatile market movements created a difficult trading environment, according to a commentary from Man Group plc, a London-based alternatives investment management firm.

By Staff |July 25, 2011

2 min read

Key risks to retirement income – Part 1

The debt crisis in Europe, slowing growth around the world, uncertainty surrounding the U.S. deficit – I think we can all agree that there are plenty of client questions out there to keep us busy. In all parts of life, there are things that we can control and there are things that we can not, and financial planning is no different. Showing your clients how to differentiate between the two helps move the conversation from questions to solutions.

By Peter Drake |July 22, 2011

6 min read

Opportunity lies under ruins of global economy

Unprecedented geopolitical and economic changes have left a trail of destruction, but they’re also breeding new investment opportunities around the world. A panel of investment pundits discussed where those opportunities lie and how to capitalize on them at Franklin Templeton’s 2011 Investment Forum, in Toronto. Discussion rarely strayed far from the usual suspects: the debt […]

4 min read

U.S. default seen as buying opportunity

The risk of America technically defaulting on its debt is increasing rapidly, with the odds of such an event rising to 1 in 5 as a result of political bickering south of the border. That’s the view of Jack Ablin, chief investment officer of BMO Harris Bank in the U.S., who said the risk was […]

By Staff |July 21, 2011

3 min read