Market Insights

Japan’s crisis energizes commodity markets

Commodity prices have started to shake off the negative impact of Japan’s tragedy as reconstruction efforts get underway, according to a Scotiabank Report. Global energy markets stand to gain as Japan turns to imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) and crude oil to offset the shortfall in its nuclear capacity, the report said. “Re-construction in Japan […]

By Vikram Barhat |March 29, 2011

3 min read

Industry

Global portfolio seen mitigating risk

Despite the explosion of high profile global risks, the appetite for global markets remains strong. In fact, a survey by Franklin Templeton found that demand for global investments will only increase over the coming decade, as investors seek to minimize their exposure to any single economy. At the time of the survey, only 34% of […]

By Staff |March 29, 2011

2 min read

Industry

Volatile times call for long-term view

As the world stumbles from one crisis to another, turbulence is fast becoming the new normal in financial markets. From the great recession of 2008 and the European sovereign debt crisis to the geo-political turmoil in North Africa and the Middle East, the world has experienced tremendous upheaval. And while investors waited for a respite, […]

By Vikram Barhat |March 28, 2011

2 min read

Economic Indicators

Currency, not credit, the big risk in European bonds

Canadian investors in global bonds should keep an eye on recent events in Europe, but they shouldn’t lose sleep over the U.K. budget or the fall of Portugal’s government, according to fixed income experts. However bond pundits admit that tight fiscal policies are a negative for currencies. “The bad news is that historically when you […]

By Vikram Barhat |March 25, 2011

3 min read

Managers favour U.S. equities, oil: survey

A recent Russell Investments Canada poll shows that while a majority of investment managers still like Canadian equities, an increasing number expect U.S. equities to be a source of growth in the second quarter of this year. Bullish sentiment on Canadian equities, while falling 9% this quarter, still sits at a very strong 68%, the […]

By Staff |March 24, 2011

3 min read

Canada surefooted in wobbly world

Having turned the corner in 2010, Canada’s economy continues to inspire a positive outlook despite some uncertainties, according to the latest Economic and Financial Outlook by Desjardins Economic Studies. The study, released this morning, said the outlook for Canada’s economy is overall optimistic. The main sources of this sanguinity are the S&P/TSX, which has outperformed […]

4 min read

For real estate, think global

Everyone knows the old adage about the three most important things in real estate, but when it comes to real estate securities, “location, location, location” is not so much repetition but a call to diversification. “A global approach, in my opinion, is recommended as it provides the widest range of return opportunities, and it also […]

By Staff |March 21, 2011

3 min read

Analysts grapple with Japan, Mid-East

As the cascading effects of ongoing geopolitical strife in the Mid East and the two-pronged trail of destruction in Japan continue to unfurl, financial pundits scramble to gauge the extent of their impact on the global economy and Canada’s portion of woes. “From a Canadian perspective there clearly will be an impact I terms of […]

4 min read

Asset managers bullish on industry: PwC

Investors are finally getting the message that they need to save more for their retirement, making an aging population less of a drag and more of a growth driver for the asset management industry, according to a survey of CEOs in the business. The PwC survey found that 68% of CEOs at asset management firms […]

By Staff |March 17, 2011

3 min read