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Investing Guide 2011: Global markets – Many happy returns
Over the past decade, investors would have been wise to stick to Canadian stocks. The S&P/TSX composite index saw a 10–year annualized return of 4.4%, while the MSCI EAFE — an index that measures equity market performance of developed countries outside North America — shrank 1.3%. But the good times can’t last forever, especially when the United States, our biggest trading partner,...
Investing Guide 2011: After the gold rush
In a normal economic climate, most people would not turn to former Tonight Show sidekick Ed McMahon and ’90s rapper MC Hammer for investment advice. But, in a Super Bowl commercial two years ago, there they were, talking about the high price of gold and how viewers should liquidate the contents of their jewelry boxes to make money off the commodity’s rising value. The ad for Cash4Gold,...
Tech stocks on fire
It was just last January that a beaming Steve Jobs ambled onto the stage at the Yerba Buena Center for The Arts in San Francisco and asked a capacity crowd of Apple fans, tech geeks and celebrities this question: “Is there room for something between a laptop and a smartphone?” The audience sat silent, hanging on the Apple CEO’s every word until he revealed what everyone came...
Beat the fees: Are low-fee banks worth it?
When Paul Gagnon was still a student he opened his first chequing account with CIBC. He has since expanded his banking network — he has a no-fee savings account, line of credit and an RRSP with ING Direct Canada
Not everyone spreads their business around strategically to avoid fees, but many are weighing the pros and cons and costs of the services they get. With ING and PC Financial offering...
Stocks: Small is beautiful
Getting a 400% return on an investment in less than three years is a pretty remarkable feat, even for a seasoned value investor like Irwin Michael. He has the small cap stock Fortress Paper (TSX: FTP) to thank. In 2007, Michael, president of Toronto’s I.A. Michael Investment Counsel and manager of ABC Funds, began loading up on the Vancouver–based specialty paper manufacturer at prices...
The deal on auto
Ryan Lewenza was just a kid when his uncle Ken, the future head of the Canadian Auto Workers Union, became a Chrysler man. It was 1972, and the company was riding high, commanding a significant chunk of the United States auto market. Naturally, the entire Lewenza clan rode around in Chrysler cars, and no one in the family ever thought their beloved brand would one day file for bankruptcy. “I...
Fashion for pets
Believe it or not, the person who deserves much of the credit for turning the pet industry into an almost US$50-billion machine is Paris Hilton. Back in 2004, when the starlet became a tabloid fixture, she gained great attention for outfitting Tinkerbell, her ever-present chihuahua, in a series of designer dresses, T-shirts and sports jerseys. Pet owners went nuts, and high-end pet clothing and...
Lovin’ the dividends
It was just seven years ago that McDonald’s revealed the slogan that would eventually underpin its most successful ad campaign ever: “I’m lovin’ it.” Those exuberant words were usually delivered with an infectious jingle and shots of happy customers chowing down on sloppy Big Macs. They were aimed at consumers, but these days many investors are singing the same ditty....
Bryan Borzykowski is a Toronto-based writer and editor working mainly for business and entertainment publications. He regularly contributes to Canadian Business magazine, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, PROFIT, MoneySense and the Advisor Group. Bryan's the editor of Review magazine and is a senior editor with Connected for Business magazine. He's also a contributing writer with Hello! Canada and was once a weekly music columnist for Metro News. He's been nominated for several National Magazine Awards and recently co-authored