Bonds may be the adult in the room, but they are certainly afraid of inflation. Bonds usually do their thing – they go up when stock markets get hit hard. They provide ballast. During periods of expected high inflation, or during rising inflation bond prices go down. That can create and contribute negative returns. The […]
Defensive stocks take on tariffs, on the Sunday Reads.
The year 2025 offered the third bear market for U.S. stocks in the last 6 years. That is surprising in itself. Canadian stocks didn’t go into a bear market but they did fall by near 13%. The good news for readers of this blog is that Canadian defensive stocks rose to the occasion. South of […]
Retirees get punched in the face, on the Sunday Reads.
Let’s open with one of the most pertinent and eloquent retirement philosophers and life coaches – former heavyweight boxing champ Mike Tyson. “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face” offers the pugilist who likely had the most devastating knockout punch in the history of fisticuffs. Most retirees have a plan. Most […]
Low volatility outperforms in Canada, again. Plus the Sunday Reads.
It should be of no surprise to readers that BMO’s Low Volatility ETF (ticker ZLB-T) is greatly outperforming the TSX in 2025. The ETF is designed to outperform during times of market volatility. ZLB is rising to the occasion once again. As I have long suggested it might be the best core Canadian equity ETF […]
Don’t avoid U.S. stocks. Embrace a global portfolio.
We all know that Canadians are up in arms (well, elbows are up to be more specific) over President Trump’s strategy to destroy Canada, economically. There is a national wave of pride that says ‘Buy Canadian’ and avoid most anything produced in the U.S. More Canadians refuse to cross the border as well, tourism to […]
Managing risk in the age of uncertainty.
OK, the headline could be accused of being an oxymoron. The future is always uncertain. This age is just like the last age, and the age before that. There’s always “stuff” to be worried about. That said, you can’t blame Canadians, Mexicans, Panamanians and Greenlanders for thinking that 2025 brings a certain level of risk […]