Investing can feel like an emotional roller-coaster, but great gains take time and patience
Long-term investors are advised not to try and time the market, writes Peter Watson. There are many reasons why you might attempt to time the stock market. But beware: timing the market can be a costly mistake. You might decide to sell your investment because of the negative research you have read or done on […]
Why holiday shoppers are balancing economic concerns with prudent shopping
It is always a trade-off between our ability to spend and the desire to spend, writes Peter Watson. This year, there are many reasons to spend less. Canadians feel pressure from the United States over repeated suggestions that we would become the 51st state, and over the damage to our economy caused by tariffs. That […]
Federal budget reveals Canada’s financial predicament
Canadians are suffering from decades of poor decisions made by both parties that have formed governments, writes Peter Watson. The Nov. 4 federal budget was our country sounding the alarm about how bad our financial position is and now has many of us realizing the many challenges that lie ahead. Financially, we are suffering from […]
What a Canadian Nobel Prize winner can teach us about success
A Canadian won the Nobel Prize for economics and we can learn a lot from his research, writes Peter Watson. Peter Howitt and his research partner from France published a research paper titled, “A Model of Growth Through Creative Destruction.” The Nobel committee summarized their research as showing how creative destruction drives growth. The key […]
The politics of spending: How government budgets differ from corporate ones
Peter Watson discusses how politicians prioritize power retention over responsible spending for Canada, while businesspeople focus on profit. Motivations for politicians versus businesspeople is why Canada continues to overspend, writes Peter Watson. What strategy is needed to create a budget for the Canadian government versus a budget for a large Canadian company? We will consider […]
Here’s why Canadians are entering the ugly stage of the normal economic cycle
Peter Watson discusses the challenges facing homeowners in the softening real estate market. The real estate market is getting soft, and many challenges lie ahead for homeowners. We notice that houses listed for sale do not sell or take significantly longer to sell than normal. Some homeowners are selling because they are having financial problems. […]
Faster tax refunds and better service is the efficiency the CRA owes Canadians
The way Canada collects income taxes appears to be stuck in the Dark Ages, writes Peter Watson. Most Canadians should have their annual income tax filing completed automatically by the government. The motivation for my column came from hearing many recent examples of how extremely frustrating it is to deal with the CRA. People will […]
Does your career have a Plan B in case your job disappears because of AI?
The rapid growth of AI means you need to have a back-up plan for employment, writes Peter Watson. Most people enjoying a solid career based on their qualifications and ability cannot imagine being suddenly unemployed. Under normal circumstances, sudden unemployment is very unlikely. However, now we are in the new world of artificial intelligence and […]
The risk of AI taking your job calls on us to be proactive during these changing times
More people are unemployed and looking for work. Based on our current economy that could spread and affect more in the years ahead, writes Peter Watson. The new world of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is threatening to absorb jobs previously done by humans. When people lose their jobs they lose their paychecks, which can be an […]
Good Federal Politics Can Lead to Canadians Financial Success
Good decisions from federal politicians can enhance the odds of Canadians achieving financial success, writes Peter Watson. A strong foundation provided by the federal government contributes to the financial success of Canadians. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s leadership? Time will tell how he is judged. I liked the elbow up posture at the start of the […]