Many struggle with high inflation
Managing personal finances is harder during inflationary times, writes Peter Watson. When it comes to how inflation affects Canadians there is good news and bad. Three out of four Canadians reduced their spending to help them cope with higher prices, according to a Maru Public Opinion Survey. The reality is people have different abilities in […]
Investments Too Good to Be True
Another large speculative company fails, and investors lose billions, writes Peter Watson. In life, people like to pick a winner, and this is certainly true in the world of investing. But this can sometimes backfire. Until recently, FTX was a global giant as a cryptocurrency exchange platform. According to CNBC its value was $32 billion. […]
Stock Market Can Provide Useful Investing Insights
Understanding how the stock market works can be a useful guide to personal investing, writes Peter Watson. Do you want to know the best place to look for reliable information on the stock market? The answer is simple. Look to the stock market. The reason is buyers and sellers come together to trade a stock. […]
Retirement in Canada is Becoming More Risky
Canadians financial risk during retirement is a reason to plan carefully, writes Peter Watson. Canadians underestimate the impact of longevity, inflation and healthcare costs have on retirement savings, and that’s making our country a less secure place to retire. This is according to the Natixis annual ranking as reported by Investment Executive. Greater focus needs […]
Bank of Canada Increases Interest Rates Again
Managing personal finances just got more difficult, writes Peter Watson. Another significant interest rate hike was just announced by the Bank of Canada. The most recent rate increase was three quarters of one per cent. The Bank of Canada is determined to reduce the annual inflation rate to the target of two per cent. This […]
Prices Increasing and Spending Decreasing
Prices are increasing so Canadians are reducing their spending, writes Peter Watson. The annual inflation rate as of the end of July decreased slightly to 7.6 per cent. That is good news for the Bank of Canada who are trying to control inflation. The reality is things are significantly more expensive than one year ago […]
When shopping for financial products, be your own advocate
The results of mystery shoppers provided Canada’s banks with mixed messages, according to Investment Executive. However, three out of every four shoppers had a positive experience. But shoppers had a negative experience with inappropriate product recommendations, confusing and misleading disclosures, sales pressure, and a lack of knowledge of the employee. Inappropriate product recommendations were experienced […]
House Prices To Fall
Homeowners face the possibility of significant decrease in value of their house, writes Peter Watson. “Property values, already slipping, are likely to fall more than 10% in the coming year.” This quote is from a recent report from RBC Economics. Add this to other news on housing prices and the new reality is Canadians largest […]
Investors Lost Millions and Fraud Charges Laid
Investors lost millions and the lesson learned is a key to investing is diversification, writes Peter Watson. The RCMP opened an investigation in 2016 as a result of investor complaints about Fortress Real Developments. Two senior executives of that firm were charged with fraud. According to a news release by the RCMP, “Allegations were received […]
Narcissistic Investment Managers Underperform
A narcissist investment manager thinks it’s all about them, tends to take big risks and has a lower risk adjusted returns than their peers. The truth is money management is all about the investors, the risk they take or avoid and their return on investment. It is not about the money manager and their personal […]