Taming, Not Timing, the Markets

During long periods when markets remain calm, many retail investors are lulled by the slow and steady upward movement in the value of their portfolios. These are the times when the adage, “time in the market, not market timing, determines performance”, that seems to ring true. However, when volatility rises, often these same investors turn away from “buy-and-hold” and become interested in market timing.

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The Differences & Benefits of Working with an Independent Portfolio Manager vs Financial Advisor

Most Canadians will have weighed up the advantages of using an advisor at some point in their lives. But with more and more options open to the DIY investor, the question of whether to use a professional is one many people don’t fully understand. 

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Understanding Volatility

If you’ve ever paddled a canoe on a calm lake only to get caught in a sudden squall of rough waves, then you’ve experienced volatility. When it comes to investing, volatility occurs when a “storm” develops rapidly and sends prices shooting up or down in a dramatic fashion.

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How to Choose the Right Benchmark When Measuring Performance

The question on every investor’s mind is: How am I doing? We all want to know how our investments are performing. There may also be a competitive desire to “beat the market”. The way to answer the question is with benchmarks.

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Risk/Return Trade-Off: True or False?

One enduring belief in investing is the trade-off between risk and reward. Yet, empirical studies show that taking excessive market risk either has no, or actually, a negative correlation to total investment return. There is even a name for this phenomenon: “the low volatility anomaly.”

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