Home Newspaper January 2006

January 2006

Focus on Products

Returns probably won’t reach the heady height of 2005, but most fund managers say many sectors will continue to grow

Toronto-based Manulife Mutual Funds has launched Simplicity Income Portfolio, an asset-allocation program that aims for a steady flow of income and long-term growth. The portfolio…

AGF Funds Inc. has introduced AGF Elements, a series of fund-of-fund portfolios built by U.S.-based pension consultant and investment management firm Wilshire Associates. Elements is…

Barclays Global Investors Canada Ltd. has filed the preliminary prospectus for four new iUnits, a series of index funds that provide sector exposure and inflation…

Toronto-based Saxon Financial Inc. has shifted its fixed-income investment management team so that Steve Locke assumes the position of lead portfolio manager of Saxon Bond…

Socially responsible investing firm Meritas Mutual Funds Inc., based in Cambridge, Ont., has appointed Davis Advisors as sub-advisor to Meritas U.S. Equity Fund, effective Jan.…

Keeping up with what is going on is essential for your business

Regulators need to back up their tough talk on reforms with some action

Bank of montreal has launched a new family of guaranteed investment certificates products that it says allows investors to mimic the investment strategy of “laddering”…

The advisor’s task is to ensure that clients understand these complex products

Veterinary costs for a sick or injured pet can put the bite on the household budget; pet insurance could help

Comparison of Saxon Balanced and AGF Canadian Balanced shows the former carries more risk; it’s also been a stronger performer

Outperformance more likely when a managers’ pay is linked to performance

But restrictions placed by regulators mean most funds will limit the use of shorting to times of a genuine bear market

Building Your Business

Author covers tax-planning issues advisors will encounter in their practices

Sites that breach copyright and trademark laws, disclose confidential information or ignore sales rules put advisors at legal risk

Insurer seeking advisor input on program that combines group benefits and retirement plan

Advisors who recommended art-flip tax shelters could lose clients’ trust if the clients are reassessed

Older clients or families with elderly relatives should become familiar with the different types of care facilities

As many as eight million Canadians will become infected with the influenza virus this winter

Covenant Group software assists you in creating a growth plan and meeting objectives

The vote is in the dead of winter, but you can check out the major parties in comfort at home

Assante advisor Tina Tehranchian’s clients from a tightly knit network

A clients windfall – from a lottery, an inheritance or a real estate sale - is a good opportunity to too create a full financial…

But in this fictional work, a crusty great-uncle leaves his young heir much, much more

Stop doing the tasks that don’t pay well, and you will have more time for those that do

Outline your priorities, map out your activities and prepare for unexpected events

It’s not enough to give “A” clients superior service — make sure they know about it

Comment & Insight

Here it is — six days before Christmas and I’m not ready. In fact, I am not even close to being ready. There are no…

Furry companion’s case of the itch means using credit cards for scratch

The financial burden on the workforce that will support retired boomers is greatly exaggerated

“Trader” defrauds more than 200 Slocan Valley residents

The drumbeat for reform has proven irresistible — it’s time for Toronto to grow up

Although St. John’s is booming, Newfoundland could be on the verge of a major crisis

The sponsorship scandal is just one more incident in Ottawa’s culture of entitlement

Investment research

Advisors have different ideas and strategies to help this retired couple draw $10,000 annually from their limited savings

Yet it’s difficult to access these companies because they have few salable products or an identifiable market

With the yield curve flattening and threatening to invert, can a recession be far behind?

Although profitability has improved, the stocks of all the Big Six banks are dropping in value

The TSX Venture Exchange names 50 companies in its first annual ranking

News

Forty-one of 47 firms tracked by IE reported profits in the third quarter, and only nine saw their earnings decline from a year earlier

The Ontario Securities Commission has named 10 members to its new investor advisory committee, the body it has created to help it identify and address…

“Once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity for KL Nova co-founder to lead Dundee into top place

Government fell before Senate could hold hearings that industry hopes will lead to amendments

Canadian consumer-credit arm of the U.S. industrial giant stepping out of the shadows and rolling out its own financing products

Even though some experts say concerns may be overstated, the vast majority of Canadians are worried about a pension underfunding crisis in this country.According to…

David Wilson discusses his plans for running Canada’s largest securities industry regulator

Acquisition of YMG Capital boosts assets under management to $26 billion

Joanne De Laurentiis takes over from Tom Hockin

Quebec’s financial industry regulator will shortly introduce rules aimed at ensuring that consumers are aware of close ties between brokers and property and casualty insurers.The…

New model for a single national securities regulator relies on strong input from the provincial governments

Three senior executives recently left the fund company, which has been suffering net redemptions

Most western countries face a looming demographic challenge as their populations age and the ratio of workers to retirees shrinks. Britain has come up with…

Fund dealers have always had a bit of a fractious relationship with their self-regulator, the Mutual Fund Dealers Association. Now, amid a wave of upheaval…

The economies of Canada and the U.S. are expected to grow at a healthy pace over the next two years, despite high oil prices, further…

Merger with RS is one; the other may be better regulation

An increasing number of class-action suits is anticipated in 2006 as angry investors try to force public companies to be accountable for the information that…