Home Newspaper Mid-January 2006

Mid-January 2006

News

Full commercial branch opens in Shanghai — “a critical location now and for the future”

The recent dismissal of the CEO of Toronto-based BluMont Capital Inc. capped a tumultuous period for the hedge fund firm that saw significant changes to…

Chris Mathers tells how easy it is for con artists to bypass regulatory and compliance barriers

Insurance industry giant Great-West Lifeco Inc. has purchased the $400-million book of mutual fund business of Montreal-based iForum Financial Services Inc., giving it inroads into…

Acquisition of KBSH in 2004 led to creation of new wealth-management subsidiary

Astra Credit Union’s CEO says the institution had “unauthorized overdrafts”

Raymond McManus isn’t resting on his laurels after pushing the bank’s profits and stock price up more than 40% in a year

Four mutual fund firms face a class-action lawsuit over market-timing; allegations are that companies breached fiduciary duties

Small-cap fund and senior management to venture into new territory

Canada’s Accounting Standards Board proposes phasing out GAAP and adopting IFRS rules

It’s a logical progression for banks to convert their customers into investment clients

Unsophisticated clients nearing retirement often fall victim to these schemes

The federal move to deal with income trusts is not very effective unless the provinces make similar changes

Two of canada’s big Three insurers are tying their future growth to the emergence of the Chinese economy.Manulife Financial Corp.’s Manulife-Sinochem Life Insurance Co. Ltd.…

Two factors occurring at the same time — the central banks’ determination to keep inflation low and the influx of inexpensive imports from China —…

New Brunswick hopes new initiatives will overcome the hurdles

When the bayshore group of companies added an asset-management firm to the mix, it decided to leapfrog a traditional phone system and go directly to…

Building Your Business

If markets zig and zag over the next year, hedge funds may seem attractive. But it’s crucial to understand their structure

There are a number of strategies and products that can help bond investors stay ahead

The central banks may need to start easing rates later this year as stimuli for higher spending wanes

U.S. gets away with 6% shortfall because the foreign appetite for U.S. investments moderates the impact

With an expected growth rate of 6% in 2006, the outlook for emerging markets has probably never been better

Money managers are forecasting a modest pickup in economic growth in Europe in 2006 fuelled by the need to cut costs and restructure in order…

Strong growth expected in Asia as long as key risks of falling export demand, rising inflation and political instability remain at bay

After 15 years of stagnation, the world’s second-largest economy is showing signs of new life

Trade and fiscal deficits, heavy debt and underfunded pensions expected to contribute to economic problems

The tax issue is settled for now, so it’s time to focus on finding the right vehicle

Market forecasters like consumer staples, industrials, telecommunications and health care; railways are favourites

Rising interest rates, growth through foreign acquisition and controlling costs are just some of the challenges the banks are facing

Firms that made commissions from Portus fiasco told they can avoid some fallout if they move quickly to return money to investors

But China’s focus on employment rather than profitability makes it difficult to find good investment opportunities there

Investors who limit themselves to the domestic markets are vulnerable to shifts in energy, materials and financial services

Food shows tasty prospects, but there’s no fire in forestry

China’s growing influence on the global economy is one of the factors making the old rules obsolete

Comment & Insight

Falcon Beach is the latest in a line of film-related investments

Regina is the home of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It is also the home of federal Finance Minister Ralph Goodale. That these two Regina-based…

Yes, Nova Scotians are hearty drinkers, but then so are Canadians across the country

At its core, this vote is about the siren song of change — while many policy issues go unaddressed

Investment research

The trend has been good for the country’s businesses and workers thus far

Fund companies take different approaches to selecting the companies in which to invest

Investors seeking bond income may be pushed into making risky investments. Advisors can present alternatives

Although using volatility in this sense can be useful, it can also be quite complex

These companies target cancer and other serious ailments with their new drugs

This couple can use more aggressive strategies to invest for their children’s education and their retirement

The sector will continue to struggle, but a small group of great stocks exists

Focus on Products

Toronto-based asset manager Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. has been named portfolio advisor of Scotia-McLeod’s Pinnacle Strategic Balanced Fund, effective Jan. 16. CC&L…

Mackenzie Sentinel Income Trust Fund is the latest addition to the roster of funds offered by Mackenzie Financial Corp. The fund will invest in income…

Northwest Mutual Funds Inc. has filed a preliminary prospectus for the initial public offering of units of Northwest High-Yield Bond Trust. The closed-end trust aims…

CI Investments Inc. has announced several changes to its small-cap portfolios in a bid to diversify further following last year’s elimination of the foreign-content ceiling.…

Calgary-based Hesperion Capital Management Ltd. and Norrep Group of Funds have added two new funds to their product lineup: Norrep US Class and Norrep Income…

Many stocks that analysts aren’t keen on become big gainers

A fearless forecast for Canadian regulatory developments in 2006

TD Asset Management to retire its four index-linked, exchange-listed funds by March

A comparison of the Summa and Ethical Growth funds shows both are having problems keeping pace with the overall market

Balanced-fund managers looking at the proportion of stocks and bonds in their portfolios

But because price gains depend on the success of exploration programs, they can carry a high degree of risk