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Is it the 1950′s again? The financial war is over!
There is a plethora of articles and blogs out there desperately trying to find a period comparable to now, in order to get some understanding of what markets might have in store for us over the next...
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Is it all over for stock market investors? Don’t bet on it!
I’ve been reading lots of articles suggesting that the stock market is ‘overbought’ (an expression meaning that we’re in some sort of a bubble, stocks are overvalued and risk is high that they’ll...
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Mutual Fund Mania – Choose wisely during RRSP season!
Usually the first vehicle of choice for new investors is a mutual fund. In days of yore, which in the investment industry is more than five years ago, investors usually bought equity funds but in more...
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Reacting to headlines is perilous!
You can avoid plenty of grief by reading headlines and as George Costanza (from the popular sitcom Seinfeld) says: “Do the opposite.” You might notice that the average ‘Joe’ was far more concerned...
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Don’t get whipsawed by Risk Management!
Back in February of 2012, I recall a prominent CFO departing a global insurance company. This particular individual was labelled “the highly regarded architect of a hedging strategy that proved key in...
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How to Tell the Difference Between Investing and Gambling!
I saw a question posted on a popular social network. The question was: ‘What is the difference between gambling and investing?” I’m inspired to reproduce (edited with permission) the following excerpt...
View ArticleBonds and Bernanke
Fed Chairman Bernanke has thrown the kitchen sink at the bond markets to keep interest rates down. He’s shoved the Fed Funds rate down further — and kept it there longer — than any U.S. Fed Chairman of...
View ArticleThe Very Best 401k Plans
I just read an article that listed six features of “great” 401k plans: high company contributions, instant eligibility, immediate vesting, low fees, auto enrollment, high employee contribution rates. I...
View ArticleThe Investment Gods Created Volatility… and it was good
Have you noticed how paranoid people are getting about market “volatility”. OMG, cries the DOL, we’re going to fine employers if their 401k plan participants don’t grow their balances as fast as the...
View ArticleTotal Return: Smoke and Mirrors?
Just what is this “total return” hoop that investment managers are required to jump through? Why is it mostly just smoke and mirrors? Here’s the formula: Total Income + (or -) Change in Market Value –...
View ArticleRetirement Preparation 101
Prompted by a recent article in “Financial Planning” entitled “For Retirement Portfolios, a Smarter Glidepath”… several points in the referenced “conventional wisdom” have fingernails on chalkboard...
View Article401k Drawdown… OMG
“Drawdown” has become the most feared word in the 401k vocabulary, just as “Total Return” has become the most worshipped phrase. OMG, how will plan participants be able to retire if their portfolio...
View ArticleInside Modern Portfolio Theory – For Emperors Only
Maybe it’s just me, but when I hear “Monte Carlo”, I can’t help but think “casino”… My previous article post dealing with the income growing opportunities of 401k account “drawdown” elicited some...
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Why so much ado about interest rates?
Mal Spooner Why the popularity of shorter-term interest-bearing securities among Canadians, in particular GIC investments? In fact, we in Canada are not the only investors who seem satisfied investing...
View ArticleDealing With Stock Market Corrections: Ten Do’s and Don’ts
A correction is a beautiful thing, simply the flip side of a rally, big or small. Theoretically, corrections adjust equity prices to their actual value or “support levels”. In reality, it may be...
View ArticleThe Microsoft Retirement Income Program
Reading Between the Lines Once we recognize that all investment portfolios eventually become retirement income portfolios, we can begin to focus on the regular recurring income that they produce…...
View ArticleRetirement Income Investing: The Dreaded RMD
All of us are approaching retirement, many of us are already there, and some of us (myself included) are thinking about the ultimate IRS slap-in-the-face… The Required Minimum Distribution. It’s time...
View ArticleTo Rollover 401k Plan Assets or Not To… That Is The Question
The major purveyors of 401k products, and those who benefit from using them remind me of politicians… they press the party line, and use their power to demonize the competition. Their position and deep...
View ArticleHow To Be Prepared for Rising Interest Rates
I’ve seen a lot of discussions lately that erroneously conclude: “rising interest rates are something to be feared and prepared for” by buying short duration bonds or by liquidating income purpose...
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Interest Rates Rising – the sequel
Mal Spooner is a veteran fund manager and currently teaches at the Humber College School of Business.No doubt you’ve noticed about half the industry pundits cautioning that the US Federal Reserve is...
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