“Don’t simply retire from something; have something to retire to.”~ C.S. Lewis The Fidelity Retirement Report found that attitudes towards retirement have changed over the last twenty years as the number of Canadians over the age of 65 has increased 86% compared with the 27% increase in the general population.   In fact, Fidelity reports that...Read More

In an environment where the media bundles business news with sports, we are conditioned to hearing stock market price updates along with the scores of games.  When a sports match is very exciting, we pay attention.  Likewise, when stock markets are volatile, we are captivated.  However, it is vital to maintain a balanced perspective so that...Read More

“You get recessions, you have stock market declines. If you don’t understand that’s going to happen, then you’re not ready, you won’t do well in the markets.”  ~ Peter Lynch, Fidelity Investments When stock markets go up for a long period of time investors naturally tend to become complacent.  We forget what it feels like...Read More

“The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect. You need a temperament that neither derives great pleasure from being with the crowd or against the crowd.” ~Warren Buffett One of the greatest investors of all time, Warren Buffet, will retire at the end of this year. What made him so successful was, in part, his...Read More

You become a business owner when you invest in stocks, so naturally you are interested in the profitability of your businesses. This chart demonstrates how S&P500 corporations have overcome tremendous economic challenges. They grew by creating new products, inventing more efficient technologies, and developing new markets.   Although profits cycle up and down, over the long...Read More

Everyone is happy when stock markets rise and, fortunately, they do achieve positive returns most years.  Yet, the longer you invest, the more likely it is you will encounter challenging markets. Still, the only way for investors to fully enjoy their attractive long-term gains is to stay the course during market dips.  Our “pension-style” portfolios...Read More

As the S&P500 recovers from a recent correction we have an opportunity to review the risk vs return of stocks.  Last year, the S&P500 finished up 24.9% with a drawdown of 8.5% – That’s a swing of 33.4%! This year the index fell approximately 20% before rebounding, but of course, we don’t know how this...Read More

Investors sometimes ask, “Should we wait until stock markets have bottomed before we invest?”  We would like to share two reasons why our answer is “no.” Stock markets bottom well before economic downturns are at their worst.    Life is more important than worrying about negative headlines.    Stock markets look forward. Prices bottom long before corporate...Read More

“The real key to making money in stocks is to not get scared out of them.” ~ Peter Lynch, Fidelity The most successful investors often surprise us with advice that seems counterintuitive: Do not attempt to forecast financial markets. Maintain your investment discipline during periods of market turmoil.  The average investor may find it difficult to follow these...Read More

We would like to provide you with some relevant perspective on the current market volatility.  Corrections are a process and they are eventually met with an effective policy response. This encouraging chart shows how the S&P500 historically performed during the year following a sucessful resolution:   Source: Alpine Macro The point of maximum financial opportunity occurs during...Read More