Posts Tagged: ‘investing’

Buy Bullion for a Golden Future – Investing in Gold and Silver Bullion

February 3, 2012 Posted by admin

If you’ve though about buying gold bars lately, you’re far from alone. Investing in precious metals such as gold bullion and silver bullion is the smart investment of choice for savvy investors worried about the value of their traditional investments.

With the economy in a tailspin the threat of inflation looming down the line, the thought of one’s savings being eroded is a frightening one. When the world becomes a more uncertain place, there’s a need to hold ones wealth in tangible assets such as precious metals. Currencies have come and gone over millennia but gold and silver are as much solid measures of value today as they were in Roman times.

In a word, gold in today’s economy represents security. With governments creating money out of thin air to fund deficits, the future value of our currencies is at risk. Gold, on the other hand, retains its buying power over time. It also has intrinsic value and has no counter party risk. This means that whatever happens to the financial system, gold will retain its value throughout the world.

You can invest in gold in a slew of ways – everything from buying mining stocks to gold coins. But for sheer economic efficiency, nothing beat buying gold bars and keeping them yourself. Gold jewellery and coins both have significant mark ups on the gold price to cover craftsmanship. Also for jewellery and some coins, the purity of the gold content may need to be assayed before it can be sold. This makes the items less liquid.

Gold bullion, on the other hand, is the most guaranteed and thus most liquid form of gold. Once you buy gold bars, you have an investment that will withstand the ravages of inflation and bring unequalled value to your portfolio.

When it comes to acquiring bullion bars for investment, you can also choose silver bullion. Many investment pundits agree that silver is ready for a boom of its own. This means that adding silver bullion bars to your portfolio is a smart move.

Silver shares many of gold’s desirable characteristics – it’s durable, divisible, malleable, ductile and attractive. Silver jewellery is second only to gold in popularity. However one way in which silver differs from gold is in its industrial and medical applications. This is due to its unique electrical and thermal conductivity, its reflective properties, and its ability to withstand extremes of temperature.

To give just one example, almost all electrical switches, from batteries to computer circuit boards, now use silver-based solder. This means production of all iPods, microwaves, laptops, and you name it, need silver. Almost half the world’s annual silver output is taken up by the electronics industry.

It’s important to remember that precious metals used this way are gone forever. In fact it’s estimated that over 95% of all the silver ever mined throughout history has already been consumed by industry. What all this means is that there will be a continuing increase in demand for silver while the supply is limited – all the conditions you need for a continual rise in price.

This means you have the option of diversifying your investment portfolio even further by adding silver bars. As the price of silver is far lower than gold at the moment, you can get into the silver market with a minimal investment.

You can buy pure .999 fine silver bullion in a range of sizes including 100 gram, 250 gram, 500 gram, one kilo or 5 kilo silver bullion bars

The fact is that where gold goes, silver always follows. It’s logical, really, that two precious metals that share so many characteristics should move in tandem. Buying gold and silver bullion means your investments are safe whatever governments do.

Gold and silver are precious metals that have never lost their luster though they’ve been around since ancient times. And they’ve never been more relevant than in today’s world of exotic financial instruments and quantitative easing.

If you’ve decided to join the savvy investors and buy gold and silver bullion, the smartest way to do it in the UK is through online dealers who deliver you purchases via insured Royal Mail. You buy at spot prices in real time and your purchase will be delivered the next day.

Michiel Van Kets writes articles for Bullion by Post which is part of Jewellery Quarter Bullion Limited, the company offers private UK investors the opportunity to buy gold bullion bars at trade prices. All <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.bullionbypost.co.uk/gold-bars/” title=”gold bullion bars”>gold bullion bars are brand new and manufactured by London Bullion Market Association approved refiners. The company provides the lowest margins in the UK, <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.bullionbypost.co.uk/info/how-to-buy/” title=”buy gold bars”>buy gold bars at real time spot based pricing and real-time stock availability.

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Best tme for Real Estate investing

January 24, 2012 Posted by admin

Invest now for the future

With all the doom and gloom in the economy and particularly the real estate market people are running for the hills and avoiding real estate at all cost. I on the other hand am running straight for it. I am not going to argue that home prices aren’t down or that there is nothing wrong with the market, however there has never been a better time to buy. With the amount of foreclosures and bankruptcies increasing everyday there are more houses on the market than there are buyers. According to Realtytrac.com one out of every 355 homes is in foreclosure. Mortgages for 1 million dollars or more are defaulting at twice the rate of normal houses. These numbers are not taking into account that in January of 2010 there is a whole other batch of adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) that are scheduled to reset.  Sound like a good time to buy? It does if you have cash. Since the banks are already hurting from all of their previous bad debts they are tightening the reins and are being very selective with whom they lend to. That is why if you have the money to invest in real estate the market is yours for the taking.

There are also more exit strategies than ever to use once you acquire the property. Just as it is a good time for cash buyers, retail buyers also know it is time to buy. This leads to the first possible exit strategy, fix and resell. You can easily find houses for pennies on the dollar put in a few thousand in repairs and resell the house on the retail market for a substantial profit. Believe it or not there are a number of people out there with the money and credit to qualify for a mortgage. The vast majority however may have some money to put down but lack the credit to finance a house. That is where the next two exit strategies come into play. Since you are paying cash for the house and there is no outstanding mortgage you do not have to worry about your rates going up, so you could rent the house without having to worry about being foreclosed on yourself. If you don’t want to be landlord I don’t blame you. One way to avoid that trap would be to hire a property management company, they handle all of the repairs as well as finding and if need be evicting tenants. The other option offers more security through owner financing. The way this works is you become the bank and rent to own the house. This could also be done with a property management company, the difference being that the tenant is leasing to own the property so they have more incentive to care for the house because they will own it one day. These are only a few of the possible scenarios that one could use to invest in a house. None of these options will work without the right deal…

<br><br><a target=”_blank” href=”http://www.mattflipshouses.com/squeeze” target=”_blank”>Click here for free information…</a>

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Penny Stock Investing: Top Ten F.A.Q

January 19, 2012 Posted by admin

Penny Stock Investing: Top Ten F.A.Q. As the editor of a Penny Stock newsletter, the ‘PINK SHEET PICKS’, I am asked all the time about how to begin Penny Stock investing. There’s a common misconception that starting a Penny Stock portfolio is difficult or involves loads of risk. Neither of these is really true. A Penny Stock brokerage account can be created in minutes online. While people can and do lose money occasionally, Penny Stock investing is inherently no more risky than any other stock investment. The following is an overview of the top ten F.A.Q.’s about Penny Stock investing from the subscribers to the ‘PINK SHEET PICKS’ newsletter. Each of these subjects has also been created as a video tutorial which can be accessed at www.Pennychase.com free of charge. 1. What are Penny Stocks? By definition, Penny Stock are stocks that trade on the ‘over the counter’ markets, also known as the ‘PINKSHEETS.’ (hence the name of the ‘PINK SHEET PICKS’) The S.E.C. considers any stock that trades below $5 a share to be a Penny Stock. Also, any company with a market capitalization of under $50 million dollars is considered a Penny Stock. 2. How to buy Penny Stocks? Penny Stocks are purchased through a stock broker from the over the counter markets. Some of the most popular Penny Stock brokers include: Zecco, E-trade, Tradeking, etc. Setting up an account is a simple process that only takes a short amount of time. 3. How to find High Gains Penny Stocks? This is where professional advice comes in handy. Penny Stock selectors do this every day of the week. Your job is to find those that possess the acumen and accuracy to make money consistently. 4. What are the pitfalls to Penny Stock Investing? Penny Stocks have occasionally been connected to stock manipulation and outright fraud. That is why it is extremely important to personally research every stock prior to investing. 5. Where to conduct Penny Stock Research? Penny Stock message boards, forums, websites, and professional advice, are all good places to start. Beware of everything you find in a public forum though. This type of information lends itself to manipulation tactics. 6. What about Penny Stock Forums? Most forums are run by online brokers and some of the more prominent stock picking sites. You want to stick to the moderated forums that don’t allow spamming and touting to get more useful information. 7. Choosing a Penny Stock Broker? The most important aspects of choosing a broker are its fees and service. You first want to ensure that your trades are placed correctly and timely. Then, keep a close watch on the fees there are charging you to place orders. 8. What are all these fees? This is the most important aspect of Penny Stock investing other than picking the right stock itself! For example, if you made $50 profit on a trade, but have to pay $14 both (buy/sell) in commissions, now you really have only made $22! See how quickly the fees can eat up potential profits? 9. What are Penny Stock Options? Playing the options market in Penny Stocks is truly a professional level enterprise. This type of investing leverages the risks of stock movements against your gut feelings about the market’s direction. Professional advice here is a must unless you have a financial industry background. 10. Who can help do this? That one’s easy! Pennychase.com and the ‘PINK SHEET PICKS’ newsletter is your source for information and advice on profitable Penny Stock investing. The ‘PINK SHEET PICKS’ newsletter is the fastest growing Penny Stock picker online. We’ll help you reach your investment goals today! You can access all 10 of these F.A.Q.’s as detailed video tutorials on our home page also. Visit: www.Pennychase.com for more information on Penny Stock investing and sign up for our FREE STOCK SELECTIONS too! We look forward to hearing from you soon. Thanks, TJ Pennychase Editor, Pink Sheet Picks

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Investing in Gold – How To Keep Your Wealth Safe

January 18, 2012 Posted by admin

Gold prices have surged upwards in the last 10 years at an unprecedented rate. The rise in value against the dollar has been absolutely remarkable and mainstream analysts fail to come up with any decent explanation. One ounce of gold was worth $270 in 2001. At the time of writing, November 2009, the price for the same ounce of gold currently stands at $1170. That’s 5 times more than in 2001! That is a surge that beats any other investment!

While it is certainly nice to profit from the movement of gold, that isn’t the only reason why smart and responsible investors are looking to purchase gold.

There is a more pressing issue on hand for most Americans: The rapid demise of the US Dollar.

Gold has historically acted as the anti-dollar indicator, meaning that there is a revererse correlation in prices. When the faith in the dollar goes down, then the price of gold goes up. Since 2001, gold has risen 500% against the dollar. What does that tell you about the current trust in the dollar? Let’s not beat around the bush here. It’s entirely possible that the dollar is going to collapse as a result of irresponsible spending by the government and the suicidal monetary policy by the Federal Reserve. What are you going to do the day that the dollar isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on?

Regardless of what your bank advisor or television is trying to tell you, gold is still the best storage of wealth. It is indestructable, scarce and wanted for both it’s qualites as a superconductor of electricity and use in jewellry. It has always been the preferred storage of years. It’s only 40 years since gold backed currencies were abolished. Since then, inflation has dug away at the purchasing power of the dollar.

If you want to keep your wealth safe in the coming years of economic turmoil I can only advise you to look into investing in gold. If you want to learn how to invest in gold, feel free to click onto my website. It lacks in the design department as I am not a webdesigner, but it tells you like it is.

How To Buy Physical Gold

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/investing-articles/investing-in-gold-how-to-keep-your-wealth-safe-1610024.html

The Perks of Investing in Real Estate

January 7, 2012 Posted by admin

Thinking of a great way to build wealth amid these trying times? If you are, you should consider investing in real estate.

Despite what many people believe, becoming a real estate investor can help you earn huge profits, regardless of the current financial crisis. As long as you play your cards right, you can reap huge rewards and achieve the goals that you have set for yourself.

Investing in real estate is more advantageous than, let’s say, buying stocks. Although taking chances at the stock market can sometimes yield higher profits, suck a lucky break doesn’t usually last long. As we all know, stock prices are volatile and they go up and down almost everyday. You can score a big jackpot today but lose them all the next morning. With real estate investing, however, you don’t have to be afraid of losing all your investment capital in one day as real estate prices are relatively stable, unlike stock prices.

Another perk of investing in real estate is that you can get access to a continuous source of income. Instead of selling a house that you have rehabbed, you can find tenants for the property. This way you can collect rental income every month. And if you put additional amenities into the property, you can collect higher rent.

However, to succeed in the real estate investing business, you have to make sure that all the properties you will invest in will bring you big profits. Otherwise, it will only cause you to waste precious time and lose a lot of money.

So what makes a property profitable? The first answer would be its location. If the property has proximity to major government and commercial establishments or is located in the best school district in a city or county, chances are it can fetch a higher price even before you fix its leaking roof and paint its walls.

Upcoming urban development projects in the area where the property is located can also boost its profitability and marketability. People would naturally relocate to places that can offer them great living arrangements, thus, it would be wise to invest in houses located in such areas.

Another key to success when investing is real estate is to educate yourself about the latest market trends and learn various hints and tips on being a real estate investor. Such strategies can help ensure your survival in this competitive but rewarding industry.

For your real estate education needs, log on to www.Rehab-Real-Estate.com. The website is committed to providing quality real estate education for those who want to become experts at real estate investing.

REI Wired is the pinnacle of real estate education by serving high-quality content through high-quality videos. Sign up only takes a minute and you can start right away! Learn More

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The Basics of Investing in Real Estate

January 6, 2012 Posted by admin

If you are thinking of a new way to make money, then you should probably consider investing in real estate. Being a real estate investor is a lot of fun. You get to meet a lot of different people, as well as learn valuable skills and lessons that can help you grow as a person.

There are many modes of real estate investing, which is basically defined as the purchase, ownership, management of real estate properties for profit. The most basic of them, however, is wholesaling, rehabbing, flipping.

In the real estate business, the term wholesaling is applied to the process of placing properties under contract and then selling or “assigning” the said contract to another buyer. In a nutshell, a wholesaler basically finds a bargain property and then sells it to a bargain hunter.  He makes profits in this business through the “assignment fee” he receives from the buyer of the property.

Rehabbing, on the other hand, involves the purchase, renovation, and sales of an old or undervalued property. In this type of real estate investing, the rehabber buys a house, usually at a highly discounted price, and then makes structural repairs and renovations. Once the repairs are completed, the investor will sell the rehabbed property at a much higher price, which is mostly close to the property’s market value.

The business of flipping houses has come under fire in recent years because of the negative publicity about it. This has led to many people believing that this particular type of investing in real estate is against the law. However, there is absolutely nothing wrong with buying and quickly selling properties for profit. Flipping becomes illegal only when it involves mortgage fraud.

If you want to become a real estate investor, here’s what you should do to ensure your success in the business:

  1. Find a trustworthy mentor. Having someone to guide you when making tough decisions can help prevent you from getting stuck in the middle of deals.
  2. Find good instructional materials about investing in real estate. Before you delve into the world of real estate investing, you have to equip yourself with proper information about the business so you’ll know exactly what to do when a good deal comes your way.
  3. Find profitable properties. Don’t invest in houses that won’t bring you profits, period.

To learn more about investing in real estate, log on to www.Rehab-Real-Estate.com, your great source of quality real estate education.

Rehab Real Estate is your perfect guide to the exciting and lucrative world of real estate investing. Whether you’re into rehabbing houses, property investment buying, or fix and flip, we’ll teach you everything you need to know so that you’ll earn MAXIMUM PROFIT in each and every deal.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/investing-articles/the-basics-of-investing-in-real-estate-1581900.html

2 Reason a Stock Price Will Change – You Must Know them Before Investing

December 29, 2011 Posted by admin

Stock prices are constantly changing, especially stocks that trade hundreds of millions of shares in a single day. Every second the stock price is changing, but why? What causes sudden fluctuations in a stock price? The answer to this is very simple and it all has to do with supply and demand of the stock. The supply of a stock is the number of shares offered at any given moment and the demand of a stock is the number of shares investors are willing to buy at the exact same time. Let’s say for example that good news about a company was just released on the morning news. The demand for the company’s stock will jump because investors know that the company is worth investing in. However, the demands of the investors don’t meet the supply of the sellers. This will cause the price to go up because of the increased demand. People cannot just automatically buy stock because for every share bought there was a share sold.

In our example, let’s say that there is a demand for 1000 shares but only 500 shares are being sold at the time. Since there is more demand than supply this will cause the stock price to rise. With the rise in stock price, more people who own the stock will be more likely to sell it. This is how the stock reaches equilibrium (1000 shares demanded = 1000 shares sold). When a stock price decreases, just the opposite is happening. In stead of 1000 shares demanded and only 500 shares selling, there would be 1000 shares waiting to be sold and only 500 shares demanded. This will cause the stock price to decline and investors will then be more likely to buy the stock at a lower price to fulfill all of the sellers.

We implement the complexities of the stock market and put them into terms that the average individual can connect with and understand. If you enjoyed this article and would like to learn more about stock related topics then please visit: http://www.erikandjeff.com

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How To Make The Right Investing Choice Tips

December 25, 2011 Posted by admin

Loads of people want to try their hand at investment, usually as a means to form a nest egg for their relations in the future and there are countless ways to achieve this. One of the most apparent avenues for investment are the stocks and share markets, but there are various other practicable options too, which may be of relevance to you. Any one of these might be promising for the future, provided you have the right mental make-up to cope with them. Although this piece cannot provide sufficient space for covering all detail concerning this vast topic, this could in the slightest, offer you some sorts of rule of thumb involving possibility.

Stocks and mutual fund investments have all the time been beneficial, however before doing this you should do a huge amount of investigation on the corporations where you want to invest in. If you are searching for short term gains (long term too), subsequently the stock exchange is the place to do this but it is also where everyone can end up with egg on their face from time to time! Certainly if you are investing in real estate, you are more expected to witness respectable profits however they will take some time although it is a a lot safer option. Some individuals purposely purchase a home that requires extensive remodeling as they could acquire them for a lesser amount of money although the profits when they are sold could be huge however this does take a sizeable quantity of work to be carried out first. In case you find this choice of property desirable, do some investigation as there is more than what is mentioned here, which is not the case with the next option we will discuss.

The fastest way to get started is by doing it on the internet and it is too the fastest emerging segment of investment since it could be excuted by just about anyone using their computer and internet connection. For online trading, you have to check the company’s history, their progression and performance track record prior to you putting your funds with them, nevertheless the whole of this could be done very fast. This kind of investment needs some speculation and someone with a lot of built-in restraint would be good at it, as majority of folks goes on blindly bidding till they find that more money is lost than gained.

While some individuals go about their business depending only on Lady Luck to smile on them, whereas others who are more diligent, burn the midnight oil to analyze the lot they ought to know to make their investment ideas come true with desire income. Do not turn trading into a something parallel to the turn of a roulette wheel as if you do, you will surely lose when all that was necessary was some examination of the markets. Use the Internet to your benefit where there are plenty of forums and sites devoted to provide you information on sensible investments, learn from these as well as others’ experiences. I individually know lots of people who have trusted in this kind of investing and have become prosperous, and there are several who have lost all they had.

To Learn More about mutual funds as investment options, What is mutual fund and Understanding Mutual Funds Go over to my blog for quality mutual funds information.

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Stock Market Investing

December 3, 2011 Posted by admin

Investing in the stock market requires a lot of knowledge and understanding of the forces that control and affect the performance of the securities that are usually traded in the market. To get involved with stock market investing, you must first get educated about the basics of investing. This may mean that you will need to attend a seminar for example, or just look for this information online. Other sources of this information are financial advisors and stock market analysts.

Once you are armed with the information, you will need to come up with investment goals and objectives. By so doing, you will be able to come up with clear cut outcome of what you hope to achieve from the investments. In addition, the objectives and the goals will be able to help you develop your own stock picking strategy that will lead you where you want to end up as far as investing is concerned.

Remember that stocks come in many different types. You therefore have an extra assignment of getting to understand the stocks in their own individuality. Reading the annual reports and other documents available at the Securities and Exchange Commission will help you get even more clear information about these stocks.

If you want to fully succeed in stock market investing, choose to invest in what you know. Consider investing in stocks from companies that you are familiar with. You also need to have confidence in those companies. Do not rely on your own knowledge; consult with other investors and investment advisors. As you invest, choose to diversify by investing in a number of varied stocks and securities. This goes a long way to curb and spread the risk that comes with investing in limited number of stocks.

Peter Gitundu Creates Interesting And Thought Provoking Content On Mutual Funds. Read More Of His Articles Here STOCK MARKET INVESTING

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Canadian Income Stocks!

November 7, 2011 Posted by admin

18 High-Dividend Canadian Stocks

 

 

The 2008 financial crisis uncannily echoes what happened in Japan more than a decade ago. In the 1990s, the Japanese banking systems had become overloaded with bad loans after a property bubble collapse, according to Gillian Tett, author of Fool’s Gold. The investor psychology seemed dangerously similar too.  If this is the case, investors who buy high yield stocks now could collect big dividends while the economy fights to get back on its feet.

 

The Associated Press (AP) reported on Friday that the U.S. federal budget deficit has surged to an all-time high of $1.42 trillion. The Obama administration projects deficits will total $9.1 trillion over the next decade. For weeks the US dollar’s decline sent gold to all-time highs and helped oil to over $78. Canada happens to have plenty of these commodities. 

 

The following are 18 Canadian companies listed on U.S. exchanges with market caps greater than $1 billion, reasonable P/E ratios, and dividend yields greater than 3.5% (sorted by yield):

 

 

Name

Symbol

P/E

Yield

Market Cap

PROVIDENT ENERGY TR

(PVX)

9.0

11.1%

1.66B

PENGROWTH EGY UTS

(PGH)

5.0

10.6%

2.61B

PENN WEST ENERGY TRU

(PWE)

5.1

10.1%

6.90B

ENERPLUS RES FD

(ERF)

5.8

8.4%

3.97B

HARVEST ENERGY TRUST

(HTE)

4.2

8.1%

1.14B

B C E INC

(BCE)

21.7

6.1%

18.82B

TELUS CORP

(TU)

8.6

5.8%

9.41B

PRECISION DRILL TRST

(PDS)

4.3

5.7%

1.91B

BANK OF MONTREAL

(BMO)

17.3

5.1%

27.68B

TRANSALTA CORP

(TAC)

21.9

5.1%

4.07B

BAYTEX ENERGY TR UTS

(BTE)

12.8

5.0%

2.77B

CANADIAN IMP BK COMM

(CM)

3.7

5.0%

2.98B

BROOKFIELD PTYS CP

(BPO)

6.2

4.6%

4.47B

TRANSCANADA CORP

(TRP)

15.1

4.3%

21.71B

SHAW COMM CL B NV

(SJR)

15.6

4.2%

8.24B

ROGERS COMMUN CL B

(RCI)

16.8

4.0%

16.57B

BANK OF NOVA SCOTIA

(BNS)

16.7

3.9%

45.86B

TORONTO DOMINION

(TD)

17.4

3.5%

53.70B

 

These 18 high-dividend companies are in 4 sectors: Energy, Financial, Telecom and Utilities.

 

Energy Income Trust

High demand from China and a weak US dollar make the energy sector attractive.  7 companies belong to energy income trust category:

 

Symbol

Operating Margin

Debt/Operating CF

52-wk Range

(BTE)

36%

1.0

7.84 – 26.44

(ERF)

51%

0.7

12.85 – 28.58

(HTE)

10%

3.2

3.00 – 11.55

(PDS)

28%

2.0

2.00 – 12.21

(PGH)

22%

2.5

4.51 – 11.90

(PVX)

23%

1.5

2.23 – 6.84

(PWE)

58%

2.3

6.77 – 19.01

 

 

For sophisticated traders, trading commodities directly might provide a higher reward. For income investors, commodity companies might be a better choice because they provide some buffer, in addition to regular dividends.

 

There is a small ETF called Claymore Canadian Energy Income (ENY) which includes most of these companies. Its yield is 5.45%.

 

 

Financials

The Following are comparisons between Canadian banks, U.S. major banks averages, as well as JPMorgan Chase (JPM), one of the most conservative banks in the US. Clearly Canadian banks are much more profitable.

 

Description

P/E

ROE %

Div. Yield %

Net Profit Margin %

U.S. Money Center Banks

n/a

1.1%

1.1%

1.3%

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM)

52.6

2.9%

0.4%

15.5%

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)

17.6

9.4%

3.5%

22.2%

The Bank Of Nova Scotia (BNS)

16.8

13.2%

3.9%

28.9%

CIBC (CM)

3.8

7.0%

5.0%

18.8%

Bank of Montreal (BMO)

17.4

9.2%

5.1%

21.8%

 

 

Telecom

Competition in the telecom sector is heating up in Canada. When BCE (BCE) and Telus (TU) announced they will start carrying the iPhone next month which puts an end to the exclusivity that Rogers (RCI) has enjoyed, it sent RCI’s short ratio to a stunning high of 33. Unlike those 3, Shaw Communications (SJR) primarily focuses on cable services.

 

Utilities

TransAlta (TAC) is an electric utility company while TransCanada (TRP) operates through two segments: pipelines and energy. TAC’s short ratio of 5.8 makes me nervous.

 

 Conclusion

After boldly buying when others were selling, Warren Buffet is pulling back, buying fewer stocks while investing in debt.  He is warning that the economy, though on the mend, remains deeply troubled.

 

In addition, the Canadian dollar is a strong threat to the Canadian economy. CurrencyShares Canadian Dollar Trust (FXC) appreciated over 13% this year. Mark Carney, the governor of the Bank of Canada, has warned that the Canadian dollar appears to be moving away from the fundamentals. 

 

The iShares MSCI Canada Index (EWC) year-to-date’s return is an astonishing 46%. A great stock can be easily turned into a bad investment, if you buy it at a higher than reasonable price.  It all depends on the starting price.

 

Nonetheless, high-dividend, fundamentally-strong companies are more likely to survive in this stormy market. One of the greatest ways to protect your portfolio is through asset allocation: to make sure not a single sector accounts for more than 20% of your portfolio. Be sure to re-balance as it will automatically enroll you into the “buy low, sell high” camp.

 

Disclosure: I have long positions on BMO, BNS, CM, PWE, TD, and TRE. All data is from Yahoo Finance (http://finance.yahoo.com/) as of Oct 16, 2009. 

 

Stocks: BCE, BMO, BNS, BPO, BTE, CM, ENY, ERF, EWC, FXC, THE, JPM, PDS,

PGH, PVX, PWE, RCI, SJR, TAC, TD, TRP, TU

 

Hao Jin, CFA
Contributing Writer

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