Markets & Behavior
From Panic to Euphoria : Where Are You On the Investing Roller Coaster of Emotions?
Markets are once again flirting with all-time highs. For some investors, it feels like the thrilling climb of a roller coaster. For others—especially those still recovering from recent dips—it feels like that slow, anxiety-inducing ascent before the next big drop. But here’s the truth: volatility is not the enemy. It’s part of the ride. Whether…
Finding Calm in Market Storms : The Power of Shinrin-Yoku
When market volatility leaves you feeling anxious, it might be time to step away from the screens and into the trees. The Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku, or “forest bathing,” is a simple yet powerful way to destress and reset your mind. Shinrin-Yoku is all about immersing yourself in nature, allowing the sights, sounds, and smells…
What Just Happened? Breaking Down The Last Week.
Markets took a hit after President Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcements on April 2. The S&P 500 dropped more than 10% over two days, wiping out over $5 trillion in market value. This follows a tough first quarter, where the index was already down 5.6% — its worst start to the year in three years.…
Market Bubbles : Why We Get Caught Up and How to Stay Smart
Ever heard the saying, “What goes up must come down”? That’s exactly what happens in market bubbles. Prices of stocks or other investments skyrocket, everyone rushes to buy, and then—boom—the bubble bursts, and prices crash. The tricky part? People rarely see it coming. But what is a bubble, and why do they happen? More importantly,…
Riding Market Waves : A Surfer’s Guide to Investing
Investing is like surfing. You don’t control the waves, but you can position yourself to catch them. Patience, preparation, and staying calm in turbulent waters are essential. It’s also about understanding that waves come in cycles, and missing one doesn’t mean you’ve missed your chance entirely. The key is to stay in the water and…
Don’t Believe the [Negative] Hype
As humans, we have ancient mental traits that helped us survive a millennia ago but now these same traits often just get in the way. Imagine yourself living in a cave, as one of your ancient ancestors, and you’re preparing to go on a hunt but something seems off. You are hearing noises outside that…
An Experienced Captain is the Best Way to Weather Economic Storms
For the 2021 Calendar Year Canadian Inflation was 4.8% in December 2021 S&P U.S. Aggregate Bond Index returned -1.4% S&P Canada Aggregate Bond Index returned -2.48% S&P500 returned 28.71% S&PTSX60 returned 28.05% FTSE Developed All Cap ex North America returned 9.1% As of July 27, 2022… Canadian Inflation rose to 8.1% in June 2022 S&P…
Spring 2022 : Hibernation Ends for the Bear [Market]
The S&P500 had a value of 4,796 on January 3, 2022, which marks the highest value achieved by this index. It took until June 13, or 161 days, for the bears to overtake the bulls and pull the market down over the -20% mark (or a value of 3,837). The reason for the decline on…
Markets Take the Stairs Up & the Elevator Down
The S&P500 has declined for seven straight weeks, a streak not broken since the early 2000’s. A bear market is said to begin once an investment or index has a 20% decline in value from the most recent closing high. The S&P500 had a value of 4,796.56 on January 3, 2022 so a value of…
Staying Warm When the Market is Cold
These days it is not easy being a retail investor. No matter where you look there seems to be negative news everywhere but do not let short-term thinking cloud your long-term judgement. There have been many instances in previous articles that I have talked about market volatility and ensuring you have a plan for market…
“Let’s Wait to Invest”
This comment comes up sometimes when I discuss a client’s cash reserves that are not flagged for something specific in the short-term. This can lead to “analysis paralysis” – where so much energy and time is spent comparing and evaluating variables that no action is actually taken. As humans, sometimes we are so scared to…
Will War Result in Trouble for your Investments?
Many of us are glued to the headlines that are being released regarding the Russian invasion on Ukraine, which started on Thursday, February 24. The world has seen many battles, wars, and occupations but this invasion seems to hit us all closer to home. The democratic views of our western world are being tested against…
It’s Time-In, Not Timing.
The year has just started and Mr. Market did not take long to remind us about the level of volatility that we should expect when it comes to investing in the great companies of the world. Unfortunately, there is no other way to achieve the amazing long-term returns that come with equity investing other than…
Are You Smarter Than a Hedge Fund Manager?
We are living through a period of time that there is unfathomable amounts of data at our fingertips and most people in the western world have instant access to this data through a computer or a smart phone. This data can be incredible helpful in certain areas of our lives but it also can hinder.…
The Grass isn’t Greener
We see it all the time . . . people’s lives through the lens of Instagram or other social media platforms and we believe that it is a direct view of their lives. The same can be said about investment performance, we hear that someone has exorbitant returns and we believe that we should experience…
Forecasts & Fortune Tellers
With the end of the year fast approaching every analyst, research, and investment firm is rushing to get their 2022 Outlooks into the hands of advisors and investors. There will be predictions about everything including where interest rates and inflation are headed, what is going to happen in the stock and bond markets, and which…
Investing & the Game of Pool
— wp:paragraph –> When it comes to discussing retirement with clients I always like to utilize real world examples. One example that came to mind recently is how investing in retirement is like a game of pool. When you are investing and are reliant on your investment income then the stakes are considerably higher than…
It’s Not a Matter of If, It’s When…
We are getting closer to the end of 2021 and the S&P500 index has put on an impressive year-to-date run of about 25%. November 18 marked the 66th record close for the S&P500 in 2021, with a closing value of 4,704.54, and the year isn’t over yet. The only other year in history that has…
Market Negativity
As Normal as the Leaves Falling off of the Trees in Autumn JP Morgan has released their quarterly Guide to the Markets and if you are a client of mine then you will be accustomed to this graph. This graph provides us with a ton of valuable information about the returns of the S&P500 (a…
There’s No Place Like Home
This is how a lot of Canadians think when it comes to their investment portfolios, even if it is complete instinct. Canadians, just like the majority of at-home investors around the world, are guilty of having home bias in their portfolios but knowing what it is can help deter you from making it worse. Home…
Finance RX 