By Alfred Lam, MBA, CFA, Senior Vice-President & Chief Investment Officer, CI GAM | Multi-Asset Management & Richard J. Wylie, MA, CFA, Vice-President, Investment Strategy, CI Assante Wealth Management Canadian unemployment underreported Canadian unemployment rate near recessionary levels Statistics Canada announced that 90,900 jobs were gained during the month of December 2024, adding to the […]
North American equities rose in January despite an up and down month. AI-themed US tech shares were buffeted by an unexpected burst of volatility while Canadian stocks navigated a relatively smoother path upwards. Political change was in focus with Justin Trudeau announcing his resignation and Donald Trump entering office with an immediate and wide range […]
Life is different once your children leave home and start out on their own. Whether you have a sense of melancholy or feel free and easy as you look forward to a new chapter, it’s important to recognize that various aspects of your financial life may change. More discretionary income. When your children become financially […]
How much annual retirement income can you safely withdraw? Which source of savings should you access first? When should you start government benefits? What guidelines can you follow? There is no cookie-cutter approach to withdrawing retirement income. Here are just some of the factors that make one retiree’s income plan different from another’s. Risk tolerance […]
Industrial Revolution 2.0 and Globalization 2.0 Are Both Underway The first round of industrial revolutions (coal, gas, nuclear, internet) saw the growing use of machines andcomputers to enhance human productivity. The job markets rebalanced effectively as a result of trainingand education moving humans up the food chain. We enjoyed decades of improved lifestyle due toincreased […]
A year ago, outlooks for US and Canadian equities were cautiously optimistic after a strong 2023, particularly in the US. Caution was indeed needed on several occasions in 2024, but the broad sweep proved to be steadily upwards as major stock indices frequently set new highs on the way to a very good year. Equities […]
Many people avoid conversations about funerals, particularly their own. Some are indifferent to what happens to their body. Others dismiss the topic to deflect their discomfort, saying, “I’ll be gone anyway, so why worry about it?” Meanwhile, those who are superstitious may feel that discussing their own death is taboo and will somehow hasten their […]
In a typical estate plan, each spouse leaves their assets to the other. When the second spouse passes away, assets are distributed to the children. However, an estate plan is not usually typical when you remarry and have children from a prior marriage. When you remarry, you’ll update your will and beneficiary designations—and you may […]
Economy contracts on per-person basis Statistics Canada announced that, on a monthly basis, real gross domestic product (GDP) by industry contracted by less than 0.1% in August. This follows weak results for both of the previous two months and left annual growth at a lethargic 1.3%. Perhaps not surprisingly, the public sector experienced a 2.9% […]
With the weather cooling and winter on the horizon, snowbirds are poised to fly south—but if you’re looking to purchase a property in the U.S. or returning to one you already own, you may face estate planning complexities. On death, Canadian residents’ estates may owe income taxes in Canada, since there’s a deemed disposition of […]
