I've been asked a few times quite recently some variation of the following question: "Given the recent political turmoil, especially with Canada and the US, what should I do with my portfolio? Should I have more/less US dollars? More (or less) US equities? What about Canadian stocks?" The short answer is I have no idea nor does anyone else and so staying the course is usually your best option. That is, one of your most important investing skills is the ability to do nothing. At first glance, this might not seem like a skill at all. Isn't investing about making timely decisions, identifying opportunities, and reacting to market movements? For a select few maybe, but successful retail investors, especially when facing unsteady or volatile markets, practice the fine art of doing nothing. Why Do Nothing? The Nature of Markets: Markets are inherently cyclical. They experience periods of growth followed by inevi...
This article was inspired by a marketing email I recently received from Wealthsimple. The subject line read: " Coming soon: margin trading ". The email goes on to say "Margin trading can help you boost your buying power by borrowing against your portfolio. Applying for your account is fast, hassle-free, and there are no hidden fees. Best of all, our margin interest rate are as low as prime - 0.5% — lower than what you’d pay at your bank." In fairness to Wealthsimple, the email further explains what margin trading is, how it works, and what some of the risks are to using margin. It really got me thinking more about margin and leverage and especially the surprising findings regarding who can benefit the most from using margin and leverage. What is Margin and Leverage? Margin investing refers to borrowing funds from a brokerage firm to purchase securities, using investments like stocks and bonds already in your account as collateral. This all...