Ian Morrison

Smaller companies have recently been doing better than their larger counterparts. The small cap sector refers to companies with market capitalization of less than $500 million in Canada and $1 billion US in the United States. Year to date, American small-caps have outperformed large-caps by more than 400 basis points, or four percentage points, while […] Read more

Performance in March provided a nice finish to the first quarter of 2002, as all major North American equity indices finished in positive territory. The benchmark Toronto Stock Exchange 300 index gained 2.8 percent on the month, roughly in line with the 2.9 percent advance of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Following the lows set […] Read more

A whiff of better times has investors looking forward to an economic recovery. The shallow valley in the economy in 2001 foretells a similarly shallow initial upturn, but that won’t prevent the usual directional move by stocks and bonds in the early stages of a recovery. Cheap borrowing costs have already given a huge boost […] Read more

Gold entered 2002 on a substantial rally, rising almost four percent in the first two weeks of the year. Changes in gold fundamentals and proposed reductions in producer hedging in the upcoming year have helped push gold higher. Historically, gold has been a safe haven in unsettled times and, given the uncertain condition of the […] Read more

Diversification is a sound and proven investment philosophy that can help you take advantage of opportunities in many sectors of the economy, while simultaneously reducing investment risks. Diversification strategies may involve distributing your invested funds among various industries and asset classes. However, in an increasingly global investment arena, it is also important to consider the […] Read more

To say that equity markets have been volatile this year is an understatement. With the Toronto Stock Exchange 300 Index losing more than 20 percent of its value since the beginning of the year, these turbulent markets not only provide investors with tax-loss selling opportunities, but may also provide an opportunity to pick up great […] Read more

With the recent oil and gas takeover announcements in Western Canada, one must wonder whether Calgary is up for sale. Since April of last year there have been almost 20 significant transactions in the oilpatch, ranging from the $186 million takeover of Ionic by the oil and gas royalty trust Shiningbank Energy Income Fund to […] Read more

In troubled times, many real estate investment trusts, or REITs, still offer high income, moderate growth and low risks. Canadian Real Estate Investment Trusts have outperformed the Toronto Stock Exchange 300 index in 2001. REITs generated unweighted total returns averaging nine percent while the TSE 300 had a -26 percent performance as of Sept. 28, […] Read more

These are uncertain times. Since the Sept. 11 attack on the United States, all markets have experienced volatility as investors struggle to make sense of these tragic events and interpret their reactions. As far as the bond market is concerned, there are some important facts to consider in making educated investment decisions. First, how has […] Read more

The tragic events in the United States don’t necessarily mean market panic. It is difficult to comprehend the events of Sept. 11. Coincidentally, I was visiting the World Trade Centre and our offices in New York while on holiday the previous week, so I personally feel quite fortunate. Tuesday’s developments are an unprecedented attack on […] Read more