Canada is a weird place. Having lived in Ottawa for several years, I have experienced first-hand both the differences and similarities between the United States and Canada. But while the popular food, styles, and music are very different from the United States, investment styles are very similar. Canadian stock market investors utilize similar investment criteria to locate winning stock picks. The crucial difference is in the philosophy of Canadian investors. Canadians tend to be much more conservative and risk averse than their American cousins. However, this observation is countered by the infamous Vancouver Stock Exchange (VSE). Although it is now… Read More

Canada is a weird place. Having lived in Ottawa for several years, I have experienced first-hand both the differences and similarities between the United States and Canada. But while the popular food, styles, and music are very different from the United States, investment styles are very similar. Canadian stock market investors utilize similar investment criteria to locate winning stock picks. The crucial difference is in the philosophy of Canadian investors. Canadians tend to be much more conservative and risk averse than their American cousins. However, this observation is countered by the infamous Vancouver Stock Exchange (VSE). Although it is now defunct, the VSE was notorious for shaky companies, bad accounting, and investors getting wiped out! Talk about a weird juxtaposition. One of the riskiest stock exchanges on earth was found in the conservative, buttoned-down-investment nation of Canada. But now, one of the world’s most respected exchanges is domiciled in Canada. The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) is an ideal place to locate the best Canadian stocks. I particularly like the security of stocks traded on both the NYSE and TSX. To be clear, I am in no way saying that cross-exchange listings mitigate all risk in a stock. That said, knowing… Read More

2017 may well go down in history as the best year the stock market has ever witnessed. But it could also be remembered as the year the roaring bull market ended and the economy plunges into dark days. While no one knows which outcome the rest of the year will bring, investors can prepare for any situation by investing in the major themes of this year. #-ad_banner-#The biggest theme dictating which stocks to watch in 2017 is uncertainty. Despite the massive bull market of 2016, many investors believe the major index ceiling has been set. Should this prove to be… Read More

2017 may well go down in history as the best year the stock market has ever witnessed. But it could also be remembered as the year the roaring bull market ended and the economy plunges into dark days. While no one knows which outcome the rest of the year will bring, investors can prepare for any situation by investing in the major themes of this year. #-ad_banner-#The biggest theme dictating which stocks to watch in 2017 is uncertainty. Despite the massive bull market of 2016, many investors believe the major index ceiling has been set. Should this prove to be the case, consumer staple stocks make sense. Even if the market continues higher, these stocks can make a great addition to your portfolio. Next, regulatory changes are on the forefront. 2017 has proven to be a year of transition, both in the world of taxation and the social space. One of the most dramatic changes is the acceptance of and decriminalization of marijuana in the medical sector, and some places for recreational use. An ongoing megatrend that will very likely to continue in 2017 is pet ownership. Not only do consumers own more pets, but they are also spending more… Read More

Dividend-focused investing, while on the surface designed for producing income, is also one of the best ways to build wealth in the stock market. The trick is identifying top-paying dividend stocks and then consistently reinvesting the dividends. Dividend reinvestment allows the power of compound interest to work in your favor. Even in 2017’s volatile market, I’ve located seven top-paying dividend stocks that can make a great addition to your portfolio. They are also a smart way to start to build a diversified income portfolio if you are just starting out. What I haven’t included are the crazies — you know,… Read More

Dividend-focused investing, while on the surface designed for producing income, is also one of the best ways to build wealth in the stock market. The trick is identifying top-paying dividend stocks and then consistently reinvesting the dividends. Dividend reinvestment allows the power of compound interest to work in your favor. Even in 2017’s volatile market, I’ve located seven top-paying dividend stocks that can make a great addition to your portfolio. They are also a smart way to start to build a diversified income portfolio if you are just starting out. What I haven’t included are the crazies — you know, the ultra-high dividend payers with yields that are unsustainable, often due to a plunging stock price. While buzz-worthy and temporarily profitable, these investments are hardly suitable for a reliable portfolio. These seven top-paying dividend stocks have proven, justifiable yields. Even better, I fully expect them to provide better than average price performance over the next 12 months. The 7 Top-Paying Dividend Stocks You Need To Know 1. Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE: EPD) EPD is a master limited partnership-structured company in the natural gas sector. The Houston-based pipeline operator pays nearly 6% and is America’s largest company in its niche. Read More

The financial sector was on fire in 2016. Immense annual gains of 50%, 60%, and greater were pocketed by investors who caught the trend. Don’t worry, I’m not talking about speculative fintech or other risky high-tech financial names. Believe it or not, the outsized gains were made in solid, multi- billion dollar companies like JP Morgan (NYSE: JPM) and Bank of America (NYSE: BAC). Hopefully, your portfolio captured some or all of this historic upside. But It’s Not Too Late If you missed riding the uptrend higher, or simply want to have a chance to pocket additional gains, it’s… Read More

The financial sector was on fire in 2016. Immense annual gains of 50%, 60%, and greater were pocketed by investors who caught the trend. Don’t worry, I’m not talking about speculative fintech or other risky high-tech financial names. Believe it or not, the outsized gains were made in solid, multi- billion dollar companies like JP Morgan (NYSE: JPM) and Bank of America (NYSE: BAC). Hopefully, your portfolio captured some or all of this historic upside. But It’s Not Too Late If you missed riding the uptrend higher, or simply want to have a chance to pocket additional gains, it’s not too late. I have identified five solid financial stocks that still have tremendous upside potential and pay hefty dividends. #-ad_banner-#Amazingly, these stocks trade in a market that has never had a financial calamity since the 19th century. This industry remained stable during both the Great Depression and the global banking crisis of 2008. This market, the Canadian banking industry, never experienced a financial crisis due to a myriad of reasons that are beyond the scope of this article. Suffice to say; the Canadian banking system is widely considered to be a bastion of stability. In comparison, the United States… Read More

Is it time to invest in energy stocks? Oil prices have been volatile, and there is tremendous excitement in the energy space. The question has always been will oil continue to climb higher, or will the price momentum fade? Maybe the commodity will crash, or maybe it will just keep moving up. No one knows what will happen next, and with many energy stocks are dependent on oil prices, investors are unsure of where they can safely buy in the space. Believe it or not, not all oil company stocks are dependent on the price of crude. I have identified… Read More

Is it time to invest in energy stocks? Oil prices have been volatile, and there is tremendous excitement in the energy space. The question has always been will oil continue to climb higher, or will the price momentum fade? Maybe the commodity will crash, or maybe it will just keep moving up. No one knows what will happen next, and with many energy stocks are dependent on oil prices, investors are unsure of where they can safely buy in the space. Believe it or not, not all oil company stocks are dependent on the price of crude. I have identified five stocks that should continue to climb higher regardless of what happens to oil prices. A History Of Volatility Oil is among the most volatile commodities on earth. Just three years ago, it was trading for over $100 per barrel. Next time it hit the headlines, it had plunged to around $30 per barrel in early 2016. Prices have since climbed back up to around $53.00 per barrel. The volatility is custom made for active futures traders. This hyperactive subset of the investor population can change from long to short instantaneously and profit no matter which way the commodity… Read More

A barrage of telephone calls, from everyone from my credit card company to the local auto dealer, annoyed me over the last week. Remembering back when telemarketing was ubiquitous, I decided to look closer at this resurrected form of marketing — customer contact. We Have All Experienced It You’ve just finished a long day a work and are relaxing around the dinner table with your family. Suddenly, your phone rings and the caller ID shows a number that looks oddly familiar. Reluctant but inquisitive, you take the call. The voice on the other end is pleasant and sounds curiously… Read More

A barrage of telephone calls, from everyone from my credit card company to the local auto dealer, annoyed me over the last week. Remembering back when telemarketing was ubiquitous, I decided to look closer at this resurrected form of marketing — customer contact. We Have All Experienced It You’ve just finished a long day a work and are relaxing around the dinner table with your family. Suddenly, your phone rings and the caller ID shows a number that looks oddly familiar. Reluctant but inquisitive, you take the call. The voice on the other end is pleasant and sounds curiously friendly, asking you non-intrusive questions about your credit card account. However, your intuition tells you that something is not right about this caller. #-ad_banner-#In this case, your intuition is correct. The “person” you were just speaking to isn’t a person at all. It is the latest iteration of artificial intelligence-powered voice recognition and response software. You answered the phone since the number looked familiar, this is not random chance — the number was spoofed to look one you would recognize to increase the likelihood that you would answer the phone. We are in the midst of a revolution in the… Read More

When I first started investing, outside of a few books, there was very limited information on how to pick winning stocks. Today, things are radically different. There is a tremendous number of stock screeners, advice gurus, and stock rating services. But the trick is to find one that works… #-ad_banner-#Investors are always looking for an edge. This is an advantage or unique tactic for locating winning stocks. Some stock market investors choose to find an edge on their own. While this can be a lucrative method, it is often very costly, and may lead down a never-ending rabbit hole of… Read More

When I first started investing, outside of a few books, there was very limited information on how to pick winning stocks. Today, things are radically different. There is a tremendous number of stock screeners, advice gurus, and stock rating services. But the trick is to find one that works… #-ad_banner-#Investors are always looking for an edge. This is an advantage or unique tactic for locating winning stocks. Some stock market investors choose to find an edge on their own. While this can be a lucrative method, it is often very costly, and may lead down a never-ending rabbit hole of misinformation and dead ends. Other investors prefer to take the easy way out by following proven stock rating services to help locate potential winning stocks in a sea of mediocrity. Personally, I utilize nearly every credible resource available, including self-developed screening criteria to pick winning stocks. When I do use a stock rating service, I like to know how it works. In other words, I want to understand the secret sauce behind the stock picks. One of the most popular stock rating services is TheStreet.com’s TheStreet Ratings, which specializes in providing winning stock picks for investors. If you’re already familiar… Read More

Jim Cramer’s investment picks have captured headlines and the dreams of investors for years. This one-time hyper-successful hedge fund manager-turned television personality attracts a huge audience of investors with his market pontifications. His following is so influential that a stock market phenomenon, known as the “Cramer Bounce” often occurs after he touts a particular stock. That’s right, this single individual is thought to have the power to move markets. The Man Behind The Legend Jim Cramer has reached legendary status on Wall Street with his often uncannily accurate stock calls and hyper-energetic persona. Not only has he amassed millions of… Read More

Jim Cramer’s investment picks have captured headlines and the dreams of investors for years. This one-time hyper-successful hedge fund manager-turned television personality attracts a huge audience of investors with his market pontifications. His following is so influential that a stock market phenomenon, known as the “Cramer Bounce” often occurs after he touts a particular stock. That’s right, this single individual is thought to have the power to move markets. The Man Behind The Legend Jim Cramer has reached legendary status on Wall Street with his often uncannily accurate stock calls and hyper-energetic persona. Not only has he amassed millions of followers who hang on his every word, I;ve even seen trading platforms boasting a built-in Jim Cramer stock picks data feed. But Cramer was not always a public persona. Early in his career as a reporter, he was so poor that he lived in his car for several months. Despite creating popular lead stories for high-profile cases like the Ted Bundy murders, Jim was not satisfied with the low pay of a reporter’s life. #-ad_banner-#Seeing a legal career as a way out of the low-income lifestyle, he attended from Harvard Law School and was admitted to the New York Bar… Read More

Dreams sometimes really do come true. The kid that everyone dismisses as a regular daydreamer can change the world with their unconventional ideas. It’s even possible for the child who was obsessed with space travel and other crazy thoughts to turn these dreams into reality. Entrepreneur and billionaire Elon Musk is the embodiment of this type of dreamer. He took the electric cars and space travel he imagined as a child and is working towards making those dreams become a reality. Tesla is now a nearly $43 billion company and SpaceX stock could one day be the next hot IPO. Read More

Dreams sometimes really do come true. The kid that everyone dismisses as a regular daydreamer can change the world with their unconventional ideas. It’s even possible for the child who was obsessed with space travel and other crazy thoughts to turn these dreams into reality. Entrepreneur and billionaire Elon Musk is the embodiment of this type of dreamer. He took the electric cars and space travel he imagined as a child and is working towards making those dreams become a reality. Tesla is now a nearly $43 billion company and SpaceX stock could one day be the next hot IPO. It is nearly certain that Musk takes this same forward-looking approach when investing his own money. I’m very curious about the latest positions taken by this business genius, especially with all the recent publicity on SpaceX. How Musk Made His Fortune Elon was born in Australia in 1971 and hit the global wealthy list in 1999 with the sale of his first company, Zip2, to Compaq for $307 million (of which Musk received $22 million). Rather than relax on the beach for the rest of his life, he used this money to pursue his dreams of changing the world. Read More

Now is the time to get long oil. This is a big change for me; I was a huge oil bear during the “peak oil” craze. It seemed clear that the new extraction technology and the ever-changing geopolitical climate would quickly eliminate the fear of oil becoming scarce. But my investment thesis, to buck oils upward trend, came to fruition faster than I expected. #-ad_banner-#The Light Crude Oil futures contract (WTI Crude) plunged from the $115.00 zone at the start of 2011 to just above $25.00 in the early months of 2016. The bulk of the dive began in mid-2014,… Read More

Now is the time to get long oil. This is a big change for me; I was a huge oil bear during the “peak oil” craze. It seemed clear that the new extraction technology and the ever-changing geopolitical climate would quickly eliminate the fear of oil becoming scarce. But my investment thesis, to buck oils upward trend, came to fruition faster than I expected. #-ad_banner-#The Light Crude Oil futures contract (WTI Crude) plunged from the $115.00 zone at the start of 2011 to just above $25.00 in the early months of 2016. The bulk of the dive began in mid-2014, with a precipitous fall to the lows. Fortunes were made by the oil bears who had the foresight and nerve to short in the face of massive bullish sentiment. The oil sell-off was the primarily the result of a trifecta of factors. First, technology led to a flood of product onto the market. New extraction techniques, such as fracking, allowed producers to access untold barrels of black gold never imagined by the oil bulls. The earth went from potentially running out of oil within our lifetime to virtually unlimited supplies. Second, political events drove prices down. At the start of… Read More