Recent content by Fortunato

Not exactly. Virtually everyone agrees with the weak form of EMT (past prices do not affect future price movements), and most agree with the semi-strong form (all public information is incorporated into the prices)... few agree with the strong form (all information is included). As for Buffet...

While I agree with a lot of what you said, some corrections are in order.... No, they don't. Real estate does have issues, but nearly any long term study you can quote will find that real estate investing (diversified portfolios, unleveraged) has (1) slightly higher returns, in the 11 - 13%...

While I generally agree with your correction, there are indeed circumstances in which you can access "locked in" funds.... see my previous link for the rules in Ontario. Best regards, F.

LIRA are legislated provincially... hence, it's easier to access in some provinces than in others. For Ontario, this might help: http://www.fsco.gov.on.ca/English/pubs/consumerbrochures/applying_for_special_access-EN.pdf Best regards, F.

You are confusing a defined benefits plan (your traditional "pension", where issues like funding and company viability are relevant, and where there are actually portfolio managers investing the assets) with defined contribution plans. Defined contribution plans are essentially mutual fund...

The advantages of "defined contribution" are generally with the employer... it gives them certainty over their future pension liability. If the actuaries are using unrealistic assumptions about low future benefits or high asset returns, defined contribution could also protect you at the time of...

That's kind of a silly question... it's like asking what is better, government bonds or joint accounts (which may or may not include government bonds)? Real estate is an asset class (just like equities, bonds, etc.) and has fairly distinct risk and return characteristics. Each asset class...

And those words remain true. ANY MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT COULD HAVE MADE IT AN ISSUE. INCLUDING YOUR EXAMPLE, MR. HANGAR - who has been in Parliament since 1993. ANY MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT COULD HAVE INTRODUCED A PRIVATE MEMBER'S BILL. Not true. There is no "backpedalling", and I made...

What are you talking about? 1. Are you suggesting that the members of the Conservative party suddenly "materialised" out of thin air in 2004, having never been in politics before? I assure you, most of the 100 or so current MPs in the Conservative Party have been in Parliament for many, many...

Relax, Sport. First, there is no "prostitution law". And while it is true that defining the Criminal Code is under Federal jurisdiction, law ENFORCEMENT is a provincial matter in nearly all cases (that's why the hemp-heads in BC aren't afraid of possession charges anymore... the province...

I'm guessing you guys have never actually talked to the man. He makes some valid points on occasion, and I have no problem with his calling the corporate/investment world to task (indeed, that is something to be praised). But the comical "chicken little" drama techniques he uses to promote all...

Which is absolutely true. Every Chartered Bank maintains that they can change their Prime rate whenever they want, to whatever they want. Participants in a free market have that right, you know. How is this "inconsistent", let alone wrong? The Overnight Target rate is not a "market", sport...

Like any of their published rates, comparing "Prime" rates should not really be used as evidence of competition (all rates are negotiable, and the negotiation determines how much you actually pay...). As for your last question, take the example where Bank A has a Prime rate of 4%, and Bank B...

They haven't always - most importantly, they don't HAVE to. Looking at a couple of years, especially in an extremely accomodative environment, doesn't mean the relationship has always been like that, or that it always will. Average (not uniform) prime to bank rate premiums have ranged from...

Yes, it is true. You just don't read or understand well. Neither what I posted, nor your link. Again. I never claimed the overnight rate does not INFLUENCE... I said that its influence is restricted to "information" value about what the bank is targeting for short term rates - signalling...