Stocks
Gold and silver continue to rise. Gold is up 30% from a year ago, and is trading at $1,248 U.S. an ounce. Silver is at $19.35 U.S. an ounce, up 38%.
Gold and silver could well move higher over the longer term, although they will likely remain volatile. Higher prices would arise from investor fears that low interest rates and governments …read more »
ISHARES S&P/TSX GLOBAL GOLD INDEX FUND $24.22 (Toronto symbol XGD; buy or sell through brokers) aims to mirror the performance of the S&P/TSX Global Gold Index.
This index is made up of gold stocks from Canada and around the world. The weight of any one company is capped at 25% of the index’s market capitalization. The fund’s MER is 0.55%. …read more »
You can enhance your long-term investment results by following these 5 key stock trading tips. They’ve long been part of the advice we give in our investment services and newsletters, including Canadian Wealth Advisor, our advisory for conservative investing.
1. No stock can ever be so undervalued or desirable that it overcomes a lack of integrity on the part of company insiders: …read more »
TIM HORTONS $37.27 (Toronto symbol THI; SI Rating: Average)
(905-845-6511; www.timhortons.com; Shares outstanding: 174.3 million; Market cap: $6.5 billion; Dividend yield: 1.4%) operates 3,040 coffee-and-donut shops in Canada, and 587 in the U.S. Franchisees operate 99.5% of its stores.
In the three months ended July 4, 2010, Tim Hortons earned $94.1 million. That’s up 21.0% from $77.8 million a year earlier. …read more »
INTUITIVE SURGICAL $314.05 (Nasdaq symbol ISRG; SI Rating: Average) (515-507-5000; www.intuitivesurgical.com; Shares outstanding: 39.4 million; Market cap: $12.4 billion; No dividends paid) makes the “da Vinci,” a computerized surgical system. Intuitive’s shares trade at a high price, but you can buy as few as you wish through any broker.
Guided by a miniature camera connected to a 3-D monitor, surgeons use …read more »
INTACT FINANCIAL CORP. $44.85 (Toronto symbol IFC; SI Rating: Speculative) (416-341-1464; www.intactfc.com; Shares outstanding: 114.6 million; Market cap: $5.1 billion; Dividend yield: 3.0%) is Canada’s largest provider of property and casualty insurance, based on premiums. Its brands include Intact Insurance, Canada BrokerLink, belairdirect and Grey Power.
Intact has two product lines: Its personal products, which contribute 70% of its premiums, include …read more »
BIRCHCLIFF ENERGY $9.60 (Toronto symbol BIR; SI Rating: Speculative) (403-261-6401; www.birchcliffenergy.com; Units outstanding: 124.8 million; Market cap: $1.2 billion) develops, produces and explores for oil and natural gas, mainly in the Peace River Arch area near the Alberta/B.C. border.
In the three months ended June 30, 2010, Birchcliff’s production rose 9.3%, to 12,357 barrels of oil equivalent per day (this measurement …read more »
DOREL INDUSTRIES $35.18 (Toronto symbol DII.B; SI Rating: Extra Risk) (514-731-0000; www.dorel.com;Shares outstanding: 32.9 million; Market cap: $1.2 billion; Dividend yield: 1.7%) makes a wide range of products, including ready-to assemble home and office furniture; juvenile products, such as car seats, strollers, high chairs, toddler beds and cribs; home furnishings, including chairs, tables, bunk beds, futons and step stools; and …read more »
Regardless of whether you follow an aggressive or conservative investing approach, we continue to recommend that you own shares of at least two of Canada’s big-five banks — Bank of Montreal, Royal Bank, CIBC, TD Bank and Bank of Nova Scotia.
However, banks shouldn’t be the extent of your Canadian financial holdings. To increase your profits and cut your risk, …read more »
Like most newspaper publishers, Torstar has suffered because of free or low-cost Internet competition in news and ads, as well as the recession. In response, it aggressively cut its costs, which helped it stay profitable, despite the weak economy.
Torstar’s lower costs put it in a strong position to gain as the economy rebounds. Rising revenue from its Harlequin subsidiary and …read more »
