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As part of our portfolio management strategy, we put a lot of importance on the amount of goodwill that a company carries as an asset on its balance sheet.

(We provide personal, in-depth portfolio management services to a small group of investors through Successful Investor Wealth Management....

ISHARES FTSE/XINHUA CHINA 25 INDEX FUND $40.30 (New York Exchange symbol FXI; buy or sell through brokers) is an ETF that aims to track the FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index, which is made up of the 25 largest and most liquid Chinese stocks. All of the stocks in the index trade on the Hong Kong exchange. Some also trade as American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) on the New York exchange. The fund’s top holdings are China Mobile, 10.1%; China Construction Bank, 9.1%; Industrial & Commercial Bank, 7.9%; China Life, 6.3%; Bank of China, 5.8%; Ping An Insurance, 4.6%; China Unicom Hong Kong, 4.3%; CNOOC, 4.3%; China Telecom, 4.2%; and China Merchants Bank, 4.1%. The fund’s holdings give it the following industry breakdown: Financials, 47.1%; Telecommunications, 18.6%; Oil and Gas, 12.3%; Basic Materials, 11.0%; Industrials, 8.0%; Consumer Services, 2.1%; and Utilities, 0.8%. The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.73%. The dividend yield is 2.3%....

ISHARES MSCI EMERGING MARKETS EASTERN EUROPE INDEX FUND $26.34 (New York Exchange symbol ESR; buy or sell through brokers), is an ETF that aims to track the MSCI Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index. The fund’s geographic breakdown is as follows: Russia, 73.7%; Poland, 14.2%; Czech Republic 5.7%; and Hungary, 4.9%. iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index Fund’s top holdings are Gazprom (Russia: gas utility), 19.9%; Lukoil (Russia: oil), 9.8%; Sberbank (Russia: bank), 8.8%; MMC Norilsk Nickel (Russia: mining), 4.7%; Mobile TeleSystems (Russia: wireless), 4.4%; Rosneft Oil (Russia: oil), 3.7%; Surgutneftegas (Russia: oil and gas), 3.2%; CEZ AS (Poland: utility), 2.9%; PKO Bank Polski SA (Poland: bank), 3.0%; and Tatnef (Russia: oil), 2.9%....

ISHARES MSCI BRAZIL INDEX FUND $70.55 (New York Exchange symbol EWZ; buy or sell through brokers), is an exchange-traded fund that is designed to track the Brazilian stock market. The fund’s top holdings are Petrobras preferred shares (energy), 9.4%; Cia Vale do Rio Doce (mining) preferred shares, 9.3%; Itau Unibanco Multiplo SA (banking), 9.0%; Petrobras common shares, 7.9%; Cia Vale do Rio Doce common shares, 6.8%; Banco Bradesco preferred shares (banking), 5.2%; Itausa-Investimentos Itau (conglomerate), 3.4%; Cia de Bebidas das Americas preferred shares (beer and other beverages), 3.1%; BM&F Bovespa SA (Brazilian stock exchange), 2.7%; and OGX Petroleo e Gas Patricipa (energy), 2.6%. The ETF’s industry breakdown is as follows: Materials, 26.2%; Financials, 25.1%; Energy, 20.6%; Consumer Staples, 8.8%; Utilities, 5.6%; Consumer Discretionary, 5.3%; Industrials, 3.3%; Telecommunication Services, 2.8%; and Information Technology, 2.0%. The fund has an expense ratio of 0.65%....

ISHARES S&P INDIA NIFTY 50 INDEX FUND $27.04 (Nasdaq symbol INDY; buy or sell through brokers), is an ETF that aims to track the S&P CNX Nifty Index, which represents the 50 largest, most liquid Indian securities on the National Stock Exchange of India. The fund’s top holdings are Reliance Industries (conglomerate), 10.2%; Infosys Technologies (software), 8.3%; ICICI Bank, 6.9%; Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (conglomerate), 6.2%; ITC Ltd. (conglomerate), 5.4%; Housing Development Finance, 5.2%; HDFC Bank, 4.8%; State Bank of India, 4.7%; Oil and Natural Gas Corp., 2.8%; and Tata Consulting Services (information technology), 2.8%. The fund’s industry breakdown includes: Banks, 19.6%; Computers: Software, 13.0%; Refineries, 10.9%; Cigarettes, 5.4%; Finance: Housing, 5.2%; Automobiles, 4.7%; Power, 4.6%; Steel and Steel Products, 4.4%; Oil Exploration and Production, 3.8%; and Electrical Equipment, 3.7%....

GLOBAL X SILVER MINERS ETF $16.20 (New York symbol SIL; buy or sell through brokers) tracks the Solactive Global Silver Miners Index. This index includes between 20 and 40 international companies that mine, refine or explore for silver. Germany-based Structured Solutions AG developed this index....

As a member of TSI Network, you’re likely aware that we’ve just released a new free special report, Commodity Investments: Fertilizer Stocks and Potash Stocks That Will Profit from Rising Food Demand. (If you haven’t seen this new free report, click here to download your copy right away.) We wrote Commodity Investments: Fertilizer Stocks and Potash Stocks That Will Profit from Rising Food Demand in response to rising investor interest in agricultural commodities. This interest is largely the result of BHP Billiton’s (symbol BHP on New York) $38.6-billion takeover bid for Potash Corp. (symbol POT on Toronto), as well as sharp increases in commodity prices, notably wheat. ...

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%. iShares S&P/TSX Global Gold Index Fund began trading on March 23, 2001. The fund’s top-ten holdings are Barrick Gold at 18.6%; Goldcorp., 13.1%; Newmont Mining, 11.9%; AngloGold Ashanti (ADR), 6.2%; Kinross, 4.7%; Eldorado Gold, 4.2%; Agnico-Eagle, 4.2%; Gold Fields (ADR), 4.1%; Randgold Resources (ADR), 3.3%; and Yamana Gold, 3.1%....

Members of Pat McKeough’s Inner Circle sometimes ask us how to find good investments for young children. If children are under the age of 18, they cannot yet invest as adults. However, there are a couple of savings and investment options available:

1. You (or the child) can open a bank account in the child’s name: Interest paid on small balances may range from zero to, say, 0.50% annually, paid monthly. All of the major banks have special bank accounts for children, usually without service fees on basic transactions. However, once the child has accumulated $500, he or she could move the money into an interest-paying guaranteed investment certificate (GIC).
2. Informal in-trust account: If you want to build up an investment portfolio for a child, then an informal in-trust account is a low-cost and flexible option. (Investments or investment accounts in the name of a child must be set up in trust because minors are not allowed to enter into binding financial contracts.) An adult must be responsible for providing the investment instructions and signing the contract on the child’s behalf. An informal in-trust account has a donor (or “settlor”) who contributes funds to the trust. The trustee is the person in charge of the account, and is responsible for managing the funds for the child (the “beneficiary”). The settlor should not act as the trustee. The settlor’s spouse can be a trustee, however. The money belongs to the child, but only the trustee can make withdrawals if the child is under the age of 18. Once the child reaches 18, the money is theirs to do with as they wish.
   
   

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MANULIFE FINANCIAL $12.53 (Toronto symbol MFC; Shares outstanding: 1.8 billion; Market cap: $22.1 billion; SI Rating: Above Average; Dividend yield: 4.2%) sells life and other forms of insurance, as well as mutual funds and investment-management services. It operates globally, and has $453.9 billion of assets under management. In the three months ended June 30, 2010, Manulife lost $2.4 billion, or $1.36 a share. Canada’s conservative accounting rules forced it to set aside $3.2 billion, mostly to increase reserves for its variable annuities. (Under U.S. accounting rules, it would have actually reported a small earnings increase in the latest quarter.) A year earlier, it earned $1.8 billion, or $1.09 a share. To cut risk, Manulife has hedged, or insured, more of its variable annuities against falling stock markets. Its hedges now cover 51% of these investments, up from 20% in 2009. It’s aiming for 70% by 2012....

Every Wednesday, we publish our “Investor Toolkit” series on TSI Network. Whether you’re a new or experienced investor, these weekly updates are designed to give you specific advice on successful investing. Each Investor Toolkit update gives you a fundamental tip and shows you how you can put it into practice right away. Today’s tip: “Selling your stock market picks costs money, and that’s why successful investors do it as little as possible.” Investors often ask, “When should I sell my stocks? If I sell now, I’ll nail down big profits. But I’ll have to pay heavy capital gains taxes.”...

Members of Pat McKeough’s Inner Circle sometimes ask us whether a reverse mortgage would be a good way to tap into the equity they have built up in their homes. Reverse mortgages in Canada typically let homeowners who are 60 years of age or older borrow on their home equity (maximum 40% loan-to-value ratio). The loan and accumulated interest are repaid only if the house is sold or from the proceeds of the estate. Generally, the borrower will get between 28% and 33% of the value of their home, depending on their age and the location and type of home. ...

BHP Billiton’s (symbol BHP on New York) $38.6-billion takeover bid for Potash Corp. (symbol POT on Toronto) has attracted a lot of investor attention to commodity investments lately.

In light of the takeover bid and other recent changes in this fast-moving sector, I’ve written a new free report. Click here to immediately download my new free report, Commodity Investments: Fertilizer Stocks and Potash Stocks That Will Profit from Rising Food Demand....

A number of our Inner Circle members have asked our opinion on global stock market investing in recent months, particularly companies that operate in fast-growing emerging markets. Some of these companies may not be well-known to North American investors. However, if it’s possible to invest in these stocks through North American markets, our team of independent investment experts is happy to look into them. We then share our research with all of our Inner Circle members, along with the original member’s question (of course, we eliminate any personal information). We reserve our specific buy/sell/hold advice for Inner Circle members, of course. But to give you an idea of the depth of our research, here are two recent examples of member questions about global stock market investing. One is about a Spanish telecommunications company that’s part of a joint venture to expand China’s wireless networks. The other is about a growing Philippine fast-food chain....

Every Wednesday, we publish our “Investor Toolkit” series on TSI Network. Whether you’re a new or experienced investor, these weekly updates are designed to give you specific advice on successful investing. Each Investor Toolkit update gives you a fundamental tip and shows you how you can put it into practice right away. Today’s tip: “Some of today’s best investments are in high tech. So are some of the worst.” Today’s fast-changing technology offers huge opportunities in technology stocks. However, fast change also brings danger....

Many Canadian firms have tried to expand into the U.S. over the years. Some, like Royal Bank of Canada (symbol RY on Toronto) have had difficulty in the United States. Other companies’ expansion efforts have failed miserably. Canadian Tire (symbol CTC.A on Toronto) provides a memorable example of a failed U.S. expansion. In 1982, the retailer bought a chain of Whites automotive-retail stores in Texas. By 1985, Canadian Tire had lost $300 million on this purchase. That’s when the company decided to sell the division and retreat to Canada. Its stock price has since gone up more than 360%. Canadian Tire is one of the stocks we cover in our Successful Investor newsletter. ...

Wheat prices have almost doubled, from a low of $4.25 per bushel on June 9 of this year to a recent high of $8.15. That’s mainly because Russia banned wheat exports to preserve its stockpiles in the face of a severe drought and widespread wildfires. Despite the jump, wheat is still well below its 2008 high of $13.34. Moreover, the U.S. and Europe expect to have large crops this year. And farmers are already planning to plant more wheat this fall to take advantage of high prices. That could lead to a glut of wheat next year. Wheat’s recent rise illustrates the cyclical and volatile nature of commodity prices. Still, agricultural prices should move higher in the long term, mainly because rising populations in developing countries will increase demand....

When building your stock portfolio, it’s crucial to follow our advice on downplaying stocks that seem to be near-universally recommended by brokers and are getting a lot of favourable media coverage. That’s because, in investing, familiarity can breed excessive feelings of comfort, security and performance.

(Downplaying stocks in the broker/public relations limelight is part of our three-part investing program....

Every Wednesday, we publish our “Investor Toolkit” series on TSI Network. Whether you’re a new or experienced investor, these weekly updates are designed to give you specific advice on successful investing. Each Investor Toolkit update gives you a fundamental tip and shows you how you can put it into practice right away. Today’s tip: “Home improvements raise home values less than you think.” Owning your primary residence can be a great financial deal. Mortgage payments amount to forced savings, a home is an inflation hedge, and capital gains are tax-free. But don’t fritter away your gains by excessive upgrading, or frequent moving....

Gold now trades at around $1,226.00 U.S. an ounce. That’s up 28.2% from $956 a year ago, but down from its all-time high of $1,261.00 U.S., where it closed on June 28, 2010. Gold’s recent gains have partly resulted from investor fears about the sovereign debts of European countries, especially Greece and Spain. That’s creating uncertainty about the strength of the euro. These fears are prompting more investors to buy gold and gold investments, because they believe investing in gold will provide them with additional security. We think gold could well move higher over the longer term, due to investor concern that low interest rates and large amounts of government stimulus spending will spur inflation. This could prompt even more investors to flock into gold —and drive prices up even higher....

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, it is also essential to diversify your holdings within each economic sector — including Canadian finance. Other types of financial investments, such as non-bank financial companies, should also play a role in your portfolio. ...

Ottawa’s new tax on income trusts comes into effect just over four months from now, on January 1, 2011. When it does, it will put trusts on an equal footing with regular corporations. Right now, income trusts pay out a high percentage of their cash flows to their unitholders. This lets them avoid paying corporate taxes. It also gives many of them significantly higher yields than a lot of dividend-paying common stocks. Many income trusts have already converted to conventional corporations in response to the new tax, or plan to do so later in 2010 or in early 2011. Others will continue to operate as trusts....

Every Wednesday, we publish our “Investor Toolkit” series on TSI Network. Whether you’re a new or experienced investor, these weekly updates are designed to give you specific advice on successfully investing your money. Each Investor Toolkit update gives you a fundamental tip and shows you how you can put it into practice right away. Today’s tip: “Starting a business is a gamble, but payoffs can be huge and planning cuts the risk.” Canadians can still get rich as employees — ask any Canadian bank president. However, high-paying jobs are hard to find. Most corporate structures are pyramid-shaped, with a few high-paying positions at the top and many lower-paying jobs down below. Moreover, because of the recession and continued high unemployment, more people than ever are vying for jobs — especially those that pay well....

The U.S. restaurant industry is highly competitive. Restaurant operators range from large chains, like McDonald’s and Burger King, to independent businesses and smaller chains, like Ruby Tuesday (symbol RT on New York). We cover Ruby Tuesday in Stock Pickers Digest, our newsletter for aggressive investing. (Ruby Tuesday has shot up 42% for us in the past year, and a continued economic rebound could help push this hot stock pick’s share price even higher. See below for more on the company’s future prospects.) Overall, the U.S. restaurant industry has faced tough challenges in the past two years. That’s because the economic downturn has prompted more consumers to eat at home, or to spend less when they dine out....

Apple Inc. (symbol AAPL on Nasdaq) continues to see strong sales of its iPad tablet computer: in April and May of 2010, the company sold 2 million of these devices. At this rate, Apple should sell many more iPads than the 6 million it was expected to sell in the first year. As well, Apple is now selling the iPad outside the U.S. That should further push up sales. ...