How ‘alternatives’ can fit into a portfolio

“Alternative investments” is the collective name for a diverse group of assets that do not fall into one of the traditional asset classes of stocks or bonds. Alternative assets can include real estate, private equity investments, commodities, infrastructure, hedge funds, collectibles, and even art and… Read More

Major central banks reduce their gold

A central bank is usually the designated investment manager of a country’s reserve assets. It effectively invests on behalf of the country and its citizens. Its key objective is to preserve the value of the assets and to insure against severe financial crises. Apart from… Read More

Please give me your thoughts on Gluskin Sheff + Associates. I enjoy your weekly comments. Thank you for the valuable advice through the past decade.

Gluskin Sheff + Associates, $27.25, symbol GS on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 31.7 million; Market cap: $839.5 million; www.gluskinsheff.com), is a Toronto-based wealth management firm that serves high-net-worth individuals and institutional investors. It has around $8.2 billion in assets under management.

In August 2014, the company acquired… Read More

Pat: I am adjusting my portfolio more to income and safety as I am two years away from retirement. What is your opinion of the Aston Hill VIP Income Fund? Thanks again for all your valuable financial advice.

Aston Hill VIP Income Fund, $8.70, symbol VIP.UN on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 36.0 million; Market cap: $313.2 million; www.astonhill.ca), is a closed-end fund that holds a portfolio of mostly Canadian stocks, as well as bonds and some U.S. stocks. The fund used to be called… Read More