investment

The business of finance seems to attract large numbers of two kinds of people. Some take many things in life way too seriously. Others have a knack for spotting the humour in their work lives, sometimes to a point that jeopardizes their career success.

You can learn a lot about investing if you can bear to listen to the too-serious crowd....
ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, $130.95, Toronto symbol RY, is a buy.

In its fiscal 2022 second quarter, ended April 30, 2022, Royal took back $342 million of the funds it had earlier set aside to cover potential bad loans. That’s due to improving credit quality as the COVID-19 pandemic eases....
The re-opening of offices as COVID-19 restrictions eased helped boost the occupancy levels—and cash flow—of these two REITs. That should also let them maintain their current distributions.


ALLIED PROPERTIES REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST $38 is a buy. The REIT (Toronto symbol AP.UN; Cyclical-Growth Dividend Payer Portfolio, Manufacturing sector; Units outstanding: 128.0 million; Market cap: $4.9 billion; Dividend yield: 4.6%; Dividend Sustainability Rating: Above Average; www.alliedreit.com) owns 200 office buildings and 12 properties under development, mainly in major Canadian cities....
Here’s our three-part formula for how to invest in the stock market for above-average gains—and a bonus tip on how not to invest in the market
MCDONALD’S CORP., $233.91, New York symbol MCD, is your #1 Conservative Buy for 2022.

The company is the world’s largest fast-food chain with over 39,000 restaurants in 119 countries. It serves a wide variety of food but is best known for its hamburgers and french fries....
CANADIAN TIRE CORP., $161.80, Toronto symbol CTC.A, is a buy.

Investors tap the company’s 504 Canadian Tire stores. They sell automotive parts and services, and household and sporting goods; franchisees run most of the locations. Still, the company’s other operations also enrich its outlook....
First, the good news: widening cannabis legalization will eventually lead to some great business successes. The bad news is that only a few of the multitude of cannabis stocks today will pay off for investors. Consumer cannabis demand is high, but growing and distributing it across multiple markets is more difficult....
YAMANA GOLD, $6.37, is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol YRI; Rating: Speculative) (yamana.com; Shares o/s: 961.0 million; Market cap: $6.2 billion; Yield: 2.4%) now plans to seek better terms from its lenders....
BROADRIDGE FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS, $136.60, is a buy. The company (New York symbol BR; TSINetwork Rating: Average) (www.broadridge.com; Shares o/s: 117.2 million; Market cap: $16.5 billion; Divd. yield: 1.9%) continues to be the leader in its expanding markets.


This includes meeting the needs of the financial services industry as it pushes to improve efficiency and lower costs by outsourcing key middle and back-office functions to Broadridge.


As well, new regulations in the U.S....
SUNCOR ENERGY INC. $49 is a buy. The company (Toronto symbol SU; Resources sector; Shares outstanding: 1.44 billion; Market cap: $70.6 billion; Dividend yield: 3.8%; Takeover Target Rating: Medium; www.suncor.com) is Canada’s largest integrated oil firm, with major projects in the Alberta oil sands....