Being a trader for an investment bank has never been a stress free job. Besides the usual demands to generate profit, you are either looking ahead at your next opportunity, or over your shoulder to see if an axe is heading your way. It is not uncommon for some firms to over-hire in the good times, then conduct mass layoffs when things eventually turn sour. This time around, everyone is a little more tense and still waiting for someone to sound a horn signalling all clear.   There have been t... Read Full Story

From the wire: -BANK OF CANADA CUTS KEY RATE BY 25 BP TO 0.25 PCT; NARROWS OPERATING BAND TO 1/4 POINT FROM 1/2 PT BOC - WILL PROVIDE FRAMEWORK ON THURS FOR NONCONVENTIONAL POLICY, DOESN’T COMMIT TO IMMEDIATE ACTION BOC-OVERNIGHT TARGET RATE BECOMES DEPOSIT RATE, WHICH IS LOWER LIMIT OF OPERATING BAND -KEY RATE CAN BE EXPECTED TO STAY UNCHANGED UNTIL END Q2 2010, CONDITIONAL ON INFLATION OUTLOOK -BOC SEES GDP GROWTH -3 PCT IN 2009 (REV FROM -1.2 PCT IN JAN), +2.5 PCT IN 2010 (REV FROM ... Read Full Story

 One year ago,  the Bank of Canada cut interest rates by 0.5% to 3%. Today we sit at a target rate of 0.5% and the question on every-one’s mind is: what will they do tomorrow? In truth, it’s more like what can they do. With rates already at historical lows, another 0.25% cut will likely have a small impact on lending. Most economists are predicting the bank will stand pat and not cut. However, the futures market where people are placing bets on the decision tell a slightly differe... Read Full Story

Many individual investors are completely unaware that some of the industry’s most powerful and meaningful tools are available free online. One of those tools is bank written economic reports. While most financial research written is intended for client use only, economic reports tend to be public. One of the major driving factors behind this is media exposure. Business journalists need access to economic reports to write stories and quote authors. The more an economist is quoted in th... Read Full Story

Future economists will look back on the slow death of General Motors and marvel at how the story evolved. Books will be written and perhaps even a movie made about the collapse of the greatest industry in America. The latest chapter in this hallowed story will be completed before April 27th. That date appears to be the deadline for GM’s planned all-equity offering for bondholders. GM currently has a total of about 27.5 billion dollars worth of debt that is held by bondholders. Unfortuna... Read Full Story

Dow Jones Industrial Average on April 15 2009 On March 6th 2009 the Dow Industrial Average (DJIA) bottomed out at 6,469.95. As we write this commentary, the Dow has risen to 7,960, an increase of 23% in just 40 days. Of course, compared to the 52 week high of 13,136.69, the Dow is still down about 40%. So the question is: Has the Dow peaked? Looking at the attached chart, we can see that market has been in a defined downward trend. The technical analyst in all of us would then look to see if ... Read Full Story

We're 1 Today! One year ago today INVESTIZMO was launched, and what a ride it has been. Looking over some of our early posts, one has to wonder who could have predicted the outcome of  the past 365 days. We had some correct calls, some, not so much. Highlights:  Tutorial on Asset Backed Commercial Paper Foreshadowed US Economic woes Silly, Bubbly, then Insane Oil Prices Unfortunately, markets took a bit (read: huge) of a dive in the summer of 2008.  Priorities changed and posting stoppe... Read Full Story

I always get a lot of question asking how someone becomes a trader. The truth is that there is no simple answer, it is a combination of education, ability, personality, drive & luck. I’ll quickly go over them below:   Education At a minimum a University Bachelor in Commerce/Economics and preferably some industry courses. All the large institutions recruit at the major Universities in September for positions beginning after graduation in June/Aug. There are usually two types of posit... Read Full Story

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The mess in the credit market is the fault of the rating agencies. Had they not misled investors by giving high ratings to toxic investments, things would be very different today. The Financial Times has a great article on an “error” found in the rating algorithms of rating agency Moody’s.  Apparently once Moody’s discovered the problem, they decided it was best to keep the investment’s inflated rating instea... Read Full Story

Today the Toronto Stock Exchange Index (TSX) hit 15,000 points, its highest number ever. Even though 15,000 is purely a nominal number, skewed heavily by a small number of companies granted heavy weightings by the indexing formula, now is as good a time as any to reflect on the past 10 years.   Why 10 years? Well, firstly that is as far back as my graph will go. More importantly, it is a period that encompasses two market cycles (the second is yet to be completed). Looking at the far left In... Read Full Story