There’s no mistaking it, summer is here (for most of Canada) and it’s a scorcher. Of course, for Canada’s discount brokerages, it’s not just the heat that’s causing them to sweat, it’s also the hurried pace they’re moving at to position for what’s shaping up to be a very busy fall season. In this edition […]

It’s hard to believe but the halfway point of 2018 is just around the corner. Heading into the Canada Day long weekend, it’s an opportune time to review the latest activities from the second quarter of 2018 and see what stories made waves, as well as some of the trends we see taking shape in […]

There are lots of reasons to cheer as summer officially started this week and, of course, its Friday. For Canadian DIY investors, and much of the world really, the news coming out of the US has dominated airwaves. And, while nobody really knows exactly what’s going to happen next, it’s interesting to see how the […]

There is no doubt that deal making is an art. Sometimes it’s a Michelangelo, sometimes it’s a Pollock, sometimes it’s a Vandelay. In either case, online brokerages know that like beauty, a good deal is in the eye of the beholder. This week we know we’ve seen all kinds of ‘deals’ make the news but […]

As any seasoned investor knows, the stock market is one very big voting machine. And, while there is no ‘leader’ per se, those stocks that get to the top are those that enrich their shareholders. Heading into the end of this week, there’s certainly been a lot of news about politics, which has everyone guessing […]

Even though it was a tough week for hacking scandals, pipeline purchases and provincial politics, none of it mattered because Kim Kardashian visited the US President, J.R. Smith royally messed up game 1 for the Cavs, the US touched off a trade war with Canada and other trading partners. Even for traders who relish in […]

Though this was a short week because of the holidays, there was still a healthy dose of news to digest and trade around. For Canadian online brokerages, the race is on not only to report some of the big news but to put a creative spin on it. In this week’s roundup we go to […]

Being online can sometimes be an occupational hazard. Case in point: Laurel or Yanny. Despite having captured the imagination of the internet and having squandered so many people’s valuable time there’s a lesson in here for online brokerages, which is to get attention online, you have to be interesting. In this edition of the roundup […]

Eventually spring was bound to show up. And, like the green shoots, flowers and sunshine, it’s a time for change and opportunity. Fortuitously, Canadian discount brokerages are also taking their cues from spring and rolling out some interesting new items for the season. In this edition of the roundup we take a look at a […]

The old trading adage of sell in May and go away clearly did not apply to this week’s market activity. It’s still early enough in the month that anything can happen, however. With the announcement of the end of decades of hostilities between North and South Korea, it’s as good as any segue into the […]

For traders of Canadian securities listed on the TSX/TSX-V and Montreal Exchange, the weekend showed up a little earlier than anyone expected. With trading on these markets halted, it was an opportune time for the Toronto crowd to tune into the wizardry of the Toronto Raptors. Of course, online brokerages in Canada are used to […]

For many sports fans, playoffs are the time of year when things get really exciting. Fortunately, sports fans aren’t the only ones being treated to contests as DIY investors and online brokerages have contests of their own making headlines. Of course some games take longer than others to win and require some creativity to get […]

Friday the 13th seems like an unlucky date for those in the path of a spring-time ice storm (sorry Toronto!) and for others, well, the search for ice is really just to keep drinks cold.  Yes, this edition of the roundup is coming to you from the sunny and warm beaches of Huatulco, Mexico where […]

Welcome to April 2018, where the invisible hand has taken to typing away tweets to move markets. The power of digital platforms and the importance of making deals coincidentally happen to be two important themes that Canadian online brokerages are also picking up on, although in a far less blustery manner. In this edition of […]

What better way to cap off March and segue into Easter than with the talk of goodies and mythical bunnies bearing gifts? For Canadian DIY investors hunting for new and exciting features it seems like the best place to look at the moment is further south where all kinds of interesting trader treats are already […]

Now that spring has sprung, it’s time to dive right into the next season head first. For online brokerages, after RRSP season comes tax return season. Judging by the response so far to the next busiest time of the year after RSPs, it seems like most Canadian discount brokerages are now shifting gears to figure […]

March Madness is here. Whether that means trying to entertain kids who are off school, figuring out brackets and odds, or making sense of any given news day, keeping up with all of what’s going on and still having time to invest is no easy feat. For those in the online brokerage space – as […]

From real war to trade war, what are either good for? Attention apparently. As provinces and countries trade barbs, online brokerages battling one another have turned to toasting rather than roasting. It was a very full week for Canada’s discount brokerages so there’s lots to get to in this week’s roundup. First, we dive in […]

Whether or not we like it, we can’t seem to avoid politics drifting into markets. One thing there is no shortage of, however, is controversy. This week is no exception. With uncertainty creeping into markets, how online brokerages are navigating their way through a very dynamic situation is both exciting and, at times, nerve wracking. […]

It’s hard to believe but time flies when you’re winning medals. Team Canada has had a great run at these Olympic games and not too long after the games are over so too will some online brokerage deals and promos as well as the chance to contribute to RSPs for the 2017 tax year. With […]