Economy Archives - Page 4 of 7

Investing in speculations: an oxymoron

Is that investment you’re considering an actual investment? Or are you speculating?

By Herman VanGenderen November 2, 2018

Are cryptocurrencies and marijuana stocks investments? How about a technology company like Tesla? I can’t seem to have a conversation without being asked about these types of companies, although the cryptocurrency discussion has declined with their prices. Let’s look at the financials of Tilray, a marijuana stock, and Tesla. At the time of writing Tilray […] Read more

Wheat and Canadian Money or dollar or currency in double exposure shot, concept for earnings or spend in Agriculture

Features, News

Farm debt in Western Canada

Our debt levels are increasing, but our debt-to-equity ratios are holding steady

By Leeann Minogue October 29, 2018

The headline of an article released by FCC near the end of September was a little worrying: “What does a new high in farm debt mean for the ag sector?” Between 2016 and 2017, total Canadian farm debt increased by 6.6 per cent to more than $100 billion. In Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, the increase […] Read more

Columns

Cash flow is king. A simple measurement that helps you evaluate a company

Investing for Fun and Profit with Herman VanGenderen

By Herman VanGenderen September 17, 2018

What’s more important than profits? Well of course family, friends and health, but what about in a business? My favorite valuation measure is actually cash flow. Everyone has heard the saying that “cash is king.” At today’s interest rates I would argue that cash is a waste of money, but cash flow is king! Most […] Read more

Columns, Marketing

A second chance for good grain prices?

Changes in world markets may give us another chance to lock in high prices

By Brian Wittal September 13, 2018

As the summer continued we saw a continuation of hot and dry weather across much of the Prairies and parts of the U.S. central growing region, not to mention other parts of the world like Australia, the EU, Russia and South America. This raised concerns of potentially tightened world supplies which pushed market values back up to the […] Read more

General, Markets

Consider hedging against rate hikes, farmers advised

By GFM Network News July 11, 2018

CNS Canada — The Bank of Canada has raised its benchmark interest rate to 1.5 per cent, marking the fourth time it has raised rates since last summer. The increase from 1.25 per cent is the base rate retail banks pay for short-term loans, but consumer rates for mortgages, lines of credit and other loans […] Read more

Columns

Where in the world should we invest?

Time to get down to the details and choose the stocks for your TFSA portfolio

By Herman VanGenderen May 30, 2018

With the groundwork for international diversification laid in my previous column, let’s now complete “construction” of a prospective TFSA portfolio begun on March 27. This prospective portfolio would be suitable for an account of $15,000 to $57,500, the current maximum TFSA contribution if you hadn’t made a previous contribution, and you were 18 years of […] Read more

Columns, Guarding Wealth

Watching risk and interest rates

Guarding Wealth: There’s a gulf opening between the borrowing costs and what you can get on a GIC

By Andrew Allentuck May 9, 2018

Interest rates are rising in the U.S. and Canada. That brings opportunity to those putting money into savings accounts and guaranteed income certificates, but also pressure on those who borrow. Global politics, trade negotiations and the sheer risk of investing are separating returns on investments from the cost of borrowing. Trend setting government bond interest […] Read more

Editor's column, Wheat & Chaff

Editor’s Column: Not planning for a record year

By Leeann Minogue March 13, 2018

While most of our seeding plans have been locked in for months due to rotations and seed purchases, like most grain farmers, we’re still doing some fine tuning at the margins. Should we grow lentils? Nobody seems to be predicting that Indian import markets will change any time soon. But they grew so well last […] Read more

The Cosco KHI231 container ship is 400 metres long, with a deck larger than four soccer fields.

Columns, Hart Attacks

Big boats and Bitcoin boggle me

Keeping up with new technology is a full-time job. Lee Hart hopes there’s no test

By Lee Hart February 9, 2018

Imagine my excitement the other day when I saw China had just launched another of the world’s largest container ships. All I could think about was how much great merchandise this boat could carry to my nearest Canadian Tire Store. So much good stuff — much of it I probably need. But then I read […] Read more

Columns, Guarding Wealth

Analysts say bond markets may be foretelling bad news

Guarding Wealth: Economic trouble ahead if government bond long yields fall below shorts

By Andrew Allentuck January 29, 2018

From the back rooms of bond research departments comes the disheartening news that the yield curve for U.S. Treasury bonds is flattening and could invert next year, causing a kink where rates rise for a while and then drop. Somewhere between one day and 30 years, which is the usual span of the curve, the […] Read more

U.S. livestock: Cattle markets up ahead of report

U.S. grains: Soybean futures fall after Trump-Xi call

Prairie Wheat Weekly: Western Canadian bids slightly decline

GFM Network News