Making sense of the markets this week: January 16 + MORE Jan 14th

Unlike at-home haircuts and hoarding toilet paper, do-it-yourself investing is a trend from the pandemic that’s here to stay. In 2020 alone, more than two million Canadians opened new self-directed investment accounts to buy and sell stocks and other securities—that’s more than twice the people who did the year before.

Regulators worry that without professional advice, investors with limited knowledge and information may lose money. You don’t need a degree in finance to be a successful investor, but it helps to have a carefully considered strategy. The key is common sense: Know your investing goals, be realistic about your risk tolerance, consider your time horizon and base your decisions on thorough research.

Let’s take a closer look at these four factors.

1. Set your investment goals

What are you saving up for—a short-term goal like home renovations or a wedding? Or a long-term goal like retirement or funding your child’s education? Your financial goals can help determine what investments you choose and which account types to use…

Cut the Crap Investing founder Dale Roberts shares financial headlines and offers context for Canadian investors

Growth vs the Fed: the battle of 2022

This year’s battle for the markets is shaping up. In one corner we have ongoing economic growth. In the other corner we have the Fed. 

Let’s get ready to ruuuuuuummmmbbbbllllle!!!

When I made sense of 2021, we looked at commentary from LPL research that framed the growth prospects for 2022. 

“An expanding economy is a great start, but stocks fundamentally derive their value from earnings. On the top line, the environment for companies to grow revenue next year should be excellent, with potential for above-average economic growth and some pricing power from elevated inflation. Revenue growth has historically been well correlated to nominal GDP growth, which is simply real GDP growth (the inflation-adjusted number that’s normally reported) plus inflation. Our 4% to 4.5% real GDP growth forecast for next year plus perhaps 3% inflation (about the consensus forecast for the increase in the Consumer Price Index) puts a 7% revenue increase in play…

If you’re like many Canadians, you’re hoping you’ve paid enough tax in 2021 and may even be looking forward to a hefty tax refund. (The deadline for filing this year is April 30, 2022, which is on a Saturday, by the way. So you actually have until May 2, 2022 to file.) You can help ensure that happens by knowing the details of your registered retirement savings plan (RRSP), what sets them apart, your contribution limit and a whole slew of other things. Here are the basics:
What’s an RRSP?
A registered retirement savings plan, or an RRSP, is a savings account that you open at a bank or other financial institution. It is registered by the federal government of Canada for tax savings, and you can contribute to the account up to an annual maximum amount. 
What’s special about RRSPs?
Contributions to RRSPs are deductible, meaning they can be used to reduce your taxes. Any income you earn in the RRSP is usually exempt from tax as long as the funds remain in the plan; you generally have to pay tax when you withdraw money from the account…