Scott Bessent’s Announcement Could Twist His Credibility

Strategist Ed Yardeni coined the phrase “bond vigilantes” in 1983. It describes the bond market investors who sell government bonds to drive yields higher as a protest against inflationary government policy. Recently, we’ve watched these vigilantes emerge not only in the U.S. but in several places around the globe (Japan, France, and Germany). The 30-year […]

Dream Industrial REIT is Delivering the Goods

Dream Industrial REIT owns and operates a portfolio of several hundred industrial properties totaling over 75 million square feet across urban markets in Canada (62%), Europe (25%), and the U.S. (13%). Last quarter, the REIT raised its monthly distribution for the first time in 13 years. Investors currently enjoy a 5% annual yield, returning $500 […]

There’s No Margin of Safety When You Buy Using Leverage

Buying stock on margin occurs when you borrow money to purchase securities. It’s called leverage because it magnifies your results in both directions.  Warren Buffett has said “if you’re smart, you don’t need it; if you’re dumb, you shouldn’t use it.” For example, imagine you have $100,000 of your own money to invest but you […]

Sorry to Burst Your Bubble, but This Isn’t 1999

Asset bubbles occur when speculation and emotion drive prices far beyond their fundamental value. With the S&P 500 delivering double-digit gains in 2023, 2024, and 2025, it’s easy to see why some assume we’re in one today.  While every bubble has its own backstory, they all follow a familiar pattern. Here are some of the […]

UnitedHealth Group Has Made a Speedy Recovery

Health insurer UnitedHealth Group (“UNH”) has been one of the best performing stocks so far this year. However, it hasn’t been a straight line up. Following the release of a disastrous quarterly earnings report in April 2025, the market overreacted by crashing the stock price almost 30% in a matter of weeks, marking it a […]

Why Gas Prices Rocket Up but Feather Down

Drivers in the Greater Toronto Area got a rude awakening at the pumps yesterday. Thanks to escalating geopolitical tensions in Iran, gas prices spiked by 8 cents per litre overnight, pushing the average price for regular fuel up to roughly $1.73 per litre, leaving many motorists feeling gouged at the pumps. Since the conflict in […]

How Fed Up Will the Market Get After a September Rate Hike?

Many have said “bull markets don’t die of old age; central bankers kill them.” The conventional wisdom is that once rates start to head higher, stocks are less attractive because the cost of borrowing becomes more expensive and investors are offered an income-producing alternative by the bond market. However, history says they are wrong. The […]

Should You Expect Astronomical Returns From SpaceX?

SpaceX shares made their long anticipated debut to the public market on Friday, June 12.  The demand was unprecedented. Not only was it the largest offering in history after raising over $75 billion, but brokerage firm Charles Schwab also said it was the fifth most active day in their company’s 50-year history. SpaceX’s pre-open price […]

Scotiabank has the Cheques and Balances to Justify its Valuation

Yes, Canadian banks are trading at valuation multiples unseen in years. However, comparing these multiples to their historical valuations may not make all that much sense. The banking industry has changed drastically over the years.  Decades ago, banks were mostly just mortgage lenders. They would take in deposits from savers, keep a very small fraction […]

Does a Technical Recession in Canada Mean Sell Your Stocks?

Economists define a “technical recession” as two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth. After shrinking by 1.0% in the final quarter of 2025, the economy dipped an additional 0.1% in the first quarter of 2026. This latest contraction is minor, and it is a preliminary figure that will likely be revised upward or downward in […]

Search No Further than Alphabet (formerly Google) for Your AI Exposure

Alphabet (formerly known as Google) announced its plans Monday evening to raise cash by selling $80 billion in stock. We were surprised by the news, especially for a company that generates $165 billion in cash flow each year. Furthermore, they’ve only tapped the equity market twice before — once when it went public in 2004 […]

Will the Market have Separation Anxiety this October?

On October 19, 2026, Alberta will have a referendum about whether it should have a referendum to separate from Canada. The exact wording on the ballot for one of the ten questions will read: Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the Government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian […]

How We’re Using AI at Our Firm

Lately, many people have asked how we’re using artificial intelligence (“AI”) behind the scenes. We’ve embraced this new technology where it makes sense, and it has provided a noticeable boost to our operational efficiency. Tasks that used to take us hours can now be completed in a fraction of the time. This frees up our […]

Include this Infrastructure Stock when Building Your Portfolio

With the market hitting record highs daily, finding compelling new opportunities at attractive entry points has become increasingly challenging. Brookfield Infrastructure (“BIPC”), which hit almost $70 as recently as March, has pulled back just about 25% the last several weeks to $53.34 today. (Disclosure: Clients, Jeff Pollock, and Sunni Schneider have a financial interest in […]

68% of the Time, “Selling in May” is a Losing Bet

You’ve likely heard the old Wall Street adage that suggests you should “sell in May and go away”. The strategy sounds simple enough because it asks an investor to exit the stock market in early May and not return until the end of October to avoid a perceived summer slump. At Schneider & Pollock Wealth […]

Missing this Check Box Will Cost You Thousands of Dollars

Someone I knew that passed away a few years ago was very organized. She never forgot appointments, always arrived on time, and remembered the names of all her friends’ kids. But, when she passed away, it was discovered by her children that the beneficiary information on her RRIF was unfortunately left blank. Instead of the […]

Did these Auditors Just Burn a Bridge?

Several years ago, a friend reached out about a distressing personal matter involving her mother’s retirement savings. Her mother, a client at one of Canada’s “Big Six” banks, had her savings spread across four different mutual funds, and two of those four funds became suddenly frozen. (Note: Mutual funds are pooled vehicles and their underlying […]

Does the Crude Awakening in Oil Prices Still Make Suncor a Buy?

Even after the Strait of Hormuz eventually reopens and Iranian tensions ease, it’s doubtful that the West Texas Intermediate (“WTI”) oil price will decline to its pre-strike level of $65. Instead, we expect today’s $98 price to settle in the $80–90 per barrel range. There are several reasons why we expect a higher floor for […]

High Gas Prices May Drive a Quick Exit from Iran

The average price of gas at the pump for U.S. consumers is up 30% since the year began. Most of that occurred recently, following the strikes against Iran.  If you follow the prediction markets, it doesn’t look very likely that the Republicans will win the House or even the Senate this fall. Current odds suggest […]

Mailbag Questions from Clients and Prospective Clients

Each month, we select a handful of questions that were asked by clients or soon-to-be clients. We like to post our answers online because others may have that same question as well. Here are a few of the things we were asked about most recently. What is the account opening process like? The account opening […]