Here’s how I handle my TFSA contributions – I divide the total amount for the year, currently $6,000, by 26 and then have that amount electronically transferred when I get paid every two weeks into a TFSA investment account.
A reader recently asked about TFSA contribution strategies for this year: “We have yet to invest in our TFSA for 2020. Should we go ahead and invest now, or should we wait for another few months when the economy will hopefully begin to pick up again?”
I have no idea at the best of times about when the best time to invest is. Now, I’m more baffled than ever. The economy has been damaged and prospects for a comprehensive reopening seem uncertain at best, given the differing medical outlooks across the provinces. Will companies bring back all the workers they laid off? How many businesses won’t reopen? How much will economic activity be down overall six to 12 months from now? What about all the debt deferrals people arranged – what happens when they have to resume their usual payments?
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Our world today is so much different than it was in early February, before pandemic fears hammered the stock markets. And yet, the U.S. stock market has charged back to the point where it was off only about 10 per cent in late May from its 52-week high and well above its level of May 2019.
I don’t get it, and I won’t fight it. My biweekly TFSA contributions continue, just as they did when the markets plunged in March.
As to that reader question, I can only suggest the gradual approach to TFSA investing. Academic studies have shown that lump-sum investments outperform the gradual approach, known as dollar-cost averaging. But this year is off the charts – why guess what’s going to happen?
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Rob’s personal finance reading list…
Never refrigerate bread
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Tips from Consumer Reports on how to extend food expiration dates. Cut waste, and visit the supermarket less. By the way, coffee shouldn’t go in the fridge, either. Flour should, though.
Inflation: How big a problem will it be?
A lot of readers have told me lately they worry about inflation being ignited by all the money the government is pumping into the economy to offset the effects of the pandemic. This guide to inflation, deflation and disinflation should set minds at ease, at least until the good times resume.
How to avoid retirement myopia
Way too much retirement advice is tossed out in a general way, even if the needs and priorities of each generation are different. Here’s a different take – retirement guidance for people 25 to 40, 41 to 55 and 56+.
Make your own Starbucks drinks at home
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A personal finance blog shares some cheap and cheerful versions of tea, lemonade and coffee drinks.
Ask Rob
Q: Why you haven’t recommended five-year GICs as a possible safe vehicle for a portion of retiree funds? I have $50,000 in one earning 3.25 per cent, a higher rate than one- or two-year GICs or a savings account. It’s true I purchased when GIC rates were higher, but the principle remains the same.
A: I have written a lot over the years about how GICs make a good substitute for bonds or bond funds in diversified portfolio – they’re not as liquid as bonds in that there are stiff fees if you sell early, but they don’t jump around in price like bonds can. GIC rates are also quite competitive with bonds. The best rate on a five-year guaranteed investment certificate in late May was 2.3 to 2.4 per cent, while the yield on the five-year Government of Canada bond was just 0.4 per cent.
Do you have a question for me? Send it my way. Sorry I can’t answer every one personally. Questions and answers are edited for length and clarity.
Evan Siddall, president and CEO of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., takes on those who insist real estate prices can keep going up despite the economic damage caused by the pandemic.
In case you missed these Globe and Mail personal finance-related stories
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TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was down more than 200 points in late-morning trading, weighed down by losses in the technology, base metal and energy sectors, while U.S. stock markets also fell.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 239.24 points at 22,749.04.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 312.36 points at 40,443.39. The S&P 500 index was down 80.94 points at 5,422.47, while the Nasdaq composite was down 380.17 points at 16,747.49.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.80 cents US compared with 74.00 cents US on Thursday.
The October crude oil contract was down US$1.07 at US$68.08 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.26 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was down US$2.10 at US$2,541.00 an ounce and the December copper contract was down four cents at US$4.10 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 6, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 150 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in technology, financial and energy stocks, while U.S. stock markets also pushed higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 171.41 points at 23,298.39.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 278.37 points at 41,369.79. The S&P 500 index was up 38.17 points at 5,630.35, while the Nasdaq composite was up 177.15 points at 17,733.18.
The Canadian dollar traded for 74.19 cents US compared with 74.23 cents US on Wednesday.
The October crude oil contract was up US$1.75 at US$76.27 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$2.10 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$18.70 at US$2,556.50 an ounce and the December copper contract was down less than a penny at US$4.22 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2024.
The crypto market has recently experienced a significant downturn, mirroring broader risk asset sell-offs. Over the past week, Bitcoin’s price dropped by 24%, reaching $53,000, while Ethereum plummeted nearly a third to $2,340. Major altcoins also suffered, with Cardano down 27.7%, Solana 36.2%, Dogecoin 34.6%, XRP 23.1%, Shiba Inu 30.1%, and BNB 25.7%.
The severe downturn in the crypto market appears to be part of a broader flight to safety, triggered by disappointing economic data. A worse-than-expected unemployment report on Friday marked the beginning of a technical recession, as defined by the Sahm Rule. This rule identifies a recession when the three-month average unemployment rate rises by at least half a percentage point from its lowest point in the past year.
Friday’s figures met this threshold, signaling an abrupt economic downshift. Consequently, investors sought safer assets, leading to declines in major stock indices: the S&P 500 dropped 2%, the Nasdaq 2.5%, and the Dow 1.5%. This trend continued into Monday with further sell-offs overseas.
The crypto market’s rapid decline raises questions about its role as either a speculative asset or a hedge against inflation and recession. Despite hopes that crypto could act as a risk hedge, the recent crash suggests it remains a speculative investment.
Since the downturn, the crypto market has seen its largest three-day sell-off in nearly a year, losing over $500 billion in market value. According to CoinGlass data, this bloodbath wiped out more than $1 billion in leveraged positions within the last 24 hours, including $365 million in Bitcoin and $348 million in Ether.
Khushboo Khullar of Lightning Ventures, speaking to Bloomberg, argued that the crypto sell-off is part of a broader liquidity panic as traders rush to cover margin calls. Khullar views this as a temporary sell-off, presenting a potential buying opportunity.
Josh Gilbert, an eToro market analyst, supports Khullar’s perspective, suggesting that the expected Federal Reserve rate cuts could benefit crypto assets. “Crypto assets have sold off, but many investors will see an opportunity. We see Federal Reserve rate cuts, which are now likely to come sharper than expected, as hugely positive for crypto assets,” Gilbert told Coindesk.
Despite the recent volatility, crypto continues to make strides toward mainstream acceptance. Notably, Morgan Stanley will allow its advisors to offer Bitcoin ETFs starting Wednesday. This follows more than half a year after the introduction of the first Bitcoin ETF. The investment bank will enable over 15,000 of its financial advisors to sell BlackRock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC. This move is seen as a significant step toward the “mainstreamization” of crypto, given the lengthy regulatory and company processes in major investment banks.
The recent crypto market downturn highlights its volatility and the broader economic concerns affecting all risk assets. While some analysts see the current situation as a temporary sell-off and a buying opportunity, others caution against the speculative nature of crypto. As the market evolves, its role as a mainstream alternative asset continues to grow, marked by increasing institutional acceptance and new investment opportunities.
