RAPROX

Canada's Top 10 Banks Based on Assets

so what?

The Return of Japan's Zombie Finance

"support" = "welfare". Banks are not in the welfare business. Arguably, welfare or charity is a religious issue.


On Oct 21 07:05 AM logicalthought wrote:

> >>...Japan’s... “zombie finance”, where Japanese banks continued
> to provide support for highly inefficient, debt-ridden companies...
> <<
>
> Well, obviously the U.S. isn't destined to repeat THAT experience...
> After all, our banks no longer "provide support" for ANY companies!

Bond ETFs: A Different Perspective

To you list I would add HYD and HYG. HYD allows exposure to the high-level muni market. HYG is another large high-yield corp bond fund like JNK.

Bond ETFs: A Different Perspective

To you list I would add HYD and HYG. HYD allows exposure to the high-level muni market. HYG is another large high-yield corp bond fund like JNK.

Bond ETFs: A Different Perspective

Bond EFTs are the best and most liquid way to participate in the bond market for retail investors. You don't have to be a bond picker and your risk is spread across a broad portfolio of bonds. The monthly income is important for retiring boomers as well.

Playing Defense with ETFs and Preferred Stocks

To this I would PFF and PGX. I would also add some high yield bond ETFs -- JNK, HYD and HYG. If you are concerned about the downside there is a mechanical way to protect profits. I hold all of these with trailing stops at 5%-7% down from the latest high.

I have held most of these for months and have continually reinvested the high dividend yields. It has been most rewarding.

Rational Market Theory and Black Swans in Healthcare Reform

Black Swan is inappropriate as the author of this article uses the term. Tabel coined the term and it has to do with unknowns that are not knowable -- catastrophes outside our experience. An uninsurable person is not a black swan -- s/he is uninsurable precisely because they are a known risk.


On Aug 17 01:09 PM Michael Steinberg wrote:

> Black swan is appropriate because the insurer does not know which
> specific policy holder will turn bad, just like a bank does not which
> specific or how many borrowers will be affected by an outlier event.
> The difference is that despite actuarial and underwriting work in
> both scenarios, only health insurers can rescind policies; banks
> can only foreclose. In essence, private health insurers can pick
> off their black swans one by one. They are removing risk after the
> fact.
>
> The uninsurable should be given credit for credible coverage by the
> insurance system as a whole. While not black swans at the time they
> become uninsurable, they were for the most part black swans at birth.

Rational Market Theory and Black Swans in Healthcare Reform

Do you think that Bernanke goes to the bathroom without getting permission from Obama? Get real!


On Aug 17 08:27 AM markfl wrote:

> "Finally, I am perplexed as to why President Obama is being blamed
> for debasing the currency and not Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke.
> It is Bernanke who is actually monetizing the country’s debt, not
> the President. "

20 Notes on Current Risk in the Markets

Yield ≠ poison if taken in proper doses and is properly managed. Hedge your high yield positions put stop limits in place that trail the unrealized gains that you have in existing high-yield positions. I do this with : HYD, JNK, PFF, PGF & PGX.

Why High Yield Bond ETFs Stayed Strong in a Weak Month

you can protect capital gains while enjoying the high yield by putting trailing stops in that ratchet as the ETF increases. If there is a sudden pull back your stops will trigger and you will protect your gains.

Three Overlooked High-Yield ETFs

To this I would recommend PGF and PGX as of the same character. Both have done very well since March. I hold both.


On Aug 04 11:16 AM RAPROX wrote:

> I am an investor in PFF and have enjoyed the ride up from the bottom
> and the nice dividends along the way (which I reinvest BTW). I have
> put a trailing stop with a fixed 7% down that ratchets up as the
> ETF has risen. It gives me insurance that should there be another
> dive in the market, I'll get called out protecting my capital gain.

Three Overlooked High-Yield ETFs

I am an investor in PFF and have enjoyed the ride up from the bottom and the nice dividends along the way (which I reinvest BTW). I have put a trailing stop with a fixed 7% down that ratchets up as the ETF has risen. It gives me insurance that should there be another dive in the market, I'll get called out protecting my capital gain.

Why Credit Cards Can't Afford to Raise Fees

So, I see, it's wrong to make dead beats pay up; is that right? if you can't manage your credit card(s) (and more than one is probably a good sign that you can't manage your credit) you deserve to pay the fees and interest!


On May 20 11:19 AM TeresaE wrote:

> Raise rates?
>
> Again.
>
> Since the 2005 Bankruptcy and other assorted "screw the consumer"
> act laws hit in '07, the rates have been going up and up and up.
>
>
> NOW, Congress sees where it better at least pretend to be on the
> consumers side.
>
> I'm sure the law of unintended consequences will kick in again and
> this new law will somehow screw us over more. They always do.<br/>
>
> The banks are stopping the economy faster than off shoring, lawsuits
> and regulations ever could.
>
> We are screwed and Congress is trying to guarantee our demise.<br/>
>
> Carry on, no time to worry about jobs for our children, American
> Idol finals are on!

Credit Default Swaps May Be Playing a Supporting Role in Chrysler Bankruptcy Filings

The central point is this administration is riding roughshod over multiple hundreds of years of legal precedence and common law with respect to property rights. Investors invest in "senior" debt precisely because it is "senior". All on the stroke of a pen "senior" is to go to nothing or mere pennies?

The Barry O comment might well be political but the Toyota factories in the south states are not kicking the proverbial butts of the Detroit 3 because of their quality, exclusively, -- they actually have a cost structure that works!

Dennis Gartman: Next Great Trade Is Canadian Banks

Any write-down of Goodwill is non-cash --sure it reflects paying too much for M&A in the past but it has zero impact on on-going operations.


On Feb 24 07:11 AM Marcap wrote:

> "He noted that Canada’s Big Six banks (Royal, TD, CIBC, BMO, Scotia
> and National) have nowhere near the levels of toxic waste on their
> balance sheets, nor shall they."
>
> I would not be so sure about that. From what I can tell, some Canadian
> banks are just a guilty as their US counterparts when it come to
> inaccurate Balance Sheet reporting.
>
> Here are some examples:
>
> TD - $15.8B in Goodwill and Other Intangibles
>
> Royal Bank - $9.1B in Goodwill and Other Intangibles
>
> CIBC - $2.1B in Goodwill and Other Intangibles
>
> Scotiabank - $2.1B in Goodwill and Other Intangibles
>
> BMO - $1.5B in Goodwill and Other Intangibles
>
> Now while this total Balance Sheet fluff amounts to just over $30.6B,
> considering that Canada has only approximately 11% of the population
> of the USA (33 million vs 301 million), this $30.6B would be the
> equivalent of $278.2B in the USA, if looked at from a per capital
> basis.
>
> As for actual toxic assets, such as the realization of bad mortgages,
> loans, credit card debts, and so on, I think that Canada does lag
> behind the USA somewhat in that respect. Considering that many companies
> in Canada do have US Parents, it sometimes takes a while before company
> closures and downsizing in the USA have an impact on their Canadian
> counterparts, resulting in layoffs, etc. In short, what happens in
> the US more often than not, does eventually trickle down into Canada.
> Albeit Canada has far more Natural resources than does the USA, but
> natural resources alone do not sustain growth...only manufacturing
> does. But unfortunately both Countries lack considerably in that
> area.