Blog: Cutting Through the Noise
Globe and Mail Articles
When Fear Rules the Market, it's Time to Say 'Buy'
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on August 21, 2011
In light of the recent weakness and volatility in the stock market, both statements are particularly poignant. It’s easy to agree with the logic and simplicity of Warren Buffett, but not so easy to behave like him. My former partner's shaking hand reinforces...Read More
The Danger of Being Spooked by Doom and Gloom Headlines
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on August 6, 2011
“Hey Tom, how was your holiday? The weather’s been great – skiing conditions must have been calm?” “Oh Ralphie, it was amazing. Two weeks of Crystal Lake at its best. I’m totally decompressed. But what about you man? You’re looking pretty ragged...Read More
Five Predictions for the Wealth Management Industry
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on July 23, 2011
I recently spoke at a conference about the future of the wealth management industry. It was a good audience, but a bad gig. No matter what I said, I was sure to be wrong about some things. As Yogi Berra said, "It1s tough to make predictions, especially...Read More
Of Cash and Quality Stocks
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on July 8, 2011
Are you confused? I certainly am. It’s not clear whether investors are on a risk-taking binge, or are battening down the hatches for another market decline. There is plenty of evidence in support of the risk binge. Technology IPOs are coming out at exotic...Read More
Beware the Distortions of Too-low Interest Rates
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on June 24, 2011
We’ve had low interest rates for years, and really low rates for almost three. We’re used to them, and may even be getting complacent. I had more questions and concerns from clients about rising interest rates a year or two ago than I do now. Well, I’m here to...Read More
The Secret of Vanguard's Viral Appeal
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on June 10, 2011
We heard this week that Vanguard, the giant U.S. asset manager, is coming to Canada. As a permanent student of the business, I’ve been fascinated by Vanguard for many years. It’s an example of a company that grew through word of mouth. It went viral...Read More
How Seasoned Managers Stack Up Against the Up-and-comers
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on May 27, 2011
“What I find of particular interest is the speed at which changes in communication technology are happening. It’s causing a great intergenerational knowledge gap, which is rather worrisome because many decision makers are still part of my old-fart...Read More
Cracks Appear in the ETF Halo
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on May 13, 2011
Personal disclosure: I’m a dyed-in-the-wool active manager, but admit to having used exchange-traded funds in my portfolio. I’ve tread on the dark side for tax planning purposes and, occasionally, to hedge certain long-term positions. I also must...Read More
An Election Platform for Better Investing
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on April 29, 2011
I’ve enjoyed watching the federal election campaign, but that’s where it ends. It will have no impact on markets (for more than a day), and my interest in being a public official has never been lower (it’s a brutal job). The office I’m interested in running for, however, is...Read More
Look for Good Money Managers When They're Down
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on April 15, 2011
Value managers make a habit of scanning the 'new lows' list on the stock page. They’re hoping to find good companies that have stumbled and are oversold. Buyers of the funds run by those same managers, however, rarely do that. They most often go for the...Read More
A Coffee Shop Education in Investor-speak
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on April 1, 2011
In Toronto last week, I was waiting for a friend at my Starbucks office. As I browsed the Sports section, I couldn’t help but overhear a nearby conversation between two investment types. The checked shirt was leading the discussion. “My overweight in...Read More
The Joys of Cash and a 1% Return
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on March 18, 2011
Over the last two years, I’ve spent most of my time encouraging people to get invested. As a result of the 2008-09 market meltdown, there were, and still are, too many investors who have strayed significantly from their long-term asset mix and are out of the...Read More
