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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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