Before we jump into today’s shortened roundup, here’s a quick reminder: you can read my posts in your favourite reader or have it delivered by e-mail.
I’ve received four (4) tickets to a Power Within event featuring Peter Aceto, CEO of ING Direct and Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group courtesy of ING Direct. You can follow Peter Aceto, ING Direct and this event (#AcetoBranson) on Twitter. Mr. Aceto and Mr. Branson will speak together on Leadership and brand building. Apparently, this event is extremely popular — tickets are hard to come by. I was a bit surprised to learn that each ticket has a face value of $189.
Where: Westin Harbour Castle, 1 Harbour Square, Toronto
When: October 27, 2010 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
I’m giving away two pairs of tickets to this event. You can enter by simply leaving a comment in this post (please do not send an entry via email) and don’t forget to include your email address. If you are reading this through your favourite RSS Reader, you have to click through to the website and scroll to the bottom of the page and type in your comment. Some quick rules: (1) Deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. EST on Saturday, October 23, 2010. (2) One entry per person. (3) Canadian residents only. (4) I treat your privacy very seriously. Your email will be used for the sole purpose of contacting you if you happen to win. (5) I’ll pick two entries at random and announce the winner after the deadline. (6) Each winner will receive one pair of tickets (2 tickets). (7) The giveaway is for the tickets to the event; you are responsible for transportation and all other expenses. Good luck!
If you are interested in this event, you can improve your chances by also submitting an entry to the giveaways that Canadian Couch Potato and Where Does All Your Money Go? are holding.
- Jim Grant, author of the well-regarded Grant’s Interest Rate Observer, talks about Japan, interest rates, Wall Street and more in this interview with Henry Blodget, the star analyst of the dot.com era..
- The Bank of Canada announced that is it hitting the pause button on interest rates. In its statement, the Bank said that it expects the economic recovery will be more gradual than previously thought. The Prime Rate to which lines of credit and variable rate mortgages are tied to remains at 3.00 percent.
- TD Waterhouse announced this week that it is extending the low commission rate of $9.99 to clients who hold household assets of between $50,000 and $100,000 and who have signed up for eServices. The low flat rate was previously available for accounts with household accounts greater than $100,000. It remains to be seen if the other discount brokers will match TD Waterhouse’s low asset thresholds.
- In an interview with Ben Stein, Warren Buffett says investors should forget gold and buy equities: “Maybe a selection of high-dividend-paying stocks that are likely to raise their dividends. Maybe the top 100 dividend payers of the S&P 500. Well, maybe not that, but equities.”
- Tom Bradley says that investors should not equate volatility with risk. Dan Hallett points out (correctly in my opinion) that volatility does measure behavioural risk.
Have a great weekend everyone!
