- If you shopped at Winners or HomeSense last November, check your credit card statements for suspicious activity. Though Canadian banks are saying that there are no signs of fraudulent activity so far, stolen credit card information linked to TJX (the parent company of Winners) was used to make purchases in the US and other places.
- Jack Layton offers the standard NDP prescription for bank ATM fees: legislation. How difficult is it to go to an ATM machine where cash withdrawals are free, or ask for cash-back when making a purchase at a store? If Mr. Layton really wants to help “working families”, his party should support cutting taxes at the lowest level.
- The mutual fund companies used to advertise happy scenes involving beaches, cottages and weddings during the RRSP season. This year, they are trying to scare Canadians into saving money instead, by featuring seniors flipping burgers or greeting customers at a discount retailer.
- Canadian Banks & Insurance offers a preview of the fourth quarter earnings of the major insurance companies.
- Fundamental Indexing is the new new thing in indexing. SteadyHand’s Tom Bradley points out why he doesn’t like it and Investing Idea’s Larry MacDonald tells us why he does.
- Ellen Roseman writes in The Toronto Star about the Smith Manoeuvre. Unlike Mr. Smith, she does point out that there are pitfalls involved in the strategy.
