Blog: Cutting Through the Noise
Globe and Mail Articles
For Money Managers, Small Can be Beautiful
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on February 4, 2012
Boyd Erman wrote an article before Christmas titled “Squeeze Is On For Smaller Investment Firms.” When I saw the headline, I shuddered a little. Was he going to talk about firms that don’t have billions of dollars under management? Was he going...Read More
Your Portfolio Performance Needs a Regular Check-up
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on January 21, 2012
A meeting I had with a prospective client a few years ago has always stuck with me. She told me her adviser had done well for her in the previous five years, but had been letting her down more recently. After reviewing the data, we discovered the...Read More
Five Keys to Staying on the Long-term Track
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on January 7, 2012
My holiday reading included two journal articles that challenge the notion that investing for the long term reduces risk. The message: It’s all well and good to recommend that an investor take the long view and not worry about short-term market dips...Read More
A List to Santa That'll Make the Investing World a Better Place
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on December 23, 2011
I came out of the “me” generation (have I told you about my latest injury?), so even though this time of year is about giving, I’m mostly into receiving. In our household, my wife Lori goes for quantity at Christmas, while I’m all about quality. When I wrote...Read More
In a World of Negatives, Search for What Could go Right
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on December 10, 2011
It’s a remarkable time to be an investor and investment professional. After decades of overspending, we’re watching Europe melt down and the American empire decline faster than anyone expected. The debt burden has accelerated the power...Read More
Check Your Emotions at the Border, the U.S. Looks Good
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on November 26, 2011
A year ago, I wrote a column inspired by a holiday in Arizona (my in-laws have that effect on me). The piece attempted to level a rather tilted picture of the United States, one that was firmly focused on dismal economic and political news. I suggested that from...Read More
When Dividend Investing Doesn't Pay Dividends
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on November 12, 2011
I recently watched a promotional video that outlined the reasons for owning dividend-paying stocks – tax-efficient income, lower volatility and you get paid to wait for markets to recover. I agreed with all the fund manager's points, but he failed...Read More
The Dangerous Rise of an Obsession with Safety
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on October 29, 2011
“Creep.” The dictionary defines it as a "slow and stealthy movement." To me, it’s something you don’t notice while it’s happening, but later when you do, you go "Wow!" If you think about our lifestyle, we've slowly moved to a place where jeans are...Read More
Resolving the Conflict Between Good Advice and Running a Business
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on October 15, 2011
I’ve written in the past about the tension between the investment profession and the investment business. As asset managers, we need to find a balance between managing portfolios to achieve the best return for our clients, and making a profit for...Read More
Investing Certainties in an Era of Economic Doubt
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on October 1, 2011
“In calmer moments, investors recognize their inability to know what the future holds. In moments of extreme panic or enthusiasm, however, they become remarkably bold in their predictions: They act as though uncertainty has vanished and the...Read More
Where to Find Sanity Among the Sound Bites
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on September 17, 2011
“Isn’t it funny when you walk into an investment firm and see the financial advisers watching CNBC. It gives me the same feeling of confidence I would have if I walked into the Mayo Clinic and the doctors were watching General Hospital.” This little...Read More
Beyond the Paper Chase: Getting Your Big Break in Finance
Excerpt from Tom Bradley's blog on September 3, 2011
I got turned on to finance while stumbling through my MBA at the University of Western Ontario. I suddenly found myself reading Report on Business right after the Sports section (go figure). When it came to finding a job, I got lucky. There weren't many...Read More
