Blog: Cutting Through the Noise

Sound Off

Excerpt from Scott Ronalds's blog on July 20, 2011

At Steadyhand, we think we’ve got the best business model and investment philosophy around. We offer investors access to talented and experienced investment managers (who are typically only available to the ultra-wealthy) and straight advice. We invest alongside our clients, charge low fees and provide timely &...

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Podcast: Second Quarter Review

Excerpt from Scott Ronalds's blog on July 12, 2011

It was a skittish quarter for stocks. The Canadian market had a rough spring, as commodity-related stocks gave back some of their gains from earlier in the year. The U.S. and Japanese markets were largely unchanged, while Europe was mixed. Bonds, on the other hand, had a strong quarter, as investors embraced safety and yields...

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The F-Bomb

Excerpt from Scott Ronalds's blog on June 22, 2011

Fund (as in mutual) has become a dirty word. I was reminded of this the other day when Tom was lamenting over all the negative connotations associated with mutual funds. What was once a beautiful concept – investors pooling their money in a shared vision...

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Get Human

Excerpt from Scott Ronalds's blog on June 16, 2011

We’ve all dealt with it and it drives us insane. Calling a toll-free number and following an automated voice prompt. Just give me a damn human voice! Pretty much every big business uses them. Yet, I don’t know of a single person who likes responding to synthetic...

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Global Equity Fund Performance Update

Excerpt from Scott Ronalds's blog on June 13, 2011

Our Global Equity Fund has had a poor stretch of performance since early 2010. The fund’s manager, Edinburgh Partners Limited (EPL), is the first to admit this. While they don’t manage the fund with a close eye on what the index is doing, any sustained period of under-performance...

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Say it Ain't So

Excerpt from Scott Ronalds's blog on May 31, 2011

I learned last week that the HealthShares Dermatology and Wound Care ETF has been shut down. A shame, really. Seemed like a solid backbone for a portfolio. Investors who like their ETFs sharp and narrow need not fret, however, as the Direxion Daily Daily Agribusiness Bear 3X Shares ETF is still around (for the time...

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Commodity Prices Take a Breather

Excerpt from Scott Ronalds's blog on May 19, 2011

In Connor, Clark & Lunn’s latest outlook, they assess the recent pullback in commodity prices. After a sharp run-up that began in early 2009, many commodities have been in retreat recently. Silver has grabbed the headlines, falling over 30% since late April, but...

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Fund Company Calls 'The Cleaner'

Excerpt from Scott Ronalds's blog on May 10, 2011

“If I’m curt, then I apologize. But as I understand it, we have a situation here and time is of the essence.” - Newman. I’m a Seinfeld junkie. One of my favorite episodes was “The Muffin Tops”, in which Elaine’s former boss (Mr. Lippman) decides to open...

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A Quick Beer

Excerpt from Scott Ronalds's blog on April 18, 2011

The following is a recap of Edinburgh Partners Limited’s (EPL) investment in Carlsberg. It’s an example of a turnaround opportunity, which is a common theme in our Global Equity Fund. To re-state the obvious, the recession and credit crisis of 2008/09...

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Podcast: First Quarter Review

Excerpt from Scott Ronalds's blog on April 12, 2011

Stock markets pushed forward in the first quarter despite some strong headwinds, including revolutions in North Africa, a powerful earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and lingering sovereign debt issues in Europe. It goes to prove that the linkage between headlines and market returns is anything but precise. In this podcast, we...

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Tom on BNN: Balanced Contrarian

Excerpt from Scott Ronalds's blog on April 8, 2011

Tom was on BNN earlier today discussing how Steadyhand’s funds are positioned to tap into the global recovery and growth in the emerging markets. Unlike some managers, our approach isn’t focused on loading up on mining stocks and direct...

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Podcast: Small Talk with Wil Wutherich

Excerpt from Scott Ronalds's blog on March 30, 2011

Wil Wutherich, the manager of our Small-Cap Equity Fund, is in town this week on a research trip. We booked an afternoon of his time to review the fund and get some further insights on some of the stocks in the portfolio. Topics of discussion include: performance, valuations, and the resource sector, among others. Listen now...

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