As you can see from the above table, my portfolio has not been doing very well, but neither have the markets!
I'll be doing a bit of digging to learn more about Yahoo Finanance in the next while to see if the accuracy can be addressed.
Stay tuned.
Friday, August 3, 2007
Is Yahoo Accurate?
I've been troubled by the reporting structure of the Yahoo Finance section. As described in my previous post, I made a $4000 virtual purchase of a number of stocks on July 1. This 'investment' of some $28,000 currently has a value of $26,596, some $1500 less than one month ago, yet Yahoo reports it as having a $51 increase in value over that period.
As you can see from the above table, my portfolio has not been doing very well, but neither have the markets!
I'll be doing a bit of digging to learn more about Yahoo Finanance in the next while to see if the accuracy can be addressed.
Stay tuned.
As you can see from the above table, my portfolio has not been doing very well, but neither have the markets!
I'll be doing a bit of digging to learn more about Yahoo Finanance in the next while to see if the accuracy can be addressed.
Stay tuned.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Stocks 101
I've been investigating the stock market and financial issues for the past while, and have made some decisions about investing, but before I fully test the waters I decided to check my resolve a bit. A number of commentators in the blogsphere have been promoting Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) as the way match (or beat) the market. These index funds are one way to have someone else manage your money for you. However, ever the contrarian, I wrote a reply on Canadian Capitalist's Blog challenging the easy way out.
I've been following the practices espoused by a number of value investors, such as Francis Chou, Tim Burt, and Phillips, Hager & North, and have determined that I accept that philosophy and look to high quality dividend-paying stocks.
As such, I've created my own benchmark of stocks and will follow them into the future. My premise is that there are many great companies with which we are quite familiar and will provide a steady, quality return. Using Yahoo Finance I have modeled a portfolio by "purchasing" approximately $4000 of each of the following common shares on July 1:
On July 6, the portfolio looked like this:
and had already increased in value by 2.5% in the week since created. I'll be updating this portfolio on a monthly basis, so stop back to see how my model performs, and learn if I'm kicking myself for not actually making the investment!
I've been following the practices espoused by a number of value investors, such as Francis Chou, Tim Burt, and Phillips, Hager & North, and have determined that I accept that philosophy and look to high quality dividend-paying stocks.
As such, I've created my own benchmark of stocks and will follow them into the future. My premise is that there are many great companies with which we are quite familiar and will provide a steady, quality return. Using Yahoo Finance I have modeled a portfolio by "purchasing" approximately $4000 of each of the following common shares on July 1:
- Fortis, my electrical supplier
- telus, my phone company
- CN Rail, because of the whistles that wake me at night
- Royal Bank, my financial institution
- Tim Horton's, 'cause a day without coffee.......
- Teck Cominco, the smelter just over the mountain from here
- Shaw Cable, our entertainment provider
On July 6, the portfolio looked like this:
and had already increased in value by 2.5% in the week since created. I'll be updating this portfolio on a monthly basis, so stop back to see how my model performs, and learn if I'm kicking myself for not actually making the investment!
Sunday, June 10, 2007
A long absence
It's been two months since I posted here. I've been making contributions on a number of financial blogs, but most of my time has been spent building a knowledgebase for my professional association and colleagues. As I'm not a programmer, this has provided a very steep learning curve.
We also took a trip to Spokane, WA where we stayed at the historic Davenport Hotel. This hotel is on the US Historic Trust, and is reminiscent of the Grand Railway Hotels of the late 19th Century. Spokane, like many cities of that era suffered a devastating fire which razed the entire downtown area. The Town Fathers had just installed a system of fire hydrants, but at the necessary hour, the guy with the wrench to turn it on was nowhere to be found!
Due to the fates of the economy, at the time when many cities were tearing down low rise buildings to make way for high-rises, Spokane was in the midst of a recession, thus there are dozens of Victorian and post-victorian buildings throughout the downtown. A walking tour presents many of these. One of particular interest to me is the Spokane Masonic Temple, one of many buildings listed in the Spokane Register of Historic Properties.
Following Lunch and a few delicious brews from the Coeur d'Alene Brewing Company we finished our tour of the downtown, before heading across Spokane Falls via the restored Monroe Street Bridge to enjoy Sound of Music performed by the amateur troupe at the Civic Theatre; a well done performance to a packed house.
We also took a trip to Spokane, WA where we stayed at the historic Davenport Hotel. This hotel is on the US Historic Trust, and is reminiscent of the Grand Railway Hotels of the late 19th Century. Spokane, like many cities of that era suffered a devastating fire which razed the entire downtown area. The Town Fathers had just installed a system of fire hydrants, but at the necessary hour, the guy with the wrench to turn it on was nowhere to be found!
Due to the fates of the economy, at the time when many cities were tearing down low rise buildings to make way for high-rises, Spokane was in the midst of a recession, thus there are dozens of Victorian and post-victorian buildings throughout the downtown. A walking tour presents many of these. One of particular interest to me is the Spokane Masonic Temple, one of many buildings listed in the Spokane Register of Historic Properties. Following Lunch and a few delicious brews from the Coeur d'Alene Brewing Company we finished our tour of the downtown, before heading across Spokane Falls via the restored Monroe Street Bridge to enjoy Sound of Music performed by the amateur troupe at the Civic Theatre; a well done performance to a packed house.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Housing Costs
Although we live in a community some distance from Radium Hot Springs, we, too, have seen an increase in absentee homeowners. As described in this CBC Story, we see both good and bad from the development that occurs as folks look for other lifestyle, retirement, or vacation opportunities. Compared to Calgary, we enjoy a benign climate; while I mowed grass this weekend, our Calgary friends were scraping windshields, and shoveling walks & driveways. The impact is felt in other ways as well. Summer dwellers are less likely than year 'round residents to support the construction of winter or all season recreational facilities, and at times, may support initiatives that interest them only, as they can access their regular needs (health care, shopping, etc.) on their return home. To a small extent, the taxes they pay may also increase the municipal tax base, helping to reduce overall costs. However some costs are unavoidable. Water & sewer systems, roads, and other infrastructure must be built for the maximum use, not the annual average. Schools have reduced in size and offerings, as families move away. Youth employees are unavailable, as those that are present are vacationing, not seeking jobs.
On the other hand, if their interests parallel yours, it is possible to use the facilities they want in their absence. If you are employed in an industry tied to the development of housing, your opportunities are increased -- the need for skilled trades in these blossoming areas has increased the opportunities and wages of all those in the construction trades. Sole proprietors, needing no staff, also have an advantage, as might folk in the accommodations business. What was once a seasonal business based on vacationers, has now expanded due to the construction that occurs in the off season -- your motel room is filler 12 months of the year instead of three or four.
Unfortunately, many non-residents have income far greater than members of the local community. In our instance, the value of our home has increased by more than 55% in the past 3 years. This has placed the current market beyond our reach, and we are indeed fortunate that we purchased a home immediately upon arrival, as had we waited, we would be effectively priced out of this market.
It is also a challenge for small business operators to find staff. If people cannot find affordable housing, they will not move to a community. I can't imagine trying to operate a business such as a Tim Horton's, Home Hardware, or other small business when your staff need an hourly wage of $20 or more to afford to live in the area. I have heard that businesses in Invermere, just south of Radium, run a daily bus to transport staff from Cranbrook, an hour and a half away. This allows them to draw from a labour pool already settled in a somewhat less expensive town. However, I'm not sure that I'd want to be commuting on a bus daily instead of the 20 minute walk I now enjoy.
On the other hand, if their interests parallel yours, it is possible to use the facilities they want in their absence. If you are employed in an industry tied to the development of housing, your opportunities are increased -- the need for skilled trades in these blossoming areas has increased the opportunities and wages of all those in the construction trades. Sole proprietors, needing no staff, also have an advantage, as might folk in the accommodations business. What was once a seasonal business based on vacationers, has now expanded due to the construction that occurs in the off season -- your motel room is filler 12 months of the year instead of three or four.
Unfortunately, many non-residents have income far greater than members of the local community. In our instance, the value of our home has increased by more than 55% in the past 3 years. This has placed the current market beyond our reach, and we are indeed fortunate that we purchased a home immediately upon arrival, as had we waited, we would be effectively priced out of this market.
It is also a challenge for small business operators to find staff. If people cannot find affordable housing, they will not move to a community. I can't imagine trying to operate a business such as a Tim Horton's, Home Hardware, or other small business when your staff need an hourly wage of $20 or more to afford to live in the area. I have heard that businesses in Invermere, just south of Radium, run a daily bus to transport staff from Cranbrook, an hour and a half away. This allows them to draw from a labour pool already settled in a somewhat less expensive town. However, I'm not sure that I'd want to be commuting on a bus daily instead of the 20 minute walk I now enjoy.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Rite of Spring
Today marked the ceremonial First Day of Spring at our place -- the first mowing of the lawn. Although there's lots of brown spots yet, as the raking is not yet complete, the grass was about 5 inches high in the corner where I spread the horse manure two years ago. I've also come to the conclusion that much as I hate raking leaves of deciduous trees in the fall & spring -- the detritus of conifers is much worse! The extraction of the mower, and the carefully choreographed path around the yard will be a weekly ritual for the next few months, until the heat of summer turns the lawn brown. The dance resumes in late August or September, with the cooling of the days, and a fresh spurt of growth before fall arrives.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Taiwanese Lantern Festival
Saturday we viewed the Taiwanese Lantern Festival in Kimberley. We were joined by one of my High School buddies, now living in Calgary, and his wife, for the experience. Our Member of Parliament, Jim Abbott, was responsible for getting this started, and I am sure that many who would not be able to travel to the usual venues, were able to enjoy this display. Wiki states: The Chinese Lantern Festival is the last day of the traditional Chinese New Year celebration period. The Lantern Festival is also known as the Little New Year since it marks the end of the series of celebrations starting from the Chinese New Year.
This was a wonderful display of the craftsman's art. As we were leaving, we likened it to a display of larger-than-life three-dimensional stained-glass sculptures. For this display, the caricatures were cloth over a wire frame, lit by small electric bulbs, though the originators would have used bamboo and coloured paper, and candles or straw. We saw symbols of each Chinese year, flower gardens, underseascapes, as well as various characters of folklore. My favourite, though was the lily-pad pond. There were flowers, leaves, and a frog spread across the room in a most realistic manner.
The history of these in Taiwan apparently is traced to a time when the inhabitants of a particular village left seasonally for the hills. Early in the season, the men would travel to the village site, and release hot air balloons or lanterns heated with kerosene soaked straw. Those that did not burn, rose into the night sky, letting the village-folk know it was safe to return.
Also presented was a video about the history of the country, from it's beginnings to it current economic position in the world. I found it interesting how they addressed their relationship with mainland China.
Well worth seeing!
This was a wonderful display of the craftsman's art. As we were leaving, we likened it to a display of larger-than-life three-dimensional stained-glass sculptures. For this display, the caricatures were cloth over a wire frame, lit by small electric bulbs, though the originators would have used bamboo and coloured paper, and candles or straw. We saw symbols of each Chinese year, flower gardens, underseascapes, as well as various characters of folklore. My favourite, though was the lily-pad pond. There were flowers, leaves, and a frog spread across the room in a most realistic manner.
The history of these in Taiwan apparently is traced to a time when the inhabitants of a particular village left seasonally for the hills. Early in the season, the men would travel to the village site, and release hot air balloons or lanterns heated with kerosene soaked straw. Those that did not burn, rose into the night sky, letting the village-folk know it was safe to return.
Also presented was a video about the history of the country, from it's beginnings to it current economic position in the world. I found it interesting how they addressed their relationship with mainland China.
Well worth seeing!
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