Discount Brokerage News
461 articles
April 20, 2022
In this Roundup, we take a look at the interesting information emerging around one bank-owned online brokerage that has remained remarkably quiet about what they’re working on. Also, we share information about an u
April 10, 2022
This edition of the Roundup looks at unusual behaviour in the deals and promotions section, zeroing in on one bank-owned online brokerage’s uncharacteristic decision to pause an already live offer. Also we highligh
March 31, 2022
This week’s roundup looks at mutual fund commissions and how online brokerages in Canada are gearing up for a big regulatory change. Also, active investors aren’t in any rush to trade this market, signalling
March 22, 2022
* Deals and promotions are important tools for online brokerages to continue to attract attention of online investors * Established or larger players may not have to rely on them because they have already invested in adv
March 16, 2022
This edition of the Roundup focuses on young investors and the ways in which they’re reshaping the online brokerage industry in Canada and the US. Dive in to learn about how online brokerages are riding the wave of
March 15, 2022
The pandemic has changed many things, including self-directed investing. In this interview with RBC Direct Investing’s President & CEO, Lori Darlington, we dive into a recent survey from RBC DI showing just ho
March 9, 2022
In this week’s Roundup, we look at the latest deals and promotions and what they reveal about opportunities for DIY investors to capture even more value when opening online trading accounts. Also, we dive into Inte
March 1, 2022
* TD eased its way into commission-free trading with a mobile app-based offering called TD Easy Trade * TD Easy Trade is different and distinct from TD Direct Investing, the traditional online brokerage experience that m
February 22, 2022
In this reboot to the Weekly Roundup, we took our cues from the biggest sporting events in the world to bring an exceptional edition filled with high degrees of difficulty to compare one of the most influential touchpoin
January 6, 2022
This mega-edition of the Weekly Roundup features in-depth reviews of Canadian online brokerages in 2021. Be sure to check out the analysis of the Look Back / Look Ahead feature for the top online brokerage trends for 202
December 20, 2021
The holidays are almost here, but red and green are the colours flashing on trading screens this week! In this edition of the Roundup, we review a new feature called… RoundUP from Questrade, as well as another new
December 13, 2021
The end of 2021 is just around the corner, and this edition of the Roundup switches gears to recap the big stories from online brokerages from earlier in the year. Also, we dig into the latest feature from Wealthsimple T
December 6, 2021
In this edition of the Roundup, we review the latest online brokerage promotions and deals, and review what these offers mean for self-directed investors heading into RSP season. Next, we preview our big year-end special
November 29, 2021
This edition of the Weekly Roundup is all about experience. We cover Qtrade’s new customer experience feature, real-time account opening, and bring you Surviscor’s latest online brokerage mobile experience ra
November 22, 2021
This week’s Roundup digs into the latest account growth numbers at Interactive Brokers and Schwab, and explores whether the new account growth is being fueled by Robinhood clients looking for an exit. Also, tune in
November 15, 2021
This week’s edition of the Roundup focuses on the new IMPACT app by Interactive Brokers, and how it could spur a new race to help investors make green by going green. Also, we sprinkle in some quick updates on secu
November 8, 2021
Big news this week as bank-owned online brokerages lead the way with cash back promotions for RSP season. Also on our radar, the strange flight away from Twitter for several Canadian online brokerages points to a wider t
November 1, 2021
This week’s Roundup features a deep dive into the latest earnings from Robinhood and what they reveal about the next chapter in the companies growth plans. Also be sure to tune into lots of DIY investor forum chatt
October 25, 2021
Yet another commission-free online brokerage is slated to come to Canada – this time it’s TradeZero looking to gain a foothold with active traders. Also, read up on the latest feature to launch from Interacti
October 18, 2021
This week’s discount brokerage Roundup looks at interesting developments at Interactive Brokers and Schwab, and what these could signal for Canadian online brokerages. Also, we relay an update from MogoTrade which
October 11, 2021
From new branding, to new pricing, to new features, this week’s Roundup covers exciting developments at online brokerages on both sides of the border. Dive in to read more about customer service at Robinhood, the l
October 4, 2021
October is already here, and with it, a new crop of deals and promotions from online brokerages. Also launching this fall season, a brand new mobile trading experience from Questrade, called QuestMobile, that didn’
September 27, 2021
This edition of the Roundup reviews TD Direct Investing’s latest feature, the TD Direct Investing Index, followed by important updates on the zero-commission trading conversation in the online brokerage space. Be s
September 20, 2021
This week’s Roundup features a review of what’s powering Interactive Brokers’ account growth stats higher and new features, like cryptocurrency trading, that are poised to add more momentum to this brok
September 13, 2021
More big news unfolding on the zero-commission trading front. We explore the latest move by Desjardins Online Brokerage as well as comments from TD Direct Investing on the move to eliminate commissions. Also, there are m
September 7, 2021
In this Weekly Roundup, we launch into deals and promotions from online brokerages. Next, we recap some other important developments, including the 10-year anniversary of the launch of SparxTrading.com. Don’t miss
August 30, 2021
The big news this week: National Bank Direct Brokerage dropped their commissions to zero, ushering in a new chapter in the Canadian online brokerage industry. Find out more and for a view on where things go next.
August 23, 2021
The first earnings report from Robinhood has been released and wow is there a lot to unpack. We analyze their latest numbers to see what they reveal about the next leg of this online brokerage’s story. Also, BMO In
August 16, 2021
This edition of the Roundup is filled to the brim with new feature announcements from Qtrade Direct Investing and Wealthsimple Trade, as well as an elusive promotion from RBC Direct Investing that was spotted in the wild
August 9, 2021
This week is filled with surprise updates. From intriguing brokerage metrics at Interactive Brokers to a possible new zero-commission online brokerage to come to Canada, dive into the latest online brokerage news to cros
August 2, 2021
In this short-week edition of the Roundup, we get an update on the latest deals and promotions, and highlight big developments from online brokerages, including Wealthsimple Trade, Robinhood and more.
July 26, 2021
Even with the Robinhood IPO likely to take the spotlight, we dive into the latest earnings announcement from Interactive Brokers and fish out some interesting features that are flying under the news radar. Also, we look
July 19, 2021
It’s been a week of big launch announcements. Check out the latest from BMO InvestorLine and interesting stories on our radar as online brokerages battle it out on advertising channels. Also be sure to read up on t
July 12, 2021
Another week and even more new features from Canadian online brokerages. Read about the big news on fractional share trading from Wealthsimple Trade as well as inactivity fees being eliminated at Interactive Brokers.
July 5, 2021
It’s a big news week for online brokerages. In Canada, check out the latest online broker promos and get insights on the current offers and what they mean for DIY investors. Also, the highly anticipated Robinhood I
June 28, 2021
From new active trading tools to credit cards, research tools, and even cryptocurrency, this week it’s all about the new features launched by Canadian online brokerages.
June 21, 2021
New features continue to surface at online brokerages. Find out what Interactive Brokers founder Thomas Peterffy revealed in a recent interview. Also, be sure to check out possible sightings of one brokerage testing frac
June 14, 2021
In focus this week, more online brokerage data. Check out a deep dive on the 2021 MoneySense online brokerage rankings, including an interesting discovery about the connection between commission pricing and service exper
June 7, 2021
It’s a new month, and that means a scan of deals activity. That’s not all that’s new though, as it appears online brokerages are launching big features this summer – including the latest one from
May 31, 2021
This Roundup features a big announcement on commission-free ETFs at BMO InvestorLine and the latest results from the Canadian online brokerage rankings. Dive into data and the latest trends emerging for DIY investors in
May 24, 2021
US online brokerages provide a window into feature development that Canadian DIY investors can only look at with some serious cross-border envy. Learn about how trends at big and small online brokerages in the US are sha
May 17, 2021
The DIY investing datapalooza continues this month. Check out the latest in-depth review of online brokerage pricing to find out which brokerages rank as the cheapest, and why measuring cost isn’t quite as simple a
May 10, 2021
The data deep dive continues with more insights into DIY investing, courtesy of reports from Refinitiv and J.D. Power. Also check out the reaction to Wealthsimple’s massive capital raise.
May 3, 2021
This week’s Roundup takes a look at the latest deals and promotions activity at the outset of May, and an in-depth look at DIY investors in Canada.
April 26, 2021
It’s been a strange week outside of the markets. Dive into stories about upcoming features from Questrade and Wealthsimple Trade as well as the latest new features at Sparx Trading.
April 19, 2021
This week, we review the rebrand and launch of Qtrade Direct Investing, including how their new logo, colour scheme, and design direction are changing what an online brokerage in Canada looks and sounds like.
April 12, 2021
This week, we take an in-depth look into what users don’t like about Wealthsimple Trade, as well as challenges and opportunities for zero-commission trading in Canada.
April 5, 2021
This week, we review the latest online brokerage deals and what they might signal for DIY investors heading into the spring and summer. Also, we take a look at why markets rising have some investors staying away.
March 29, 2021
More zero commission online brokerages are coming to Canada, and Fraud Prevention Month focuses on slowing down.
March 22, 2021
A commission price drop from a bank-owned online brokerage is adding to the pressure for other Canadian brokerages to lower rates. Deal activity might be springing back to life soon, which is good news for DIY investors.
March 15, 2021
Online brokerages are starting to look more like banks and the new normal in retail trading is all about community.
March 8, 2021
After RRSP season, deals generally pull back, but this year there might be more deals activity coming in the spring. Also, a new online brokerage is coming to Canada soon(ish).
March 1, 2021
Even though February is the shortest month of the year, it seems with all of the activity that it flew by even faster than normal. Of course, now that March is here, the theme of the month is going to turn toward spring,
February 22, 2021
Even though this past week was technically a short one in both Canada and the US, Friday couldn’t come fast enough for several online brokerages (and one Texas senator). In this edition of the Roundup, we take a detailed
February 16, 2021
It’s fitting that after so much discussion about “shorts” in the news, we also now have a short(er) trading week upon us. With one fewer trading day, it also means the deadline for RRSP contributions is ticki
February 8, 2021
February is now well underway. In case you might have missed it, a forty-something quarterback managed to nab yet another Super Bowl win, and for the moment, it appears that the forty-something-plus crowd on Wall Street
February 1, 2021
So. Much. To. Unpack. Unlike most pundits this week, we’re not going to talk about GameStonks, at least not in the kind of depth we normally would. No, for the moment we’ll save the commentary for the forum chatter and D
January 25, 2021
Looking at the calendar, it’s hard to fathom that we’re almost through one month of 2021. Time, it appears, is moving quickly as events unfold, and it seems fitting that, like a good Bernie meme or Tom Brady, what’s old
January 18, 2021
Normally we talk about news that has happened – but considering the gravitas of the week ahead, it seems fitting to weave in some discussion of the future, this week in particular. As of the publication of this edition o
January 11, 2021
Sometimes you just have to call a spade a spade. 2021 is shaping up to be more of a hangover than a do-over. Now that we are just over 2% into the new year, the road ahead is clearly bumpy. Thankfully, with talk of new p
January 4, 2021
2020 is now officially behind us. 2021 will be one of those years that most of us will not have any trouble remembering to write correctly, even in the first few weeks. And, speaking of easy to remember, this month and y
December 21, 2020
The phrase that’s been a mantra for many of us in 2020 – aside from “You’re on mute” – has been “Is it over yet?” Finally, it’s a lot closer to being true than at any previous point in the y
December 14, 2020
’Tis the season for gifts, and it seems like with recent fervour around IPOs, those gifts are coming in the form of jingling market bells. For both DIY investors and online brokerages, the excitement around recent IPOs a
December 7, 2020
Take a deep breath. Believe it or not, December is here, and with it, news of several COVID-19 vaccines, stock markets making record highs, and hope on the horizon. Certainly not a coincidence. Another non-coincidence at
November 30, 2020
Hard to believe but the end of 2020 is almost here. Then again, a lot of what’s happening is surreal. With stock markets continuing to rise alongside COVID numbers, and increasingly tightening restrictions here in Canada
November 23, 2020
With Black Friday just around the corner and Christmas about a month out, bargain hunters and buying sprees abound. It seems like stock markets are in the buying spirit, too, as investors continue to push markets and cer
November 16, 2020
If there’s one place where the news isn’t all bad, it’s the stock market. True to their nature, stock markets are always focused on the future, and the record highs being notched and funds flowing back into highly beaten
November 9, 2020
It’s official, sort of. With the US presidential election now (just about) over and a clear winner declared in the contest, markets and the world can turn their attention to what comes next. Regardless of the direction t
November 2, 2020
Just because Halloween was seriously curtailed this year doesn’t mean there can’t still be a few treats dished out in a socially distant way. Besides, at this point, we’re all probably in need of some kind of boost to se
October 26, 2020
With just a few days to go, the news cycle is now going into hyperdrive. Not a day goes by without some reference to an election – mostly likely THE election that the entire world has its sights set on. For Canadian DIY
October 19, 2020
Despite the stock market being a voting machine on what the future is expected to look like, the videos of people making lightsabers and satellite internet deploying also provide reassurance that despite the pandemic, pe
October 12, 2020
As much as turkey and mashed potatoes are a staple of the menu for many Canadians on Thanksgiving, so too is discussion of what’s happening in the world. Inevitably for DIY investors, the gravy comes in the form of what’
October 5, 2020
So, if things seem like they might have gone from bad to worse this past week, with non-stop coverage of the US election chaos, the good news is that the stock market happened to shrug it off. While there’s a lot for eve
September 28, 2020
It’s kind of hard to ignore the elephant in the room. In this case, the US presidential election is going to be the focal point for the next six weeks (maybe even more), and it seems like markets are bracing themselves f
September 21, 2020
In a “normal” world, fall would be the start of the blockbuster movie launches that viewers expect to enjoy as the weather turns cooler. This, however, is the “new normal.” Instead of movies, IPOs
September 14, 2020
If 2020 has any common theme, it’s that the year has been filled with things you never expected to write or say in a sentence. For example, tech giant Oracle decides to (seriously) buy social media platform TikTok’s US o
September 9, 2020
Now that September is officially upon us (and Labour Day behind us), it is officially no longer good form to wear white. For anyone long in the stock market, though, that’s probably sound advice, as a sell-off is upon us
August 31, 2020
When it comes to summer, one way to beat the heat is to go for a frozen treat. For DIY investors, however, nothing could make the summer heat infinitely worse than encountering a frozen platform – especially on a day whe
August 24, 2020
It’s funny that gravity is often associated with apples falling. This week, we’re seeing Apple as the symbol of defying gravity. Of course, the iconic tech brand isn’t the only one defying gravity with markets hitt
August 17, 2020
It’s just past the middle of August and, wow, have things heated up all over the place. From hot weather across Canada to action in the online brokerage market, to new market highs, there’s definitely no shortage of acti
August 10, 2020
There’s nothing quite like being able to stay cool on a hot summer’s day. Whether it’s with a cold beverage, a spot in the shade, or just taking it easy, everyone has their own preference when it comes to handling the he
August 4, 2020
Dessert-lovers, rejoice! This past week was a great time to enjoy the fruits of investing labour, with tech giant Apple announcing they will be initiating a 4:1 stock split, as well as the tech-heavy Nasdaq pressing into
July 27, 2020
For anyone keeping score at home – July is almost over. The strange pace of time that COVID-19 has imparted on the world is equaled only by the strange behaviour in stock markets that, because of COVID-19, have seen majo
July 20, 2020
Elon Musk isn’t just a fan of shorts this summer. He’s also taken a pretty long view on bringing big ideas to fruition. As markets continue to press higher despite what appear to be doom-and-gloom messages about the real
July 13, 2020
With COVID-19 very much in focus, it appears that time is being measured more in phases and case counts than in actual calendar days or traditional time. Despite the uncertainty (or perhaps as a result of it), discount b
July 6, 2020
Whether it’s the first or fourth of July, where and how you might have celebrated depends in large part on where you happen to find yourself. In this edition of the Roundup, we keep things short and sweet, like a great h
June 29, 2020
Despite the progress being made in the fight against COVID-19 here in Canada, it will still be quite some time before things truly return to some sense of normal. For the time being though, uncertainty and caution abound
June 22, 2020
Summer is officially here. With warmer weather now upon us and progress – albeit slower than anyone would like – in the battle against COVID-19, it appears that there is reason for some cautious optimism. A group feeling
June 8, 2020
Many seasoned investors know that the stock market acts as a giant voting machine on what things are worth. What many people gloss over, however, is the fact that stock markets often start figuring out what something is
June 1, 2020
For anyone watching any kind of news or social media, it is difficult to fully process what is unfolding in cities around the world. With so many of us in Canada and around the world still under restrictions to stay clos
May 25, 2020
It’s likely a sign of the times, but what we see and hear on the news is so vastly different depending on where we live. And, even though we are all living through the collective experiment of lifting restrictions, we ar
May 18, 2020
To all the Canadian traders who went long on fun this weekend, the latest performance by US and international markets while the Canadian markets were closed is a mixed blessing. With the bounce-back rally in stocks still
May 11, 2020
Despite what most people, Garfield included, seem to think about Mondays, the good news is that this week isn’t last week. With historic job-loss data being reported, the good news is that hopefully the worst bad news ec
May 4, 2020
Here we are at the beginning of a new month. If the old adages are to be believed, then May is where we can look forward to flowers, and when investors would typically sell and look to return in the fall. Of course, thos
April 27, 2020
Here we are at almost the end of April and were it not for the intentional reminders as to the date, it certainly feels like the long day continues. Still, the goalposts matter. While dates aren’t moveable, it seems like
April 20, 2020
Another week gone by; however, the metrics that matter aren’t hours and seconds, it seems. Tests, cases, and, unfortunately, deaths are part of a grim set of metrics that serve as the very human backdrop to everybody’s n
April 13, 2020
For DIY investors, last week’s market bounce is sure to put a spring back into their step, even though stocks are trading well below their levels from just a few weeks ago. Nonetheless, with the fear gauge falling and DI
April 6, 2020
April has finally arrived. As much as the year is moving quickly, it simultaneously feels like it is moving incredibly slowly. As with the reality in markets, any bit of information about where things go next with the CO
March 30, 2020
For frequent market watchers, a screen is hard to ignore. Information about COVID-19 is flying at investors faster than a souped up Vin Diesel muscle car and coupled with, or perhaps compounded by, stock market volatilit
March 23, 2020
The most fundamental view of how the stock market works is a balance between supply and demand. As the past few weeks have now shown, there are clearly some places where there’s an oversupply and some places, like grocer
March 16, 2020
To paraphrase a quote from Bad Boys, things just got very real. Markets are already in unprecedented territory with record volatility and anyone who looks at the hard right edge of a chart might be seeing just how import
March 9, 2020
To tear a page out of the Sesame Street playbook, today’s edition of the Roundup is brought to you by the letter V. V is for volatility, V is for vix, V is for virus and V is for volume, and all of those factors are hitt
March 2, 2020
March is now here and while March Madness is synonymous with college basketball, it seems to sum up the sentiment in the stock market as fears about global economic slowdowns and uncertainty around COVID-19 continue to s
February 24, 2020
Deadline to RSP contribution is almost here and it’s prime time for DIY investors to go shopping for an online brokerage. Of course, retail investors aren’t the only ones shopping around, these days it seems that o
February 17, 2020
With Valentine’s Day and now with a shortened trading week for Family Day in Canada and President’s Day in the US, the weekend has been bookended with reasons to celebrate. For DIY investors, the sprint towards the RRSP
February 10, 2020
If there’s one thing that get Canadians to forget about the weather in February for a moment, it’s the hype train that is the Oscars. Like the glitz and glamour of Hollywood’s biggest award, Canadian online brokerages ar
February 3, 2020
After the ‘big game’ in the NFL, it’s now time for the championship race between Canadian online brokerages to kick into high gear. With just a few weeks left until the deadline for RSP contribution, it will be an all-ou
January 27, 2020
2020 is off to one heck of a start. Coronavirus, impeachment trials, airliner tragedy and now news of Kobe Bryant. There is no shortage of bad news to start the new year; however, for markets and investors, the focus on
January 20, 2020
There’s snow doubt about it, winter definitely showed up in Canada this past week. Of course, for those fortunate or wise enough to have been prepared, weathering the storm just seemed like just a matter of time. Speakin
January 13, 2020
Welcome to 2020! Lots has happened while the Weekly Roundup has been on hiatus, however much like the snow blanketing rooftops all across the country (including Vancouver), there’s lots of news to shovel through and rema
December 16, 2019
Heading into mid-December, there are clearly lots of numbers being thrown about. The number of shopping days left until Christmas, the countdown to the end of the year, and the exact deadline for trades to be counted for
December 9, 2019
With the holiday season just a few short weeks away, gifts and presents are top of mind for many folks. Fortunately for Canadian DIY investors, there are some early presents that have arrived courtesy of some of the newe
December 2, 2019
Sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the beginning of December is undoubtedly synonymous with big savings and big deals. This year, there are definitely both in the world of online brokerages here in Canada
November 25, 2019
Black Friday is just around the corner and with just about everyone looking for a bargain, it will be a fine balance to keep things profitable in the face of so many deals. For DIY investors, the good news is that deals
November 18, 2019
After what’s seemed like an epic storm of information and discount brokerage news, there finally appears to be an eye of calm. Even in the midst of the calm, however, there are still swirls of activity that point to even
November 11, 2019
This week more than most, the focus of November is on remembrance. For some (cough cough weed) investors, however, November is about trying to forget and cutting ties with losing stocks. Capitulation typically takes a wh
November 4, 2019
They say when it (November) rains, it (November) pours. It’s fitting for the start of the second-last month to reference the turbulent weather that many DIY investors encountered at the outset of the new month, and a fit
October 28, 2019
Halloween is just around the corner, and for the online brokerage industry, it appears that they’re poised to deliver lots of treats and perhaps even a few tricks for DIY investors this year. Of course, this year’s scary
October 21, 2019
On the eve of election night in Canada, citizens are tasked with making an investment of their own in the party or candidate that they believe is in their best interest. Another voting machine, the stock market, provides
October 15, 2019
Welcome back to the market action after what was hopefully a restful long weekend. While many DIY investors will start the week feeling cheerful, it was pretty clear that after a stretch like the one we’ve just witnessed
October 7, 2019
You have to hand it to October. For whatever reason, this is the month of the calendar year where there happens to be more volatility than usual in stock markets. It even featured prominently in the Back to Future franch
September 30, 2019
One of the best parts of summer happens to be ice cream. Of course, just because the season is behind us, it doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy a good scoop – or in this case, a couple of incredible scoops – of online brok
September 23, 2019
Fall is finally here. Along with the changing colours of the leaves, it’s also a time that the fashion industry looks to shine. Much like fashion, investors are also interested in what’s du jour. Trendspotting is a big f
September 16, 2019
In the stock markets, is it better to be lucky or smart? Even though the markets closed out the week on Friday the 13th, it seems that fortune is smiling on the markets with indices holding near their all-time highs. Is
September 9, 2019
Sports offer a great metaphor for the highly competitive nature of the stock market. After an epic weekend of football and tennis, there was lots to cheer for (not so much for Raiders fans though). While there are many l
September 3, 2019
The unofficial end to summer is now here, and while it’s poor form to wear white after Labour Day, it seems like white flags and white knuckles are still very much going to be part of the investing experience in the week
August 26, 2019
It seems like more and more discussion is taking place around the “R” word. Of course, with stranger things taking place around the world with respect to interest rates, trade wars, and conflicting accounts f
August 19, 2019
One of the marvels of modern physics is that you can experience “zero gravity” right here on Earth by hopping on a flight of what’s affectionately known as the vomit comet. After diving and rallying and causi
August 12, 2019
One of the highlights of any summer barbecue is the dip. Of course, for anyone who’s ever arrived at one a bit too late, often it’s just the dip that’s left. For DIY investors, it seems that the newsies are no longer tal
August 6, 2019
It’s definitely shorts weather outside as well as in the markets. And, what better way to celebrate a short week (at least for Canadian DIY investors) than with a brief update of what’s moving the needle for online broke
July 29, 2019
It’s not just temperatures that are rising anymore. Markets, tempers, and purses for eSports tournaments have all made headlines for reaching new highs. For online brokerages, even though trading might be growing, revenu
July 22, 2019
Seems like this summer, there will be more that one Maverick making waves on traders’ screens. The trailer for Top Gun 2 officially dropped this past week and even though we weren’t planning on a sequel, we just felt the
July 15, 2019
When it comes to summer, some people like soft serve and others like their serves to be anything but soft. Ironically, the world of professional sports is just one of the places we’ve found online brokerages wandering in
July 8, 2019
The deal that everyone has been talking about finally transpired. Of course, the Kawhi trade isn’t the only deal getting attention this past week, as a pair of Canadian discount brokers decided to also step back onto the
July 1, 2019
Happy Canada Day! It’s great to be back in the saddle again and happily there’s great news to report since the last update a couple of weeks ago. With U.S. markets touching new highs, summer is off to a strong start. Int
June 10, 2019
Never mind the trade tariffs being on or off, or the Formula 1, there are more than a few Canadians on edge for the Raptors to take the NBA championships. The optimist can taste the victory and the pessimist says don’t c
June 3, 2019
June is finally here and although the song of Fire and Ice may now be a fading memory (shout out to Game of Thrones fans), the stock markets are caught in between the opposing forces of their own, with fear and greed cau
May 27, 2019
From Game of Thrones, to now a game of throws. Ironically, with the Toronto Raptors making it all the way to the NBA finals, getting onto the iron throne might actually be a tad easier than finding good tickets to the Ra
May 20, 2019
Whether it was the Raptors or Game of Thrones fans, it was good news (mostly) for the North all around on this long weekend. While the popular HBO series has now officially wrapped, it looks like a different video series
May 13, 2019
While talk may be cheap, not talking is turning out to be very expensive for two major market moving voices. Ironically, it is the power of conversation that online brokerages are hoping to tap into and yes, for those th
May 6, 2019
It’s hard to believe that May is already upon us and there’s talk everywhere about untimely ends. Whether it’s from King’s Landing, or the basketball court, or deals and promotions, there’s clearly some drama ahead
April 29, 2019
The end of April is almost here and for Canadians, that means tax time and deadlines. While some folks are taking their cues from the Game of Thrones and making things dramatic into the finish, it seems like there are al
April 22, 2019
This edition of the weekly roundup is coming to you from sunny Indio California, home of the Coachella Valley Music Festival aka Coachella. There’s nothing quite like the example of supply and demand in action – and judg
April 15, 2019
In case you were wondering why Bran might be trending on Twitter, it’s not because the world suddenly discovered fiber was going to be bigger than avocado toast. No, it was because fans around the world couldn’t be conte
April 8, 2019
Even though spring has clearly arrived, there are still many folks anticipating the coming of winter. After years of anticipation, the finale of Game of Thrones is almost here, bringing an end to an amazing decade plus r
April 1, 2019
And just like that, the first quarter of the year is now in the books. Of course, we all know that time flies, but just like the sci-fi world, for investors time and money are also bending – in this case – because of the
March 25, 2019
Spring is officially here and what better metaphor for talking about growth than one that focuses so much about the promise of things to come. Ironically for many Canadian online brokerages, what’s to come may not be so
March 18, 2019
With spring around the corner and coming off St. Paddy’s Day weekend, green is definitely a theme colour for March. Of course, while investors are seeking a green of their own, Canadian online brokerages are also green w
March 11, 2019
There’s a Bob Dylan song about times changing, which seems fitting for the post-daylight savings edition of a roundup and also following the celebration of International Women’s Day last week. Fortunately, even if it is
March 4, 2019
Welcome to March. With spring on the horizon (at least that’s what’s supposed to happen) and the RSP deadline now behind everyone, it’s time to start looking forward to bigger stories through the rest of the year. Fortun
February 25, 2019
Whether it was the spectacle of having no host, the spectacle of who wore what or of who won what, there was a lot of hype leading up to the Oscars and after it was all said and done, the controversy persists. Of course,
February 18, 2019
Even though markets took a pause for Family Day in Canada and President’s Day in the US, the calm before the storm is officially over and when the market bells ring again on Tuesday, it will be a mad dash to the RSP cont
February 11, 2019
Now that February is here, there’s all kinds of buzz surrounding the entertainment industry awards shows like the Grammy’s and the Oscars. For Canadian discount brokerages, this month also marks an important awards windo
February 4, 2019
Welcome to the Super Bowl edition of the Weekly Roundup. Just like Tom Brady winning Super Bowls, discount brokerage deal announcements never get old. And, just like the big game itself, for DIY investors, landing a grea
January 28, 2019
It’s hard to believe but the end of the first month of 2019 is almost here. In the short time the new year has been around there has been no shortage of activity in the markets. As timing would have it, however, we’re ju
January 21, 2019
If there’s one way to beat the cold, it’s to keep moving. For Canada’s online brokerages, the sprint to the RSP contribution deadline is on and as a result they’re pulling out all the stops to keep the activity level hig
January 14, 2019
As any avid sports fan or seasoned trader knows, sometimes there are lucky bounces, sometimes not. Fortunately, for many DIY investors, it was the market bears who got the bad bounce off the uprights. For many online bro
January 7, 2019
Welcome to 2019 and Happy New Year! The arrival of a new year brings with it the promise and opportunity for change and so, we’re happily announcing a change of our own to the Weekly Roundup, now moving to a new day and
December 21, 2018
In addition to frenzied shopping, and trading platforms flashing more red than Rudolph’s nose, if there’s one thing to look forward to in the end of year hustle, it’s blockbuster releases. And, here at SparxTrading, we d
December 14, 2018
If there’s one place in Canada that should be prepared to handle the rain, it’s Vancouver. And yet, even on the We(s)t Coast, this past week has shown that sometimes, when it rains, it really does pour. As it turns out,
December 7, 2018
Only in the stock market does everybody get more when everybody gets less. The cuts in oil supply provided a much-needed relief to an otherwise dour stretch into the final month of the year. With most of the gains of 201
November 30, 2018
To some, the word boring means something unexciting. For the Elon Musks of the world, however, boring is really exciting. Of course, that second kind of boring requires doing some digging to yield interesting results. In
November 23, 2018
Welcome to the Black Friday edition of the weekly roundup! No crazy lineups to fight here however if you were inundated with offers and merchants trying to get your attention, you’re certainly not alone. In keeping with
November 16, 2018
There’s always two sides to a market. While oil prices continue to run out of gas, people are lining up at Tesla dealerships in Norway. Stock markets are always trying to figure out where the next big opportunity will co
November 9, 2018
Midterms are finally over. It’s a phrase that university students and now most of the world are glad to hear. If there’s one thing that both market and political pundits are obsessed with, its speculation. That said, eve
November 2, 2018
November is here and wow did it ever make an entrance. Stock market and political volatility, the launch of Financial Literacy Month, a new fiscal year for online brokerages and it happens to be the most important milest
October 26, 2018
Trading is definitely a numbers game. This week for most investors the numbers weren’t that great (unless you were short) yet, as many of the bank-owned online brokerages are well aware of, it’s not so much today’s numbe
October 19, 2018
This fall, the colours of the leaves in Canada were distinctly green as legalization of recreational cannabis officially took effect. There was lots of excitement in the months and weeks leading up to this major mileston
October 12, 2018
The week wasn’t the only thing that was short for Canadian DIY investors. After what seems to have been a pretty steady upward run for the better part of the year, the “fall” season presented a stark reminder that market
October 5, 2018
As with any good Thanksgiving meal, there’s usually a generous helping of something good. In keeping with the spirit of Thanksgiving, we’re dishing out an extra helping of interesting developments in the Canadian online
September 28, 2018
While most traders would agree that the stock market is volatile, the news cycle makes it seem like the stock market is as level as a prairie highway. From Teslas to testimony to tariffs, this past week has given traders
September 21, 2018
Fall is officially here but for investors, leaves are green and weed stocks are doing quite the opposite of falling. Ironically, the lead up to legalization of recreational marijuana is also having a ripple effect in the
September 14, 2018
There’s no doubt that when big weather events happen, people pay attention. With announcements of feature releases and new offers at Canadian and US online brokerages happening at a greater frequency and intensity, it ap
September 7, 2018
Even though it was technically a short week, it most certainly didn’t feel that way for anyone watching or reporting the news. While none of the online brokerages have pulled many of the stunts on Twitter that this past
August 31, 2018
If there’s one thing that markets are built for, it’s speculation. Whether or not NAFTA negotiations turn in Canada’s favour or against, the reality is that nobody on either side of the negotiating table is standing stil
August 24, 2018
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. There’s certainly been no shortage of smoke as fires rage across the country, however, in the online brokerage space, it appears that commissions are definitely smoldering and set to to
August 17, 2018
When it rains, it pours. Amirite Toronto? And, for many of Canada’s online brokerages located in Toronto and across the country, the commission party just got rained on. Hard. In this edition of the roundup we take a loo
August 10, 2018
For many Canadians, it was a short week, however for many investors in Tesla, it was a tough week to be short. Even though social media has been less likely to move markets, this past week showed that what gets said in t
August 3, 2018
It was a big week for big apples. For the iconic technology firm, there were 1 trillion reasons to celebrate. For the New York Mets, there were probably 1 trillion reasons to explain what went so terribly wrong. Nonethel
July 27, 2018
Summer is in full effect. And, as is typically the case, it’s the time of year when folks work a little harder to tone up or bulk up for the beach. Interestingly enough, it looks like Canadian online brokerages are also
July 20, 2018
There might be no more teachers or no more books, but just because summer’s here, doesn’t mean that lots can’t be learned. In fact, it appears that several online brokerages are banking on the fact that investor educatio
July 13, 2018
It’s Friday the 13th and National French Fry Day. Just like a market, depending on your perspective this is either a pretty awesome way to end the week or a fittingly ominous one. One thing is for sure, perception rather
July 6, 2018
There’s no mistaking it, summer is here (for most of Canada) and it’s a scorcher. Of course, for Canada’s discount brokerages, it’s not just the heat that’s causing them to sweat, it’s also the hurried pace they’re movin
June 29, 2018
It’s hard to believe but the halfway point of 2018 is just around the corner. Heading into the Canada Day long weekend, it’s an opportune time to review the latest activities from the second quarter of 2018 and see what
June 22, 2018
There are lots of reasons to cheer as summer officially started this week and, of course, its Friday. For Canadian DIY investors, and much of the world really, the news coming out of the US has dominated airwaves. And, w
June 15, 2018
There is no doubt that deal making is an art. Sometimes it’s a Michelangelo, sometimes it’s a Pollock, sometimes it’s a Vandelay. In either case, online brokerages know that like beauty, a good deal is in the eye o
June 8, 2018
As any seasoned investor knows, the stock market is one very big voting machine. And, while there is no ‘leader’ per se, those stocks that get to the top are those that enrich their shareholders. Heading into the end of
June 1, 2018
Even though it was a tough week for hacking scandals, pipeline purchases and provincial politics, none of it mattered because Kim Kardashian visited the US President, J.R. Smith royally messed up game 1 for the Cavs, the
May 25, 2018
Though this was a short week because of the holidays, there was still a healthy dose of news to digest and trade around. For Canadian online brokerages, the race is on not only to report some of the big news but to put a
May 18, 2018
Being online can sometimes be an occupational hazard. Case in point: Laurel or Yanny. Despite having captured the imagination of the internet and having squandered so many people’s valuable time there’s a lesson in here
May 11, 2018
Eventually spring was bound to show up. And, like the green shoots, flowers and sunshine, it’s a time for change and opportunity. Fortuitously, Canadian discount brokerages are also taking their cues from spring and roll
May 4, 2018
The old trading adage of sell in May and go away clearly did not apply to this week’s market activity. It’s still early enough in the month that anything can happen, however. With the announcement of the end of decades o
April 27, 2018
For traders of Canadian securities listed on the TSX/TSX-V and Montreal Exchange, the weekend showed up a little earlier than anyone expected. With trading on these markets halted, it was an opportune time for the Toront
April 20, 2018
For many sports fans, playoffs are the time of year when things get really exciting. Fortunately, sports fans aren’t the only ones being treated to contests as DIY investors and online brokerages have contests of their o
April 13, 2018
Friday the 13th seems like an unlucky date for those in the path of a spring-time ice storm (sorry Toronto!) and for others, well, the search for ice is really just to keep drinks cold. Yes, this edition of the roundup i
April 6, 2018
Welcome to April 2018, where the invisible hand has taken to typing away tweets to move markets. The power of digital platforms and the importance of making deals coincidentally happen to be two important themes that Can
March 30, 2018
What better way to cap off March and segue into Easter than with the talk of goodies and mythical bunnies bearing gifts? For Canadian DIY investors hunting for new and exciting features it seems like the best place to lo
March 23, 2018
Now that spring has sprung, it’s time to dive right into the next season head first. For online brokerages, after RRSP season comes tax return season. Judging by the response so far to the next busiest time of the year a
March 16, 2018
March Madness is here. Whether that means trying to entertain kids who are off school, figuring out brackets and odds, or making sense of any given news day, keeping up with all of what’s going on and still having time t
March 9, 2018
From real war to trade war, what are either good for? Attention apparently. As provinces and countries trade barbs, online brokerages battling one another have turned to toasting rather than roasting. It was a very full
March 2, 2018
Whether or not we like it, we can’t seem to avoid politics drifting into markets. One thing there is no shortage of, however, is controversy. This week is no exception. With uncertainty creeping into markets, how online
February 23, 2018
It’s hard to believe but time flies when you’re winning medals. Team Canada has had a great run at these Olympic games and not too long after the games are over so too will some online brokerage deals and promos as well
February 16, 2018
The Olympics are here and in full swing. As the world’s attention turns to the winter games, closer to home there is a fierce competition going on between Canadian online brokerages. The big prize: winning the share of w
February 9, 2018
What a week of extremes. The Eagles won the Super Bowl, the Dow Jones cratered, Elon Musk’s rocket took off, XIV blew up and Omarosa is on Big Brother. But those weren’t the only headlines this week. Unfortunately for ma
February 2, 2018
Welcome to February. Instead of V for Valentine’s it appears that the first V is for volatility. Gravity kicked in very quickly for stock markets this week, as it often does, when supply suddenly outstrips demand. Curiou
January 26, 2018
With US markets continuing to push into record territory, everyone appears to revising estimates upwards in terms of where things go from here. Heck, even the folks at Vanity Fair magazine seem to be caught up in the fre
January 19, 2018
This week has been all about deals. From the frenzied (but futile) deal making to avoid the US government shutting down to the announcement of cities jockeying to make a deal to attract Amazon for a new headquarters, 201
January 12, 2018
Twitter is no stranger to controversy or strong language, however when it comes from the commander in grief, well it’s becoming strange to see exactly what shocks us anymore. Speaking of strong reactions on Twitter, seve
January 5, 2018
Happy New Year? Just five days into 2018 and there’s fire and fury making headlines on both sides of the border. Here in Canada, however, the fire and fury have been directly at a handful of online brokerage service expe
December 22, 2017
For last minute shoppers, this is it – the mad sprint to the finish line ahead of Christmas next week. Interestingly enough, procrastinating gift-givers weren’t the only ones getting things done this week, as Canad
December 15, 2017
Any fans of Die Hard know that just because it’s Christmas time, doesn’t mean there isn’t room for action to happen. In the online trading space, this also happens to be the case as December has proven itself to be fille
December 8, 2017
If there are two things dominating the headlines the past few weeks, it’s bitcoin (or cryptocurrency) and America. While Canadian DIY investors have a chance to peek around the corner to see what online brokerages have c
December 1, 2017
Even though 2017 is in the final stretch, it appears there’s still quite a bit of activity in the Canadian online brokerage space. From awards to new deals crossing the wire, the last few weeks of the year will probably
November 24, 2017
It’s black Friday which means deal hunters are out in full force online and in the stores looking for a great bargain. For DIY investors, looking for a deal in the markets or even looking for a deal when opening an onlin
November 17, 2017
If we didn’t need any more reminders that we’re hurtling towards the future faster and more furious than ever, we nonetheless got not one but two this week with Elon Musk’s mindblowing new Tesla semi-truck and updated ro
November 10, 2017
For all the madness that’s been driving the world of cryptocurrencies higher, this past week seems to have introduced the first stumble in quite some time. In the stock market, there was also a stumble of sorts, perhaps
November 3, 2017
…Aaand we’re back. Now that November is here, it’s not only fireplaces and furnaces that are heating up, but also the action at Canadian discount brokerages. Specifically, the promotional activity is starting to ramp up
October 20, 2017
So, the weekly roundup is back online. Unfortunate circumstances caused us to have to pause the roundup, but like any good trader, we’ve dusted ourselves off and are back in the saddle. And, now that we’re here, it’s tim
September 22, 2017
With the first day of fall arriving this week, it’s unbe”leaf”able how fast time flies. And while the news was busy reporting world leaders trading insults, stock market charts show that the investing world continues to
September 15, 2017
Let’s see, this week’s headlines were dominated by the launch of the iPhone X, a massive data breach at a credit agency (Equifax), North Korea firing missiles over Japan, and a few record highs in the US markets. For DIY
September 8, 2017
Between natural disasters or man-made ones, this short week has felt much longer than even a regular one. Of course, there’s still lots of important action to stay on top of, which is something all DIY investors (especia
September 1, 2017
Heading into a long weekend where Canadian and U.S. stock markets are closed until Tuesday, certain investors are braving a long gulf of uncertainty. Meanwhile, a new and white-hot market in cryptocurrency continues to b
August 25, 2017
Whether it’s mythical dragons, rare celestial events or a new album from a musical mega-celebrity, the bar for getting peoples’ attention this past week felt significantly higher. Of course, against the backdrop of so ma
August 18, 2017
Right now, a lot of news in the US and from around the world seems bad. Rightfully so. This week, however, after many weeks of discounting the rhetoric, it seems that along with headlines, markets are also making a forma
August 11, 2017
With the chaos in the Oval Office and the specter of nuclear war being played out on the world stage, Canadian DIY investors may’ve seen this short week as a week to either be short, enjoy wearing shorts or perhaps chang
August 4, 2017
August is finally here and what a month so far. The Dow Jones touched a new all-time high, the US President’s popularity is finding a new low, and Canadian online brokerages are already stepping up their game in anticipa
July 28, 2017
Separating news from noise is harder to do some weeks than others. This might have been one of those weeks. Despite markets responding to earnings and fundamentals, and despite economic news that shows Canada’s economy i
July 21, 2017
If there’s a lesson emerging from the scandal in the US or from Game of Thrones, it’s that details matter. At least in the case of the US, the details are emerging and in the process, the spin doctors are working overtim
July 14, 2017
If there’s one thing Canadian investors heard a lot about this week, it’s that interest rates are coming. Also, winter is coming. While the latter is something Game of Thrones fans will be clamouring over, ironically it’
July 7, 2017
Oh boy, where to even begin? With the warm weather upon us it seems like real estate sales in Toronto are melting like ice cream left in the sun for too long, and the world’s attention is turned squarely on the meetings
June 30, 2017
Not everyone would look forward to turning 150 the way Canada does. That’s simply because us Canadians love to do things our way – including the Canadian discount brokerages and DIY investors. Of course, defining what ‘C
June 23, 2017
With summer officially arriving this week, it also brought with it the longest day of the year. Of course, that is literally what happened on summer solstice, but for some traders (Sears, Home Capital?) and even several
June 16, 2017
Amazon buying whole foods, meanwhile Sears Canada expressed concerns it would be able to carry on. The law of the jungle is simple: eat or be eaten. This week, Amazon decided to do some eating while Sears Canada let the
June 9, 2017
In a slight pause from presidential shenanigans, we kick off this weekend alongside the Canadian Grand Prix rolling into Montreal to celebrate its 50th anniversary. In many ways, the world of elite car racing mirrors the
June 2, 2017
There seems to be no way around it, what happens on social media has now become ‘the news’ cycle the world over. Curiously, the news cycle this week focused on deciphering covfefe as well as the art of the deal – or rath
May 26, 2017
‘Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble’ seems to capture the sentiment of any market when buyers get far too ahead of themselves. Whether it’s real estate, the latest feverish run up in cryptocurrency ethereum, or tulip bulbs
May 19, 2017
Drama. It’s what draws viewers into reality TV and it’s what reality TV producers and those in the entertainment world know how to harness – the innate human tendency towards uncertainty. Funnily enough, financial market
May 12, 2017
While savvy investors and traders enjoy the ‘boring’ trades, in these markets, the truth is that nothing is quite so boring. For now, stock markets are moving on earnings – which is a good sign – however there appears to
May 5, 2017
Not sure if May got the memo, but it was April that was supposed to get the showers. For many traders, however, this is the month when many of them will be looking to exit the market according to the saying: ‘Sell in May
April 28, 2017
This week, NAFTA was causing all kinds of nausea for media, government and economists who were trying to figure out exactly what was happening with this long standing free-trade deal. While not a multinational economic a
April 21, 2017
There’s been lots of sabre rattling in the news recently. While the world is facing specter of war, online brokerages in the US are already in the throes of their own price war. For Canada’s discount brokerages, the stor
April 14, 2017
With markets closed today in observance of Good Friday, investors on both sides of the border can spend their weekend recounting United Airlines memes, legalization of marijuana in Canada and the mother of all bombs. Say
April 7, 2017
In the same week that the electric vehicle maker Tesla became the most valuable US automaker, a marijuana ETF launched and the world inched closer to war. Nevertheless, stock markets continued to price in the myriad of o
March 31, 2017
Even though March is over, it still doesn’t quite feel like the madness is behind us yet. Nonetheless, housing prices (in Toronto) and stock markets are still buoyant, and are managing to keep up appearances. For investo
March 24, 2017
Investor’s know that when it comes to investing, there’s generally no such thing as a sure thing. In a week where there was so much going on, it was curious to see those that were convinced of a done deal (aka repeal &am
March 17, 2017
March madness indeed. After ‘losing’ an hour to start the week, things were looking kind of looking up with Pi day, then there was the interest rate hike in the US, that whole ‘Ides of March’, the IPO of Canada Goose and
March 10, 2017
For many families, the reality of March break is about to set in. What it means is that, while there may be a change in pace, the word ‘break’ doesn’t quite mean the same to the parents as it does to the kids. Unfortunat
March 3, 2017
Crazy real estate, crazy IPOs, crazy politics, crazy Oscars, crazy Amazon outages and one very crazy sprint to the RRSP contribution deadline. Not a bad way to ring in the third month of 2017. There’s certainly no shorta
February 24, 2017
Spring may still be a month away but there are many who’ve already had more than enough of winter. Of course, change is certainly the theme for Canadian discount brokerages as their new reality is one in which they will
February 17, 2017
One of the most interesting qualities about markets is that they behave like voting machines. Despite the inflammatory rhetoric coming out of Washington, stock markets in the US and Canada have, for the most part, been v
February 10, 2017
Did someone say rally? While the Trump news cycle is on full blast, a funny thing has been happening in financial markets in the US and Canada – they’ve been going up. Despite the many sounds of alarm that are being rung
February 3, 2017
It’s hard to believe a whole month has gone by in 2017. With the news cycle dominated by the ever unpredictable movements of the US president, speculation is as rampant as ever. For Canadian online brokerages, however, g
January 27, 2017
Sometimes change is good. Sometimes it’s not. Either way for discount brokerages in Canada and the US, change, and more specifically the ability to navigate change, appears to be what will separate the winners from the r
January 20, 2017
Trump, or more formally, President Trump is known for many things – among them, the art of the deal. The new US president isn’t the only deal maker around, however, as Canadian brokerages are also looking to start giving
January 13, 2017
For the superstitious, Friday the 13th is supposedly an unlucky day. As this week draws to a close, however, it seems that DIY investors are in luck as deals and promotions activity is red hot at the outset of 2017. We’l
January 6, 2017
Welcome to the first roundup of new year! It’s good to be back at the helm in what will likely be one of the most exciting and unpredictable years for DIY investors in recent memory. Given all of the uncertainty, the the
December 30, 2016
Welcome to the last edition of the roundup for 2016. As the year winds down, it looks like markets and investors have finally decided to take a pause and celebrate an eventful year. This edition of the roundup will be sh
December 23, 2016
Well, it’s hard to believe but Christmas is literally just two sleeps away. While DIY investors are either busy looking for a deal, a present or are relaxing from the mayhem that is a shopping mall, it looks like Canadia
December 16, 2016
If there was any doubt that winter is coming, it’s pretty much been buried at this point underneath a pile of snow. The infamous game of thrones reference seems more appropriate than ever, not just for markets, but also
December 9, 2016
It looks like 2016 is not about to go quietly. With new all-time high for the Dow and markets generally buoyant after the US election, bulls are still driving the bus. Good thing for them they’ve got snow tires. Also not
December 2, 2016
Every now and then, the real world throws an interesting case study in the uncertainty factor of markets. The air miles reversal on letting their points expire is a great example of why in markets, just as in life, the s
November 25, 2016
For investors, every day in the markets feels like Black Friday. From the opening bell through to the close and into the night, there’s no shortage of folks looking to capitalize on a great deal. Fortunately for DIY inve
November 18, 2016
With shipping, tripping and champagne sipping, it was another wild week in the markets. There was volatility galore which always makes for exciting times for both traders and the business news media. And, even though thi
November 11, 2016
If the world were to go to hell in a handbasket, the market would respond by going bullish on basket makers and transportation. Such is the lens of a trader. Despite the volatility and uncertainty attached to a Trump pre
November 4, 2016
Patience is a virtue. Or for some, it’s a way of life. Cubs fans can finally celebrate winning the world series, somewhat ironically on a week when market bears were also cheering their recent victories. For Canadian dis
October 28, 2016
Heading into the unofficial ‘Halloweekend’, just one small piece of news from the US was enough to spook the markets. Investors were left trying to figure out if the latest news on the US presidential race was more trick
October 21, 2016
Well it has certainly been a week to remember. Not so much for what happened in the markets but rather for what happened around them and what this weeks events may do to markets everywhere. While the presidential debate
October 14, 2016
Like the Toronto Blue Jays’ bats, fall colours are also in full swing. As we head into the halfway point in October this edition of the roundup has an equally interesting feature – something that all Canadian online brok
October 7, 2016
It’s been a tough week for some birds. Turkeys have seen their number come up, the blue bird of Twitter has seen its number go down, and for Orioles, orange was the new eliminated. Of course, there’s still one cuckoo lef
September 30, 2016
There are busy weeks and then there are busy weeks. With all the news focused on the debate between Clinton and Trump, it’s kind of difficult to remember that the world doesn’t revolve around those two. Of course, those
September 23, 2016
Now that fall is here, the weather may be cooling down but the competition at Canadian discount brokerages is definitely heating up. Rather than sitting back Canadian online brokers are firing on all cylinders, from deal
September 16, 2016
For Isaac Newton a falling apple sparked inspiration about gravity. For traders and investors this week, Apple defied gravity and seemed to spark a rally in a falling market. The lesson seems to be clear: don’t fight the
September 9, 2016
A famous football movie said sometimes life is a game of inches. As the busy season for investors and brokerages kicks off, it looks like there are lots of interesting changes, big and small, that are taking place in and
September 2, 2016
September’s here and it’s all about the kids – well at least what some people consider to be kids anyway. After a summer spent huddled away figuring out what the ‘cool kids’ of investing may want, the Canadian discount b
August 26, 2016
With fall on the horizon, it’s not just the colours of the leaves that will be changing. As we ride out the final days of August, more and more Canadian discount brokerages are starting to unveil some of the changes they
August 19, 2016
With the 2016 Rio Olympics staring down the final stretch, it has been quite the run for Team Canada and for many athletes the world over. Like the athletes who are focused on getting themselves on the podium next time,
August 12, 2016
One the great lessons embodied by the Olympics is that preparation, practice and discipline lead to success. It’s a message that holds true not only in the world of sport but also in the world of investing. For Canadian
August 5, 2016
Citius, Altius, Fortius – the Latin version of the motto of the Olympics which translates into faster, higher, stronger – seems to be an appropriate jumping off point for this week’s roundup, especially as the US stock m
July 29, 2016
The summer Olympics are just around the corner and with them will come all kinds of excitement, fanfare and of course, the widely anticipated opening ceremonies. While there aren’t typically flag bearers, parades, firewo
July 22, 2016
With the activities going on in the US republican convention this week, it was difficult to escape the news cycle that was dominated by the upcoming US elections in November. Alas there are no plagiarized speeches, comb-
July 15, 2016
Even when the world appears irrational, markets still move to beat of their own drum. Against a backdrop of turbulent headlines, markets in the US have managed to hit new all-time highs. For DIY investors in Canada, howe
July 8, 2016
Bulls will be bulls. On a day when grim news captured the headlines, the S&P 500 managed to put it all in the rear-view mirror and touch a new record high intraday. Despite what naysayers are nay-saying, the numbers
July 1, 2016
Happy Canada Day! The recent visit of US President Barack Obama to Canada underscored the importance of the two countries’ working relationship. Interestingly, at least one US online brokerage has managed to maintain its
June 24, 2016
Despite what the pundits and talking heads are passionately and energetically discussing on business news networks the world over, global markets are not in turmoil. While the calculus of a market repricing may seem mess
June 17, 2016
If there’s one thing markets are fueled by, it’s hype. Heading into this weekend, there’s plenty of hype to go around, from the upcoming Brexit vote, to the NBA finals game 7 or even the epic battle to be fought in game
June 10, 2016
In an era of robots and algos, and in a business that stresses keeping things unemotional, there are often times for every trader when emotions and humanity creep back into the picture. This was one of those weeks. From
June 3, 2016
In case you didn’t get the memo, it’s National Donut Day – oh and apparently there’s a bull market in commodities to mark the occasion. As we head into a new month, the headline of a ‘bull market’ in commodities is great
May 27, 2016
Even though the week was technically a shortened one for Canadian DIY investors, there were many who felt it was simply a bit too long (TGIF amirite?). Despite the shortened timing, oil managed to make a brief appearance
May 20, 2016
Even the best investors can be caught off guard by sudden moves in the market. It’s a humbling lesson and usually the tuition for poor risk management isn’t cheap. For Canadian discount brokerages, there are definitely s
May 13, 2016
Even in a world of robo-advisors and trading algorithms, human traders and investors are still prone to believing in the power of luck. Of course, it being Friday the 13th, the more superstitious folks probably are focus
May 6, 2016
Crisis and opportunity. For traders it’s often two sides of the same coin. The human toll of the tragic events in Fort McMurray are impossible to quantify however for those seasoned veterans of markets who can only watch
April 29, 2016
It’s hard to believe but here we are at the end of April. For some, it’s a sprint to the tax filing deadline. For sports fans, it’s been a lottery filled week with ‘mathletes’ trying to calculate who pick up prospects in
April 22, 2016
With storm clouds thicker than this week’s 420 protests-turned-celebrations and tension greater than the imminent showdown coming in the next installment of Game of Thrones, it seems the fog of war has set in with online
April 15, 2016
While one basketball legend is retiring another one is seeing his star rise. Whether it’s professional basketball or the world of DIY investing, performance is what counts. For the race that is the Canadian discount brok
April 8, 2016
While April showers might bring May flowers, April is also about the time to start nervously watching the calendar for the ‘sell in May and go away’ moment. For many Canadian online brokerages, however, the hope is that
April 1, 2016
Welcome to April. While there may be pranks and gags to kick off the start of a new month and a new quarter, it seems like some Canadian discount brokerages are taking the chance to start anew a little too seriously. In
March 25, 2016
For those who can’t wait to see Old Man Winter actually leave, this weekend couldn’t come fast enough. But, rest assured, signs of spring abound and as #BirdieSanders showed, that offers something to smile about. Canadia
March 18, 2016
If you were like most folks this week, getting adjusted to the one hour less made things feel a little bit foggy. Of course, if you’re following what’s happening with the US elections, candidates are taking all kinds of
March 11, 2016
As week two of March comes to an end, there was one clear story that seemed to dominate the news cycle for Canadians – the visit of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with US President Barack Obama. Of the many angles on the
March 4, 2016
While much of Canada (save for the Wet Coast) has been digging out from under piles of snow, it seems like Canadian stock markets have also managed to dig themselves out from underneath the recent avalanche of bad news.
February 26, 2016
Time flies when you’re up against a deadline. That seems to be the theme for many Canadians looking to take advantage of the RRSP contribution deadline for 2015 coming up this Monday. For Canadian discount brokerages, ho
February 19, 2016
Having had such a terrible start to the trading year, this past week offered a reprieve from the bad news. Of course the recent stock market performance has many skeptics shouting from the rooftops but, as it always is,
February 12, 2016
This week there was some serious talk about gravity. From the astrophysicists cheering the official confirmation of Einstein’s predicted gravitational waves to the basketball fans in ‘the six’ hoping to observe the NBA’s
February 5, 2016
It seems like Fox Mulder and Goldman Sachs share at least one more thing in common: they both want to believe. When the poster child for capitalism questions out loud whether or not capitalism actually is working as it s
January 29, 2016
If there was one comeback greater than the DeLorean this past week, it had to be in the stock markets. Ok, maybe the comeback wasn’t as great, but at least investors can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The latest rally
January 22, 2016
From national squirrel day to discovering a whole other planet to the end of week bounce in the markets, there’s been no shortage of interesting events this week. Of course, this strange string of events may have somethi
January 15, 2016
Sooo this week happened. For the bulls it was definitely a rough week all around but for the bears it has been a fantastic 2016. Unlike the question people were asking about the powerball lottery or real estate prices in
January 8, 2016
The start of the 2016 trading year has been more than a bit loonie. Circuit breakers tripping and then being pulled in China, RBC raising mortgage rates in Canada and the price of oil continuing to plunge have made for q
January 1, 2016
Happy New Year! Welcome to the first edition of the discount brokerage roundup for 2016. It’s hard to believe that we’re turning the page into another year already but when time flies this fast it must mean that we’re ha
December 25, 2015
It’s Christmas Day, and with markets closed there wasn’t a whole lot to do other than enjoy being with loved ones, giving and getting gifts, and for some eager beavers, getting a jump on the upcoming slew of deals and pr
December 18, 2015
With the Canadian dollar and oil prices looking like they’ve been on the wrong end of an imperial destroyer, what was in demand this week was cool technology, light-sabers and a chance to escape to something better. The
December 11, 2015
Like it or not, the one great lesson that markets continuously teaches its students is that prices reflect some vision of the future and not the present. Of course what makes markets so exciting is the fact that there ar
December 4, 2015
One of the great things about watching professionals in action is just how easy they make things look. If you’re Aaron Rodgers, airing out a game-winning pass with no time left on the clock just seems like a day’s
November 27, 2015
This past week, many DIY investors have been turning their attention to ways to spend their money rather than to grow it. Although online traders have typically avoided coming to blows with each other over discounted veg
November 20, 2015
November is quickly drawing to a close. For many that means its Grey Cup season, and for those south of the border, Thanksgiving and yes, deals galore for Black Friday. While all three may be full contact endeavours, the
November 13, 2015
Fans of Star Wars have probably already seen the trailer to the next episode, The Force Awakens, as the movie is set to be released before Christmas. Undoubtedly one of the most successful movie franchises ever, Disney s
November 6, 2015
Some people don’t even refer to this month as November anymore. “Movember” – the trendy moustache-growing period of the year, has now overtaken the second last month of the year all with the aim at raising men’s he
October 30, 2015
Much of Canada is currently experiencing the effects of fall weather: falling leaves, lowering temperatures, and Toronto Maple Leaf’s fans thinking about a Stanley Cup run. As many of Canada’s discount broker
October 23, 2015
Landslide elections, time machines, and Drake’s infamous victory dances (we think) – this has been a marathon week for peering into the future. While they may not have legendary locks of hair, a hoverboard or some rather
October 16, 2015
It’s rally time. Midway through October, baseball, bats and Blue Jays are top of mind in this post-Thanksgiving trading week. While there’s lots more than baseball that the personal finance enthusiasts are talking about
October 9, 2015
This was a big week for rivalries. Whether it was Vancouver versus Calgary or Montreal versus Toronto, there was an electric kick off to the 2015/16 hockey season. It was a fitting backdrop as fierce rivals from across t
October 2, 2015
One of the great lessons that the stock market teaches investors again and again is that perception is reality. Within the Canadian discount brokerage marketplace, this lesson is equally true, as almost all online broker
September 25, 2015
For some, this week started off about as bad as a post-Oktoberfest wurst nightmare scenario could be. The world awoke to major automaker Volkswagen admitting that there was something strange in the air with their emissio
September 18, 2015
This past week, as all eyes were on movie stars in Toronto and on the US for direction on where the “Rate Race” will take interest rates. Of course DIY investors aren’t the only ones caught in the wheel of misfortune. Th
September 11, 2015
For such a short week, there was certainly a lot of activity to go around. Many students started school; Apple launched its latest set of toys, Tom Brady laced up for the official start of the new NFL season. Even volati
September 4, 2015
Just a few more days until school begins but from the looks of things, investors are already enrolled in the school of hard knocks. Unlike Tom Brady, however, many DIY investors are not going to get away without a few bu
August 28, 2015
This past week saw such a crazy mix of sell-off and rally it could have easily been characterized as a McWhopper of a trading week. For Canadian discount brokerages, however, volatility is more than just food for thought
August 21, 2015
It seems that nowhere was safe from the bears this week. Not stock markets or commodities or even swimming pools. While the bears are out having a pool party, Canadian online brokerages are racing to see who’ll be the ‘l
August 14, 2015
This week provided yet another reminder to traders big and small of the value that data plays in the market place. From the news of the arrest of hackers taking advantage of press releases, to frustrations of receiving d
August 7, 2015
What a week in and around the equity markets. While investors are starting to see more red than green show up, Canadians are also starting to see more action from the red, blue and now orange of the various political par
July 31, 2015
Regardless of where you happen to be in Canada, it’s clear that the dog days of summer are here. The heat outside, however, pales in comparison to the heat felt by Canadian online brokerages to compete with one another.
July 24, 2015
From spiking share prices of tech giants such as Google and Amazon to gold losing its luster with investors, this week showed that expectations about the future are what drive the rapid moves up and down in share pricing
July 17, 2015
Whether it was tech giant Amazon cutting prices for prime day or the Bank of Canada cutting prime rates, this past week it seems that consumers’ economic engines are in need of a little priming to get them into gear. As
July 10, 2015
Even though the official kick off to the Pan Am Games was today, in the week leading up to it markets have given traders more than enough diving, hurdles and nail-biting drama for weeks to come. For a handful of Canadian
July 3, 2015
With both Canada Day and Independence Day arriving at the beginning of July is the kind of month that should literally come in with a bang. Once the fireworks die down, however, it’s also the time when you can hear the c
June 26, 2015
Heading into the last weekend of June, it looks like trading action is everywhere. NHL’ers & NBA’ers are trading players, politicians are trading blows and it even looks like Vancouver and Toronto have traded weather
June 19, 2015
As June quickly draws to an end, there is something that a lot of the little kids out there may be celebrating or dreading. No, it’s definitely not dinosaurs nor is it Donald Trump announcing his candidacy for US Preside
June 12, 2015
It happened in Toronto. It happened in Vancouver. Transit ground to a halt at the worst possible moments. And, if you read the tweets and forum posts from active investors and traders, it occasionally happens to discount
June 5, 2015
Even though summer is technically still coming, for Game of Thrones fans, winter looks like it’s finally arrived. While Canadian discount brokerages may not have to worry about a horde of the undead or flying dragons, th
May 29, 2015
When the weather starts to get this nice, it’s harder to enjoy it from behind a desk or a window. Perhaps that was also to blame for the market sell-off going into the weekend. While folks across the country are probably
May 22, 2015
Like some kind of odd celestial alignment, the convergence of shorts weather on a short work week just as the S&P 500 hits a new high and causes yet another squeeze on the shorts. Yup, seems like shorts are the theme
May 15, 2015
When it comes to DIY investing – or any investing, emotion is a lever best-not pulled. For discount brokerages, however, being boring doesn’t get attention and not getting attention means being left out. In this long wee
May 8, 2015
What a week of wacky data to digest. From May the Fourth being with us, to Cinco de Mayo to the NDP landslide win in Alberta to Deflategate to stocks being called out for being overvalued and the markets going up anyway.
May 1, 2015
Getting to the top is one thing, but staying there is another. Heading into the weekend US stock markets, which were previously at new highs, faltered slightly. Elsewhere, hockey fans are watching the good, bad and ugly
April 24, 2015
From parcel delivery to vacuum cleaners to financial management, it seems like robots are here to stay. With the NASDAQ finally breaching its previous all-time high, led there of course by the technology giants, there’s
April 17, 2015
April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, but this past week, it’s been the discount brokerages who’ve been making it rain. In particular, it was the heavy hitting bank-owned brokerages that dominated the ne
April 10, 2015
As it turns out, the launch of Game of Thrones season 5 isn’t the only epic battle around this April. While there won’t be the same kind of over-the-top fight scenes, gore or unending-memes, Canadian discount brokerages
April 3, 2015
While markets shut down early for the Easter weekend, those in the markets are all too familiar with the feeling of hunting for the analogous Easter eggs and being careful with how many they have in any one basket. Inter
March 27, 2015
The award for the biggest comeback this week is not for interest rates. In what can only be described with the best hyperbole ever, it was announced earlier this week that X-files will be coming back, albeit briefly, for
March 20, 2015
This past week heralded the strangest and rarest of events. No, it wasn’t the solar eclipse or an upset in the NCAA basketball tournament; it was actually the arrival of Spring – in theory. It was fitting that the
March 13, 2015
It’s Friday the 13th. Tomorrow is Pi Day (3/14). As Jerry Seinfeld might irrationally proclaim, what is the deal with all these numbers? For DIY investors, however, keeping track of numbers is an integral part online inv
March 6, 2015
With daylight savings coming to an end, it’s time to spring forward. Time is definitely on the minds of many this weekend as we let our smart devices put our microwaves and wall clocks to shame by self-updating, but also
February 27, 2015
Even though it’s still technically winter, it feels like a ‘white dress vs blue dress’ moment. Sure the calendar says it’s the end of February but there’s a major difference between what winter looks like in Vancou
February 20, 2015
It’s not often that a haircut makes the news. For a change, however, it isn’t the haircut that Greece’s debt holders are going to take – this one comes from North Korea’s Kim Jung Un. So, what does a head of hair f
February 13, 2015
If Friday the 13th was supposed to be an unlucky day, somebody forgot to tell stock markets. Heading into Valentine’s Day weekend bullish investors saw fifty shades of green as they pushed markets to a record high close,
February 6, 2015
Canadian discount brokerages are hitting February at full speed. With a slew of deals, events and the roll out of new features it doesn’t appear like very much will be slowing down the activity at Canada’s brokerages. In
January 30, 2015
It looks like football players aren’t the only ones trying to score big this weekend. Burgers, fries and Candadian discount brokerages are also in the mix. With the frenzy of offers rounding out January, we’re head
January 23, 2015
If you’re feeling as deflated as Patriot’s football this week, hopefully the fact that markets ended the week on a bit of a positive note is enough to cheer Friday. And, if recent market movements haven’t got you puzzled
January 16, 2015
For traders who had grown ‘complacent’ over the lack of market volatility in 2014, the adage of ‘be careful what you wish for’ seems a bit prescient. Whether it was the unexpected move on the Swiss Franc, squashed rumour
January 9, 2015
Whether it’s oil prices, temperatures or Calvin Klein, January has started with a clear theme of racing to the bottom. Thankfully, there’s been a bright spot this past week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas w
January 2, 2015
Welcome to the first discount brokerage roundup of 2015. While many folks are still in holiday mode, online brokerages are busy getting into shape for the all-important first calendar quarter. The countdown that brokerag
December 26, 2014
It’s hard to believe but another year is almost in the books. Going into the end of the year, things typically quiet down across the markets and amongst the online brokerages this past week was equally quiet. Of course,
December 19, 2014
*Edited Dec. 22/14* It looks like December isn’t going to go quietly. With huge volatility coming into the markets, traders are certainly cheering. Canada’s discount brokerages are also not wont to stand still going into
December 12, 2014
If you thought the past week in the markets was big, wait until you hear about what happened with online brokerages. Yes, news of oil prices dropping and markets with them dominated the headlines. Against that backdrop,
December 5, 2014
It’s hard to believe that December is already here. People tend to get a bit happier, office work tends to become a little bit more lax, fantasy football more competitive and holiday movies a little more epic. For many o
November 28, 2014
Whether it was landing a great Black Friday deal, or a managing to catch a seemingly impossible pass, this past week has been book-ended by really interesting catches and stuffed with goodies. Discount brokerages this we
November 21, 2014
What do shows like Big Bang Theory, Dancing with the Stars and Sons of Anarchy have to do with Canadian Discount Brokerages? Well, if you guessed fall ratings then Bazinga! Finding the right metric to judge the ‘best TV
November 14, 2014
This week has been one of milestones, or as we might say here in Canada, kilometer-stones. Perhaps the biggest stone of all with all of the kilometers or miles behind it was the first ever landing of a probe on a comet h
November 7, 2014
November is Financial Literacy Month and with it has come a number of events geared towards helping Canadians better understanding and manage their personal finances. There’s also another growth-oriented spin to November
October 31, 2014
When people think Halloween, they think of costumes and candy. But, when Halloween falls on a Friday, all the DIY investor ghouls and gals get an extra bonus – a discount brokerage weekly roundup chalked full of treats.
October 24, 2014
Makeovers seem to be making the headlines this past week. Markets this past week gave investor’s a bit of a portfolio makeover, actress Renee Zellweger got a bit of an extreme makeover and set the internet ablaze and eve
October 17, 2014
[updated Oct.18] If you’re like the markets this past week, you’ve ‘bear’ly made it to Friday. For many investors and traders, a higher than usual dose of uncertainty made it a harrowing week. Of course, Canada’s discoun
October 10, 2014
Whether you’re rolling into the end of the week like a new Tesla or like a slightly battered blue chip, congrats on making it to the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Even Canadian discount brokerages are getting into the sp
October 3, 2014
Leaves and temperatures aren’t the only things falling this time of year. Apparently markets and commissions at Canada’s discount brokerages are dropping too. Even though we’re barely into the fall and have just crossed
September 26, 2014
When it rains it pours. That’s not only true if you’re in Vancouver, but also if you’ve been following what’s been going on with Canadian discount brokerages this week. In this edition of the roundup we highlight what’s
September 19, 2014
As summer officially winds down, the news in the markets and amongst discount brokerages seems to be about closing out summer with a bang. A far cry from the tumbleweed of last week, this past week saw some big numbers f
September 12, 2014
Spectacular northern lights thanks to solar flares, wild summer snowfall in Alberta and Apple being able to design a smart watch but not a smart map. It’s been a strange week to be sure. Equally strange – the silence fro
September 5, 2014
For many students, September means getting back to school. For students of the stock market, however, every day is a chance to learn something new (and hopefully not get schooled). As the old stock market cautionary sayi
August 29, 2014
Greetings roundup readers. This pre-long weekend version of the discount brokerage roundup is coming to your from none other than the ‘fabulous’ Las Vegas. Against the backdrop of opulent hotels, sunny skies and seemingl
August 22, 2014
With the markets continuing their push higher yet again, it seems like the bears may just want to find a comfier place to rest – for now. Despite the advances, there seems to be no shortage of market stories lookin
August 15, 2014
As much as investors and traders alike are beholden to the hard right edge of a chart, there’s something precarious about staring back at a trend line breaking behind you. Despite the possible gloom (for the longs) in st
August 8, 2014
After a flurry of activity across the discount brokerage space these past several weeks, this past week was a bit quieter. The same, however, can’t be said for the markets. Despite the relative quiet on the discoun
August 1, 2014
What a difference a day makes. Yesterday was July and the markets were floating near all-time highs today it’s August those gains are gone. While that might not seem newsworthy, when it comes to trading/investing it’s of
July 25, 2014
As we cruise into the end of July, every trader’s favourite season is drawing to a close. No, it’s not summer but rather earnings season. Depending on which side of an analyst’s estimate a company falls, the news may be
July 18, 2014
With the World Cup now officially over many folks can get back to their regular routines. Of course for many traders, staring at a screen all day only to have nothing happen is a regular routine. Don’t be fooled by
July 11, 2014
The word heading into the end of this week: Drama. This weekend it seems no matter where you look there is some source of incredible drama. An Argentinian team playing for the World Cup final in Brazil, LeBron ‘going hom
July 4, 2014
This past week has been filled with many reasons to look skyward. Canada Day, Independence Day, and new all-time highs on major market indices. Add to the mix that it is the beginning of a new month and that we’ve passed
June 27, 2014
We kick off this week’s discount brokerage roundup with a little investing inspiration from the beautiful game. The inspiration is not that one can stare at a screen for hours only to see nothing change (hint hint to the
June 20, 2014
It seems fitting to launch this week’s discount brokerage just ahead of the longest ‘day’ of the year. As the markets have proven yet again, the longs have it. Like the balance between day and night, however, there will
June 13, 2014
The Stanley Cup, the NBA Finals and the kickoff of the World Cup – between any or all of these major events it’s hard not to think about all of the fierce competition going on. Of course competition can bring out the bes
June 6, 2014
Another day, another new high – wait is it déjà vu all over again? Impressively, the major stock markets feel like a Jeopardy champ on a bit of a hot streak. As this past week showed, however, even winning streaks can en
May 30, 2014
Another week, another record high. It looks like not that many folks chose to sell in May and go away after all. In spite of most NHL hockey players and seasonal investors starting to take it easy, Canadian discount brok
May 23, 2014
Even though there was a shortened work week after the Victoria Day holiday, neither the Canadian discount brokerages nor those in the SparxTrading camp wasted any time bouncing back into the action. In this week’s roundu
May 16, 2014
The bears just can’t seem to catch a break this week. Even the Boston Bruins now know what it feels like to be on the wrong side of a hot Price. As a jumping off point to this week’s roundup, the intensity that comes wit
May 9, 2014
If there’s one fear that doesn’t seem to be present in the market, it appears to be a fear of heights. Once again markets are touching new highs and venturing into uncharted territory – but they weren’t the only ones. In
May 2, 2014
Dramatic playoff hockey, incredible playoff basketball, markets hitting new highs (again) and the new Star Wars cast announced. It looks like May is bringing more drama than it is flowers. As we round the corner into May
April 25, 2014
When taking a position in a trend, timing is everything – just don’t tell the folks sporting a playoff beard about ‘peak beard’ though. As we wind through earnings season, it looks like more than a few traders may be tri
April 18, 2014
With the shortened trading week this week, it looks like markets got a chance to end the week on a high note. Now that spring is in full bloom (sorry Albertans) there will most certainly be tulips – which serve as an app
April 11, 2014
Between a few days of markets selling off and glitch named ‘heartbleed’ that is turning the internet upside down, it has been a tough week for anyone sitting behind a screen. For those with a view of the outdoors, howeve
April 4, 2014
If the acronym HIMYM means something to you, then you know this past week was a drama filled one on screens across the globe. It’s hard to imagine more drama than the HIMYM ending, however that was certainly the case acr
March 28, 2014
As March comes to a close, winter still seem reluctant to leave so many Canadians. Even so, spring is in the air and it is bringing with it some surprises from online brokerages which will hopefully leave DIY investors w
March 21, 2014
If there is one thing that March madness can guarantee, its unpredictability. In the discount brokerage space this was certainly the case as we were watching to see who, if anyone, would launch a promotion that could mak
March 14, 2014
This week’s discount brokerage roundup is a little ‘rounder’ than most as it falls on Pi Day. This irrational edition of the weekly roundup features a quick announcement about an ETF webinar reschedule followed by a rele
March 7, 2014
The beginning of March has seen a frenzied week across international markets and here at home in the discount brokerage space. While the world is watching to see what unfolds between the Ukraine and Russia, markets pause
February 28, 2014
Less than a week after skiers and snowboarders were making their way down the slopes, a different set of peaks and valleys are now confronting investors. At the peak, the S&P 500 chased a new all-time high this week.
February 21, 2014
This past week in the Canadian discount brokerage space seemed about as quiet as the US Women’s Olympic hockey team dressing room after that most spectacular win by Team Canada. The silence on the brokerage front, howeve
February 14, 2014
On this Valentine’s Day edition of the discount brokerage weekly roundup, romance is definitely the air for many folks. Yes, it appears more bank-owned discount brokerages are lining up to show just how much they love th
February 7, 2014
If there’s one thing that the world can agree on, it’s that those little asterisks can be a pain in the…well you know where. Many self-directed investors have come to accept them. Even the opening ceremonies for th
January 31, 2014
As January comes to an end, looking back on all of the deals and announcements from discount brokerages, it seems like that there was way more drama amongst the brokerages than even Justin Bieber could muster up. And if
January 24, 2014
The temperatures are down. The loonie is down. The markets are down. And while it seems like the “polar vortex” was busy cooling things off this past week, the action at the marketing departments of Canadian discount bro
January 17, 2014
Staying on top of all of the discount brokerage action going on this January feels a bit like chasing either Russell Wilson or Colin Kaepernick around the field. The competition between these two elite quarterbacks pales
January 10, 2014
This week it was bone-chillingly cold everywhere in Canada except for the discount broker deal space (and maybe Vancouver). Several big promotions heated up the deals space this week in what is likely a sign of the fierc
January 3, 2014
Welcome to the first discount brokerage roundup of 2014. Unfortunately for Canadian and US equity markets, the reception to the new year was about as warm as the Toronto winter was this past week. Thankfully though, Janu
December 27, 2013
Amongst Canadian discount brokerages, it was supposed to be a quiet ride into the end of 2013. Alas, it was not to be. With a Boxing Day promotion launched by one of Canada’s discount brokerages this past week, the compe
December 20, 2013
Here we are just a few days away from Christmas and while it seemed that things would settle down going into the end of the year, the discount brokerage world has been anything but quiet. In this week’s roundup, news of
December 13, 2013
This week Canadians learned that for some of us, getting letters to and from the North Pole may get harder and also more expensive now that Canada Post may cut back on mail deliveries. Not to fear though, SparxTrading is
December 6, 2013
This week’s discount brokerage roundup finds us crossing into the home stretch of 2013. Now that December is finally here things will almost certainly begin to gear down on the discount brokerage front until 2014. Even s
November 29, 2013
With bargain hunters being bullish on all kinds of deals, this Black Friday edition of the weekly roundup will hopefully be enjoyed on the screens of some newly purchased electronic goodies. While the Black Friday madnes
November 22, 2013
Well when it rains in the discount brokerage world, it certainly pours. Fitting for November. This week’s roundup looks back on a busy week filled with a major discount brokerage ranking being released, a very cool (and
November 15, 2013
At the official halfway point in November, it seems like this month is poised to disappear faster than a message from (the now multibillion dollar valued company) SnapChat. While the tech space looks like its poised for
November 8, 2013
The big news everywhere this week was the Twitter IPO. For many individual investors, accessing the Twitter IPO ahead of public trading meant having to meet specific account requirements laid out by their discount broker
November 1, 2013
For many banks and discount brokerages, the start of November is not just the beginning of a new month but also a new fiscal year. Going into the feverish sprint that is typical of a year-end means that attention was pro
October 25, 2013
Coming into the home stretch of October, equity markets are continuing push higher. The constant string of ‘good news’ is something that may lure more investors back into the markets, which is also probably why there are
October 18, 2013
After all of inescapable deal making drama in Washington this past week, it appears that stock markets had already placed their bets that events would unfold with a deal being struck. Rather than a disastrous crash, The
October 11, 2013
After a bumpy week in the markets, it is nice to get to Friday. For Canadian readers, it’s Thanksgiving long weekend so that means Canadian markets will be closed on Monday while everyone digests the news and a whole lot
October 4, 2013
It’s Friday once more and with it brings a whole slew of discount brokerage related news and activities. As the calendar rolled over into a new month, there was the usual hubbub with new deals being offered and updated b
September 27, 2013
As hard as it is to believe, September is almost over and with it there was some major news this past week in the discount brokerage space. In this edition of the roundup, I look at the big news in discount brokerage ran
September 20, 2013
Against the backdrop of smartphone maker drama, securities regulator announcements and US Federal Reserve tapering, Friday is finally here – and for some, it couldn’t come fast enough. While it was hard to compete with t
September 13, 2013
Welcome to the Friday the 13th edition of the discount broker weekly roundup. It’s been an exciting week in the markets as news of the widely anticipated Twitter IPO became official. This week, I’ll provide some highligh
September 6, 2013
With the end of the first week in September, there was certainly lots of news around the globe and in the markets to keep investors on the edge of their seats. Within the discount broker space, there were some noteworthy
August 30, 2013
If Yoda were watching the discount broker activity this past week, he’d probably say: ‘a slow news week this was not’. Going into the long weekend there’s quite a bit of activity to report from Canadian discount brokers.
August 23, 2013
As September draws nearer, Canadian discount brokers are polishing up their websites and marketing campaigns to get ready for the increased activity in the stock markets that tends to happen at the end of the year. This
August 16, 2013
As we officially cross through the halfway mark of August, interest in the markets is picking up on the forums and the discount brokerages are busy planning their September promotions. In this week’s roundup, I recap the
August 9, 2013
This week’s discount brokerage roundup will be short and sweet as we continue to cruise through August. In this roundup, a major US discount brokerage comes under fire for how it handled client orders, the mobile trading
August 2, 2013
As we officially launch into August, there is a lot of “behind the scenes” action that discount brokerages are up to in order to get ready for their busy season in the fall. This week’s roundup features some updates on c
July 26, 2013
It’s hard to believe but July is almost coming to an end. As it rounds out though, there seemed to be a spike in the interest by self-directed investors in asking about discount brokerages. With US stock indices such as
July 19, 2013
With the summertime weather in full effect from coast to coast, it’s no wonder things have quieted down on the forums, markets and with discount brokers. Not everyone is away on vacation though as we’ll see in this week’
July 12, 2013
In this week’s discount broker roundup, we highlight an article launch, how hard it is for discount brokers to be really, really popular and the beginning of what looks to be a busy promotional battle between discount br
July 5, 2013
Even though we roll into July on a short trading week, the discount brokerage space managed to toss along several newsworthy items. In this week’s roundup, we look at the US discount brokerages pointing to signs of impro
June 28, 2013
It has been predictably quiet in the discount brokerage space this past week with many self-directed investors out enjoying summertime activities. Still, there are some updates on several discount brokerage promotions th
June 21, 2013
While storms were raging across stock markets this past week, it was definitely calmer waters in terms of discount brokerage news and chatter. In this week’s roundup, we look at the actions that landed another Canadian d
June 14, 2013
This past week was a fairly quiet one for Canadian discount brokerages, so this roundup will focus on some of the interesting events that took place in the discount brokerage space more generally. The most popular story
June 8, 2013
This week’s discount brokerage update features the newly announced deal by BMO InvestorLine, a couple of great forum post on the Financial Webring Forum on Qtrade vs. RBC Direct Investing as well as another article from
May 31, 2013
Discount Brokerage News This roundup features deal spotting from Disnat and TD Direct Investing at the Cambridge House World Resource Investment Conference, a new review of Qtrade and news about a costly mistake made by
May 17, 2013
We are back with the Discount Brokerage Weekly Roundup! Here’s the latest news from Canadian discount brokerages this past week: JitneyTrade and Credential Direct have stepped into the investor education game offering le
April 17, 2013
Commission-Free ETFs: Peer Pressure? Letting self-directed investors trade exchange traded funds (ETFs) commission-free appears to be all the rage amongst Canadian discount brokerages these days. National Bank Direct Bro
February 7, 2013
Desjardins Group invests in Qtrade for the long-term Desjardins Group, parent to discount brokerage Disnat, announced earlier this week that they are taking a significant ownership stake in Qtrade Financial Group. Desjar
February 4, 2013
Commission Free ETFs – The New Normal? Earlier this month, Questrade made a major announcement that impacts the commission fees associated with trading or investing in exchange traded funds (ETFs). Specifically, Qu
December 20, 2012
It looks like TD Waterhouse Discount Brokerage has recently rolled out its new name: TD Direct Investing. With the new name TD Direct Investing comes a much more user-friendly layout to their website, and many more pictu
December 16, 2012
As 2012 draws to a close, it looks like the discount brokerage industry is going into autopilot. This past week saw the expiry of a couple of promotions. First, Scotia iTrade’s 100 days of unlimited trading offer expired
December 11, 2012
As part of its 30th anniversary, Disnat has put together a fun promotional infographic that celebrates 180 years of stock trading in Canada as well as its own history as a pioneer in the Canadian discount brokerage indus
December 9, 2012
Interactive Brokers made the news this week as it released its trading metrics for the month of November. While not a perfect proxy for the rest of the investment market, Interactive Brokers’ transaction volumes, known a
December 2, 2012
On the heels of the results from the annual Globe and Mail Canadian Discount Brokerage rankings, the 2012 Morningstar Canadian Investment Awards were handed out on November 28th and included a “Best Discount Brokerage” c
November 23, 2012
This week the biggest news for discount brokerages came in the form of the 2012 Globe and Mail Canadian discount brokerage rankings. Rob Carrick’s annual survey of the Canadian discount brokerage industry looked at 12 fi
November 21, 2012
Virtual Brokers Takes Top Spot The 2012 Globe and Mail Canadian discount brokerage rankings are out as of today with Virtual Brokers claiming the top spot and displacing the 6 year “reigning champ” of this survey, Qtrade
November 19, 2012
We spotted the latest deal offered by Questrade – and it is a big one. On the heels of Scotia iTrade’s offer of 100 days of unlimited trading, Questrade has responded by offering up to 3 months with unlimited
November 16, 2012
Canadian discount brokerages seem to be busy in their workshops planning what to unveil for next year. Many of the major financial institutions have their financial year end at October 31st which means they’re setting bu
November 10, 2012
The big news from the Canadian discount brokerage industry this week was the huge announcement that OptionsXpress will no longer be available in Canada. Virtual Brokers will be acquiring all of the OptionsXpress Canada a
November 6, 2012
The Canadian discount brokerage market this week saw one of the players officially exit by selling their Canadian operations. Virtual Brokers announced today that they will be buying out OptionsXpress Canada effectively
November 2, 2012
Discount Brokerage Weekly Roundup There were a couple of really big events that took place this past week including the impact of Hurricane Sandy, TD Waterhouse Discount Brokerage’s Direct Investing Expo and Tyler Bollho
October 26, 2012
Discount Brokerage Weekly Roundup This week provided an interesting lesson in activity fees handed out to one RBC Direct Investing client, covered via Global News here. If you’ve got an account open that you’ve forgotten
©2025 SparxTrading.com, property of
Sparx Publishing Group Inc.
All Rights Reserved.