http://www.investizmo.com Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:06:28 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Being a trader for an investment bank has never been a stress free job. Besides the usual demands to generate profit, you are either looking ahead at your next opportunity, or over your shoulder to see if an axe is heading your way. It is not uncommon for some firms ... http://www.investizmo.com/2009/04/22/surviving-the-axe-on-the-street/ From the wire: -BANK OF CANADA CUTS KEY RATE BY 25 BP TO 0.25 PCT; NARROWS OPERATING BAND TO 1/4 POINT FROM 1/2 PT BOC - WILL PROVIDE FRAMEWORK ON THURS FOR NONCONVENTIONAL POLICY, DOESN'T COMMIT TO IMMEDIATE ACTION BOC-OVERNIGHT TARGET RATE BECOMES DEPOSIT RATE, WHICH IS LOWER LIMIT OF OPERATING BAND -KEY RATE CAN ... http://www.investizmo.com/2009/04/21/breaking-news-bank-of-canada-cuts-rates-025/  One year ago,  the Bank of Canada cut interest rates by 0.5% to 3%. Today we sit at a target rate of 0.5% and the question on every-one's mind is: what will they do tomorrow? In truth, it's more like what can they do. With rates already at historical lows, another 0.25% ... http://www.investizmo.com/2009/04/20/will-they-cut-bank-of-canada-decision-tomorrow/ Many individual investors are completely unaware that some of the industry's most powerful and meaningful tools are available free online. One of those tools is bank written economic reports. While most financial research written is intended for client use only, economic reports tend to be public. One of the major driving ... http://www.investizmo.com/2009/04/19/economic-report-tools/ Future economists will look back on the slow death of General Motors and marvel at how the story evolved. Books will be written and perhaps even a movie made about the collapse of the greatest industry in America. The latest chapter in this hallowed story will be completed before April 27th. That ... http://www.investizmo.com/2009/04/16/gm-has-only-one-option-left-to-avoid-bankruptcy/ [caption id="attachment_166" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Dow Jones Industrial Average on April 15 2009"][/caption] On March 6th 2009 the Dow Industrial Average (DJIA) bottomed out at 6,469.95. As we write this commentary, the Dow has risen to 7,960, an increase of 23% in just 40 days. Of course, compared to the 52 week high of 13,136.69, the ... http://www.investizmo.com/2009/04/15/has-the-dow-peaked/ [caption id="attachment_155" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="We're 1 Today!"][/caption] One year ago today INVESTIZMO was launched, and what a ride it has been. Looking over some of our early posts, one has to wonder who could have predicted the outcome of  the past 365 days. We had some correct calls, some, not so ... http://www.investizmo.com/2009/04/14/what-a-difference-a-year-makes/ I always get a lot of question asking how someone becomes a trader. The truth is that there is no simple answer, it is a combination of education, ability, personality, drive & luck. I'll quickly go over them below:   Education At a minimum a University Bachelor in Commerce/Economics and preferably some industry courses. ... http://www.investizmo.com/2008/05/22/how-to-become-a-trader-on-the-street/ I've said it before and I'll say it again: The mess in the credit market is the fault of the rating agencies. Had they not misled investors by giving high ratings to toxic investments, things would be very different today. The Financial Times has a great article on an "error" found in the rating algorithms ... http://www.investizmo.com/2008/05/21/troubled-ratings-agency-moodys-caught-red-handed/ Today the Toronto Stock Exchange Index (TSX) hit 15,000 points, its highest number ever. Even though 15,000 is purely a nominal number, skewed heavily by a small number of companies granted heavy weightings by the indexing formula, now is as good a time as any to reflect on the past 10 ... http://www.investizmo.com/2008/05/20/reflection-toronto-stock-exchange-breaks-through-15000/