Echelon Wealth Partner Blog

Rapid Recovery

Fri, 01 May 2026 15:52:48 GMT

For the second year in a row, if you panic sold in April you would have missed a rapid recovery.

Disclaimers
Ventum Financial Corp. is a member or participating organization of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF), Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO), TSX, TSX-V, and Bourse de Montreal. Information contained herein represent the views of the writer, and not those of Ventum Financial Corp. or Ventum Financial (US) Corp. (collectively “Ventum Financial”), based on assumptions which the writer believes to be reasonable. The material contained herein is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of securities. While the information herein cannot be guaranteed, it was obtained from sources the writer believes to be reliable, but in providing it neither the writer nor Ventum Financial assume any liability. This information is given as of the date appearing on this report, and the writer and Ventum Financial assume no obligation to update the information or advise on further developments relating to securities, products or services. This report is intended for distribution in those jurisdictions where Ventum Financial is registered as an advisor or a dealer in securities. Any distribution or dissemination of this report in any other jurisdiction is strictly prohibited.

25 Years

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 16:12:08 GMT

The S&P 500 has historically averaged a return of 10.1% since 1928, but only 4 times over the past 98 years has the annual return been between 8% to 12%.

Drastic Shift

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 19:12:20 GMT

Many Canadians are paying high fees to underperform. If you invest with a company that only offers investments they issue themselves, there is a good chance you are one of them.

Average

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 16:16:34 GMT

The S&P 500 has historically averaged a return of 10.1% since 1928, but only 4 times over the past 98 years has the annual return been between 8% to 12%.

Paying to Underperform

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:43:59 GMT

Many Canadians are paying high fees to underperform. If you invest with a company that only offers investments they issue themselves, there is a good chance you are one of them.

Golden Era?

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 17:36:42 GMT

With the price of Gold hitting all-time highs (see chart below) I’ve been fielding more and more questions recently along the lines of “is now a good time to buy?”.

Quick Recovery

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 15:11:27 GMT

It didn’t take long for the markets to recover after a significant sell off earlier this year. Hope you didn’t miss the rebound!

Sequencing

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 17:23:02 GMT

Investors are advised to own a well-diversified portfolio within their risk tolerance and then maintain it through all market conditions until their situation changes or they are faced with a major life event. This is all well and true, but if you’re an investor who is entering your retirement years, generating a high return, while important, is only one factor that influences how long your savings will last.

How Bad?

Tue, 06 May 2025 17:22:58 GMT

How bad were the first four months of 2025? Probably not as bad as you would have thought if you were only reading the headlines.

Trump Tariff Anxiety

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 17:17:31 GMT

The Trump Tariffs and the market’s subsequent (negative) reaction are dominating headlines these days. This has led to many people wondering what to do with their investments and asking where the markets will go from here. The first part of that is easier to answer. The second part is much more difficult (impossible?) to know, especially over the short-term.

Too High

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 19:55:15 GMT

Trying to time your entry into the markets usually leads to under performance. When taking a long term view, don’t be afraid of the markets because they are “too high”.

Discounts

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 17:24:04 GMT

When bond issuers offer interest rates (or coupon rates) that are lower than the prevailing market rates, those bonds tend to trade at a discount to their face value.

Election Anxiety

Fri, 01 Nov 2024 15:20:34 GMT

There is no question investor anxiety tends to rise approaching a U.S. election, however, it also tends to dissipate quickly post-election.

Gold Rush

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 17:06:55 GMT

Gold has been on quite the run lately blowing past its previous all-time high. This year alone it’s up nearly 30%. What I find interesting is you don’t hear too many people talking about it.

Power of Three

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 00:45:56 GMT

The S&P 500 returned 14.5% over the first half of 2024, but a closer look shows much of that was due to three stocks. On the flip side, taking the “Magnificent 7” out of the S&P 500 would have resulted in losing half the gains.

Welcome to Ventum

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 00:32:56 GMT

As most of you know, Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. recently merged with PI Financial Corp. to become Ventum Financial Corp. (Ventum). It’s been a busy few weeks getting reoriented with new systems, which is partly why this issue of Uncommon Cents is a bit late, but things are starting to feel settled now.

Darlings to Duds

Wed, 01 May 2024 00:30:35 GMT

Two of the “Covid Darling” stocks have failed to live up to their hype and are now trading below their pre-Covid levels. Picking stocks is hard.

Disclaimers
This newsletter is solely the work of Jake Nemec for the private information of his clients. Although the author is a registered Investment Advisor with Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. (“Echelon”) this is not an official publication of Echelon, and the author is not an Echelon research analyst. The views (including any recommendations) expressed in this newsletter are those of the author alone, and they have not been approved by, and are not necessarily those of Echelon. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. The indicated rate(s) of return is (are) the historical annual compounded total return(s) including changes in (share or units) value and reinvestment of all (dividends or distributions) and does not take into account sales, redemption, distribution or optional charges or income taxes payable by any security holder that would have reduced returns. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections based on beliefs and assumptions made by author. These statements involve risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance or results and no assurance can be given that these estimates and expectations will prove to have been correct, and actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or projected in such forward-looking statements. The opinions expressed in this report are the opinions of the author and readers should not assume they reflect the opinions or recommendations of Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. or its affiliates. Assumptions, opinions and estimates constitute the author’s judgment as of the date of this material and are subject to change without notice. We do not warrant the completeness or accuracy of this material, and it should not be relied upon as such. Before acting on any recommendation, you should consider whether it is suitable for your particular circumstances and,if necessary, seek professional advice. Past performance is not indicative of future results. These estimates and expectations involve risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance or results and no assurance can be given that these estimates and expectations will prove to have been correct, and actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or projected in such forward-looking statements. Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. is a member of the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund.

I Don’t Know

Thu, 04 Apr 2024 00:23:57 GMT

The longer I am in the investment business (23 years this month) the easier it is for me to say “I don’t know”. That might sound counterintuitive, but here is why.

East vs West

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 01:12:50 GMT

The divergence between the U.S. and Chinese stock markets has been incredible.

We Ain’t, Goin’ Nowhere

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 01:12:30 GMT

Around late October / early November of this year many people I spoke with seemed pessimistic about their investments and the markets in general. Given it had been 22 months since most people had seen the high-water mark for their portfolios, it was easy to understand why.

Bulls vs Bears

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 00:11:58 GMT

Periods of positive (bull) markets tend to last longer than periods of negative (bear) markets. Two steps forward, one step back.

Dolla Dolla Bill

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 23:59:11 GMT

Back in April I wrote about the possible cost savings associated with generic brands. Another recent cost savings trend is the move towards purchasing groceries at dollar stores, such as Dollarama.

Housing, Magnificent 7, Employment & Worry

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 23:51:42 GMT

So far, higher interest rates have yet to provide an improvement in housing affordability. Will that come with time?

Roller Coaster

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 15:34:00 GMT

Investing can be an emotional roller coaster, filled with excitement, fear, and everything in between. Understanding, recognizing, and managing those emotions is important to your success.