Where Do We Begin?
by David Atwood Where do we begin is first answered by acknowledging gratitude. Clients who put their trust and confidence in us over the past 35 years gave us our reason for being. We have experienced significant market events like this in 1987, 1990, 1999, 2002, 2008 and now 2020 with many smaller corrections along […]
Sticker Shock
by David Atwood This past year was the ‘worst’ year for investors since the great financial crisis of 2008. The Canadian TSX index finished down 10.1% on the year and the Canadian dollar was among the worst performing major currencies in the world. Volatility returned to stock markets around the world and the last quarter […]
Sophistication made Simple
by David Atwood “All intelligent investing is value investing – to acquire more than you are paying for.” Charlie Munger Fans of any challenging pursuit appreciate reducing the complexities down to the simple and obvious. Warren Buffett, Munger’s business partner, is known for distilling financial complexity into down to earth simplicity. Buffett is often quoted […]
Are We There Yet?
Adventures of the Intrepid Investor by David Atwood February 8, 2018 After a roaring start to 2018, equity markets are reminding investors that price swings are an inherent part of investing. There are those who are surprised by the spectacle of falling prices and stop in their tracks, looking up together to see if […]
Back to School Checklist
MyTalisman – Live the Life You Love! Logging flights as a student pilot taught me the importance of following a checklist. When everything is going as expected, its easy to become complacent and to overlook something important. Confirming there is adequate fuel for the flight and the weight of the load comes to mind. Financial […]
Talisman 2016 Annual Report
Growth and Service Milestones Welcome to the opening weeks of 2017 and the 1st day of the rest of your life! Thank you for sharing this important part of your journey with us here at Talisman. Some of our best clients have decades of experience investing with us and they have witnessed quite a transformation […]
Interest Rates Lower Than the Belly of a Snake
Low interest rates are the spawning ground for a number of different economic shifts and upheavals. The more obvious examples are the impact on savers, largely those pensioners who may have been relying on rates in the mid single digits or higher. Many retirees may have thought they had enough savings to carry them through […]
Price versus Value
The definition of a cynic is, according to Oscar Wilde, “A man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing.” Understanding the difference between price versus value can result in social and economic outcomes that are remarkably different than those experienced by a cynic. A cynic is more likely to be inclined toward […]
Benefits of Bad Behavior – Confirmation Bias
You may know someone who would rather not think about anything that upsets their impression of who they are. Who am I kidding, it happens to all of us at one time or another! Speaking for myself, I have a reputation to uphold and I don’t want to look dumb, weak, or to lose face. I […]