BREAKING Israeli military says it has carried out a 'targeted strike' in Beirut
The Israeli military said it carried out a 'targeted strike' in the Lebanese capital Beirut on Friday.
Global markets have been selling off on the fear of a new COVID-19 variant found in South Africa.
The new, potentially more transmissible variant prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to call an emergency meeting Friday. Canadian government officials are also meeting to address the efficacy of the current vaccines and possible treatment options.
While the number of confirmed cases is small for now, scientists have concerns around the high number of mutations in the variant's spike protein.
My point is, we just don't know where this will go.
What we do know, is the markets are thinly-traded due to the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday and liquidity levels much lower than usual. The U.S. markets also close at 1:00 p.m. ET and there will be some who will not want to hold positions in stocks going into the weekend.
Meanwhile, North American markets opened sharply lower Friday. Oil has pulled back significantly and at one point trading below US$70.00 a barrel due to fears that demand could wain if further lockdowns and restrictions are put into place. Investors have been flocking to the safety of the 10-year U.S. Treasury bond and gold.
You have to wonder at this point if this is an overreaction.
As an investor what should you consider? Begin by considering the facts:
1. Investors and the market hate uncertainty and when we do have uncertainty, it creates volatility.
2. It isn't comfortable, but we have been here before. However, we haven't dealt with a significant new variant in a while.
3. In the past, the markets recovered and the risk sentiment came back. There is no guarantee this will happen again, but it is something to consider.
So let's get back to fundamentals:
1. Look at your portfolio to ensure your investments are aligned to who you are as an investor and how comfortable your tolerance for risk is. How much can you afford to lose and how much are you willing to lose?
2. If you are a balanced investor with a long-term perspective you likely have been here before and stayed the course.
3. In the heat of a trading day try not to let your emotions dictate your investment decisions. Sometimes doing nothing is the hardest decision.
Finally, it isn't inconceivable there will be investors who have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for a buying opportunity. In other words, they might benefit from a little volatility.
The Israeli military said it carried out a 'targeted strike' in the Lebanese capital Beirut on Friday.
The province's public security minister said he was "shocked" Thursday amid reports that a body believed to be that of a 14-year-old boy was found this week near a Hells Angels hideout near Quebec City.
Since she was a young girl growing up in Vancouver, Ginny Lam says her mom Yat Hei Law made it very clear she favoured her son William, because he was her male heir.
Following the MIND diet for 10 years produced a small but significant decrease in the risk of developing thinking, concentration and memory problems, a new study found.
An Ontario man says it is 'unfair' to pay a $1,500 insurance surcharge because his four-year-old SUV is at a higher risk of being stolen.
The Montreal couple from Mexico and their three children facing deportation have received a temporary residence permit.
The federal firearm buyback program has cost taxpayers nearly $67.2 million since it was announced in 2020, but it still hasn't collected a single gun.
Lawyers representing dozens of women who say they were raped and sexually abused by Mohamed Al Fayed, the former boss of the famous London department store Harrods, said the case was akin to the crimes of sex offenders Jimmy Savile, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein.
Software company Mustimuhw Information, which develops medical records systems built on a foundation of Indigenous traditions and values, is allowing health providers to capture data informed by cultural practices.
They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.
A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.
Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.
The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.
It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.
A Good Samaritan in New Brunswick has replaced a man's stolen bottle cart so he can continue to collect cans and bottles in his Moncton neighbourhood.
David Krumholtz, known for roles like Bernard the Elf in The Santa Clause and physicist Isidor Rabi in Oppenheimer, has spent the latter part of his summer filming horror flick Altar in Winnipeg. He says Winnipeg is the most movie-savvy town he's ever been in.
Edmontonians can count themselves lucky to ever see one tiger salamander, let alone the thousands one local woman says recently descended on her childhood home.