LIVE AT 2:30 2-hour wildfire evacuation notice issued for some Fort McMurray neighbourhoods
A wildfire evacuation alert for some Fort McMurray residents has been updated to a two-hour evacuation notice.
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.
A wildfire evacuation alert for some Fort McMurray residents has been updated to a two-hour evacuation notice.
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
An American accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, 'So I raped you,' has been detained in France after a three-year search.
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
Ontario Provincial Police are responding to a fatal collision involving two vehicles on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end on Tuesday morning.
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.
A bus carrying farmworkers in central Florida overturned on Tuesday, killing eight people and injuring about 40 other passengers, authorities said.
A team is ready to help an entangled North Atlantic right whale in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
A $200 reward is being offered by a North Vancouver family for the safe return of their beloved chicken, Snowflake.
Two daughters and a mother were reunited online 40 years later thanks to a DNA kit and a Zoom connection despite living on three separate continents and speaking different languages.
Mother's Day can be a difficult occasion for those who have lost or are estranged from their mom.
YES Theatre Young Company opened its acclaimed kids’ show, One Small Step, at Sudbury Theatre Centre on Saturday.
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
The threat of zebra mussels has prompted the federal government to temporarily ban watercraft from a Manitoba lake popular with tourists.