Check out new online brokerage deals from National Bank Direct Brokerage, HSBC InvestDirect and more in the latest update.

It’s fitting that after so much discussion about “shorts” in the news, we also now have a short(er) trading week upon us. With one fewer trading day, it also means the deadline for RRSP contributions is ticking closer, adding to the pressure that is evidently already building at Canadian online brokerages this month. In this […]

Just because the month is short, doesn’t mean we can’t be long on fun! From Lunar New Year to Valentine’s Day to Family Day, there is much cause for celebration – with safe social distancing in mind, of course. Another reason for DIY investors to rejoice: there’s still time to meet the RRSP contribution deadline […]

So. Much. To. Unpack. Unlike most pundits this week, we’re not going to talk about GameStonks, at least not in the kind of depth we normally would. No, for the moment we’ll save the commentary for the forum chatter and DIY investor feedback from Twitter. There’s plenty on the menu for this edition of the […]

Update: January 8 Cheers to 2021! While 2020 marked a year full of surprise and change – both inside and outside the DIY investing space – we believe it is safe to say we are all ready for a fresh start. To help you ring in the new year and celebrate in (financial) style, Sparx […]

Take a deep breath. Believe it or not, December is here, and with it, news of several COVID-19 vaccines, stock markets making record highs, and hope on the horizon. Certainly not a coincidence. Another non-coincidence at this time of year is the appearance of special treats and the idea of wrapping things up with a […]

After making it through 2020, there are few things that would count as truly surprising anymore. Between COVID-19, the wild US presidential election and everything else that has unfolded this past year, 2021 can’t come fast enough for many of us. For Canadian DIY investors and Canada’s online brokerages, despite a wild year of volatility, […]

Update: December 18 After what has simultaneously felt like the fastest yet slowest year ever, we have finally made it to December! In true holiday fashion, Sparx Trading is here to spread old-fashioned cheer and merry updates as we take a (cautious and socially distanced) step into the final month of 2020.  Bargain-hunting DIY investors […]

Just because Halloween was seriously curtailed this year doesn’t mean there can’t still be a few treats dished out in a socially distant way. Besides, at this point, we’re all probably in need of some kind of boost to see us through what is going to be a wild week. In this extended version of […]

Update: November 27 Daylight isn’t the only thing being saved this as we enter the month of November. It seems like DIY investors are also in for some savings too. Like adjusting the clocks back, it’s going to take some getting used to online investing in November. With the US presidential election likely to shape […]

So, if things seem like they might have gone from bad to worse this past week, with non-stop coverage of the US election chaos, the good news is that the stock market happened to shrug it off. While there’s a lot for everyday people to digest in terms of news flow, thankfully the online brokerage […]

Update: October 30 October is generally a spooky month for several reasons: The weather is colder, the sky is gloomier, and, of course, there’s Halloween at the end of the month.   In true 2020 fashion, October is predicted to unveil some more than a few tricks and even a few treats from Canadian discount brokerages, […]

Now that September is officially upon us (and Labour Day behind us), it is officially no longer good form to wear white. For anyone long in the stock market, though, that’s probably sound advice, as a sell-off is upon us. Of course, some sales are welcome, and it looks like Canadian online brokerages are starting to warm […]

Update: September 18 Although it feels like we’ve barely had enough time to enjoy the simple pleasures of summer this year, the end of the season is now just around the corner. As 2020 progresses, DIY investors continue to be met with market volatility. In fact, as we release this month’s discount brokerage deals and […]

When it comes to summer, one way to beat the heat is to go for a frozen treat. For DIY investors, however, nothing could make the summer heat infinitely worse than encountering a frozen platform – especially on a day when a major stock decides to split. In this edition of the Roundup, we gleefully […]

It’s funny that gravity is often associated with apples falling. This week, we’re seeing Apple as the symbol of defying gravity. Of course, the iconic tech brand isn’t the only one defying gravity with markets hitting new highs – and apparently, some online brokers are too. In this edition of the Roundup, we review some […]

It’s just past the middle of August and, wow, have things heated up all over the place. From hot weather across Canada to action in the online brokerage market, to new market highs, there’s definitely no shortage of action under way. In this week’s Roundup, we decided to shake things up a bit and cover […]

Update: August 18 With everything that’s happened over the last few months, 2020 has simultaneously felt like the longest and the shortest year ever.  Time isn’t the only thing that the COVID-19 pandemic has distorted. Despite the biggest economic shock in memory (and on record), stock markets and retail investor behaviour have also distorted how […]

Update: July 28 Summer has finally arrived, and what a strange summer it’s shaping up to be! This word has been used a lot in the last few months, but it continues to be the word of the moment: unprecedented. With the whole world – and the stock market – venturing into uncharted territory, it’s […]

Just like that, it is now June. The past few months have simultaneously felt like the slowest yet fastest months ever, and it is safe to say that the first half of 2020 has been rather tumultuous. However, for every bad news story we have heard or read about, there are countless good ones that […]