Updated Jan 26/15 Welcome to 2015! For many, the start of a new year is the time to mark a new beginning. For Canada’s online brokerages, however, the theme coming into January isn’t so much about being new as it is about being present. While many of the deals and promotions listed in December were […]

Edited Dec. 22/14 It looks like December isn’t going to go quietly. With huge volatility coming into the markets, traders are certainly cheering. Canada’s discount brokerages are also not wont to stand still going into the year end. Whether they’re gearing up for a busy 2015 or pushing hard into the finish line of 2014, […]

If you thought the past week in the markets was big, wait until you hear about what happened with online brokerages.  Yes, news of oil prices dropping and markets with them dominated the headlines. Against that backdrop, however, there was a lot of great news for DIY investors on both sides of the border. In […]

Updated Dec. 17, 2014 With the start of December coming on the heels of two of the biggest deals days of the year, the Canadian discount brokerage deals & promotions section is filled to the brim with offers from online brokerages. Unlike the pictures on television or Twitter, however, there was no crush of people […]

Whether it was landing a great Black Friday deal, or a managing to catch a seemingly impossible pass, this past week has been book-ended by really interesting catches and stuffed with goodies. Discount brokerages this week kept pace with the great catch theme as they hauled in awards and recognition as part of online brokerage […]

What do shows like Big Bang Theory, Dancing with the Stars and Sons of Anarchy have to do with Canadian Discount Brokerages? Well, if you guessed fall ratings then Bazinga! Finding the right metric to judge the ‘best TV show’ is easier in some respects than finding the “best online brokerage”. As we move into […]

Updated Nov. 25 November is the month that many bargain hunters wait for all year long. The phenomenon of ‘Black Friday’ has taken on a life of its own with anybody who sells anything trying to ride the wave of deal hunter enthusiasm. Traditionally Canadian online brokerages have avoided the big discount day type of […]

When people think Halloween, they think of costumes and candy. But, when Halloween falls on a Friday, all the DIY investor ghouls and gals get an extra bonus – a discount brokerage weekly roundup chalked full of treats. In this week’s roundup, we tear a page from Dr. Frankenstein’s notebook to shout ‘it’s alive!’ as […]

[updated Oct.18] If you’re like the markets this past week, you’ve ‘bear’ly made it to Friday.  For many investors and traders, a higher than usual dose of uncertainty made it a harrowing week.  Of course, Canada’s discount brokerages know all too well about the specter of uncertainty as they are now trying to navigate a […]

Leaves and temperatures aren’t the only things falling this time of year.  Apparently markets and commissions at Canada’s discount brokerages are dropping too.  Even though we’re barely into the fall and have just crossed into October, the battle for discount brokerage supremacy is back in full swing after a late summer lull. For this week’s […]

Updated October 9, 2014 Savvy traders understand that there’s always a bull market somewhere.  Even though the recent pull back in the major stock markets and indices suggests investors may be cooling off, Canadian discount brokerages have a different idea, especially when it comes to promotions. We began last month with a brief lull in […]

The online brokerage battle is boldly going where many thought it might – into a full-on price war.  Sparxtrading.com has learned from sources within CIBC Investor’s Edge that they’re planning to slash their trading commission rate to $6.95 for all clients. The pricing change could be officially announced as early as Monday. What we’ve learned […]

When it rains it pours. That’s not only true if you’re in Vancouver, but also if you’ve been following what’s been going on with Canadian discount brokerages this week. In this edition of the roundup we highlight what’s probably been one of the biggest and busiest weeks of 2014 for Canadian brokerages. On the menu: […]

(Updated: Sept. 15/14) Although it’s hard to believe, September is already here. For many it is a signal that Fall (and the cooler weather that comes with it) is just around the corner. Canadian online brokerages have had quite the summer and as they enter September the deals landscape seems to be cooling off – […]

[Updated: August 9, 2014] Coming into August, it’s hard to tell what’s hotter – the summer sun or the activity at Canadian discount brokerages. This summer, online brokerages have been busy adding new features or tweaking their pricing structures and, we believe, the fall is when brokerages will be working hard to showcase these updates. […]

[Updated: July 18, 2014] July is here and while sidewalks and barbeques might be sizzling, deals at Canada’s online brokerages at the outset of the month are quite a bit cooler. That said, if history is any predictor, we don’t expect that situation to persist for too long. As was the case last month, the […]

It seems fitting to launch this week’s discount brokerage just ahead of the longest ‘day’ of the year. As the markets have proven yet again, the longs have it. Like the balance between day and night, however, there will inevitably be a shift. When that shift will happen, however, is anybody’s guess. For the moment, […]

[Updated July 10, 2014] With summer just around the corner, June is an interesting month for Canadian discount brokerage deals. On the one hand, there are six offers that are scheduled to expire at the end of the month. On the other hand, history has shown that Canadian brokerages don’t like to be left out […]

Dramatic playoff hockey, incredible playoff basketball, markets hitting new highs (again) and the new Star Wars cast announced. It looks like May is bringing more drama than it is flowers. As we round the corner into May, the drama among discount brokerages continues to unfold, albeit with less flare than the heart pounding finishes from […]

[Updated: July 10, 2014] While many in the markets might be thinking of  May as the time to head for the exits, it is interesting to see what is or isn’t being offered by Canadian discount brokerages in terms of deals and promotions. Heading into a new month, there were a few deals from April […]