January was a comeback month for the markets, with all four major North American indexes finishing in the green and getting back in the win column. The rally was fueled by strong earnings, solid economic data, and the Fed’s decision to keep interest rates steady. Excitement around AI also played a big role, pushing technology stocks higher—at least for most of the month. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing.
Author Archives: 1investor
Weekly Update for the week ending January 31, 2025
I originally planned to kick off this update with an in-depth look at dividends—a topic I’ve been wanting to discuss for a while. However, two things changed that plan. First, the discussion on dividends grew much larger than I anticipated, making it tough to fit within this post. Second, an unexpected market-shaking event took centre stage: the rise of a new artificial intelligence (AI) player, sending ripples through the markets and making waves among the current AI leaders.
Rather than glossing over this event, I felt it warranted a more detailed discussion. This week, China’s DeepSeek AI entered the scene, disrupting expectations and raising major questions about the future of AI investments.
The Power of Dividends
The Power of Dividends
The markets kicked off the week of January 27–31 on shaky ground, with the Nasdaq sliding more than 3% on Monday. As I’ve said before, markets don’t like surprises—and Monday morning delivered a big one. A Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) company announced that its AI assistant could match the performance of major American AI bots while using a fraction of the resources—cheaper chips and smaller data sets. This sent shockwaves through the market, raising doubts about whether the massive spending on AI by heavyweight tech companies will generate the returns many are banking on. AI-driven stocks took a hit, dragging the broader market down with them.
With volatility back in the spotlight, now is a great time to talk about a strategy that can help weather these ups and downs: dividend investing. While stock prices fluctuate, dividends provide a steady stream of income—helping investors stay grounded when markets get choppy.
Weekly Update for the week ending January 24, 2025
Dividend Fallacy
When a friend told me they were choosing stocks based on dividend yields, it got me thinking—how many of us have fallen into this same trap? High dividend yields can feel like a golden ticket, but are they always as good as they seem? Let’s look at two common pitfalls: the “dividend fallacy” and the “dividend trap.”
Weekly Update for the week ending January 17, 2025
With the start of another earnings season, I thought it’d be a great time to talk about earnings reports. These reports can seem a bit intimidating, but they’re one of the most important tools for assessing how a company is performing.
Understanding Earnings Reports: What New Investors Should Know
Earnings reports are like a company’s report card, showing how well they’ve performed over a specific period – usually a quarter or a year. They provide key details like revenue, profits, expenses, and earnings per share (EPS), helping investors gauge how a business is doing. For example, steadily growing revenue signals a thriving business, while shrinking profits may raise concerns. Earnings reports also offer management insights about the industry and plans for the future, giving a clearer picture of what’s ahead.
Weekly Update for the week ending January 10, 2025
Kicking Off 2025 After wrapping up a disappointing December and saying goodbye to 2024, it’s a great time to look ahead to 2025 with fresh optimism. January is when many of us take stock (pun intended 😉) of our portfolios, set new financial goals, and strategize for the year to come (OK, maybe not too […]