Tag: Desjardins Online Brokerage

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Trader Tools Review: Tickerscores – Redrawing The Map On Junior Mining Research

For do-it-yourself investors, it certainly feels like slim pickings when looking for tools to help do fundamental research on junior precious metal mining and exploration sector stocks.  Of the research tools and websites that do exist, many are based on technical indicators, ‘black box’ systems or only offer coverage on larger, better-known companies.  More often than not, newsletter writers and dense technical research reports are really the only sources of in-depth analysis and ‘filtering’ that investors can access when it comes to junior precious metals companies.

Whether it’s because many of these types of companies aren’t big enough or popular enough with a wide investor base, tracking down quality research tools often involves substantial ‘Googling’, forum hunting, sifting and filtering.  At times mining the investing data feels like almost as much work as mining for an actual mineral or metal itself.

One company, however, is betting that they can help redraw the analysis landscape for investors with their new platform: Tickerscores.

What is Tickerscores?

At the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference this past May, Visual Capitalist, a company known for producing mining and exploration sector infographics, rolled out the beta version of their newest venture and potentially game changing stock analysis platform Tickerscores.

Members of the Visual Capitalist team at WRIC 2013
Members of the Visual Capitalist Team, Rob Fuhrman (left) and Nick Routley(right) at the Tickerscores beta-launch at the World Resource Investment Conference May 2013.

Tickerscores is a web-based tool that provides in-depth analysis of mining and exploration companies by looking at the common components used to assess the overall health and promise of a company and/or its projects.  For the moment, the universe of stocks covered will be in the junior precious metals mining and exploration space, with market caps typically underneath $1 billion.   The goal for the platform, however, is to include all precious metal mining and exploration companies listed on the TSX and TSX Venture exchanges.

Slated to launch in September 2013, Tickerscores aims to help investors interested in mining and exploration stocks crunch important data quickly and deliver it in a visually appealing, intuitive format.  While pricing has yet to be officially determined, the projected subscription range is forecast to be between $25 to $60 per month.

A video walk-through of the Tickerscores site is available at the end of the post (or you can click here to access it directly).

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Discount Brokerage Weekly Roundup – July 12, 2013

In this week’s discount broker roundup, we highlight an article launch, how hard it is for discount brokers to be really, really popular and the beginning of what looks to be a busy promotional battle between discount brokerages for self-directed investors’ new business.

More commission-free ETF info

Earlier this week, part 3 of the series on commission-free ETFs was released.  In it, there were some key highlights about the commission-free ETF trading offers at Scotia iTrade and Qtrade as well as some interesting stats on the dominant provider of commission-free ETFs for the various discount brokerages. To read part 3 click here.

Don’t hate me because I’m bountiful

For many discount brokerages, keeping up with compliance is simply a cost of doing business. Failure to keep up, however, usually ends up costing more.  So it seems that Interactive Brokers has been growing a little too quickly that they let the paperwork on a few of their clients slip. The US arm of Interactive Brokers got a hard lesson in keeping up with their regulatory requirements from the National Futures Association.

While the $300K fine was a small amount for a multibillion dollar company to absorb, the bigger lesson apparently is that no publicity is bad publicity.  In the official response from Interactive Brokers, a company lawyer didn’t pass up the chance to sell the features and pricing that Interactive Brokers. The press release also contained a handily placed plug of their 2013 best online broker award win.  Well-played Interactive Brokers.

Discount Brokers Making Attractive Offers

While July is usually when barbeque grills are heating up, funnily enough discount brokerage promotions have also managed to flare up all of a sudden. On the heels of the TD Direct Investing 50 trade offer expiry, Questrade, Scotia iTrade and Disnat all launched additional offers to new or existing clients.

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The biggest launch of discount brokerage deals came from Questrade where they announced they’re giving away iPad minis, commission-free trades, and…wait for it… magnets.  It seems like the marketing team from Questrade has launched the promotions war with some big guns.  Their 3 months of commission-free trading is certainly going to get the attention of their peers, however the innuendo-filled magnets may not be as ‘attractive’ as they think.

As part of Scotia iTrade’s roll out of their iPad app, they are offering clients one free trade (equity or options) for downloading and using the app. As was mused about earlier in the week in one of our tweets, with all of these touch screen devices now being used for trading, will the incidences of ‘fat-finger’ trades be on the rise?

Instead of playing the free commission game, Disnat is going with the ‘free information and research’ route. Disnat is offering 6 months free access to Michael Campbell’s Money Talks online resources for existing Disnat clients. At the end of the 6 months, subscriptions will cost $9.79 plus any extra charges for other site content (such as certain videos).

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Discount Brokerage Deals & Promotions – July 2013

ArchivedDeals[Updated July 2nd]

For the most part, many of July’s discount brokerage deals and promotions look to be mostly similar to last month’s offering.   First, I’ll recap of the deals that expired at the end of June and then launch into the deals that got extended and round out with the newest offerings.

Expired Deals

Three discount brokerages had their deals expire coming into July:

  • Scotia iTrade’s 100 Free Trades + Flight Desk Promotion [Now extended to September 30, 2013]
  • Disnat’s SCATE tour  promotion (and transfer fee credit that goes with it)
  • Credential Direct’s transfer fee credit promotion

TD Direct Investing’s 50 commission-free trade offer is scheduled to expire just before mid-July and we will be watching to see what, if anything, will replace it at that time.

Extended Deals

Sometimes it’s just too hard to say good-bye to a deal.  Scotia iTrade has extended the deadline for their Refer-a-Friend promotion out to July 31st  as well as their 100 Commission-Free Trade offer (extended until September 30th). Questrade has added some more time to the clock of their Advantage promotion, which offers 1 month of unlimited commission free trading, moving its expiry date out to the end of August.

Newly Added Discount Brokerage Deals

Although this is not the first time Questrade has offered 100 commission-free trades, the current 100 commission-free trade offer does make it the only Canadian discount brokerage to have a 100 commission-free trade promotion on the table makes them one of two discount brokerages (the other being Scotia iTrade) to offer 100 commission-free trades. The terms and conditions on the Questrade deal are numerous, so be sure to read and understand the requirements (especially the account funding rules) when considering this offer.  The offer is open to new accounts depositing at least $10,000.

Out of the 12 13 deals on this month’s list, Questrade and National Bank Direct Brokerage make up just over half of the offers.  Given the competitive nature of the discount brokerage business, however, it is not likely that the remaining discount brokerages will sit out of offering deals for very long.

As always, if there are any deals or promotions that you spot that you think should be featured, feel free to drop me a note here.

Discount Brokerage Deals & Promos

Company Brief Description Minimum Deposit Amount Commission/Cash Offer Type Time Limit to Use Commission/Cash Offer Details Link Deadline
Jitney Trade A Sparx Trading exclusive offer! Use the promo code “Sparx Trading” when signing up for a new account with Jitney and receive access to their preferred pricing package and a massive 45% discount on the Real Tick trading platform. n/a Discounted Commission Rates none For more details click here none
Open a new margin account with National Bank Direct Brokerage before August 31st 2013 and receive a 1% discount of prime for a margin interest rate. Also, commission rates will be fixed at $6.95 for 3 months. Be sure to read the terms and conditions as well as understand the risks associated with trading on margin. Use promo code: “MARGIN2013” when signing up. n/a – while no minimum deposit is required, you must pass a credit check to qualify 1% of prime rate for margin borrowing $6.95 fixed commission rate for 3 months Margin rate discount: 3 months Commission rate discount: 3 months Click here for margin promo details and here for terms and conditions August 31, 2013
Open a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) and receive $50 commission credit . Use promo code: kdkfnbbc $1,000 $50 commission credit none none none
Refer a friend to Questrade and when they open an account you receive $100 and they receive $50. To receive this deal you must be an existing client with an equity account and refer a person that does not reside with you and who has not previously opened a Questrade account. $1,000 $50 commission credit (friend) $100 commission credit (referrer bonus) 60 days Refer a friend none
Open a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) by August 31st with A) $1000 or B) $10,000 to receive either A)10 commission-free trades or B)100 commission-free trades. The promo code 100Free95 must be used at time of account opening. There are many conditions attached to this offer so be sure to read the details link for more information. A)$1,000 B)$10,000 A)10 free trades B)100 free trades 60 days 100 commission-free trades August 31, 2013
Open a new account with TD Direct Investing before July 12, 2013 and deposit either A)$5,000 to $25,000 B)$25,000 to $50,000 or C)$50,000 or more to receive commission credits for A) 3 trades, B)10 trades or C) 50 trades. Be sure to read the details about keeping your account balance at qualifying levels, eServices subscription as well as other terms and conditions. A)$5,000 B)$25,000 C)$50,000+ A) 3 Trades (max value $87) commission credit B) 10 trades (max value $290) commission credit C) 50 trades (max value $500) commission credit Trades must be used by September 30, 2013 4pm ET. 50 free trades offer July 12, 2013
Scotia iTrade If you refer a friend/family member who is not already a Scotia iTrade account holder to them, both you and your friend get a bonus of either cash or free trades. You have to use the referral form to pass along your info as well as your friend/family members’ contact info in order to qualify. There are lots of details/conditions to this deal so be sure to read the details link. A)$10,000 B)$50,000+ A) You(referrer): $50 or 10 free trades; Your “Friend”: $50 or 10 free trades (max total value:$199.80) B) You(referrer): $100 cash or 50 free trades; Your “Friend”: $100 cash or 50 free trades (max total value: $999) 60 days Refer A Friend to Scotia iTrade July 31, 2013
Scotia iTrade Open and fund a new Scotia iTRADE account with at least $25,000 before September 30, 2013 and the commissions associated with your first 100 trades placed within 60 days of the date the account is activated and funded are free. Also, the new FlightDesk platform is being offered for free for 60 days. Use promo code 100FT. See details link for further terms and conditions. $25,000 100 commission-free trades ($999 value @ $9.99 commission rate) 60 days Scotia iTrade 100 free trades + FlightDesk September 30, 2013
Open a new account with National Bank Direct Brokerage before Oct. 31st and the commission rate for equity transactions will be fixed at $6.95 for 6 months. Use promo code: EVENT2013. Since this is unadvertised, you’ll have to call their customer service line: 1-800-363-3511 for full details. $25,000 $6.95 fixed commission rate for 6 months 6 months Click here for a low-res version of flyer or here for a high-res version. October 31, 2013
If you refer a friend/family member who is not already a National Bank Direct Brokerage account holder to them, both you and your friend get a bonus of $100 each. The promotion code “FRIEND” must be used on the account application form. Read the details link for full terms and conditions. Note the maximum referral bonus per client is $1000. $25,000 $100 referral bonus (referrer) $100 referee (your “friend”) Payout occurs after 6 months Share $200 with a Friend Promotion October 31, 2013
Open a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) and receive 30 days of commission-free trading and one month free of the US Advanced market data package. Use promo code ADVANTAGE when signing up. Offer is open to new clients only. There are a number of important conditions to qualify – be sure to read terms and conditions to the deal. $25,000 30 days unlimited commission-free trading + 1 month free Advanced US market data package. 30 days Advantage Promotion August 31, 2013
Disnat Disnat is celebrating its 30th anniversary by offering new & existing clients $300 in commission credits which can be used for up to 6 months. To be eligible, new/existing clients need to deposit $50,000 into a Disnat account. You’ll have to call 1 800 268-8471 and mention promo code Disnat30. See details link for more info. $50,000 $300 commission credit 6 months Disnat 30th Anniversary Promo August 30, 2013
BMO InvestorLine If you refer a new client to BMO InvestorLine and they open an account with a)$50,000 – $249,999 or b)$250,000+ the referrer and the referee will both receive cash. The new account must be opened with the referral code specific to the referrer. A) $50,000 – $249,000 B) $250,000+ A) You(referrer): $200; Your Friend(referee): $50 B) You(referrer): $300; Your Friend: $100 Payout occurs after 60 days (subject to conditions). Refer-a-Friend terms and conditions can be located by logging into the InvestorLine panel under “account services” or by contacting BMO InvestorLine directly December 31, 2013
BMO InvestorLine Open a new account or upgrade an existing account with $100,000 and choose to receive either $250 cash back or 2000 Air Miles. Use Promo Code: BONUS250 to receive the cash back offer or BONUSAM (+ Air Miles Collector #) to receive the Air Miles offer. NOTE: There are lots of details/important conditions attached to this promotion. Be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully. $100,000 $250 Cash Back OR 2000 Air Miles Payout occurs after 6 months Air Miles Promotion September 4, 2013

Transfer Fee Deals

Company Brief Description Maximum Transfer Fee Coverage Amount Deposit Amount for Transfer Fee Eligibility Details Link Deadline
Move your brokerage account to Questrade and they’ll cover the transfer-out fee up to $150. $150 $25,000 Transfer Fee Promo none
Open a new account by July 12, 2013 and transfer $25,000 or more to TD Direct Investing and they will cover up to $150 of the brokerage transfer fees. $150 $25,000 50 free trades offer July 12, 2013
Transfer $25,000 or more to a National Bank Direct Brokerage account and they will pay up to $135 plus taxes in transfer fees $135 $25,000 Transfer Fee Rebate none
Qtrade Investor Qtrade Investor will reimburse your transfer fee up to $125 when transferring a balance of $25,000 or more. For reimbursement, please mail or fax a copy of your statement from the transferring institution that shows the transfer charge to Qtrade Investor at 604.484.2627 and indicate your Qtrade Investor account number. $125 $25,000 Transfer Fee Promo none
Disnat Disnat is celebrating its 30th anniversary by offering up to $150 to cover the cost of transfer fees from another institution. To be eligible, new/existing clients need to deposit $50,000 into a Disnat account. You’ll have to call 1 800 268-8471 and mention promo code Disnat30. See details link for more info. $150 $50,000 Disnat 30th Anniversary Promo August 30, 2013
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Discount Brokerage Weekly Roundup – June 28, 2013

It has been predictably quiet in the discount brokerage space this past week with many self-directed investors out enjoying summertime activities. Still, there are some updates on several discount brokerage promotions that are noteworthy as we head into July.  Also, there are a couple of advertising/marketing stories that might be of interest for those keeping a closer eye on the industry.

Easy Come, Easy Go

The end of June is here and with it several discount brokerages are retiring some promotions. First, the Disnat SCATE promotion will end as of June 30th.  Also slated to expire at the end of June will be the 100 free trades offer from Scotia iTrade.  For details on the discount brokerage deals, check out our deals page here.

Not all the deals and promotions originally supposed to expire at the end of June will come to an end though. It seems that Scotia iTrade and Questrade have had a change of heart about a couple of their respective promotions. Scotia iTrade’s “Refer-a-Friend” offer has been extended to July 31st 2013 and Questrade also has extended its Advantage offer out to the end of August 2013.

Baby Not on Board

Even though it is not a Canadian discount brokerage, the news that the agency famous for bringing us the E*Trade baby is moving along signals a change in the times.  Discount brokerages in the US spend hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising per year and it appears that E*Trade is making a move to lower these advertising costs.  To read more about the story, click here.

Winning the Customer Service Game

Advertising also seems like it is on the mind of HSBC InvestDirect after their recent win of the Dalbar Direct Brokerage Service Award. We got what looks like a sneak peek at a promotional video that highlights what it took for the HSBC InvestDirect team to win this year.

Discount Brokerage Fees Still Matter

Last Friday’s article in the Globe and Mail ‘A primer on low-commission’ trading by Rob Carrick provided a quick overview of many discount brokerages’ fees.  Both Virtual Brokers and Questrade stand out as low-fee choices however as we pointed out in the special series comparing these two discount brokerages to each other, the low-commission price may mask other fees, such as data or platform fees, that are required in order to fully take advantage of the low commission rates.  An individual (named “Uss”) in the comments section of the article also made an interesting observation that Interactive Brokers wasn’t part of this low-commission rate primer although their rates are just as competitive at the lowest end of equity and option commission pricing currently available. Interactive Brokers has typically not been included in the annual online broker ratings that Rob Carrick publishes because they do not offer registered accounts and it would be safe to assume that is why they were not included in this primer either.

As a reminder for next week, Canadian stock exchanges will be closed on Monday July 1st for Canada Day and U.S Markets will close early (1PM) on July 3rd and will be closed all day July 4th.

Hope you all have a safe and enjoyable Canada Day and long weekend!

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Discount Brokerage Deals & Promotions – June 2013

ArchivedDeals[Updated June 12th]

With summer just around the corner, a few of Canada’s discount brokerages are going to be working a little harder this month to try and win over self-directed investors.  The recently announced earnings from several major Canadian banks indicate that they aren’t making as much money as their shareholders are expecting. As a result, getting more clients and assets will surely be on their to do list to boost their bottom lines. For consumers, they can expect much more marketing coming their way from the big banks as well as the independent discount brokerages who wish to keep pace.

While likely unrelated, the timing of the deal being offered by TD Direct Investing this month is particularly intriguing.  TD Direct Investing has typically avoided deals and promotions, especially the “free trade” variety.  So, their “50 free trade” offer launched at the end of May is somewhat of a major departure from their previous approaches to attract new clients. The end date of the free trade deal, which they can admittedly change at any time, was also curiously positioned to expire mid-July.

BMO Investorline’s cash back promo is set to expire a few days into June, so the next offer, should there be one, is what we’re looking out for over the coming month.  BMO InvestorLine has announced their latest promotion which offers new accounts the choice between $250 cash back or 2000 Air Miles when a deposit of $100,000 or more is made.  This isn’t the first time Air Miles have been offered for signing up for an InvestorLine account, however after Scotia iTrade’s “Get Educated” promo it seems that the big bank-owned discount brokerages are starting to get more creative with their promotions.

Overall, this summer could prove to be fairly interesting from a deals perspective for a number of reasons. Most importantly, there are five deals which are scheduled to expire within this month signalling that marketing teams are faced with deciding where and how to outsmart one another.  For their part, Scotia iTrade looked to using a contest (the “Get Educated” promotion) and waving around some big prize money to get the attention of existing and would be investors.  Questrade‘s Advantage promotion also expires at the end of the month – just make sure to read through and understand the terms and conditions, in particular for start dates for data packages, minimum account balance maintenance and start dates for the commission-free trading month.

Coming up with something ‘new’ isn’t nearly as easy as just extending the expiry dates of existing deals, which is exactly what a couple of discount brokerages have done.  Scotia iTrade has extended their refer-a-friend deal and Disnat has extended their 30th anniversary deal until the end of August.  Also still on the table is another offer by Disnat that was part of their SCATE tour.

We will continue to monitor the deals over the course of the month and, as always, if there are any offers you spot that you’d like to share, please drop us a note.

[Updated June 12]

National Bank Direct Brokerage has just announced a promotion on their margin accounts (for 3 months) which also includes a fixed commission rate of $6.95 per trade.  To qualify for this account, clients will have to pass a credit check as margin accounts essentially allow clients to borrow money in order to trade with greater buying power.  The discount on margin rates is definitely something different than what is being offered currently so it will be sure to attract the interest of those investors/traders who use margin as part of their strategy.

 

Discount Brokerage Deals & Promos

Company Brief Description Minimum Deposit Amount Commission/Cash Offer Type Time Limit to Use Commission/Cash Offer Details Link Deadline
Jitney Trade A Sparx Trading exclusive offer! Use the promo code “Sparx Trading” when signing up for a new account with Jitney and receive access to their preferred pricing package and a massive 45% discount on the Real Tick trading platform. n/a Discounted Commission Rates none For more details click here none
Open a new margin account with National Bank Direct Brokerage before August 31st 2013 and receive a 1% discount of prime for a margin interest rate. Also, commission rates will be fixed at $6.95 for 3 months. Be sure to read the terms and conditions as well as understand the risks associated with trading on margin. Use promo code: “MARGIN2013” when signing up. n/a – while no minimum deposit is required, you must pass a credit check to qualify 1% of prime rate for margin borrowing $6.95 fixed commission rate for 3 months Margin rate discount: 3 months Commission rate discount: 3 months Click here for margin promo details and here for terms and conditions August 31, 2013
Open a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) and receive $50 commission credit . Use promo code: kdkfnbbc $1,000 $50 commission credit none none none
Refer a friend to Questrade and when they open an account you receive $100 and they receive $50. To receive this deal you must be an existing client with an equity account and refer a person that does not reside with you and who has not previously opened a Questrade account. $1,000 $50 commission credit (friend) $100 commission credit (referrer bonus) 60 days Refer a friend none
Open a new account with TD Direct Investing before July 12, 2013 and deposit either A)$5,000 to $25,000 B)$25,000 to $50,000 or C)$50,000 or more to receive commission credits for A) 3 trades, B)10 trades or C) 50 trades. Be sure to read the details about keeping your account balance at qualifying levels, eServices subscription as well as other terms and conditions. A)$5,000 B)$25,000 C)$50,000+ A) 3 Trades (max value $87) commission credit B) 10 trades (max value $290) commission credit C) 50 trades (max value $500) commission credit Trades must be used by September 30, 2013 4pm ET. 50 free trades offer July 12, 2013
Disnat As a follow up to their SCATE tour, Disnat is offering new clients who deposit $10,000 before June 30, 2013 a bundle that includes commission credits and a one year free subscription to Tyler Bollhorn’s Stockscores daily newsletter. This is an unadvertised deal so the details link is to a scan of the flyer with the offer. $10,000 $300 commission credit 30 days For more details, click here and here June 30, 2013
Scotia iTrade If you refer a friend/family member who is not already a Scotia iTrade account holder to them, both you and your friend get a bonus of either cash or free trades. You have to use the referral form to pass along your info as well as your friend/family members’ contact info in order to qualify. There are lots of details/conditions to this deal so be sure to read the details link. A)$10,000 B)$50,000+ A) You(referrer): $50 or 10 free trades; Your “Friend”: $50 or 10 free trades (max total value:$199.80) B) You(referrer): $100 cash or 50 free trades; Your “Friend”: $100 cash or 50 free trades (max total value: $999) 60 days Refer A Friend to Scotia iTrade June 30, 2013
Scotia iTrade Open and fund a new Scotia iTRADE account with at least $25,000 before June 30, 2013 and the commissions associated with your first 100 trades placed within 60 days of the date the account is activated and funded are free. Also, the new FlightDesk platform is being offered for free for 60 days. Use promo code 100FT. See details link for further terms and conditions. $25,000 100 free trades ($999 value @ $9.99 commission rate) 60 days Scotia iTrade 100 free trades + FlightDesk June 30, 2013
Open a new account with National Bank Direct Brokerage before Oct. 31st and the commission rate for equity transactions will be fixed at $6.95 for 6 months. Use promo code: EVENT2013. Since this is unadvertised, you’ll have to call their customer service line: 1-800-363-3511 for full details. $25,000 $6.95 fixed commission rate for 6 months 6 months Click here for a low-res version of flyer or here for a high-res version. October 31, 2013
If you refer a friend/family member who is not already a National Bank Direct Brokerage account holder to them, both you and your friend get a bonus of $100 each. The promotion code “FRIEND” must be used on the account application form. Read the details link for full terms and conditions. Note the maximum referral bonus per client is $1000. $25,000 $100 referral bonus (referrer) $100 referee (your “friend”) Payout occurs after 6 months Share $200 with a Friend Promotion October 31, 2013
Open a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) and receive 30 days of commission-free trading and one month free of the US Advanced market data package. Use promo code ADVANTAGE when signing up. Offer is open to new clients only. There are a number of important conditions to qualify – be sure to read terms and conditions to the deal. $25,000 30 days unlimited commission-free trading + 1 month free Advanced US market data package. 30 days Advantage Promotion June 30, 2013
Disnat Disnat is celebrating its 30th anniversary by offering new & existing clients $300 in commission credits which can be used for up to 6 months. To be eligible, new/existing clients need to deposit $50,000 into a Disnat account. You’ll have to call 1 800 268-8471 and mention promo code Disnat30. See details link for more info. $50,000 $300 commission credit 6 months Disnat 30th Anniversary Promo August 30, 2013
BMO InvestorLine Open a new account or upgrade an existing account with $100,000 and choose to receive either $250 cash back or 2000 Air Miles. Use Promo Code: BONUS250 to receive the cash back offer or BONUSAM (+ Air Miles Collector #) to receive the Air Miles offer. NOTE: There are lots of details/important conditions attached to this promotion. Be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully. $100,000 $250 Cash Back OR 2000 Air Miles Payout occurs after 6 months Air Miles Promotion September 4, 2013

Transfer Fee Deals

Below are the discount brokerages deals that cover transfer out fees from other discount brokerages.

Company Brief Description Maximum Transfer Fee Coverage Amount Deposit Amount for Transfer Fee Eligibility Details Link Deadline
Transfer your discount brokerage account to Credential Direct and they’ll pay up to $200 of the transfer fees. If after 90 days you’re not satisfied they will waive the $125 transfer out fee too. $200 $10,000 Switch Me Promo June 30, 2013
Disnat As part of their SCATE tour promotion, if you open a new account by June 30th with $10,000 or more Disnat will cover up to $150 of the transfer fees from another brokerage. $150 $10,000 For more details, click here and here June 30, 2013
Move your brokerage account to Questrade and they’ll cover the transfer-out fee up to $150. $150 $25,000 Transfer Fee Promo none
Open a new account by July 12, 2013 and transfer $25,000 or more to TD Direct Investing and they will cover up to $150 of the brokerage transfer fees. $150 $25,000 50 free trades offer July 12, 2013
Transfer $25,000 or more to a National Bank Direct Brokerage account and they will pay up to $135 plus taxes in transfer fees $135 $25,000 Transfer Fee Rebate none
Qtrade Investor Qtrade Investor will reimburse your transfer fee up to $125 when transferring a balance of $25,000 or more. For reimbursement, please mail or fax a copy of your statement from the transferring institution that shows the transfer charge to Qtrade Investor at 604.484.2627 and indicate your Qtrade Investor account number. $125 $25,000 Transfer Fee Promo none
Disnat Disnat is celebrating its 30th anniversary by offering up to $150 to cover the cost of transfer fees from another institution. To be eligible, new/existing clients need to deposit $50,000 into a Disnat account. You’ll have to call 1 800 268-8471 and mention promo code Disnat30. See details link for more info. $150 $50,000 Disnat 30th Anniversary Promo August 30, 2013
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Discount Brokerage Weekly Roundup – May 31st 2013

Discount Brokerage News

This roundup features deal spotting from Disnat and TD Direct Investing at the Cambridge House World Resource Investment Conference, a new review of Qtrade and news about a costly mistake made by a  Questrade trader. In addition we take a quick peek at the latest ranking of Canadian discount brokerages.

Deal Me In

TD Direct Investing is quietly launching the new free trades deals. This is an interesting move on TD’s part given that they’ve largely stayed away from offering free trade promotions and because of the timing/roll-out of the deal.  The “50 free trades” promotion was launched towards the end of May and expires mid-July.  Check out our deals section for more info.

Also in the deals section is an updated promotion from Disnat that was being offered at their SCATE tour and at the last World Resource Investment Conference in Vancouver this past week.

Positive Feedback

Money Smarts blog posted an interesting review of Canadian discount brokerage Qtrade earlier this week.  The review contains some feedback from account holders, and it appears that customer service was a point most (including the article’s author) agreed was a strong point of the Qtrade experience. Interestingly, Qtrade did not perform nearly as strongly on the Dalbar Direct Brokerage Service Experience evaluation as other Canadian discount brokerages did.  The Dalbar study directly measures customer service and so the difference between what many consumer posts suggest and what some other studies also show

False Start on the Offense

Earlier this month, Questrade was in the penalty box with the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) for trading actions one of its employees took between August of 2009 and February 2010.  According to the decision document, the trader was found to have “entered orders on the Toronto Stock Exchange that he ought reasonably to have known could reasonably be expected to create an artificial bid price for Quebecor Inc. Class A securities”  while Questrade was penalized for not having adequate controls in place to prevent such practices from occurring. Both the trader and Questrade were fined for these infractions.

Joining the Ranks

The June 2013 edition of MoneySense magazine is on newsstands and features a review of Canada’s Best Discount Brokerages.  This is yet another in the growing list of discount brokerage rankings.  The rankings themselves are actually compiled by Surviscor, so the data is also available for free on Surviscor’s site too.  Check out our article regarding the numerous Canadian discount brokerage rankings in which we try to make sense of those who claim to be “Canada’s best discount brokerage.”

Interestingly, JD Power’s Investor Satisfaction Award survey is also currently being deployed to Canadian investors.  The survey is generally conducted in the late spring/early summer time frame and  results should be released in the fall.

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Bulls, Brew & Bottoms: Review of the Vancouver World Resource Investment Conference 2013

World Resource Investment Conference 2013This year’s World Resource Investment Conference (WRIC) in Vancouver came a bit earlier in the calendar than last year’s conference against the backdrop of a mining and exploration market fraught with pain and nervousness. In the mining sector, hope seems to be the rare commodity everyone is looking for these days.

The two-day WRIC featured the standard recipe of resource companies exhibiting and presenting, familiar speakers from Cambridge House conferences past and of course, the big bull.   Unlike previous conferences, however, this year’s WRIC felt like a much smaller show.  Attendance figures showed that close to 3700 individuals attended the conference this year which is down considerably from 2012.

Speakers and exhibitors also pointed out the smaller crowds this time around. One of the more popular speakers often present at Cambridge House shows, Danielle Park, remarked that the small numbers of attendees at this past conference are a far cry from the height of investor fervor during 2007.   As a follow up to that statement, however, she pointed out that fewer investors in the conference may actually be a healthy albeit contrarian indicator that the business cycle in junior mining and exploration stocks is working itself out.

From many of the talks, the sentiment appears to have shifted from denial of bad news to acceptance. As any seasoned investor knows, when it sounds like other investors are throwing in the proverbial towel, it is probably a good time to start looking over the merchandise to see what might go on sale.

Despite the widely acknowledged doom and gloom, there were a number of bright spots throughout the conference.  For attendees, this year’s speakers offered a great mixture of colourful analysis and opinion. In particular, the closing panels on both days saw spirited debates about the future of venture capital funding for junior companies (day 1) and an especially fiery closing panel on the world outlook (day 2) that saw outspoken personalities Rick Rule and Danielle Park exchange clever quips across the panel table, some of which landed on Marin Katusa who was seated between them.

Also spotted at the conference were a couple of the usual discount brokerage suspects, TD Direct Investing as well as Disnat.  What was particularly noteworthy was the promotion by TD Direct Investing that has yet to be widely launched. They have jumped into the ‘free trades’ game and will be offering up to 50 free trades to new clients between now and mid-July.  Check out our deals section here to find out more.   Disnat was also offering an ‘unadvertised’ deal which was being offered during their SCATE tour. The big lures for the Disnat deal are a 1 year subscription to Tyler Bollhorn’s daily alert newsletter and $300 in commission rebates. For more details on this deal, click here.

Other interesting bright spots included the Rocks to Riches course preview in which attendees could learn about some of the important concepts within geology by doing some hands on (experiential) learning.  This course is likely going to be offered in January 2014 at the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference. For more information on it, click here.Visual Capitalist Beer

Lastly, Visual Capitalist, an innovative Vancouver communications firm that creates fun and informative infographics (and apparently craft beer too) on a number of commodity and mining-related topics , is launching the beta-test of their new mining and exploration company comparison tool: TickerScores.  This tool aims to tackle making the difficult process of scanning and researching mining and exploration stocks much more intuitive and far less time-consuming.  To learn more about this neat tool, check out the link here.

The upcoming summer months will provide many answers to the predictions made by the analysts and experts at this conference as to the fate of many cash-strapped junior companies.  This lines up nicely with the timing of the last of the Cambridge House conferences in Canada in 2013, the Toronto Resource Investment Conference to be held in September.  Of course, for those investors and companies hoping for a market bottom, how they manage to stomach these next few months will be worth hearing about in September.

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Discount Brokerage Deals & Promotions – May 2013

ArchivedDeals*Deals have been updated, see below for more details*

This month’s deals and promotions from Canadian discount brokerages feature a new promotion by Questrade, as well as an interesting deal/contest by Scotia iTrade announced last month.  Also, Qtrade‘s transfer fee rebate is also back, this time with no apparent time limits.  Before launching into the new deals, we’ll take a quick recap of which deals have expired and which are expiring this month.

One of the big deals that expired at the end of April was HSBC InvestDirect‘s unlimited trading offer.  While they haven’t typically offered many deals or promotions over the past year, with this recent deal, it could be a sign of some activity to come, especially if they are keen to highlight their recently recognized customer service award from Dalbar to Canadian self-directed investors.    Questrade’s 100 free trade offer which ran last month officially expired and is being replaced by another free trade offer geared towards active traders (see below).  Now that Questrade has pulled the 100 free trade offer, only Scotia iTrade is offering 100 free trades for new accounts.

Disnat‘s 30th anniversary deal which offers $300 in commission credits has been around for a few months and is being extended to May 31st.

Questrade’s latest offering  (the Advantage promotion) is offering 30 days of commission-free trading as well as one month free of the US Advanced data package.  The terms and conditions on this are a bit tricky so be sure to read and understand them.  Several key points to pay attention to are:

  1. The start/end dates for the free data package
  2. The start/end dates for the commission-free trading month
  3. The length of time needed to maintain a minimum balance of $25,000 (this is 6 months)
  4. Commission rebates are credited to client accounts within 3 business days however clients will still have to pay the commissions at the time a trade is executed.

If you are considering the Advantage program, we suggest looking at our detailed report and/or special series that looks into the Advantage plan.

Scotia iTrade also recently announced their “Get Educated” promotion and contest.  This hybrid offering allows individuals opening a new account with at least $50,000 100 commission-free trades (which they have 60 days to use) as well as the opportunity to get 5 ballots to be entered in a draw for a $25,000 cash trading account as well as a “trading education” package (retail value $5,000).  Like many ‘commission free’ offerings, on this promotion individuals are responsible for paying the commission fees which are then refunded to clients overnight. The “contest” portion of the Scotia iTrade offer is open to all Canadians however be sure to read the terms and conditions as well as the rules and regulations for  participation in the contest.

Lastly, when we went to last month’s World MoneyShow in Vancouver, we spotted a deal from National Bank Direct Brokerage that gives individuals who open a new account (with $25,000) 6 months of trading at a $6.95 commission rate.

*Update* May 29th, 2013

Two new deals are being added into the list late in the month.

We spotted this first deal being promoted at the World Resource Investment Conference in Vancouver. TD Direct Investing is launching a new “50 free trades” promotion where new accounts with a $50,000 deposit are eligible to receive up to 50 trades commission free as well as have their transfer fees covered (up to $150).  Clients who have lower amounts to deposit may be eligible for fewer commission free trades. For example, clients who deposit between $25,000 and $50,000 can receive 10 free trades and clients who deposit between $5,000 and $25,000 are being offered 3 free trades.

The second deal, also spotted at the World Resource Investment Conference, is an unadvertised offer by Disnat which looks like an offer from their SCATE tour.  While not as generous as some previous deals, this deal offers $300 in commission credits, 3 months of the lowest rate of commissions and a free year of the Stockscores daily newsletter service.

Discount Brokerage Deals & Promos

Company Brief Description Minimum Deposit Amount Commission/Cash Offer Type Time Limit to Use Commission/Cash Offer Details Link Deadline
Jitney Trade A Sparx Trading exclusive offer! Use the promo code “Sparx Trading” when signing up for a new account with Jitney and receive access to their preferred pricing package and a massive 45% discount on the Real Tick trading platform. n/a Discounted Commission Rates none For more details click here none
Open a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) and receive $50 commission credit . Use promo code: kdkfnbbc $1,000 $50 commission credit none none none
Refer a friend to Questrade and when they open an account you receive $100 and they receive $50. To receive this deal you must be an existing client with an equity account and refer a person that does not reside with you and who has not previously opened a Questrade account. $1,000 $50 commission credit (friend) $100 commission credit (referrer bonus) 60 days Refer a friend none
Open a new account with TD Direct Investing before July 12, 2013 and deposit either A)$5,000 to $25,000 B)$25,000 to $50,000 or C)$50,000 or more to receive commission credits for A) 3 trades, B)10 trades or C) 50 trades. Be sure to read the details about keeping your account balance at qualifying levels, eServices subscription as well as other terms and conditions. A)$5,000 B)$25,000 C)$50,000+ A) 3 Trades (max value $87) commission credit B) 10 trades (max value $290) commission credit C) 50 trades (max value $500) commission credit Trades must be used by September 30, 2013 4pm ET. 50 free trades offer July 12, 2013
Disnat As a follow up to their SCATE tour, Disnat is offering new clients who deposit $10,000 before June 30, 2013 a bundle that includes commission credits and a one year free subscription to Tyler Bollhorn’s Stockscores daily newsletter. This is an unadvertised deal so the details link is to a scan of the flyer with the offer. $10,000 $300 commission credit 30 days For more details, click here and here June 30, 2013
Scotia iTrade If you refer a friend/family member who is not already a Scotia iTrade account holder to them, both you and your friend get a bonus of either cash or free trades. You have to use the referral form to pass along your info as well as your friend/family members’ contact info in order to qualify. There are lots of details/conditions to this deal so be sure to read the details link. A)$10,000 B)$50,000+ A) You(referrer): $50 or 10 free trades; Your “Friend”: $50 or 10 free trades (max total value:$199.80) B) You(referrer): $100 cash or 50 free trades; Your “Friend”: $100 cash or 50 free trades (max total value: $999) 60 days Refer A Friend to Scotia iTrade May 31, 2013
Scotia iTrade Open and fund a new Scotia iTRADE account with at least $25,000 before June 30, 2013 and the commissions associated with your first 100 trades placed within 60 days of the date the account is activated and funded are free. Also, the new FlightDesk platform is being offered for free for 60 days. Use promo code 100FT. See details link for further terms and conditions. $25,000 100 free trades ($999 value @ $9.99 commission rate) 60 days Scotia iTrade 100 free trades + FlightDesk June 30, 2013
Open a new account with National Bank Direct Brokerage before Oct. 31st and the commission rate for equity transactions will be fixed at $6.95 for 6 months. Use promo code: EVENT2013. Since this is unadvertised, you’ll have to call their customer service line: 1-800-363-3511 for full details. $25,000 $6.95 fixed commission rate for 6 months 6 months Click here for a low-res version of flyer or here for a high-res version. October 31, 2013
If you refer a friend/family member who is not already a National Bank Direct Brokerage account holder to them, both you and your friend get a bonus of $100 each. The promotion code “FRIEND” must be used on the account application form. Read the details link for full terms and conditions. Note the maximum referral bonus per client is $1000. $25,000 $100 referral bonus (referrer) $100 referee (your “friend”) Payout occurs after 6 months Share $200 with a Friend Promotion October 31, 2013
Open a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) and receive 30 days of commission-free trading and one month free of the US Advanced market data package. Use promo code ADVANTAGE when signing up. Offer is open to new clients only. There are a number of important conditions to qualify – be sure to read terms and conditions to the deal. $25,000 30 days unlimited commission-free trading + 1 month free Advanced US market data package. 30 days Advantage Promotion June 30, 2013
Disnat Disnat is celebrating its 30th anniversary by offering new & existing clients $300 in commission credits which can be used for up to 6 months. To be eligible, new/existing clients need to deposit $50,000 into a Disnat account. You’ll have to call 1 800 268-8471 and mention promo code Disnat30. See details link for more info. $50,000 $300 commission credit 6 months Disnat 30th Anniversary Promo May 31, 2013
Scotia iTrade Open a new Scotia iTRADE account before May 31, 2013 and fund it with at least $50,000 (by June 30th, 2013) and the commissions associated with your first 100 trades placed within 60 days of the date the account is activated and funded are free. Also, the new FlightDesk platform is being offered for free for 60 days. Use promo code SP-EDCON. There is also a contest to win a $25,000 trading account that is part of this promotion. See details link for further terms and conditions. $50,000 100 free trades ($999 value @ $9.99 commission rate) 60 days Get Educated Promo May 31, 2013
BMO InvestorLine Open a new account or upgrade an existing account with either A) $100,000 or B)$250,000 to receive $250 cash(for those who deposit $100K) or $600 (for those who deposit $250K). Use Promo Code: BONUS600 NOTE: There are lots of details/important conditions attached to this promotion. Be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully. A) $100,000 B) $250,000 A) $250 Cash Back B) $600 Cash Back Payout occurs after 6 months Spring 2013 Cash Back Promotion June 3, 2013
BMO InvestorLine Open a new account or upgrade an existing account with $500,000 to receive $1500 cash back. Use Promo Code: Select1500. NOTE: There are lots of details/important conditions attached to this promotion. Be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully. This wasn’t an advertised deal, however the terms and conditions are from BMO InvestorLine’s website. $500,000 $1500 Cash Back Payout occurs after 6 months Select1500 Promotion June 3, 2013


Transfer Fee Deals

Below are the discount brokerages deals that cover transfer out fees from other discount brokerages.

Company Brief Description Maximum Transfer Fee Coverage Amount Deposit Amount for Transfer Fee Eligibility Details Link Deadline
Transfer your discount brokerage account to Credential Direct and they’ll pay up to $200 of the transfer fees. If after 90 days you’re not satisfied they will waive the $125 transfer out fee too. $200 $10,000 Switch Me Promo June 30, 2013
Disnat As part of their SCATE tour promotion, if you open a new account by June 30th with $10,000 or more Disnat will cover up to $150 of the transfer fees from another brokerage. $150 $10,000 For more details, click here and here June 30, 2013
Move your brokerage account to Questrade and they’ll cover the transfer-out fee up to $150. $150 $25,000 Transfer Fee Promo none
Open a new account by July 12, 2013 and transfer $25,000 or more to TD Direct Investing and they will cover up to $150 of the brokerage transfer fees. $150 $25,000 50 free trades offer July 12, 2013
Transfer $25,000 or more to a National Bank Direct Brokerage account and they will pay up to $135 plus taxes in transfer fees $135 $25,000 Transfer Fee Rebate none
Qtrade Investor Qtrade Investor will reimburse your transfer fee up to $125 when transferring a balance of $25,000 or more. For reimbursement, please mail or fax a copy of your statement from the transferring institution that shows the transfer charge to Qtrade Investor at 604.484.2627 and indicate your Qtrade Investor account number. $125 $25,000 Transfer Fee Promo none
Disnat Disnat is celebrating its 30th anniversary by offering up to $150 to cover the cost of transfer fees from another institution. To be eligible, new/existing clients need to deposit $50,000 into a Disnat account. You’ll have to call 1 800 268-8471 and mention promo code Disnat30. See details link for more info. $150 $50,000 Disnat 30th Anniversary Promo May 31, 2013
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Event Review – World MoneyShow Vancouver – April 2013

World MoneyShow VancouverThis year’s Vancouver World MoneyShow turned out to be a little different than most others. The exhibiting space felt a bit smaller than usual, the lineups took a bit longer and the schedule a bit less punctual.  As it turned out, this year’s MoneyShow would be the one in which this franchise would announce its Canadian retirement.

The big announcement the MoneyShow franchise would be exiting the Canadian market came as a surprise to many. With one more stop to go in Toronto this upcoming October, the MoneyShow organizers said they have enjoyed their time in Canada and will turn over their Canadian show back to the predecessor of the MoneyShow in Canada – the Financial Forum.  Charles Githler, Chairman and Co-Founder of the MoneyShow will be taking the reins for the Financial Forums next year and when we spoke to him at the show, he hinted that something bigger and brighter would be coming next year.

A small (26) and eclectic mix of companies, organizations and services exhibited this year ranging from multibillion dollar energy giant Royal Dutch Shell to consultants offering grant funding tips.  By far the most popular booth was the ‘crack the safe’ promotion held by MoneyShow which offered attendees the chance to punch in a code on a safe for a chance to win the $50,000 it contained.   There was also the usual assortment of promotional items and conference swag. Aside from some interesting pens and rubber ducks, nothing really stood out this year as being very cool conference loot.

Surprisingly, there were three discount brokerages in attendance and one notable absence. TD Direct Investing, National Bank Direct Brokerage and Interactive Brokers all attended the conference this year, however a regular at these conferences, Disnat, did not.  The discount brokerage’s booths varied in their ‘bells and whistles’ and giveaway items. TD Direct Investing’s booth was located in the prime real-estate – right at the entrance to the conference. They had their platforms on display as well as an army of staff to handle questions.  In contrast, Interactive Brokers took a no-frills approach with a lone rep, some brochures and a laptop. National Bank Direct Brokerage was offering their standard ‘hand sanitizer’ (a practical piece of conference gear after all that hand-shaking) as well as a special deal on trading commissions for new account sign ups (the details of which we’ll be posting in our deals section here).

One of the brighter spots of the conference was the assortment of interesting speakers discussing everything from market cycles and seasonality to exploration opportunities to personal finance and everything in between.

Bruce Sellery, personal finance author and owner of Moolala, gave an energetic and thought-provoking series of tips to help Canadians better approach their own financial management.  Other interesting speakers, such as Peter Hodson (of Canadian MoneySaver and 5i Research) gave investors some interesting food for thought about the mutual fund industry as well as important signs to look for when assessing investing opportunities. Most notable among those tips: “pull the weeds and water the flowers” when it comes to managing your portfolio’s winners and losers.  Marin Katsua of Casey Research also shared his dour forecast of the next few months in the mining and exploration space as well as his fascinating case for the energy market potential in Europe.

Overall, participants, speakers and exhibitors seemed to characterize Vancouver’s MoneyShow as a bit slower and smaller than usual. The MoneyShow’s formula of speakers, exhibitors and giveaways nonetheless provided something unique to attendees. Hopefully the Toronto show can be a chance for the Financial Forums to provide Canadian self-directed investors with a glimpse of greater things to come.

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Discount Brokerage Deals & Promotions – April 2013

ArchivedDealsApril’s discount brokerage deals and promotions heralds the return of unlimited trading by an unlikely character in the deals section – HSBC InvestDirect. This deal is in ‘celebration’ of HSBC’s recent award by Dalbar Inc for best customer service at a Canadian discount broker, an award that RBC Direct Investing had won for several years.

On top of unlimited trading, we also have the big 100 trade offers by Questrade and Scotia iTrade, and a Spring cash-back offer from BMO InvestorLine that is sure to get people talking.

Credential Direct also makes an appearance this month with their transfer fee promo. The refer-a-friend offers are still being offered by Questrade, National Bank Direct Brokerage and Scotia iTrade.

Falling off our deals list at the start of this month are TD Direct Investing and Qtrade whose transfer fee deals expired at the end of March.

 

Discount Brokerage Deals & Promos

Company Brief Description Minimum Deposit Amount Commission/Cash Offer Type Time Limit to Use Commission/Cash Offer Details Link Deadline
Jitney Trade A Sparx Trading exclusive offer! Use the promo code “Sparx Trading” when signing up for a new account with Jitney and receive access to their preferred pricing package and a massive 45% discount on the Real Tick trading platform. n/a Discounted Commission Rates none For more details click here none
Open a new A) non-registered account or B) registered account with HSBC InvestDirect between April 1st and April 30th and receive either A)30 days or B)45 days of commission-free trading. no minimum deposit Commission Credit (amount of credit depends on trading activity) A) 30 days (non-registered accounts) B) 45 days (registered accounts) Free Trading Offer For additional information, there is also an FAQ Link April 30, 2013
Open a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) and receive $50 commission credit . Use promo code: kdkfnbbc $1,000 $50 commission credit none none none
Refer a friend to Questrade and when they open an account you receive $100 and they receive $50. To receive this deal you must be an existing client with an equity account and refer a person that does not reside with you and who has not previously opened a Questrade account. $1,000 $50 commission credit (friend) $100 commission credit (referrer bonus) 60 days Refer a friend none
Open a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) and receive 100 commission-free stock trades. $10,000 100 free trades (max total value: $995.00 at $9.95 commission rate) 60 days Refer a friend April 30, 2013
Scotia iTrade If you refer a friend/family member who is not already a Scotia iTrade account holder to them, both you and your friend get a bonus of either cash or free trades. You have to use the referral form to pass along your info as well as your friend/family members’ contact info in order to qualify. There are lots of details/conditions to this deal so be sure to read the details link. A)$10,000 B)$50,000+ A) You(referrer): $50 or 10 free trades; Your “Friend”: $50 or 10 free trades (max total value:$199.80) B) You(referrer): $100 cash or 50 free trades; Your “Friend”: $100 cash or 50 free trades (max total value: $999) 60 days Refer A Friend to Scotia iTrade May 31, 2013
Scotia iTrade Open and fund a new Scotia iTRADE account with at least $25,000 before June 30, 2013 and the commissions associated with your first 100 trades placed within 60 days of the date the account is activated and funded. Also, the new FlightDesk platform is being offered for free for 60 days. Use promo code WAC13-EN. See details link for further terms and conditions. $25,000 100 free trades ($999 value @ $9.99 commission rate) 60 days Scotia iTrade 100 free trades + FlightDesk June 30, 2013
If you refer a friend/family member who is not already a National Bank Direct Brokerage account holder to them, both you and your friend get a bonus of $100 each. The promotion code “FRIEND” must be used on the account application form. Read the details link for full terms and conditions. Note the maximum referral bonus per client is $1000. $25,000 $100 referral bonus (referrer) $100 referee (your “friend”) Payout occurs after 6 months Share $200 with a Friend Promotion October 31, 2013
Disnat Disnat is celebrating its 30th anniversary by offering new & existing clients $300 in commission credits which can be used for up to 6 months. To be eligible, new/existing clients need to deposit $50,000 into a Disnat account. You’ll have to call 1 800 268-8471 and mention promo code Disnat30. See details link for more info. $50,000 $300 commission credit 6 months Disnat 30th Anniversary Promo May 1, 2013
BMO InvestorLine Open a new account or upgrade an existing account with either A) $100,000 or B)$250,000 to receive $250 cash(for those who deposit $100K) or $600 (for those who deposit $250K). Use Promo Code: BONUS600 NOTE: There are lots of details/important conditions attached to this promotion. Be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully. A) $100,000 B) $250,000 A) $250 Cash Back B) $600 Cash Back Payout occurs after 6 months Spring 2013 Cash Back Promotion June 3, 2013
BMO InvestorLine Open a new account or upgrade an existing account with $500,000 to receive $1500 cash back. Use Promo Code: Select1500. NOTE: There are lots of details/important conditions attached to this promotion. Be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully. This wasn’t an advertised deal, however the terms and conditions are from BMO InvestorLine’s website. $500,000 $1500 Cash Back Payout occurs after 6 months Select1500 Promotion June 3, 2013

Transfer Fee Deals

Below are the discount brokerages deals that cover transfer out fees from other discount brokerages.

Company Brief Description Maximum Transfer Fee Coverage Amount Deposit Amount for Transfer Fee Eligibility Details Link Deadline
Transfer your discount brokerage account to Credential Direct and they’ll pay up to $200 of the transfer fees. If after 90 days you’re not satisfied they will waive the $125 transfer out fee too. $200 $10,000 Switch Me Promo June 30, 2013
Move your brokerage account to Questrade and they’ll cover the transfer-out fee up to $150. $150 $25,000 Transfer Fee Promo none
Transfer $25,000 or more to a National Bank Direct Brokerage account and they will pay up to $135 plus taxes in transfer fees $135 $25,000 Transfer Fee Rebate none
Disnat Disnat is celebrating its 30th anniversary by offering up to $150 to cover the cost of transfer fees from another institution. To be eligible, new/existing clients need to deposit $50,000 into a Disnat account. You’ll have to call 1 800 268-8471 and mention promo code Disnat30. See details link for more info. $150 $50,000 Disnat 30th Anniversary Promo May 1, 2013