Archive for October, 2016

October 31, 2016

Monday, October 31st, 2016

More on my speculation on small-batch craftsmanship as the future of employment:

Today, smaller plants are particularly important to job creation in factory work, said Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing. “Megafactories are the exception today,” Mr. Paul said. “Small manufacturing is holding its own — and you are seeing some interesting developments in urban centers.”

Out of 252,000 manufacturing companies in the United States, only 3,700 had more than 500 workers. The vast majority employ fewer than 20

While they may not rival the scale of 1950s assembly lines, these smaller craft-type producers hold out hope for cities, Mr. Paul said, particularly as some companies look to move jobs back from overseas to be closer to customers and more nimble to supply customized, small-batch orders.

What is more, these jobs pay people more. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, manufacturing workers typically earn just over $26 an hour. By contrast, medical orderlies and nurse’s assistants (a growing field) earn half as much. And fast food, a mainstay for Americans with a high school diploma or less, has a median hourly wage of $9.11.

It’s also support for my other thesis: don’t bet against America! That bet’s been a losing game since 1850!

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Index Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
Ratchet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.2087 % 1,714.3
FixedFloater 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.2087 % 3,131.6
Floater 4.37 % 4.52 % 42,928 16.36 4 0.2087 % 1,804.8
OpRet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.1191 % 2,903.2
SplitShare 4.82 % 4.69 % 42,352 2.07 6 0.1191 % 3,467.1
Interest-Bearing 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.1191 % 2,705.1
Perpetual-Premium 5.35 % 4.16 % 73,222 0.09 23 -0.0377 % 2,703.6
Perpetual-Discount 5.09 % 5.10 % 93,918 15.30 15 0.1605 % 2,925.9
FixedReset 4.83 % 4.22 % 177,718 6.89 93 0.1763 % 2,106.8
Deemed-Retractible 5.02 % 4.64 % 116,325 1.12 32 -0.0496 % 2,811.4
FloatingReset 2.87 % 3.56 % 40,172 4.93 12 0.2104 % 2,283.6
Performance Highlights
Issue Index Change Notes
GWO.PR.N FixedReset -1.42 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 13.90
Bid-YTW : 10.29 %
VNR.PR.A FixedReset -1.04 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-31
Maturity Price : 19.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.00
Bid-YTW : 4.72 %
TRP.PR.D FixedReset 1.05 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-31
Maturity Price : 18.35
Evaluated at bid price : 18.35
Bid-YTW : 4.40 %
IFC.PR.D FloatingReset 1.08 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.75
Bid-YTW : 7.28 %
IFC.PR.A FixedReset 1.61 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 15.78
Bid-YTW : 9.40 %
SLF.PR.J FloatingReset 1.92 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 13.25
Bid-YTW : 10.63 %
Volume Highlights
Issue Index Shares
Traded
Notes
BMO.PR.B FixedReset 1,173,708 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2022-02-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.72
Bid-YTW : 4.29 %
BNS.PR.H FixedReset 95,800 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2022-01-26
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.90
Bid-YTW : 4.23 %
RY.PR.Z FixedReset 68,313 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-31
Maturity Price : 19.15
Evaluated at bid price : 19.15
Bid-YTW : 3.99 %
BAM.PF.F FixedReset 63,200 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-31
Maturity Price : 20.89
Evaluated at bid price : 20.89
Bid-YTW : 4.50 %
BMO.PR.T FixedReset 60,760 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-31
Maturity Price : 18.99
Evaluated at bid price : 18.99
Bid-YTW : 4.06 %
GWO.PR.P Deemed-Retractible 53,917 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.40
Bid-YTW : 5.26 %
There were 35 other index-included issues trading in excess of 10,000 shares.
Wide Spread Highlights
Issue Index Quote Data and Yield Notes
VNR.PR.A FixedReset Quote: 19.00 – 19.50
Spot Rate : 0.5000
Average : 0.3467

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-31
Maturity Price : 19.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.00
Bid-YTW : 4.72 %

GWO.PR.N FixedReset Quote: 13.90 – 14.25
Spot Rate : 0.3500
Average : 0.2297

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 13.90
Bid-YTW : 10.29 %

BAM.PF.G FixedReset Quote: 21.15 – 21.47
Spot Rate : 0.3200
Average : 0.2043

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-31
Maturity Price : 21.15
Evaluated at bid price : 21.15
Bid-YTW : 4.46 %

IFC.PR.A FixedReset Quote: 15.78 – 16.05
Spot Rate : 0.2700
Average : 0.1610

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 15.78
Bid-YTW : 9.40 %

W.PR.M FixedReset Quote: 26.05 – 26.39
Spot Rate : 0.3400
Average : 0.2378

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-10-15
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.05
Bid-YTW : 4.33 %

HSE.PR.A FixedReset Quote: 12.12 – 12.40
Spot Rate : 0.2800
Average : 0.1861

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-31
Maturity Price : 12.12
Evaluated at bid price : 12.12
Bid-YTW : 5.07 %

October 28, 2016

Saturday, October 29th, 2016

The financial services prep-school boys are hurting:

This is Wall Street’s new tech meritocracy. Financial institutions traditionally coveted graduates from Stanford and other big-name schools and people already working in Silicon Valley. But that system tends to overlook good programmers from other schools or gifted dropouts, according to recruiters. And besides, banks need to fill so many programming jobs that elite schools can’t possibly pump out enough candidates.

So the industry is looking in places it never did, turning to outside firms to evaluate prospective programmers based on objective measurements, not their pedigree. The idea is that people lacking a computer science degree — art majors, graphic designers and chemistry graduates from the University of Delaware like Furlong — can still make the leap to well-paid careers in technology. By using algorithms to spot talented coders, HackerRank and competitors with names like Codility claim they’ve essentially increased the world’s supply of developers.

There are some who think that the fixed income tide has turned:

Bonds worldwide have lost 2.9 percent in October, according to the Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Index, which tracks everything from sovereign obligations to mortgage-backed debt to corporate borrowings. The last time the bond world was dealt such a blow was May 2013, when then-Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke signaled the central bank might slow its unprecedented bond buying.

Europe led the losses that reverberated worldwide this week as signs of accelerating inflation and economic growth spurred speculation that the European Central Bank and its major counterparts are moving closer to curbing monetary stimulus, including asset purchases. The result is that investors are abandoning one of the year’s biggest trades — a bet on higher-yielding, long-term bonds — as they wake up to the limits of central-bank demand that drove bond yields to record lows as recently as July.

Yields on 10-year gilts reached 1.31 percent, the highest since June 23, the day of the U.K. vote to leave the European Union. Similar-maturity German bonds were set for their worst month since 2013, pushing yields to 0.217 percent, a level last seen in May. U.S. 10-year Treasury yields touched about 1.88 percent, the highest since May.

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Index Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
Ratchet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.0232 % 1,710.7
FixedFloater 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.0232 % 3,125.1
Floater 4.38 % 4.53 % 43,057 16.35 4 -0.0232 % 1,801.0
OpRet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.0331 % 2,899.8
SplitShare 4.83 % 4.67 % 42,709 2.07 6 0.0331 % 3,462.9
Interest-Bearing 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.0331 % 2,701.9
Perpetual-Premium 5.35 % 2.31 % 74,092 0.09 23 0.1411 % 2,704.6
Perpetual-Discount 5.10 % 5.11 % 95,295 15.30 15 0.2653 % 2,921.2
FixedReset 4.84 % 4.17 % 180,097 6.90 93 0.2020 % 2,103.1
Deemed-Retractible 5.02 % 3.28 % 110,647 0.41 32 0.2242 % 2,812.8
FloatingReset 2.86 % 3.52 % 40,718 4.94 12 0.5215 % 2,278.8
Performance Highlights
Issue Index Change Notes
VNR.PR.A FixedReset -1.03 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-28
Maturity Price : 19.20
Evaluated at bid price : 19.20
Bid-YTW : 4.61 %
TD.PF.D FixedReset 1.00 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-28
Maturity Price : 21.19
Evaluated at bid price : 21.19
Bid-YTW : 4.12 %
MFC.PR.O FixedReset 1.12 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-06-19
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 27.10
Bid-YTW : 3.78 %
TRP.PR.H FloatingReset 1.22 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-28
Maturity Price : 10.81
Evaluated at bid price : 10.81
Bid-YTW : 4.08 %
TRP.PR.F FloatingReset 2.03 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-28
Maturity Price : 14.59
Evaluated at bid price : 14.59
Bid-YTW : 4.13 %
GWO.PR.N FixedReset 2.25 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 14.10
Bid-YTW : 10.04 %
Volume Highlights
Issue Index Shares
Traded
Notes
RY.PR.I FixedReset 264,077 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.34
Bid-YTW : 3.52 %
BNS.PR.R FixedReset 107,646 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.71
Bid-YTW : 3.36 %
TRP.PR.F FloatingReset 105,900 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-28
Maturity Price : 14.59
Evaluated at bid price : 14.59
Bid-YTW : 4.13 %
PWF.PR.L Perpetual-Premium 90,290 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-11-27
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.05
Bid-YTW : 2.16 %
TRP.PR.H FloatingReset 81,000 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-28
Maturity Price : 10.81
Evaluated at bid price : 10.81
Bid-YTW : 4.08 %
W.PR.J Perpetual-Premium 59,250 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-11-27
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.44
Bid-YTW : -12.81 %
There were 35 other index-included issues trading in excess of 10,000 shares.
Wide Spread Highlights
Issue Index Quote Data and Yield Notes
PWF.PR.A Floater Quote: 11.65 – 12.05
Spot Rate : 0.4000
Average : 0.2881

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-28
Maturity Price : 11.65
Evaluated at bid price : 11.65
Bid-YTW : 4.05 %

TRP.PR.G FixedReset Quote: 20.67 – 20.97
Spot Rate : 0.3000
Average : 0.1988

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-28
Maturity Price : 20.67
Evaluated at bid price : 20.67
Bid-YTW : 4.49 %

CCS.PR.C Deemed-Retractible Quote: 24.40 – 24.73
Spot Rate : 0.3300
Average : 0.2421

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.40
Bid-YTW : 5.46 %

RY.PR.I FixedReset Quote: 24.34 – 24.59
Spot Rate : 0.2500
Average : 0.1784

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.34
Bid-YTW : 3.52 %

PVS.PR.C SplitShare Quote: 25.15 – 25.39
Spot Rate : 0.2400
Average : 0.1705

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2017-12-10
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.15
Bid-YTW : 4.96 %

CU.PR.H Perpetual-Premium Quote: 25.70 – 25.90
Spot Rate : 0.2000
Average : 0.1384

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2024-09-01
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.70
Bid-YTW : 4.98 %

October 27, 2016

Thursday, October 27th, 2016

Assiduous Reader MichaelA brings to my attention a wonderful, lengthy article on practical robotics research titled Pizza, the unsung agent of the robot revolution:

It’s often been said that without the online adult entertainment industry driving innovation on the Internet, the e-commerce and video streaming platforms that we take for granted today would never have matured so rapidly.

In years to come, will we be saying the same about pizza’s role in accelerating retail delivery technologies?

Pizza and porn, driving technological progress! You see, girls, us guys really do serve a higher purpose!

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Index Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
Ratchet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.5533 % 1,711.1
FixedFloater 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.5533 % 3,125.8
Floater 4.38 % 4.53 % 43,315 16.36 4 -0.5533 % 1,801.4
OpRet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.0066 % 2,898.8
SplitShare 4.83 % 4.67 % 41,414 2.08 6 -0.0066 % 3,461.8
Interest-Bearing 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.0066 % 2,701.0
Perpetual-Premium 5.35 % 4.59 % 77,139 0.09 23 0.0652 % 2,700.8
Perpetual-Discount 5.12 % 5.10 % 95,259 15.29 15 0.2888 % 2,913.5
FixedReset 4.85 % 4.21 % 178,263 6.91 93 0.0870 % 2,098.8
Deemed-Retractible 5.03 % 3.21 % 110,537 0.42 32 -0.0407 % 2,806.5
FloatingReset 2.87 % 3.63 % 40,463 4.93 12 0.1901 % 2,267.0
Performance Highlights
Issue Index Change Notes
PWF.PR.A Floater -1.69 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-27
Maturity Price : 11.60
Evaluated at bid price : 11.60
Bid-YTW : 4.07 %
Volume Highlights
Issue Index Shares
Traded
Notes
BMO.PR.B FixedReset 340,735 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2022-02-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.70
Bid-YTW : 4.30 %
GWO.PR.N FixedReset 255,500 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 13.79
Bid-YTW : 10.36 %
RY.PR.Q FixedReset 224,651 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-05-24
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.65
Bid-YTW : 3.84 %
TRP.PR.J FixedReset 154,271 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-05-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.56
Bid-YTW : 4.23 %
BNS.PR.R FixedReset 152,724 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.67
Bid-YTW : 3.40 %
RY.PR.R FixedReset 113,522 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-08-24
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.74
Bid-YTW : 3.84 %
BNS.PR.H FixedReset 111,873 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2022-01-26
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.93
Bid-YTW : 4.20 %
There were 29 other index-included issues trading in excess of 10,000 shares.
Wide Spread Highlights
Issue Index Quote Data and Yield Notes
PWF.PR.T FixedReset Quote: 20.10 – 20.55
Spot Rate : 0.4500
Average : 0.2955

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-27
Maturity Price : 20.10
Evaluated at bid price : 20.10
Bid-YTW : 3.95 %

IAG.PR.A Deemed-Retractible Quote: 23.30 – 23.79
Spot Rate : 0.4900
Average : 0.3429

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 23.30
Bid-YTW : 5.73 %

W.PR.K FixedReset Quote: 26.01 – 26.30
Spot Rate : 0.2900
Average : 0.2116

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-01-15
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.01
Bid-YTW : 4.27 %

BNS.PR.R FixedReset Quote: 24.67 – 24.86
Spot Rate : 0.1900
Average : 0.1251

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.67
Bid-YTW : 3.40 %

GWO.PR.F Deemed-Retractible Quote: 25.64 – 25.95
Spot Rate : 0.3100
Average : 0.2467

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-11-26
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.64
Bid-YTW : -18.69 %

FTS.PR.J Perpetual-Discount Quote: 23.74 – 23.95
Spot Rate : 0.2100
Average : 0.1536

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-27
Maturity Price : 23.29
Evaluated at bid price : 23.74
Bid-YTW : 5.06 %

October 26, 2016

Wednesday, October 26th, 2016

I am among many people who like to ponder the future of employment amidst all the automation nowadays. Not with any apocalyptic bias – it is self-evident that the cost of everything is, ultimately, a labour cost and therefore labour income – but with what I hope is a less jaundiced eye.

I think we may be entering a new era of craftsmanship, in which we have Big Business producing commodities for the masses and small, internet-enabled businesses taking a more careful and individualistic approach. I may be biased in this, because that’s the business model of Hymas Investment Management Inc., but there’s other evidence we’re heading that way.

Consider craft beer:

But it wasn’t too long ago that American beer drinkers were largely limited to what beer buffs call MillCoorWeiser beer—the mass produced American lager most prominently sold under the Budweiser, Miller, and Coors brand names. In their 2015 article, Economists Kenneth G. Elzinga, Carol Tremblay and Victor J. Tremblay (Elzinga et al.) report that prior to 1970 over 99% of the beer consumed in the U.S. was the traditional lager beer produced by the large domestic breweries. Needless to say, it was a bland time for American beer.

Then in 1965, entrepreneur and innovator Fritz Maytag purchased the failing Anchor Brewing Company, located in San Francisco, and the revival of craft beer was under way. Maytag revived the brewery, and according to Elzinga et al. his operation inspired other entrepreneurs to join him in the craft beer renaissance.

num-macro-and-craft-brewers
Click for Big

And in Toronto:

The number of manufacturing firms has increased in recent years. “We attribute the growth to a lot more micro-manufacturing, as well as the ‘maker movement’” of independent inventors, designers and tinkerers, as well as tech hardware companies, says [manager of entrepreneurship services for Toronto] Mr. [Chris] Rickett.

“Part of making sure manufacturing continues to exist is making sure that people know it is this very creative job opportunity. It needs rebranding, and the maker movement is really good at that.”

What’s more, he says, new tech tools are making it a lot easier to open a manufacturing business.

“It used to be if you wanted to make a product, the process of prototyping that and getting it to market was very long,” he explains. “Now you can prototype it down at the library, using their MakerBot [3-D printer], then put that prototype on Kickstarter and presell the product.”

The upshot is that the timelines and barriers to starting a manufacturing company have been drastically reduced.

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Index Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
Ratchet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 1.1660 % 1,720.6
FixedFloater 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 1.1660 % 3,143.2
Floater 4.36 % 4.51 % 42,876 16.38 4 1.1660 % 1,811.5
OpRet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.0331 % 2,899.0
SplitShare 4.83 % 4.62 % 41,728 2.08 6 -0.0331 % 3,462.0
Interest-Bearing 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.0331 % 2,701.2
Perpetual-Premium 5.35 % 4.69 % 76,982 0.18 23 -0.0977 % 2,699.0
Perpetual-Discount 5.13 % 5.14 % 96,311 15.24 15 -0.2936 % 2,905.1
FixedReset 4.85 % 4.20 % 164,894 6.90 93 0.2227 % 2,097.0
Deemed-Retractible 5.02 % 3.50 % 110,901 0.42 32 -0.0420 % 2,807.6
FloatingReset 2.88 % 3.72 % 42,037 4.93 12 0.1688 % 2,262.7
Performance Highlights
Issue Index Change Notes
FTS.PR.F Perpetual-Discount -1.75 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-26
Maturity Price : 23.91
Evaluated at bid price : 24.15
Bid-YTW : 5.14 %
W.PR.H Perpetual-Premium -1.14 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-11-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.22
Bid-YTW : -3.15 %
FTS.PR.J Perpetual-Discount -1.13 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-26
Maturity Price : 23.18
Evaluated at bid price : 23.62
Bid-YTW : 5.08 %
W.PR.J Perpetual-Premium -1.05 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-11-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.36
Bid-YTW : -9.55 %
SLF.PR.J FloatingReset 1.01 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 12.98
Bid-YTW : 10.89 %
FTS.PR.M FixedReset 1.03 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-26
Maturity Price : 19.60
Evaluated at bid price : 19.60
Bid-YTW : 4.27 %
BMO.PR.S FixedReset 1.08 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-26
Maturity Price : 19.71
Evaluated at bid price : 19.71
Bid-YTW : 4.03 %
BAM.PR.X FixedReset 1.18 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-26
Maturity Price : 14.61
Evaluated at bid price : 14.61
Bid-YTW : 4.36 %
TRP.PR.H FloatingReset 1.23 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-26
Maturity Price : 10.73
Evaluated at bid price : 10.73
Bid-YTW : 4.11 %
BAM.PR.C Floater 1.35 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-26
Maturity Price : 10.50
Evaluated at bid price : 10.50
Bid-YTW : 4.54 %
PWF.PR.T FixedReset 1.78 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-26
Maturity Price : 20.00
Evaluated at bid price : 20.00
Bid-YTW : 3.97 %
PWF.PR.A Floater 2.08 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-26
Maturity Price : 11.80
Evaluated at bid price : 11.80
Bid-YTW : 4.00 %
Volume Highlights
Issue Index Shares
Traded
Notes
BMO.PR.B FixedReset 438,604 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2022-02-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.73
Bid-YTW : 4.27 %
BIP.PR.B FixedReset 256,100 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2020-12-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.68
Bid-YTW : 4.91 %
RY.PR.E Deemed-Retractible 231,800 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-11-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.05
Bid-YTW : -2.27 %
TRP.PR.B FixedReset 117,950 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-26
Maturity Price : 12.14
Evaluated at bid price : 12.14
Bid-YTW : 4.12 %
TD.PF.H FixedReset 110,954 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-10-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.71
Bid-YTW : 4.26 %
BIP.PR.C FixedReset 95,278 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-09-30
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.72
Bid-YTW : 4.81 %
There were 38 other index-included issues trading in excess of 10,000 shares.
Wide Spread Highlights
Issue Index Quote Data and Yield Notes
TD.PF.E FixedReset Quote: 21.46 – 21.89
Spot Rate : 0.4300
Average : 0.2658

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-26
Maturity Price : 21.46
Evaluated at bid price : 21.46
Bid-YTW : 4.17 %

TRP.PR.A FixedReset Quote: 15.51 – 15.93
Spot Rate : 0.4200
Average : 0.2825

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-26
Maturity Price : 15.51
Evaluated at bid price : 15.51
Bid-YTW : 4.40 %

SLF.PR.K FloatingReset Quote: 16.25 – 16.75
Spot Rate : 0.5000
Average : 0.3997

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 16.25
Bid-YTW : 8.72 %

IAG.PR.G FixedReset Quote: 20.30 – 20.59
Spot Rate : 0.2900
Average : 0.2007

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 20.30
Bid-YTW : 6.64 %

TD.PF.D FixedReset Quote: 20.97 – 21.20
Spot Rate : 0.2300
Average : 0.1489

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-26
Maturity Price : 20.97
Evaluated at bid price : 20.97
Bid-YTW : 4.17 %

MFC.PR.J FixedReset Quote: 19.77 – 20.00
Spot Rate : 0.2300
Average : 0.1559

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.77
Bid-YTW : 6.86 %

October 25, 2016

Wednesday, October 26th, 2016
HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Index Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
Ratchet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.2791 % 1,700.8
FixedFloater 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.2791 % 3,107.0
Floater 4.41 % 4.54 % 42,393 16.34 4 -0.2791 % 1,790.6
OpRet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.1453 % 2,899.9
SplitShare 4.83 % 4.62 % 41,790 2.08 6 -0.1453 % 3,463.2
Interest-Bearing 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.1453 % 2,702.1
Perpetual-Premium 5.35 % 4.67 % 74,273 0.98 23 -0.1507 % 2,701.7
Perpetual-Discount 5.12 % 5.08 % 96,878 15.26 15 0.1668 % 2,913.7
FixedReset 4.86 % 4.24 % 165,911 6.90 93 -0.1011 % 2,092.4
Deemed-Retractible 5.02 % 3.35 % 111,775 0.42 32 -0.0102 % 2,808.8
FloatingReset 2.88 % 3.75 % 42,306 4.93 12 -0.3665 % 2,258.9
Performance Highlights
Issue Index Change Notes
SLF.PR.K FloatingReset -2.11 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 16.25
Bid-YTW : 8.72 %
SLF.PR.J FloatingReset -1.53 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 12.85
Bid-YTW : 11.03 %
TRP.PR.D FixedReset -1.32 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-25
Maturity Price : 18.01
Evaluated at bid price : 18.01
Bid-YTW : 4.42 %
TRP.PR.E FixedReset -1.28 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-25
Maturity Price : 18.45
Evaluated at bid price : 18.45
Bid-YTW : 4.36 %
VNR.PR.A FixedReset -1.23 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-25
Maturity Price : 19.32
Evaluated at bid price : 19.32
Bid-YTW : 4.57 %
TRP.PR.G FixedReset -1.10 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-25
Maturity Price : 20.60
Evaluated at bid price : 20.60
Bid-YTW : 4.51 %
BNS.PR.D FloatingReset -1.07 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.38
Bid-YTW : 6.53 %
IAG.PR.G FixedReset 1.00 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 20.20
Bid-YTW : 6.71 %
FTS.PR.K FixedReset 1.07 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-25
Maturity Price : 17.89
Evaluated at bid price : 17.89
Bid-YTW : 4.07 %
FTS.PR.F Perpetual-Discount 1.11 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-25
Maturity Price : 24.28
Evaluated at bid price : 24.58
Bid-YTW : 5.05 %
HSE.PR.E FixedReset 1.17 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-25
Maturity Price : 21.38
Evaluated at bid price : 21.70
Bid-YTW : 4.97 %
FTS.PR.M FixedReset 1.20 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-25
Maturity Price : 19.40
Evaluated at bid price : 19.40
Bid-YTW : 4.32 %
Volume Highlights
Issue Index Shares
Traded
Notes
RY.PR.Q FixedReset 316,230 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-05-24
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.61
Bid-YTW : 3.87 %
BMO.PR.B FixedReset 277,250 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2022-02-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.72
Bid-YTW : 4.28 %
NA.PR.X FixedReset 191,190 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-05-15
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.65
Bid-YTW : 3.95 %
RY.PR.L FixedReset 132,544 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.25
Bid-YTW : 3.48 %
RY.PR.R FixedReset 119,945 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-08-24
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.68
Bid-YTW : 3.89 %
NA.PR.S FixedReset 109,308 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-25
Maturity Price : 18.95
Evaluated at bid price : 18.95
Bid-YTW : 4.22 %
There were 46 other index-included issues trading in excess of 10,000 shares.
Wide Spread Highlights
Issue Index Quote Data and Yield Notes
SLF.PR.K FloatingReset Quote: 16.25 – 16.75
Spot Rate : 0.5000
Average : 0.2897

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 16.25
Bid-YTW : 8.72 %

TRP.PR.D FixedReset Quote: 18.01 – 18.31
Spot Rate : 0.3000
Average : 0.1963

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-25
Maturity Price : 18.01
Evaluated at bid price : 18.01
Bid-YTW : 4.42 %

BMO.PR.S FixedReset Quote: 19.50 – 19.75
Spot Rate : 0.2500
Average : 0.1591

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-25
Maturity Price : 19.50
Evaluated at bid price : 19.50
Bid-YTW : 4.07 %

W.PR.H Perpetual-Premium Quote: 25.51 – 25.79
Spot Rate : 0.2800
Average : 0.1955

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-11-24
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.51
Bid-YTW : -16.55 %

IFC.PR.D FloatingReset Quote: 18.55 – 23.00
Spot Rate : 4.4500
Average : 4.3744

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.55
Bid-YTW : 7.41 %

GRP.PR.A SplitShare Quote: 25.67 – 26.00
Spot Rate : 0.3300
Average : 0.2559

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-11-24
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.67
Bid-YTW : -22.52 %

October 24, 2016

Tuesday, October 25th, 2016

Another shot has been fired in the minimum wage battles:

Just around the corner from Google’s GOOGL +0.26% main campus in Mountain View, California sits a nondescript concrete building. Inside the building, the future of fast food is being developed and refined. This is the headquarters of Zume. Founded by former Zynga Studio head Alex Garden, Zume wants to revolutionize the $9.7 billion pizza delivery world. Their plan is simple; no humans, all robots. From the production line assembly of the pizza to the eventual delivery, robots are the primary labor ingredient.

The process is not completely human free at this point, with humans adding the cheese and toppings, but it is only a matter of time before robots are able to take over that process as well. Currently the robots add sauce to the dough (the sauce robot is named “Marta”) which travels on a conveyor belt to humans who add toppings and cheese. Bruno the robot then places the pizzas in an oven. A couple of Fiats driven by humans (for now) deliver the pizzas locally.

Here’s an interesting piece on drone taxis:

Mass transit, the lifeblood of cities worldwide, is under threat from the biggest innovation in automotive technology since Henry Ford’s assembly line first flooded streets with cars.

The self-driving vehicles being pioneered by Tesla Motors Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google and others are poised to dramatically lower the cost of taxis, potentially making them cheaper than buses or subways, according to a joint report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance and McKinsey & Co. Having no driver to pay could reduce taxi prices to 67 cents a mile by 2025, less than a quarter of the cost in Manhattan today, the report found.

It’s a change with the potential to reshape commuting patterns, transforming urban life. As prices fall, the challenge for cities is that the cars may become too popular. Instead of complementing public transit, they may lure commuters away from buses and trains, inundating streets with drone cars.

I find it very worrisome that US tribalism is increasing:

The divisions over Peter Thiel and his support for Donald Trump are deepening in Silicon Valley.

Dismay over the billionaire venture capitalist’s stance on the Republican candidate has been showing up all across the technology landscape — from a startup founder saying he regrets taking a Trump backer’s money to a prominent diversity group refusing to work with any company associated with Thiel. In one recent case, it also throttled the flow of cash into a fledgling VC fund.

Arlan Hamilton, managing partner at Backstage Capital, said she rejected a potential investor because the person refused to disavow and sever ties with Thiel, a co-founder of PayPal and Palantir Technologies Inc. She declined to name the investor, saying the person offered to put $500,000 in her Los Angeles-based technology seed fund.

While the amount is tiny by industry standards, it is significant to Hamilton’s year-old seed fund, which has about $5 million in commitments, according to a report by Inc. The stymied deal reflects the growing divisiveness in the run up to the U.S. presidential election, which is spilling into everyday business. Hamilton took to Twitter to air her political protest.

“Because of my Peter Thiel stance, my company just lost half a million $ in new funding,” Hamilton wrote on Twitter. “Couldn’t have Thiel money flowing through our company. Hard problem. Easy decision.”

The market report will be delayed.

Update, 2016-10-26:

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Index Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
Ratchet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.9673 % 1,705.6
FixedFloater 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 -0.9673 % 3,115.7
Floater 4.40 % 4.53 % 41,928 16.36 4 -0.9673 % 1,795.6
OpRet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.0330 % 2,904.2
SplitShare 4.82 % 4.55 % 38,680 2.09 6 0.0330 % 3,468.2
Interest-Bearing 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.0330 % 2,706.0
Perpetual-Premium 5.34 % 3.47 % 73,104 0.10 23 -0.0142 % 2,705.8
Perpetual-Discount 5.12 % 5.12 % 97,730 15.24 15 -0.0170 % 2,908.8
FixedReset 4.86 % 4.25 % 165,450 6.90 93 -0.1057 % 2,094.5
Deemed-Retractible 5.02 % 2.96 % 111,585 0.43 32 -0.1506 % 2,809.1
FloatingReset 2.87 % 3.79 % 42,403 4.95 12 0.0302 % 2,267.2
Performance Highlights
Issue Index Change Notes
TRP.PR.H FloatingReset -2.02 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-24
Maturity Price : 10.68
Evaluated at bid price : 10.68
Bid-YTW : 4.13 %
BIP.PR.A FixedReset -1.72 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-24
Maturity Price : 21.39
Evaluated at bid price : 21.71
Bid-YTW : 4.96 %
BAM.PR.B Floater -1.50 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-24
Maturity Price : 10.52
Evaluated at bid price : 10.52
Bid-YTW : 4.53 %
IFC.PR.A FixedReset -1.15 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 15.42
Bid-YTW : 9.66 %
MFC.PR.L FixedReset -1.12 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.52
Bid-YTW : 7.58 %
MFC.PR.J FixedReset -1.10 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 19.77
Bid-YTW : 6.85 %
SLF.PR.G FixedReset -1.05 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 14.15
Bid-YTW : 10.09 %
BAM.PR.C Floater -1.05 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-24
Maturity Price : 10.41
Evaluated at bid price : 10.41
Bid-YTW : 4.58 %
MFC.PR.O FixedReset 1.01 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-06-19
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.88
Bid-YTW : 3.97 %
BAM.PF.A FixedReset 1.23 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-24
Maturity Price : 19.75
Evaluated at bid price : 19.75
Bid-YTW : 4.68 %
Volume Highlights
Issue Index Shares
Traded
Notes
BMO.PR.B FixedReset 529,555 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2022-02-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.71
Bid-YTW : 4.29 %
TD.PF.H FixedReset 461,080 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-10-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.70
Bid-YTW : 4.26 %
RY.PR.L FixedReset 417,634 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.20
Bid-YTW : 3.52 %
BNS.PR.H FixedReset 357,756 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2022-01-26
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.86
Bid-YTW : 4.25 %
RY.PR.J FixedReset 198,575 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-24
Maturity Price : 20.95
Evaluated at bid price : 20.95
Bid-YTW : 4.10 %
TRP.PR.D FixedReset 168,236 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-24
Maturity Price : 18.25
Evaluated at bid price : 18.25
Bid-YTW : 4.36 %
GWO.PR.Q Deemed-Retractible 111,700 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.03
Bid-YTW : 5.22 %
There were 34 other index-included issues trading in excess of 10,000 shares.
Wide Spread Highlights
Issue Index Quote Data and Yield Notes
IFC.PR.D FloatingReset Quote: 18.55 – 23.00
Spot Rate : 4.4500
Average : 4.2914

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.55
Bid-YTW : 7.40 %

TRP.PR.H FloatingReset Quote: 10.68 – 11.14
Spot Rate : 0.4600
Average : 0.3224

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-24
Maturity Price : 10.68
Evaluated at bid price : 10.68
Bid-YTW : 4.13 %

GWO.PR.N FixedReset Quote: 13.77 – 14.17
Spot Rate : 0.4000
Average : 0.2774

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 13.77
Bid-YTW : 10.37 %

RY.PR.P Perpetual-Premium Quote: 25.95 – 26.14
Spot Rate : 0.1900
Average : 0.1325

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2025-02-24
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.95
Bid-YTW : 4.66 %

TRP.PR.B FixedReset Quote: 12.09 – 12.28
Spot Rate : 0.1900
Average : 0.1339

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-24
Maturity Price : 12.09
Evaluated at bid price : 12.09
Bid-YTW : 4.13 %

ELF.PR.G Perpetual-Discount Quote: 22.87 – 23.11
Spot Rate : 0.2400
Average : 0.1842

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-24
Maturity Price : 22.62
Evaluated at bid price : 22.87
Bid-YTW : 5.22 %

October PrefLetter Released!

Saturday, October 22nd, 2016

The October, 2016, edition of PrefLetter has been released and is now available for purchase as the “Previous edition”. Those who subscribe for a full year receive the “Previous edition” as a bonus.

The regular appendix reporting on FixedResets is included. In the future there will be no regular appendices: they simply take too long to prepare and check, which has resulted in publication delays. However, the associated tables will be included in future editions and there will, from time to time, be special appendices when a particular feature of the market deserves some highlighting.

PrefLetter may now be purchased by all Canadian residents.

Until further notice, the “Previous Edition” will refer to the October, 2016, issue, while the “Next Edition” will be the November, 2016, issue, scheduled to be prepared as of the close November 11 and eMailed to subscribers prior to market-opening on November 14.

PrefLetter is intended for long term investors seeking issues to buy-and-hold. At least one recommendation from each of the major preferred share sectors is included and discussed.

Note: My verbosity has grown by such leaps and bounds that it is no longer possible to deliver PrefLetter as an eMail attachment – it’s just too big for my software! Instead, I have sent passwords – click on the link in your eMail and your copy will download.

Note: The PrefLetter website has a Subscriber Download Feature. If you have not received your copy, try it!

Note: PrefLetter eMails sometimes runs afoul of spam filters. If you have not received your copy within fifteen minutes of a release notice such as this one, please double check your (company’s) spam filtering policy and your spam repository – there are some hints in the post Sympatico Spam Filters out of Control. If it’s not there, contact me and I’ll get you your copy … somehow!

Note: There have been scattered complaints regarding inability to open PrefLetter in Acrobat Reader, despite my practice of including myself on the subscription list and immediately checking the copy received. I have had the occasional difficulty reading US Government documents, which I was able to resolve by downloading and installing the latest version of Adobe Reader. Also, note that so far, all complaints have been from users of Yahoo Mail. Try saving it to disk first, before attempting to open it.

Note: There have been other scattered complaints that double-clicking on the links in the “PrefLetter Download” email results in a message that the password has already been used. I have been able to reproduce this problem in my own eMail software … the problem is double-clicking. What happens is the first click opens the link and the second click finds that the password has already been used and refuses to work properly. So the moral of the story is: Don’t be a dick! Single Click!

Note: Assiduous Reader DG informs me:

In case you have any other Apple users: you need to install a free App from the apple store called “FileApp”. It comes with it’s own tutorial and allows you to download and save a PDF file.

However, Assiduous Reader Adrian informs me in the comments to the January 2015 release:

Some nitpicking for DG:
FileApp costs $1.19 in the Apple Store.

But Adrian2 now advises:

Well, as of now, FileApp is free (again?).

So cross your fingers!

BMO.PR.B Soars To Premium On Awesome Volume

Friday, October 21st, 2016

Bank of Montreal has announced (although not yet on their website):

it has closed its domestic public offering of Non-Cumulative 5-Year Rate Reset Class B Preferred Shares Series 38 (the “Preferred Shares Series 38”). The offering was underwritten on a bought deal basis by a syndicate of underwriters led by BMO Capital Markets. Bank of Montreal issued 24 million Preferred Shares Series 38 at a price of $25 per share to raise gross proceeds of $600 million.

The Preferred Shares Series 38 were issued under a prospectus supplement dated October 14, 2016, to the Bank’s short form base shelf prospectus dated April 13, 2016. Such shares will commence trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange today under the ticker symbol BMO.PR.B.

BMO.PR.B is a FixedReset, 4.85%+406, NVCC-compliant issue announced October 14. It will be tracked by HIMIPref™ and assigned to the FixedResets subindex.

The issue traded a staggering 4,330,078 shares in a range of 25.69-82 before closing at 25.69-70, 27×87. The volume ranks it sixth in my database (over 1-million records dating back to 1993-12-31), just behind NVA.PR.A (Nova Energy), which traded 4.4-million shares on 1997-3-24 (shortly after issue) and the highest single-issue daily volume since GWO.PR.E, which traded 5.3-million shares on 1999-3-18 (also shortly after issue). So, this is the highest single-issue daily volume so far this century.

Vital statistics are:

BMO.PR.B FixedReset YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2022-02-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.69
Bid-YTW : 4.29 %

As has often been the case lately, Implied Volatility analysis results in a chart that can be interpreted in two ways:

impVol_BMO_161021
Click for Big

The curve fits very well, with a very high Implied Volatility. If one takes the view that GOC-5 rates will increase dramatically over the next few years, the low-spread, low-price issues will be preferred (as this will lead to capital gains on these issues, but not the new one since the call provision caps the expected price); if one takes the view that the current GOC yield curve represents the new normal, then the new issue will be preferred (as one will then expect Implied Volatility to decrease, flattening the fitted curve, resulting in capital losses for the low-spread issues).

October 21, 2016

Friday, October 21st, 2016

Here’s some drone news with a sting in its tail!

The day when police zap suspects from the sky with drones carrying stun guns may be nearing.

Taser International Inc., known for its stun guns and body cameras, is exploring the concept of a drone armed with a stun gun for use by police. This week, the company held discussions with police officials about such a device during a law-enforcement conference here.

HIMIPref™ Preferred Indices
These values reflect the December 2008 revision of the HIMIPref™ Indices

Values are provisional and are finalized monthly
Index Mean
Current
Yield
(at bid)
Median
YTW
Median
Average
Trading
Value
Median
Mod Dur
(YTW)
Issues Day’s Perf. Index Value
Ratchet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.5338 % 1,722.2
FixedFloater 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.5338 % 3,146.1
Floater 4.35 % 4.46 % 42,139 16.50 4 0.5338 % 1,813.1
OpRet 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.0000 % 2,903.2
SplitShare 4.82 % 4.53 % 38,933 2.09 6 0.0000 % 3,467.1
Interest-Bearing 0.00 % 0.00 % 0 0.00 0 0.0000 % 2,705.1
Perpetual-Premium 5.33 % 2.93 % 72,573 0.11 23 0.4841 % 2,706.2
Perpetual-Discount 5.12 % 5.11 % 98,896 15.26 15 -0.0847 % 2,909.3
FixedReset 4.85 % 4.29 % 167,659 6.89 93 -0.2855 % 2,096.7
Deemed-Retractible 5.00 % 3.16 % 111,639 0.43 32 0.2350 % 2,813.3
FloatingReset 2.96 % 3.93 % 40,831 4.95 12 -0.0991 % 2,266.5
Performance Highlights
Issue Index Change Notes
BAM.PF.A FixedReset -2.94 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-21
Maturity Price : 19.51
Evaluated at bid price : 19.51
Bid-YTW : 4.85 %
SLF.PR.J FloatingReset -1.89 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 13.00
Bid-YTW : 10.95 %
SLF.PR.G FixedReset -1.79 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 14.30
Bid-YTW : 10.00 %
BAM.PF.B FixedReset -1.49 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-21
Maturity Price : 18.47
Evaluated at bid price : 18.47
Bid-YTW : 4.80 %
IAG.PR.G FixedReset -1.47 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 20.11
Bid-YTW : 6.87 %
MFC.PR.O FixedReset -1.44 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-06-19
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.61
Bid-YTW : 4.21 %
TRP.PR.A FixedReset -1.32 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-21
Maturity Price : 15.64
Evaluated at bid price : 15.64
Bid-YTW : 4.50 %
BAM.PF.G FixedReset -1.26 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-21
Maturity Price : 21.18
Evaluated at bid price : 21.18
Bid-YTW : 4.50 %
BAM.PF.E FixedReset -1.11 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-21
Maturity Price : 19.60
Evaluated at bid price : 19.60
Bid-YTW : 4.54 %
HSE.PR.C FixedReset -1.06 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-21
Maturity Price : 19.53
Evaluated at bid price : 19.53
Bid-YTW : 5.19 %
TRP.PR.C FixedReset -1.02 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-21
Maturity Price : 13.57
Evaluated at bid price : 13.57
Bid-YTW : 4.24 %
BAM.PR.Z FixedReset -1.00 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-21
Maturity Price : 19.79
Evaluated at bid price : 19.79
Bid-YTW : 4.85 %
BAM.PR.B Floater 1.04 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-21
Maturity Price : 10.68
Evaluated at bid price : 10.68
Bid-YTW : 4.46 %
RY.PR.I FixedReset 1.06 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 24.80
Bid-YTW : 3.36 %
MFC.PR.B Deemed-Retractible 1.06 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 23.75
Bid-YTW : 5.50 %
SLF.PR.C Deemed-Retractible 1.12 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 22.58
Bid-YTW : 6.03 %
W.PR.J Perpetual-Premium 2.63 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-11-20
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.77
Bid-YTW : -28.06 %
W.PR.H Perpetual-Premium 2.78 % YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-11-20
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.86
Bid-YTW : -31.77 %
Volume Highlights
Issue Index Shares
Traded
Notes
BMO.PR.B FixedReset 4,330,078 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2022-02-25
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.69
Bid-YTW : 4.29 %
TD.PF.H FixedReset 895,400 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-10-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.83
Bid-YTW : 4.14 %
BNS.PR.H FixedReset 185,571 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2022-01-26
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.88
Bid-YTW : 4.22 %
GWO.PR.Q Deemed-Retractible 144,439 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.04
Bid-YTW : 5.20 %
GWO.PR.N FixedReset 112,243 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 13.78
Bid-YTW : 10.40 %
GWO.PR.L Deemed-Retractible 106,489 YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2016-12-31
Maturity Price : 25.50
Evaluated at bid price : 25.70
Bid-YTW : 3.16 %
There were 51 other index-included issues trading in excess of 10,000 shares.
Wide Spread Highlights
Issue Index Quote Data and Yield Notes
IFC.PR.D FloatingReset Quote: 18.55 – 23.00
Spot Rate : 4.4500
Average : 4.1175

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 18.55
Bid-YTW : 7.48 %

BAM.PF.A FixedReset Quote: 19.51 – 19.99
Spot Rate : 0.4800
Average : 0.3282

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Limit Maturity
Maturity Date : 2046-10-21
Maturity Price : 19.51
Evaluated at bid price : 19.51
Bid-YTW : 4.85 %

SLF.PR.G FixedReset Quote: 14.30 – 14.72
Spot Rate : 0.4200
Average : 0.3106

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 14.30
Bid-YTW : 10.00 %

BMO.PR.Q FixedReset Quote: 20.35 – 20.65
Spot Rate : 0.3000
Average : 0.1956

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2022-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 20.35
Bid-YTW : 6.06 %

GWO.PR.S Deemed-Retractible Quote: 25.66 – 25.91
Spot Rate : 0.2500
Average : 0.1633

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Hard Maturity
Maturity Date : 2025-01-31
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 25.66
Bid-YTW : 4.94 %

MFC.PR.O FixedReset Quote: 26.61 – 26.90
Spot Rate : 0.2900
Average : 0.2071

YTW SCENARIO
Maturity Type : Call
Maturity Date : 2021-06-19
Maturity Price : 25.00
Evaluated at bid price : 26.61
Bid-YTW : 4.21 %

MFC.PR.G To Be Extended

Friday, October 21st, 2016

Manulife Financial Corporation has announced:

that it does not intend to exercise its right to redeem all or any of its currently outstanding 8,000,000 Non-cumulative Rate Reset Class 1 Shares Series 5 (the “Series 5 Preferred Shares”) (TSX: MFC.PR.G) on December 19, 2016. As a result, subject to certain conditions described in the prospectus supplement dated November 29, 2011 relating to the issuance of the Series 5 Preferred Shares (the “Prospectus”), the holders of the Series 5 Preferred Shares have the right, at their option, to convert all or part of their Series 5 Preferred Shares on a one-for-one basis into Non-cumulative Floating Rate Class 1 Shares Series 6 of Manulife (the “Series 6 Preferred Shares”) on December 19, 2016. A formal notice of the right to convert Series 5 Preferred Shares into Series 6 Preferred Shares will be sent to the registered holders of the Series 5 Preferred Shares in accordance with the share conditions of the Series 5 Preferred Shares. Holders of Series 5 Preferred Shares are not required to elect to convert all or any part of their Series 5 Preferred Shares into Series 6 Preferred Shares. Holders who do not exercise their right to convert their Series 5 Preferred Shares into Series 6 Preferred Shares on such date will retain their Series 5 Preferred Shares, unless automatically converted in accordance with the conditions below.

The foregoing conversion right is subject to the conditions that: (i) if, after December 5, 2016, Manulife determines that there would be less than 1,000,000 Series 5 Preferred Shares outstanding on December 19, 2016, then all remaining Series 5 Preferred Shares will automatically be converted into an equal number of Series 6 Preferred Shares on December 19, 2016, and (ii) alternatively, if, after December 5, 2016, Manulife determines that there would be less than 1,000,000 Series 6 Preferred Shares outstanding on December 19, 2016, then no Series 5 Preferred Shares will be converted into Series 6 Preferred Shares. In either case, Manulife will give written notice to that effect to any registered holders of Series 5 Preferred Shares affected by the preceding minimums on or before December 12, 2016.

The dividend rate applicable to the Series 5 Preferred Shares for the 5-year period commencing on December 20, 2016, and ending on December 19, 2021, and the dividend rate applicable to the Series 6 Preferred Shares for the 3-month period commencing on December 20, 2016, and ending on March 19, 2017, will be determined and announced by way of a news release on November 21, 2016. Manulife will also give written notice of these dividend rates to the registered holders of Series 5 Preferred Shares.

Beneficial owners of Series 5 Preferred Shares who wish to exercise their right of conversion should instruct their broker or other nominee to exercise such right before 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on December 5, 2016. Conversion inquiries should be directed to Manulife’s Registrar and Transfer Agent, CST Trust Company, at 1-800-387-0825.

Subject to certain conditions described in the Prospectus, Manulife may redeem the Series 5 Preferred Shares, in whole or in part, on December 19, 2021 and on December 19 every five years thereafter and may redeem the Series 6 Preferred Shares, in whole or in part, after December 19, 2016.

The Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) has conditionally approved the listing of the Series 6 Preferred Shares effective upon conversion. Listing of the Series 6 Preferred Shares is subject to Manulife fulfilling all the listing requirements of the TSX and, upon approval, the Series 6 Preferred Shares will be listed on the TSX under the trading symbol “MFC.PR.Q”.