Trade commodities online: my experience with EnCana Corporation (ECA)

Today was the day I invested in Canfor Pulp Products Inc. (CFX) for the first time through my commodity trading broker. but today was also a good day for canadian dividend paying stocks, and especially for EnCana Corporation (ECA). I initially invested 5 946.88$ in EnCana Corporation (ECA) a couple of months ago. Buying stocks of EnCana Corporation (ECA) was a good decision to make, despite the difficult times for EnCana in the past couple of months.

The trouble begins for EnCana Corporation (ECA) when the company announced the investment of millions of dollars into their own company. The major investors didn't like that, so the value of EnCana had drop significantly.

Anyhow, EnCana happen to be a good investment because my stocks of EnCana Corporation (ECA) currently worth a very awesome 6 510.39$, for a great profit of 563.51$! I do not plan to sell EnCana Corporation (ECA) anytime soon, but I am proud to say that I my investment in EnCana Corporation (ECA) is growing in value. I would like to be able to say the same thing with all of my commodity investment, but it's not the case. But I am looking forward for the best in the upcoming months with online stock investing.

I just purchase 100 stocks of Canfor Pulp Products Inc. (CFX)

At 14.70$ per stock...

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Meet the Canadian stock Canfor Pulp Products Inc. (CFX) and the mountain lion hero

Its been a quiet weekend overall. I went for a coffee yesterday evening. I had bring my laptop with me and went to my favorite cafe. But even inside, I was freezing. Sitting next to a window was not helping either. Just to say how cold it is. And even today in my apartment, I have a Honeywell machine that is most of the time on. I didn't go out today at all. I had been lucky enough not to purchase a metro pass since May 2010. Since that time, I may have purchase a ticket not more than 3 times. But now that the weather is sooooo terribly cold in Montreal, I may have to purchase a metro pass for this week. But I will see how it goes tomorrow morning. I am living downtown very next to the St-Laurent boulevard in Montreal, so I don't need to use public transportation. My workplace is at around 40 minutes of walk. At first, I taught I was not going to make it without metro pass, but I did. A monthly metro pass in Montreal is not that expensive. It's not more than 70$ if I remember correctly. But still, keeping a 70$ in my pocket is quite a huge saving.

My budget is well balance. But lately, I didn't spend too much attention on my spending. I currently reached the 500$ on my Mastercard Airline Miles. And no, I do not own a zero interest credit card. Time for me to stick back to a more frugal lifestyle, just like before. I can easily cut those expenses from 500$ to a 250$, basically by half. I know I can do it because I did it before. And I know exactly where to begin my expend cut: Second Cup. I am a Second Cup coffee addict. Everyday before going to work, I buy myself a medium Second Cup coffee. Alone, this expense cost me 45$ every month. To this, you need to add the eating out and going out...

Ok, I have the money I earn online that I can put as payment on that 500$ bill, but still, I am in need of creditsolutions. So I guess the solution or the creditsolutions for me at this time is to cut on unnecessary expenses, just like I was going before. I am back on the frugal lifestyle, despite I could continue the way I am doing without any trouble. Even for this month, I have a good extra 1 400$ I can use for online stock market investing through TD Waterhouse securities.

I am lucky, I have good readers. When I say good readers, I mean very very good readers. They are not only readers, but also investors. Yesterday, I learn about the Canadian stock Exchange Income Corporation through one of them, which I got very interested in and I probably invest in at least 100 stocks of Exchange Income Corporation very soon through my online future trading brokerage. The Toronto stock exchange quote of Exchange Income Corporation is EIF.

All this agitation is due to my trading mistake in Sprott Inc. (SII). I won't write again about it, but I will just say that my online stock investing mistake. The more you manipulate stocks via discount commodity brokers, the more you are kind to do a mistake. This include the following actions: sell stock online and purchase stocks.

The more you sell stock online and purchase stocks, the more you are at risk. To trade commodities online is not extremely difficult, but it can be tricky. In my case, what I did was that I purchased 500 stocks of Canadian stock Sprott Inc. (SII) in what I believe was in time to qualify for the special dividend of 60 cents. but unfortunately for me, I was to late in my purchase because I was not aware of the 3 business rule and in result, did not qualify for the special dividend.

So right now, I hold an extra 500 stocks of Sprott Inc. (SII) that I never really wanted to have. All I wanted was more stocks, in order to earn more from Sprott Inc. (SII) special dividend. In fact, all I wanted was to get more dividend cash from Sprott Inc. That's very all. But among the way, I burn myself. Those extra 500 stocks of Sprott Inc. appeared in my latest stock investment portfolio update. Currently, those 500 stocks alone had lost more than 300$ in value. I know, I screw up badly, but nothing is loss unless a sell is made. Remember that. So as for now, I am leaving the Canadian stock Sprott Inc. (SII) alone, I won't touch it. I had program a sell offer at 9.60$ for those 500 extra stocks of Sprott Inc. (SII). The sell order will remain active until the end of January. If it happen that Sprott Inc. (SII) stock reached or exceed the 9.60$ per stock, I will be good to make my sell. In my mistake, I had purchased 500 stocks of Sprott Inc. (SII) at 9.34$ per stock.

Conclusion: I cannot go back in time and fix that mistake, but I can hope for an increase of the Sprott Inc. title.

I roughly have around 1 400$ to invest by the end of January, despite my huge spending on my credit card.

Another reader of the Dividend Girl is living in British Columbia. While being in his sixties, he got attacked by a mountain lion. And believe it or not, that reader had killed the mountain lion using a simple pocket knife. This event happens in the years 2000s. Believe it or not, the mountain lion hero is a reader of the Dividend Girl, and also a very very good investor. My mountain lion hero was kind enough to share with me his stock investment portfolio.

Ok, so now, remember that I currently have 1 400$ available for Canadian stock trading, that this weekend had been a quiet one because of the extremely cold weather. In conclusion, I had time to review deeper the content of the stock investment portfolio of my British Columbia reader, the mountain lion hero. Many fantastic things, very good dividend payers. But among other, I decide myself on one pick that is going to blow you away: Canfor Pulp Products Inc. (CFX).

From my point of view, Canfor Pulp Products Inc. (CFX) seem to be a bit volatile, but I wouldn't mind investing in 100 stocks of Canfor Pulp Products Inc. (CFX) by tomorrow in my online future trading broker. Canfor Pulp Products Inc. (CFX) dividend yield is of 22.837%. Yes, you read it right. A dividend yield of 22.837%, which mean a 3$ in annual dividend per stock! And the stock currently trade at only 14.45$! So go for it! lol...

Canadian stock Canfor Pulp Products Inc. (CFX) will bring in the house an annual 300$ in dividend income. Of course, just like for the other I hold, the dividend of Canfor Pulp Products Inc. (CFX) will be registered to an automatic DRIP.

I am just very excited about Canfor Pulp Products Inc. (CFX) 3$ dividend per stock! WOW!

Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.U) declared its very first dividend distribution

I had first invested in 200 units of Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.U) back in December 2010 through it's initial public offering. It's been a good thing in my case because I didn't have to pay any commission to acquire those 200 units. My regular broker commission fee with TD Waterhouse is of 9.99$, not to say 10$.

Since December 2010, nothing had been said regarding Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.U) dividend distribution and I began to worry. In my case, I use money available on my margin account, at an interest rate of 4.25%. To make this investment profitable, I really need to touch the promised 6.5% dividend yield by Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.U).

Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.U) didn't broke it's promised. On January 20, 2011, Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.U) declared its first monthly distribution of 7.20 cents per Class A and Class F units of the fund. According to AlphaPro Management Inc., the distribution will be payable on February 10, 2011 for unitholders on record of January 31, 2011.

This is a great news because as I explain, I was worried not to get anything from Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.U). But its seemed like I will get something from Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.U) in February.

Exchange Income Corporation (EIF) vs Power Financial Corporation (PWF)

Yeah! It's the weekend! This week had been a long an awful one. First, I spend I don't know how many hours trying to replacing someone how was out in vacation. There's was way too much work. But just to make things worst, while replacing, I was paid at my regular wage... Yeah, I know, what a life! Anyhow, everything is back to normal, my nightmare is over.

I guess I wasn't myself this week because I had purchase 500 stocks of Sprott Inc. (SII) thinking I was going to be able to make it just in time for the Sprott Inc. (SII) special dividend of 60 cents... but no, it didn't happen that way... Of course not lol... My problem is that I wasn't aware of the 3 business day rule when purchasing stock.

From what I understand, from the time you purchase stock, it take 3 business days for the purchase to be finalize. I had notice before a certain pending state when purchasing new stock but I never pay too much attention to it. Because I didn't care. The only thing I had been caring about is purchasing stock to earn dividend and make the dividend DRIP to naturally earn new stocks, to naturally increase my dividend earning. Not more or not less.

My goal with my latest trade was to purchase 500 new stocks of Sprott Inc. (SII) in order to qualify for their 60 cents special dividend. I purchase the stocks on the 17 of January 2011. The Sprott press release advertise the date of January 19 as latest date for holding - but that being after the 3 business rule... So in result, my latest investment in Sprott Inc. (SII) did not qualify for the special dividend distribution of 60 cents... Oh no, what did I done!

Better to know about the 3 business rule sooner than later, if you see what I mean.

But you saw it for yourself with my latest portfolio update, things are going well for the Dividend Girl, despite my little trading mistake. I am now at 144 889.70$ in asset. I hold 64 218$ in debt, generating a bit more than 3 000$ in interest money. My overall dividend income is of 5 883.78$. I could had done better, there's plenty of place for improvement. But still, I am happy with what I have.

I had place a sell order at 9.60$ for the extra 500 stocks of Sprott Inc. (SII) that I currently hold because of my trading mistake. I have one of my blog reader that came with this investment that he had been holding for quite a while: Exchange Income Corporation (EIF). Thanks for sharing (D)! So here're we are:

Exchange Income Corporation (EIF) vs Power Financial Corporation (PWF)

Exchange Income Corporation (EIF) is like the Power Financial Corporation (PWF) of Derek Foster, but in better. In his latest book, The Idiot Millionaire, Derek Foster name Power Financial Corporation (PWF) as one possible investment holding. I was upset after reading such investment suggestion. See, you have to understand that Henri-Paul Rousseau, the ex CEO of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec hold a Vice-Chairman at the Power Financial Corporation (PWF).

You may ask yourself what's the controversy is all about? Why Power Financial Corporation (PWF) is not a good investment despite what Derek Foster say? I will explain all that to you.

In 2008, the recession hit hard and in 2008, Henri-Paul Rousseau was the CEO of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. Never heard of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec? To make the explanation short, according to Wikipedia, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec manages public pension plans in the Canadian province of Quebec.

In 2008, following the stock crash market, Henri-Paul Rousseau made the Caisse loose $8 billion of dollars. You read it right! Not 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, BUT 8 BILLION! While he left the Caisse, Henri-Paul Rousseau didn't give up on his leaving bonus, which was of hundred of thousands of dollars.

Now, the same poor guy is now a Vice-Chairman at Power Financial Corporation (PWF). Does Power Financial Corporation (PWF) represent a good investment? HELL NO!

Just like Power Financial Corporation (PWF), Exchange Income Corporation (EIF), to repeat its own worlds: "invest in profitable, well-established companies with strong cash flows operating in niche markets in Canada and/or the United States and to distribute stable monthly cash dividends to its shareholders." Power Financial Corporation (PWF) dividend yield is of 4.696%. Exchange Income Corporation (EIF) offer you much more for your money. Exchange Income Corporation (EIF) dividend yield is of 7.947%.

Exchange Income Corporation (EIF) is a company base in Winnipeg. while investing in Exchange Income Corporation (EIF) , you can be sure of one thing: you won't ever suffer from Quebec bad leadership. Actually, with Exchange Income Corporation (EIF) you won't suffer from anything. You'll just enjoy a good dividend yield provided by a well manage company.

I don't hold anything related to Exchange Income Corporation (EIF) yet, but I find this company very great because its share my view on investment: invest for the long term, with no selling prospect. And even best: Exchange Income Corporation (EIF) has no interest in Manulife.

I have projects for me and Exchange Income Corporation (EIF). I am going to sell the extra 500 stocks of Sprott Inc. (SII) that I bought because of my trading mistake and instead, I am going to invest the money in some stocks of Exchange Income Corporation (EIF).

Another great idea of mine :0)

My debt situation on date of January 18, 2011

9 431.36$ at a low interest rate of 4.75% (RRSP credit line rates) = 447.99$ in annual interest

4 900$ at a low interest rate of 4% (credit line rates) = 196$ in annual interest

4 016.23$ credit line at 8.75% = 351.42$ in annual interest

7 935.32$ on a TD Canada Trust credit card at a low interest rate of 4.9% ending in April 2011 (result of a credit card balance transfer)
= 388.83$ in annual interest

7 830.05$ at low interest rate loan at 5.50% (student loan) = 430.65$ in annual interest

10 000$ at 7.27% (credit line rates) = 727$ in annual interest

20 105.04$ at a low interest rates of 4.25% (margin money coming from TD Water house): =
854.46$ in annual interest

TOTAL: 64 218$ in DEBT

TOTAL in annual interest: 3 396.35$
[In date of January 18, 2011]

My stock investment portfolio on date of January 18, 2011

Savings:
2 056.57$

Non registered Investments:
Stocks and Units investment portfolio
Sprott Inc. (SII): 9 180$
Timminco (TIM): 108$
Blue Note Mining (BNT): 48$
Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS): 17 449.88$
Hanwei Energy Services (HE): 120$
Methanex Corporation (MX): 3 182.70$
Fortis (FTS): 3 664.75$
Pembina Pipeline Corporation (PPL):
9 538.03$
Just Energy Group Inc. (JE): 11 566.08$
Yellow Media Inc. (YLO): 2 949.75$
Bell Aliant Inc. (BA): 5 336.84$
Pengrowth Energy Corporation (PGF): 2 854.20$
Enbridge Income Fund Holdings Inc. (ENF): 5 571.20$
Corby Distilleries Limited (CDL.A): 3 423.90$
Davis + Henderson Corporation (DH):
4 237.96$
Premium Brands Holdings Corporation (PBH):
2 849.88$
EnCana Corporation (ECA): 6 407.88$
Sprott Physical Silver Trust UTS (PHS.U): 2 616$
iShares S&P/TSX Capped REIT Index (XRE): 2 142.14$
Horizons Gold Yield Fund (HGY.UN): 1 990$
Cash: 241.42$

TOTAL: 95 478.61$

Tax-free savings account (TFSA):
RBC O’Shaughnessy Canadian Equity Fund:
3 015.10$
EnerCare Inc. (ECI): 3 269.92$
Dumont Nickel Inc. (DNI): 345$
Cash: 7.79$

TOTAL: 6 637.81$

RSP investment portfolio:
Sprott Canadian Equity Fund: 7 404.64$
Claymore Gold Bullion ETF (CGL): 4 157.40$
EnCana Corporation (ECA): 3 188$
Emera Incorporated (EMA): 6 686.76$
Cash: 87.06$

CIBC Dividend Growth Fund: 562.87$
CIBC Emerging Markets Index Fund: 428.54$
CIBC Monthly Income Fund: 1 049.93$

Energy and Base Metals Term Savings (Indexed term savings):
503.46$
Natural Resources Term Savings (Indexed term savings):
502.06$

GIC National Bank: 1 251.85$
GIC Plus: 500$

TD Canadian Bond: 114.90$
TD Monthly Income: 109.93$
TD Emerging Markets: 90.39$
TD Energy: 98.06$
TD Precious Metals: 142.67$
TD Latin American Growth: 106.61$
TD Entertainment and Communications: 125.47$
TD Dividend Growth: 210.16$
TD U.S. Mid-Cap Growth: 119.10$

Maritime Life International Equity Fund
(Templeton): 678.69$
Manulife Simplicity Growth Portfolio: 938.74$
Maritime Life CI Harbour Seg Fund: 1 110.42$
Maritime Life Fidelity True North Seg Fund:
1 075.46$
Manulife GIF MLIA B World Invest: 657.26$

Great-West – various: 1 834.72$

RBC Canadian Dividend Fund: 555.18$
RBC U.S. Mid-Cap Equity Fund C$: 2 079.06$
RBC Global Resources Fund: 1 306.19$
RBC O’Shaughnessy International Equity Fund: 668.55$
RBC O’Shaughnessy All-Canadian Equity
Fund: 1 223.30$

GIC Canadian Market: 1 000$

TOTAL: 40 567.43$

Social Capital at Desjardins Membership share
for 3 accounts: 40$

Savings + Stocks, units, mutual funds + Tax-
free Savings account + RRSP + Online Income
(109.28$):
144 889.70$

Be ready for Sprott Inc. (SII) special dividend of 60 cents

This is just so hilarious in a certain way, my little trading mistake. It's really me. But it's a mistake I did without knowing. Investing in stock is not as easy as it's seem. It's full of things you need to know. This is what went wrong (but you can always refer yourself to my previous post and don't forget to read the comments)...

Back in January 10, 2011, Sprott Inc. (SII) announced a special dividend of 60 cents that will be paid to shareholders at the close of business of January 19, 2011.

A dividend of 60 cents is quite something. This is actually HUGE! I already own 520 stocks of Sprott Inc. (SII). It took me a little while to make my move, and maybe too long. Anyhow, on January 17, I decide to invest in 500 other stocks of Sprott Inc. (SII), for a total of 1 020 stocks of Sprott Inc. (SII).

I did my purchase in a rush, but in my mind, I didn't have any doubt about what I was going to do or what was going to happen lol. I wanted to earn an extra 300$ from Sprott Inc. (SII) from the special dividend. That's sit that's all! But it didn't go as expected. With my limited knowledge, little did I know about the 3 business closing day rule! But I learn it from TD Waterhouse and also from Sprott Investor Relations to who I gave a quick call earlier today. 3 business rules? What's the 3 business closing day rule? I screw up badly, but I learn. It could sound strange, but I really didn't knwo about the 3 business rules.

And now, I am kind of "stuck" with an extra 500 stocks of Sprott Inc. (SII) that were never really wanted. Because all I ever wanted was the extra cash and the extra stocks...

There's a lot to know about the stock market. Derek Foster cover a lot in his books, but there's much more to know. But I'll keep you post among the way! While having an extra 500 stocks of Sprott Inc. (SII) in my portfolio, belive it or not, I am now exceeding 60 000$ in debt, and it's look like I am only missing around 5 000$ before hitting my first 150 000$. I know, nothing to be too much proud about, but I am who I am, the Dividend Girl right?

Another problem: my dividend DRIP in my non registered Canadian margin broker account

I just have another problem at this exact time and I just wonder what's going to happen! Remember, in December 2010, we change from a non registered Canadian cash account to a non registered Canadian margin account? Well, that bring all kind of changes in my broker account that I wasn't even prepare to.

So far for January 2011, I had received, yes, dividend payment in my non registered Canadian margin account, but none of those dividend payment had resulted in a DRIP, which mean that none of my dividend payment had transformed into a brand new stock. There could be 2 reasons for this: 1) a delay for the dividend to transform into one or more stocks, depending or 2) my new margin account of December 2010 has not been set-up for DRIP. I am very tempt to say that my margin is not set-up for DRIP... All those ambitious of mine had giving me A LOT OF TROUBLE. More debt, more dividend, and now, no DRIP. But a question being, can I enroll to a DRIP in my Canadian non registered margin account? That's something else and I do not have the answer to this.

But, if I take the example of the Dividend Lover, I should be able to keep the DRIP even while having margin in my account because from what I understand, Dividend Lover has a margin account and for a while, his dividend income was apply under a DRIP. If, of course, I understood everything correctly...

So I guess I have no choice other than calling TD Waterhouse tomorrow early morning. at this time, the delay for customer service at TD Waterhouse seem to be enormous. But it's not TD Waterhouse fault: it's January, TFSA contribution need to be made as well as RRSP contribution. Both combine together = a lot of calls for TD Waterhouse. But in my situation, if I want to make sure I am enroll on a DRIP, I have no other choice than to call TD. I will keep you post as always to let you know what's going on, just in case you care.

Also, I had set-up in my non registered Canadian margin account a sell order at 9.60$ for 500 stocks of Sprott Inc. (SII). Another brilliant idea of mine to make some $$$.

Welcome again Sprott Inc., 500 new stocks of SII in my online future trading brokerage

I just buy 500 stocks of Sprott Inc. at 9.34$ per stock. You should be doing the same - remember the special dividend...