The unveiling of the 2018 federal budget by Minister of Finance was eagerly anticipated, in no small part due to the proposed changes to the taxation of passive income in private corporations announced in the summer of 2017. Mark Biderman, Cidel’s Vice President of Trust & Legal, shares our perspective.

Microsoft has long been a slightly polarizing company – admired yet mocked in equal measures. What is not debatable is the intellect, drive, creativity and subtle rebelliousness of CEOs Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer and now Satya Madella. In this compelling Bloomberg interview, Nadella touches on AI, sexual harassment and the evolving soul of Microsoft, further emerging as one of the most interesting business leaders in the world.

The stunning and sudden collapse of global construction behemoth Carillion is tragic, but provides a number of interesting lessons. One, profits are one thing, but the quality of a company’s cash flows are incredibly important. Two, diversification is so critical in investing, whether you are managing an equity portfolio or managing the risk of having most of your net worth tied up in your own company. And finally, as this Bloomberg article highlights, the vast interconnectedness of the global economy, as illustrated by the impact of Carillion’s demise on its vast multitude of creditors and joint ventures.