The Financial Post reports in its Saturday, Dec. 31, edition that higher interest rates are not always bad for stocks. The Post's guest columnist Peter Hodson writes that the current worry for investors is higher rates. "Housing will collapse," they say, or "dividend stocks will get crushed," or "corporations will suffer." Mr. Hodson spins this negativity around, and predicts that slightly higher interest rates will encourage potential homeowners to finally buy, before rates go even higher, and push up housing prices even more. He says corporations could view higher rates as a sign of economic strength and go on a massive acquisition spree, pushing up stock valuations. Dividend stocks will continue to do what they have always done: increase dividends as earnings rise. Companies like Fortis are more than likely to raise dividends again in 2017. Mr. Hodson says it is not a difficult prediction to make. He notes Fortis has raised dividends every year for close to half a century.