The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that with markets doing flip-flops every time Donald Trump opens his mouth, investors are asking what is safe these days. Globe columnist Gordon Pape writes that finding low-risk places for your money used to be easy. Buy shares in Ma Bell (now BCE) and relax while the dividends rolled in. BCE upended that cart last month, slashing its dividend by more than half. It is not alone. Some green energy companies have cut their payouts in recent years, including Algonquin Power. Several REITs reduced distributions during the pandemic, as did some oil and gas producers. BCE's cut was the most significant. The quarterly payout was slashed from 99.75 cents ($3.99 a year) to 43.75 cents ($1.75 a year), a drop of 56 per cent. The shares now yield 5.6 per cent. The company reported adjusted earnings per share of $3.04 in fiscal 2024. Free cash flow, which is the basis BCE uses to calculate payout ratio, was down 8.1 per cent from the previous year; however, it easily covers the new dividend rate. Investors are not convinced. The stock is still trading at close to the bottom of its 52-week range, and there is concern about the company's recent expansion into the United States.