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  5. ZEB: Hi there. [BMO Equal Weight Banks Index ETF]
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Investment Q&A

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Q: Hi there. As always, we really appreciate your insight into the markets and your thoughts on the evolving landscape. We have held Royal Bank for many years in a portfolio for our grandchildren and it has done well on an annualized return basis. It is a core holding but would you suggest going into a basket possibly being the better move going forward as market uncertainty seems to be growing? Do you have any names we can explore that might better capture future growth and allow a bit more diversification? Do you see Canada as an index finally outperforming the US this year with the sky-high valuations of the Mag 7? Thank-you!
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Asked by Lesley on January 13, 2025
5i Research Answer:

We would be highly comfortable holding RY here, but for a slightly more conservative approach, one can look at the equal-weight Canadian Banks ETF, ZEB. Over a long timeframe, RY has outperformed ZEB, but if one is looking for more of a short-term tactical approach, we think ZEB looks good for helping to protect downside exposure.

It is tough for the TSX to outperform the US markets, given its concentration on a few sectors (energy, financials, and materials), whereas the US has a high tech concentration, and tech has been a significant outperformer for years. If the Canadian banks move higher, alongside the price of gold, other raw materials, and the price of energy, we could see the potential for TSX outperformance, but this is reliant on many factors coming together at once. 

For a slightly higher growth tilt (but also higher risks), we like EQB.