Investment Q&A

Q: A question about ZRE in the 5i Income Portfolio. I would like to add more real estate to my non-registered account at Questrade. Would it be an accounting hassle to hold ZRE in a non-registered account or would Questrade automatically calculate the ACB? Or would it be best to hold TCN and/or other Canadian real estate holdings that would receive a dividend tax credit?
Thanks!

Q: I'd like to buy tech now as I feel prices are stabilizing, but don't have enough US cash to buy balanced number of individual names. Is there an ETF you would recommend that has the larger US tech names that I can buy?

Q: I am thinking of setting up my portfolio with 25% positions in XIU, ZLB, XSP, ZLU. I am trying to avoid bonds and International stocks as they always seem to be a drag on the portfolio. With this arrangement I feel I have a better chance for returns closer to the market. With the low volatility ETF’s, I am hoping my positions would cause less volatility and would smooth out returns as the holdings in each are well correlated. Would you consider this plan to be too risky or would you have any other commentary or suggestions?

Q: Good day.

I am trying to justify in my mind, if I should continue to have my investments in individual equities or in etf's. I was wondering if you could help me decide.

Currently. I am fully vested in the Balanced Portfolio for the Canadian side of my investments.

When I compare the performance of the Balance portfolio and an ETF HXT which is TSX total return it looks like this:


Balanced HXT

1-year 1.98% 13.33 %

3- year 9.13% 11.48%

5 - year 6.92% 9.79%

Inception 14.22% 10 year 9.29%

This info was taken from the Scotiabank iTrade website effective May 29th and the Portfolio segment of 5i.

I realize the composition of the 2 are different, but nonetheless I look and see that if I put all of my Canadian portfolio into HXT I would be no worse off and have lots less to worry about and adjust.\

So, in consideration of the comparison I made above can you please help me with the case of why I should stay vested in the 5i balanced portfolio and what are the advantages of doing so vs going totally to an etf.

Thanks in advance and I look forward to your input.

Sheldon

Q: HI, This retired income couple want to invest 5K for our 20 year old grand daughter from our TFSA. To do so we have to sell some of our holdings in this account. Our largest holding SLF to our smallest TPZ are available with profits in most. Please suggest best to worst to select for raising the necessary cash. Our plan is to use the cash to purchase VGT.US or perhaps your other preferred etfs to be used in about 3-5 years. Thanks

Q: My wife and I treat our individual accounts as a single portfolio. Based on the Portfolio Analytics we are significantly underweight on the US and rest of the world. We have on RRSP representing 12% of the portfolio that will be converted to a RRIF next year that we would like to simplify. We will maintain 40% - 50% in fixed income, but would like to invest the rest in equity ETFs with holdings outside of Canada. Could you please suggest one or two ETF for exposure to each of the US and the rest of the world. Thank you.

Q: The current market turmoil has made me realize that a certain amount of commodities exposure as an "asset class" should help with portfolio diversification and therefore risk/return profile. Is this thinking correct? What options, if any, are available for the average retail investor to get broad commodity exposure w/o a lot of overhead which you would recommend?

Q: Hi Peter,

I am fortunate enough to have added the following big tech names to my portfolio recently. I currently do not hold an ETF although have been considering SPY as I have about 20k US at my disposal. Or take advantage of other big names currently on sale?

Do you feel there’s better ETF’s since I currently have full positions of it’s top 5 holdings?

Thanks

Q: Hi Team
Would you take a position in VCLT ? I believe it is yielding around 4.8%
Or is there a high default risk on the Corporate Bonds.
I noticed a lot of the bonds were rated BBB
Thanks Gord

Q: David Rosenberg says Mexico will be a great beneficiary of supply chains shifting away from China. Is there a good ETF or other ways to play this?

Do you agree with the premise?

Q: Currency aside would you have a preference and a brief comparison.
Thank you

Q: With the US talking about isolating China, Is there an etf that focuses on the other asian countries like Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore Japan etc or would you have another way to play this shift in policy?
Thx

Q: Looking to add to my Ivn copper exposure with one of these companies. Could you compare these companies and make a recommendation for. 2 to 3 year hold? Also,any thoughts on Horizons new Copp etf? Thank you.

Q: There was a question asked from Brian on HCAL on May 26. You mentioned HCAL was 1.25x leveraged and uses a covered call which would limit its upside potential. However, I do not believe HCAL uses a covered call strategy (if you can confirm this). If this is true, would your answer still be the same?

Q: To park your money short term without risk, do you advocate HSAV? What's about NSAV and HISA on the NE? As far as you know, does a similar product exist in US funds?

thanks

Q: Can you recommend etfs to setup a smith maneuver account with target dividend of around 4-5%?
If you think I can get diversification from individual stocks then please go ahead to recommend that list.
Thank you for your service.

Q: HI GUYS I was wondering if this company would be ok to buy because the price seems fair and it pays good divivdend, I cant find any news on it or do you have anything else in that price range that may be worth looking at. I am looking to buy it in my tfsa thanks so much Larry

Q: With respect to US long term treasuries ( 20 or 30 yr) please suggest an ETF.
As well, what event would one watch for if one wanted to time stepping into such an ETF?
thanks

Q: Dear 5i
Is there a Canadian listed ETF that covers the stocks found in the Dow Jones . I realize that there is DIA but i believe it`s US listed .
Thanks
Bill C

Q: I have nothing in cybersecurity. Do you like CRWD at these levels? Is there a good cybersecurity ETF that would be a better choice?

John