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Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: Hi Peter, Ryan, and Team,

The most recent question about XMD was on Feb. 23.

For a combined portfolio that is skewed somewhat more heavily to larger-cap stocks, could XMD make a good addition? From the iShares website: "Targeted exposure to mid-cap and small-cap Canadian equities". (I can trade this ETF commission-free.) XMD holds 175 stocks, many of which are favoured by 5i, but of course it also holds some that have fallen out of favour. Please suggest alternative Canadian and US ETFs that you may consider "better" but have the same overall goals of XMD.

As always, your advice is important.
Read Answer Asked by Jerry on October 19, 2021
Q: Wondering how to lessen tax on dividend income in a cash account. I gather using a DRIP doesn't do anything in that regard?? If not then is there any holding, individual equity or ETF, that provides a utility, telecom or reit type of relative safety with dividend that somehow lessens the tax one would normally pay on dividend income. Thank you for your help. Ken
Read Answer Asked by Ken on October 18, 2021
Q: RDVY etf doesn't get brought up as much when compared with S&P500 (i.e. VOO). This ETF also has outperformed S&P500 over last 5 years. Would RDVY do better in an inflationary environment? What are you general thoughts?
Read Answer Asked by Monu on October 18, 2021
Q: Can you recommend a sort of Rip van Winkle portfolio for an 84 year old lady who just sold her house? We're talking in the neighbourhood of $400,000. She has little need for the money right now and is not worried much about volatility. She has an pension which helps too cover the need for bonds.
Read Answer Asked by Fred on October 18, 2021
Q: I am looking to finally replace the following mutual funds held in a self admin RSP account, to equivalent ETFs.
FID269 - Fid Monthly Inc;
FID5973 - Fid Global Innovation;
FID207 - Fid Global Concentrated Equity;
RBC460 - Sel Bal Ptf
TDB2760 - Td Retirement Balance
TDB652 - Td Global Entertainment & communication
TDB976 - Td Health Science
TDB2580 Td Tactical Monthly Inc
My goal is to replace these mutual funds with long term, high yielding where possible, low MER, CDN or US $ equivalent ETFs. Please provide 2 or 3 suggestions for each. Please deduct as many credit s as need.
Thank you for all the invaluable investment help you provide.


Read Answer Asked by Mark on October 15, 2021
Q: I'm interested in these ETF themes, how would you rank them long term? Do you see any overlap between ICLN and LIT? And if I wanted to go the individual stock route instead of the ETF, what would be your top two individual stock picks within each ETF (either cad or us listed). Thank you!
Read Answer Asked by Keith on October 15, 2021
Q: This ETF interests me but I really have very little understanding of convertible bonds. Can this fund be considered a pure fixed income option? Having been burned twice on preferred shares I’m a bit leery on two fronts, investing in things that are neither equity nor fixed income, and investing in things I don’t understand. CVD has held up over the past 5 years while delivering a pretty good yield. What are the risks going forward and would you have any concerns about capital preservation?
Read Answer Asked by Stephen R. on October 15, 2021
Q: Good day team,

Please excuse me if this question has been asked before but is there an international focused etf I can contribute to in my tfsa where I don't have to pay withholding taxes? If so, can you list a few please?

Cheers
Read Answer Asked by Seamus on October 15, 2021
Q: Dear 5i,

does VIXY behave like a leveraged ETF such that they are not suitable for buy and hold investors. I understand that leveraged ETF's reset every day and there is price erosion so they are only suitable for short term investing. Would VIXY be ok for a buy and hold investor who believes that there was going to be a significant correction in the overall US market in the medium to long term? Your thoughts are much appreciated.
Read Answer Asked by Ian on October 15, 2021
Q: Hello Folks:
With increasing inflation of grocery bills, do you have suggestions on how to play this situation. I am thinking an ETF representing a bundle of basic food items or individual companies providing inputs such as Agrium?
Thank you brian
Read Answer Asked by Brian on October 14, 2021
Q: Two separate questions on the same theme I guess. First, Can you comment on CAE’s ability to deal with an inflationary environment, especially if interest rates were to rise? Thinking of their balance sheet, “pricing power” and so on, as well as their current P/E versus historic. Second, wondering how XHY might fare in the near term as well? Looking at the last number of years it has held up pretty well considering the yield, but it seems like a fair number of storm clouds gathering on the horizon that make me wonder about defaults etc.
Thank you,
Read Answer Asked by Stephen R. on October 14, 2021
Q: Hi 5i,
Thinking of selling VXUS and buying VEA, VWO, DIM, DLS in its place to gain wider exposure to international stocks, what do you think of this idea. I will be able to control percentages in various market cap. companies too.
Read Answer Asked by Mark on October 14, 2021
Q: Hi 5iResearch team
I am in the process of doing re-weighting. I know the above etfs. The US bond etf (VGSH) has very low interest yield compared to the CAD ones (XSB, ZCS, and ZCM).

1. Are there other US bond etfs that are similar to the above CAD ones in terms of yield and risk?

2. ZUP is in CAD$ and US$. Can you please recommend two more (CAD or US) etfs that are similar to ZUP in terms of yield and risk?

Thank you for the great service.
Read Answer Asked by Ahmed on October 14, 2021
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