Investment Q&A

Q: This is a follow-up to the Sept. 11th question where you mentioned other funds that are similar to this. Could you name a couple that you would recommend please? Thanks.

Q: I am retired but with a small consulting business that has cash sitting in an investment account. I have some concern about the valuation of the current markets and looking to invest with some tilt towards safety realizing nothing is guaranteed. I think ETFs may add a small amount of safety. With that in mind, I am looking at the following ETFs: XUT, XSU, XST, VIDY, TECH, TEC, JXI:US, FEQT with a slightly higher position in FEQT.

I would greatly appreciate your comments/thoughts and suggestions for improvements.

Thanks for this super service!

Q: What do you think of this ETF and rare earths in general? Seems like China has a choke hold on this stuff and key parts of the US military can't operate without it...

Is there a better way to get exposure to rare earths?

Q: Hello 5i Team

I purchased UBIL.U (Global X TSX traded ETF holding US Treasury Bills) in my RRSP as a holding vehicle for my 5 % cash allocation. My purchase price is US$50.01 (resulting from ETF commission) per unit.

I understand UBIL.U trades between US$50.00 and ~ US$50.20 based on interest rates on a monthly basis

In December 2024 Global X declared at non-cash distribution of US$0.70807 per unit. The units were consolidated and now my average cost basis is ~US$50.72.

Therefore when I sell the units of UBIL.U in my RRSP I am incurring a capital loss of between US$0.50 and US$0.70 which I cannot recover (or apply against other capital gains) as the units are held in my RRSP.

Questions

1 - Will other US$ Cash ETFS incur the same non-cash distributions?

2- I could in theory purchase US $ Treasury Bills through my broker (RBCDI), however their fixed income product selection is not great. Any other fixed income suggestions.

3 - Are there are any other products which will not incur the non-cash distributions?

Thanks for all the great services that 5i provides

Q: Hello 5i,

I wanted to ask you about Renewables as i have nothing in that segment. Is there 1 particular renewable company you like/prefer (BEP-UN-T?) over others or would you suggest the better option would be a renewable ETF?

Always appreciate your assistance and insight.

Ralph

Q: In preparation for Armageddon (debt crisis, China invades Taiwan), what commodity stocks or ETFs would you recommend to provide a hedge to an otherwise balanced portfolio?

Q: Hi, in my rrif account, I have both, and I’m considering selling dir.un and adding to Zmi. Dir.un 5years ago was approximately $12.30 when I bought it. Today it is much the same, I think if I sold I might make $100 . Zmi seem much more diversified, safer and could actually make some capital gains. Is the .20 mer and 1.2% difference in dividend a deal breaker, or would you consider this move for a riff account.
Thanks

Q: Hi 5i Team,
My husband and I are in our RRIF years so we have large injections of withdrawn cash into our investment accounts throughout the year. We also sell stocks from time to time when they reach a target price and end up with more cash. The intention is to reinvest but often deciding what and when to buy means that large sums are sitting idle for long periods. HISAs, GICs and other interest bearing alternatives are generally not worth the effort given how they are taxed.

We would like your recommendations on what to do with these funds while researching and waiting for appropriate investments to surface. I’m thinking index funds and ETFs - things that are taxed efficiently and are liquid.

Have you any specific, short term recommendations? They could be Canadian or US as long as they can be bought and sold easily and quickly.

Thank you for your thoughts!

Q: Please ignore my previous question . I accidentally hit the send button before I had finished editing it .......Here is the same question after editing .......

I've been enjoying the amount of option related dividends going into my account monthly. I call it Taco investing . Trump announces something stupid and then backs off . This creates volatility in the options market creating higher option premiums . What I have ....

GDXY ...... 9% position .

SLVO ...... 3.2% position

HPYT ...... 3.79% position

HYLD ......6.72% position { the lowest yield at 11.2% } May replace wtih SDAY or start a new position .

I'm looking to increase my exposure to " honking big dividends " in the 14% or better category .... My shortlist includes UMAX { 14.83% yield } and ECAT { 22% yield } I realize the higher the yield the higher the risk.....But could 5i give me three names other than the two mentioned above that you think are interesting at 14% or better and three you find interesting above 18% ..... Accompanied by a brief comment on the risks ........ I used the word " interesting " as opposed to " what 5i likes " to reflect the associated risks of high yield investing ......Thanks for your terrific service .....

Q: Can you suggest 3 mechanisms to "park" cash with safe steady income and good tax efficiency?

Q: Which Canadian ETF would you recommend that has crypto currency

Q: Hello 5i team,
I hold a concentrated stock portfolio. If I was to start buying ETF's; which 5 or 6 would you recommend me buying slowly over the next few years that will give me a diversified portfolio. Five or six ETF's that I can continue to dollar cost average into over the next 5 years.
Thank you,
Brent

Q: And another question for the team. What are your recommendations for cyber security stocks and etf's. I have no holding in such.

Q: Hi Peter,
Please provide your top picks for an ETF that invests in developed Asia Ex Japan and have a large holding % in China and South Korea. Thanks.

Q: Good Afternoon,

Could I please get your opinion of DXMO-ETF ?? Would it be suitable for someone who wants a small allocation to the metals and uranium space ??

Thank you so much. DL

Q: An analyst made the point that he thinks any foreign bond exposure should be hedged to the Canadian dollar. His point was that fixed income is usually meant to de-risk one’s portfolio and that by taking on foreign exchange risk in this particular asset you are working against yourself. Assuming one doesn’t require the foreign income generated what do you think of his argument?

Appreciate your insight.

Paul F.

Q: Good day, I hold both these etfs in a tfsa. Looking to consolidate into one. I’m leaning towards HDIV. Thoughts?

Seamus

Q: Good morning all at 5i: I need to invest more in utilities and my attention drawn to an article that says POR has been left behind in rally and has lots to offer in electricity demand. Your thought please or would IDU etf be a better trade. Many thanks as always. Barbara

Q: Hello,
I would like to invest in the tech etf (evolve fangma etf) but the volume is low; is this an issue ? Also, is it better to stick to zqq instead for larger set of holdings in the tech space? Thanks very much.

Q: I am 79 years old and retired. I have outstanding capital losses in my non-registered account. I plan to sell most of my bond ETFs, which currently pay taxable interest, and purchase shares in HBB (Horizons Canadian Select Universe Bond Index ETF - Corporate Class), which only accrues capital gains.

Could you please comment on this strategy? Would you consider it a wise or risky move?

Thank you.