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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: I have owned all 3 for a few years. I am wondering if I do just as well or better with moving the money to non covered call investments ? I also own ZWU which you like. Please deduct appropriate credits for a comprehensive answer. Thanks Steve
Read Answer Asked by STEVE on October 22, 2025
Q: This question will likely apply to any of the covered call funds. In your answer to Greg on Oct. 21, you stated that the yield on this fund was 14.02% but the one-year return was only 4.15%. The fund cost approx $13.06 a year ago and now sells for approx $13.70, which means that your capital has grown by 4.15%. But over that year, dividends totalling $1.92 per unit were received (for a yield of 14%). Doesn't that make the total return on this fund closer to 18%? I assumed that if the unit was worth the same or more than I paid for it in a year, the monthly dividend would not result in any decay and that this amount should be added to the increased value of my purchase. If this were a single stock paying 5% and the stock increased 5% isn't my total return 10%? Is a covered call fund calculated differently?

Appreciate your insight.

Paul F..
Read Answer Asked by Paul on October 21, 2025
Q: Thanks for your reply on my " honking big dividend " question .... Bought one ETF already and GIAX is the next one I am considering ..... I like the idea of a global ETF ..... { Getting away from the U.S. } .....However looking at their website I'm having a little difficulty deciphering just what they consist of and just how " Global " they are ...... Could you break down just exactly what I am considering buying into it's components { It looks like there is some U.S. in there as well } ..... Specifically what percentage of their portfolio is foreign securities and where they are { Europe , Asia, etc. } ? And what percentage of the fund is credit call spreads ? ..... And if you could explain the meaning of the following statement in simple terms ...... " The Fund will sell credit call spreads on one or more Indices to generate income from the options premiums. The Fund will typically sell Index Call Spreads on U.S. Indices. " .... Thanks for your terrific service ......

{ Also GIAX is not in your data base }
Read Answer Asked by Garth on October 21, 2025
Q: I have been asked by a 23 year old to provide suggestions for when she initiates her FHSA.

I immediately thought of the banks , which I believe is the premium Canadian sector for long term growth, growing dividends , and safety. I would also recommend a more Canadian diversified security (UMAX ) for her next purchase. Of the above banking securities ( all owned between my cash, tax free, and registered accounts ), which would you start with ? Would you be comfortable with UMAX as second pick ( admittedly hasn’t done much but provides diversification into large cap companies and a good distribution yield). I am only interested in Canadian securities at this point. Should I be comfortable with this approach? Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks. Derek .
Any

Read Answer Asked by Derek on October 21, 2025
Q: If one wants to invest in the nuclear energy, which seems to have a bright future for the long term, which component stocks will see the most growth in terms of price appreciation. Would it be the builders who build the infrastructure (i.e nuclear plants) or the mineral (Uranium) or the mining companies. Is there any ETF which would encompass all these?
Read Answer Asked by ZIM on October 21, 2025
Q: Hi fellows,

Looking for a utilities ETF for a growth portfolio.

What do you think of HUTS-T, HUTL-T, UTES-n (Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF)?

Any other coming to mind?

Many thanks,

Jacques IDS
Read Answer Asked by Jacques on October 21, 2025
Q: Peter, I’m also tiring of underperformance of MAW funds. Could you suggest alts for these two please? Thanks,
Rod
Read Answer Asked by Rodney on October 21, 2025
Q: What ETF would you recommend for a US dollar TFSA that would similar to VUSB?
My understanding is any US interest earned in a non registered account has a 15% withholding tax.
Read Answer Asked by Brian on October 20, 2025
Q: Greetings 5i, I am concerned about the current outlook for preferred shares, say 1 - 3 year horizon. What is your opinion on a switch from preferreds to short - mid term bond etfs over this time period? Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Barbara on October 20, 2025
Q: I have held the Mawer Small Cap Global fund for several years. performance hasn't been too good in my mind. I am just about flat since original investment. How does this compare to other similar funds? Can you suggest other choices that may be a better choice?
Read Answer Asked by Mike on October 17, 2025
Q: I would like to set up a portfolio of approximately $250,000 for my son who is in his mid forties who has zero interest or ability to manage the portfolio. Half the money would be in a TFSA and the other half in a 'cash' account. One possible option is to invest in a number of ETF's along the lines of the MoneySaver, Model Portfolio but not certain that this would be a good option as rebalancing would be required on a regular basis.
The other option that I am considering is to invest in one or more balanced ETF's or mutual funds such as VBAL, VGRO, XBAL, ZBAL, etc, or perhaps MF's such as the TD Balance Index Fund or the CIBC Balanced index Fund.

How would you structure a portfolio that would require little / preferably no maintenance over a long time frame. Thanks

With ETF's such as VBAL, XBAl, are dividends or interest payments reinvested by the 'fund. or is reinvesting of any proceeds necessary?
Read Answer Asked by John on October 17, 2025
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