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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: Just doing some more work on ZWE...confused on some beta #s. Globefund has the beta = 2.07. Fundata has a 3 year beta of 0.53. 5iR has it at 0.91. Can you please provide some insight...is it simply different timeframes? I am trying to derisk my portfolio (reduce beta), while at the same time increase dividend income...adding to ZWE seems logical, but the beta numbers are confusing. Thanks...Steve
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on February 06, 2018
Q: Good Evening
Today's decline in the TSX and Dow was due primarily due to the increase in interest rates.
Can you please comment as to why several rate reset preferred shares like slf.pr.i and bam.pr.z declined as well? CPD also declined by .7%. It is widely believed that the increase in interest rates will favour the rate reset preferred shares.
Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Terry on February 06, 2018
Q: Last week , with the prospect of a correction and growing speculation (esp. in pot and crypto), I sold many equities to lock in profits (retaining a few gold names) and bought some HVU (double volatility index) as a bit of insurance. It paid off handsomely, with a 68% spike yesterday alone. Looking at the long term chart of HVU, volume is unprecedented and it looks like the period of reverse volatility ran long and deep. I know none of us can predict the future, but does it make sense to hang on to HVU as insurance for awhile in the face of what could be a stormy period in the global markets (even without a geo-political catalyst!).
Read Answer Asked by David on February 06, 2018
Q: For someone in their early twenties and has 30K in a TFSA, what would be an appropriate amount of stocks to hold, and what would be some of your top suggestions?

Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Daniel on February 05, 2018
Q: Good evening,

Multi-part question.

Had just finished reading ‘The Little Book of common sense Investing’, decide to make the switch, and am beginning to plan my transition to CPD, ZAG, VFV, XEF, VCN, VEE, and XRE, when I come across the new Vanguard products, of which VBAL to me seems the most interesting.

I see the pros of this ETF as being straightforward and dropping from 7 commission fees (re-balancing myself), vs just one trade a year to add money (portfolio currently around $26,000).

Cons: no preferreds or real estate. Less control (e.g they decide the asset allocations).

Do you have an opinion on this ETF?

Not sure the yield on VBAL but am guessing 2.5-3% maybe? Any idea?

Also, If I go ahead with VBAL would you give it some time to settle down (trading looks a little erratic), or is that volatility purely a product of price changes of its holdings already?

Thanks!

Read Answer Asked by Jeff on February 02, 2018
Q: Hi Peter, Ryan, and Team,

I manage a TFSA for my daughter-in-law. She holds 165 shares of GUD and is presently down $419. I know that you're still positive on GUD, but she's beginning to lose patience. Would you be OK with selling GUD to buy COV (realizing its size makes it more risky) or perhaps buying XHC (which we can do commission free) to stay in the same sector in an otherwise balanced portfolio?
She's 49 years old and is using her TFSA as forced savings by adding $100 each month. (I invest the $100 in a commission-free ETF by looking at the 'best ones' and invest in the one that's down the most on the day that the $100 appears in her account.)

Thanks in advance for your insight.

Read Answer Asked by Jerry on February 02, 2018
Q: Banks-increase in interest rates, no increase in savings rates, spread widening.
Insurance Co’s-increase in yield on long term bonds,thus spreads widening.
What is your opinion on owning the above securities. I currently own all except FLI. Thinking of buyingFLI to diversify into insurance Co’s. Thank you for your help
Read Answer Asked by Roy on February 02, 2018
Q: Can you recommend 2 or 3 bond funds in Canadian $ that would be the least volatile and offer a return for a 3 to 5 year hold? I would prefer one Canadian and one U.S. or international. This would be my sole fixed income holding. Thanx
Read Answer Asked by Steve on February 01, 2018
Q: Greetings Peter and Team:
As i understand it real return bonds have three parts ( ie ) an issue price
a stated interest rate and an inflation factor which applies to the last
two. If they are purchased or sold before maturity the loss in the
value of the principal could exceed the inflation gain if interest rises
very much. Hank Cunningham thinks they are dangerous instruments.
Is my understanding correct? They are also very thinly traded at present,
which may change as rates rise. I am interested in USA Tips. Could you
please advise if they are much the same or can be redeemed before
maturity at par because they are treasury bills, or are they essentially
bonds like real return bonds? Also are TIPS readily available or are spreads wide? Please outline the traps with both but mostly TIPS.
Thanks,
BEN
Read Answer Asked by BEN on February 01, 2018
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