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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: Hello Peter, I want to have a reasonable allocation to US industrials, including companies like UTX and Texas Instruments, those in the defence sector, etc. I'd like to do this via a well-priced ETF but am a bit lost in the growing ETF jungle. I already have small 2% positions in IWO and QQQ. To best gain exposure to the US industrial sector (including industrial technology stocks that are more economically sensitive), would you suggest I just add to these two ETFs, or can you suggest a better or more targeted one? (I do have a preference for Vanguard as a company, but that's not essential.) Thanks in advance!
Read Answer Asked by James on October 31, 2017
Q: I own equal amounts of these bond funds in an RSP. While CBO has a 2.3% return over the last year, and is considered one of 5Si"s "core" holdings, I am thinking that I should retain this position. XSB is off about 1% in the last 12 months, and its return over the last 5 years is dismal. XSH has about a 0.4% return in the last 12 months , with a 3 year return of 2.1%. Is there a benefit to selling any or all of these positions, and purchasing higher yielding bond etf's? If I were to sell, should I seek US or Canadian bonds fund, and which specific etf's might you recommend?
Thank you for your consistently good advice.
Read Answer Asked by doug on October 31, 2017
Q: Can you please give me your thoughts (or alternative recommendations) on the following Funds for a 64 year old heading into retirement within the next year.

RBC Select Balanced Portfolio - Series A . (RBF460)
EdgePoint Cdn Growth & Income Port Sr A (CAD). - (EDG188)
EdgePoint Global Growth & Inc Port Sr A (CAD). - (EDG180)
PIMCO Monthly Income A (CAD). - (PMO005)

Please deduct as many credits as required.

As always, thank you for your invaluable service.

Micheal
Read Answer Asked by micheal on October 31, 2017
Q: I would like your recommendation on ETF's or funds that would focus on Japan and India, preferably larger cap holdings. One or more recommendations is fine but I do want a Canadian dollar traded product as I don't want to get into the costs incurred with exchanging CDN to US.
Thanks for the sensible and steady advice you folks provide! Rob

Read Answer Asked by Robert on October 30, 2017
Q: From your answer to Milan :
A diversifed portfolio of bond issuers (corps, gov, prefs, high yield) will earn a better yield and is more appropriate from a higher income need aspect. Bonds can actually see capital appreciation if rates were to decline, or even hold steady. Cash/GICs would not benefit in this case. Overall, we remain on the side of diversification. Hold a bond portfolio with various issuer types and add in some GICs and/or cash. How you weight these reflects your views and tolerance.
Could you suggest a diversified bond portfolio with various issuer types that should produce more than the 2.75% offered by Tangerine?
Read Answer Asked by Serge on October 30, 2017
Q: I have about 12% of my portfolio in MSI , was thinking of reducing it to 6% & with the proceeds from the sale buying the new RBC etf RUE.Currently I don't have much exposure to the United States except indirectly through TD & SIS.Your thoughts & comments on this would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave
Read Answer Asked by Dave on October 30, 2017
Q: I am comparing FDN, IGV, VGT,and BST - all hi tech ETFs . BST has performed the best this year and pays a healthy dividend . Aside from some Apple and Google I am barely into the US Tech sector . 1. Should I just buy "something" and hope for the best ? 2. Do you have a favourite tech ETF ? 3. Am I too late for the party ?.
Read Answer Asked by Thomas on October 30, 2017
Q: What would you pick as the best handful of etfs to own to build a beginner, well balanced portfolio for building up investment dollars? At what dollar amount would you see it to be more beneficial to split the money among 20-30 individual stocks rather than a few funds?
Read Answer Asked by david on October 27, 2017
Q: Hello Peter and Team,
The article;Filling in Portfolio Gaps for a Canadian Fund Investor by Ryan Modesto makes the point that passive investing in the TSX 60 ETF is not proper diversification.

The 5i Balanced Equity Portfolio is actively managed with a strategy to offer a balanced diversified approach to sector, style, market capitalization and does not aim to mirror a broad index (BE Portfolio holds 15.62% in technologies and 2.41% in healthcare).

1. An investor with risk tolerance comfortable for the BE and a time frame of over 10 years would it be advisable to add two or three positions like ZQQ (US Technology sector exposure), ZUH (US Healthcare sector) and or ROBO (robotics and artificial intelligence)?

2. Would you consider these ETF not in line with the BE strategy and would create over diversification and or not to be in risk tolerance of the BE portfolio?

Thank for the great no conflict service that you provide, Ronald


Read Answer Asked by Ronald on October 26, 2017