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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: A portfolio manager on BNN this week suggested that Hi Yield Bonds will outperform the TSX on a total return in 2015. My portfolio is 60% fixed income and 40% equity. The fixed income is equal parts GIC ladder, CBO and PHN Hi Yield Bond Fund [ RBF 1280 ].

To shelter the fixed income capital from a spike in interest rates I am considering selling CBO and buying 1 year GIC's. I will keep the hi yield bond fund because the higher yield will offset the loss in capital, I hope. The duration of the bond fund is 2.3 years.

Do you agree with my proposal or can you suggest an alternative?

Happy New Year to the 5i Team and all the members.
Read Answer Asked by Richard on December 31, 2014
Q: Hi Peter and Team
I wonder if could provide me with an opinion on the relatively new Purpose Investments. They appear to have a very different approach and interesting products. Do you feel their management fees are in line based on the products they provide compared to other ETF's in the market place. Which of their ETF's do you like the best?
Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Randy on December 30, 2014
Q: Hi team
I have $6000 USD in a USD investing accounting and already own EMR Emerson. I would like to split this into US Healthcare and US Technology but cannot decide whether to go with ETF's in each or two individual stocks. I am looking for growth moreso than dividend. Which way would you recommend I go and if so which ETF's or stocks ?
Regards
Kathy
Read Answer Asked by Kathy on December 30, 2014
Q: Good day...I currently have 50% of my portfolio in your model portfolio and it is doing nicely, thank you...I also have 20% in low beta Canadian stocks, but only have 2% in u.s with all the talk on BNN of being more on the u.s. would you recommend xsp or convert to u.s. currency with vit, as I have some new money to add at this time...thanks for all you do...
Read Answer Asked by gene on December 30, 2014
Q: I was reading your answers with interest on ZWH. Since it is US High Dividend Covered Call ETF, I wonder if it is considered as foreign property or Canadian property in the portfolio. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by LOUISA on December 30, 2014
Q: Godd afternoon 5i,

Most of the advisors that I see on BNN are suggesting that the US Market is the place to be for 2015 espacially in the Finance area and the technology area. Do you agree with these suggestions? If you do would you recommend that I invest for My RRSP in XLF.US and XLK.US?

Thank you and happy new year.

Paul
Read Answer Asked by Paul on December 29, 2014
Q: Good morning,

I read an article today on some macro investing themes for the long term.
One of the areas mentionned was the scarcity of Canadian farmland and I suppose global farmland combined with a growing middle class population. Can you provide a few long term investment ideas on how to best play this global macro trend. Any ETFS (farmland or agriculture related),specific companies,any other ideas?

Thanks once again for the invaluable service you have provided in 2014 and I would like to wish the entire 5i research team all the best in 2015!

Tom

Read Answer Asked by Thomas on December 29, 2014
Q: Hi 5i: I plan to buy some US transportation stocks, or ETFs. Re ETFs: which of XTN (spdr) and IYT (Ishares) do you prefer?
Thanks again, and have a great year. Roland
Read Answer Asked by Roland on December 29, 2014
Q: I am interested in getting into the US market for this years TFSA investment and am thinking of a Canadian ETF which would give me US coverage - what would you recommend.
Read Answer Asked by Paul on December 29, 2014
Q: Hi Peter and team

What fallout do you see from Express Scripts' decision not to fund Gilead's Hep C drug, not just on Gilead, but on the U.S. biotech sector and healthcare sector? Do you see investors not willing to pay the same for biotech earnings as they have in the past? What stocks and ETFs do you currently recommend for exposure in this sector?

Thanks so much for a wonderful service and best of the season to all!
Read Answer Asked by Mary on December 24, 2014
Q: Hello
I noticed this new etf and would like your opinion going forward on this or other cyber security stocks.
I assume this would not discount my credit otherwise you do not need to publish
Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Rick on December 24, 2014
Q: Please recommend appropriate broad based ETFs (preferably low MER) given a 10 year plus investment horizon for:
(a) The Canadian market
(b) The US market
(c) The World (ex US) market
(d) Bond exposure
Read Answer Asked by David on December 24, 2014
Q: Peter, at the beginning of January I will be adding 150% to my portfolio comprised mostly of 5i stocks and a couple of US ETF's. I am in line waiting for a review of my portfolio and in the meantime where would you suggest I park the cash? A selection of ETF's probably makes the most sense. Thanks.

Read Answer Asked by stephen on December 24, 2014
Q: Hi team, Regarding Don's question on NOC....Something to consider is PPA (Aerospace and defense ETF). From Yahoo finance:

Top 10 Holdings (54.03% of Total Assets)
Company Symbol % Assets
Lockheed Martin Corporation Com LMT 6.47
General Dynamics Corporation Co GD 6.38
Honeywell International Inc. Co HON 6.36
Boeing Company (The) Common Sto BA 6.30
United Technologies Corporation UTX 6.25
Northrop Grumman Corporation Co NOC 4.64
Textron Inc. Common Stock TXT 4.53
Raytheon Company Common Stock RTN 4.51
Precision Castparts Corporation PCP 4.48
Rockwell Collins, Inc. Common S COL 4.11
Read Answer Asked by Silvia on December 23, 2014
Q: Hello Peter,
I am interested in buying the VGG, but you have been recommending the VIG.
What would be the advantage of getting the VIG. VGG seems to track the same index, is in cdn dollars and is not hedged.

Thank you
Read Answer Asked by pietro on December 23, 2014
Q: Hello Peter

I cannot seem to find an etf in the Pharma/healthcare industry that is in cdn dollars and not hedged. Do you know of one or do I need to buy one in US$? Do you think being hedged to cdn$ would affect performance other than the currency risk should the cdn$ continue sliding?

Thank you
Read Answer Asked by pietro on December 23, 2014
Q: Hi I am a new member. Wow what a gold mine of information! Here is my first question. I am managing my wife’s LIF and I think it would be prudent to diversify some funds in the US market to capture expected growth and take advantage of the strong US dollar. I am looking at dividend ETF’s (it is a little overwhelming) and wonder which of the following would be my best option;
DVY.US, VIG.US, VYM.US, SDY.US and SCHD.US or will I better off buying individual stocks?
Read Answer Asked by David on December 22, 2014
Q: dont know why everyboby goes to FEZ instead of FEU which has top country's has England,Germany and Switzerland with a much higher yield. Versus France replacing England in FEZ.your opinion on FEU please. The best for the coming year to the team. Great stuff.
Read Answer Asked by Denis on December 22, 2014
Q: I own SLF and plan to hold it through the pending interest rate increases. I also hold VNR, ZUT and ZWB each at a small profit. Would you continue to hold these latter 3 much longer and risk a price slide? Thanks.





Read Answer Asked by Tim on December 22, 2014
Q: Could you give me your opionion on this etf?
I'm looking for disney, netflixs, etc.
Read Answer Asked by Larry on December 22, 2014