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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: Can one construct a portfolio based on beta. In other words can you structure it in such a way that if the overall market declines say 1% you portfolio would go down .3% therefore a beta of .3. Just wondering if this makes sense. Thank You
Read Answer Asked by roland on January 04, 2016
Q: My strategy for TFSA's differs from most because of age and income needs. Would you consider CYH to be a good choice for a monthly income or would you have a better choice. Thanks for guiding us through the most difficult of years (2015) and good investing to all 5i members and staff in 2016.
Read Answer Asked by Alan on January 04, 2016
Q: I have some money to invest that I may need in 3-5 years as income but would like some up side other than the amount the bank pays. I have been thinking of putting it into a bond fund but with rising interest rates do you think that the potential capital loss will be offset by an overall gain in this time period. My overall holdings is mostly in equities and I would like to start to increase my bond holdings. Also do you think PH&N bond fund is a well run fund. What do you think a neutral interest rate for today is. Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Jerome on January 04, 2016
Q: I am considering zwu for income with utility exposure - an area rather beat-up last year. Could you comment on the asset mix in the fund and if you consider the dividend sustainable? I can't find any payout ratio listed, and would appreciate this number if you can find/calculate it.

Thank-you
Read Answer Asked by grant on January 04, 2016
Q: I've been a member for over a year and have been super pleased with your service. Just wanted to thank you for your exceptional service.

I've noted that when answering members' questions about investments you quite often will finish the answer about an equity or etf by writing "it's one of our favorites". So, as we move into 2016, without any sector restrictions, what are your favorite equity/etf ideas for the new year? (hopefully ones that would be safer investments yet have good growth potential).
Read Answer Asked by Les on January 04, 2016
Q: I am considering playing the US market both ways in 2016.
Could you please suggest two inverse US$ ETFs for the S&P
and Nasdaq respectively. Also for playing the US market in
Canadian$s, 2 ETFs each for the S&P & Nasdaq, one set hedged
and one unhedged.
Thank You
Tony
Read Answer Asked by Winston on January 04, 2016
Q: I am down 18% on this fund, should I continue to hold or is there a better fund or ETF for income? If I hold Hex and continue to collect the dividend do you think the price will recover when oil and the economy eventually recovers?
Read Answer Asked by Cathleen on December 31, 2015
Q: XEU-T is about 3% of my portfolio, other Europe equities about 2%. I am looking to add 1 or 2% to the sector.
RWE.B seems to screen well. Would you take a position in RWE.B or simply add to XEU?
I'm okay with unhedged currency for now.
Thank You, and all the Best for 2016.
Tim
Read Answer Asked by Tim on December 31, 2015
Q: Peter and Team,

This is a follow up to my previous question regarding RQD and RQE. Is the value per unit paid out at Maturity the Par value (for RQD, this is indicated as $18.50)?

If so, and if holding to maturity, one would then want to consider current price versus Par value, correct?
Read Answer Asked by Marc on December 31, 2015
Q: According to Globe Investor the C$ hedged ZUB outperformed the unhedged ZBK over the last 5 days. Over 30 days and YTD ZBK has out performed by a wide margin. I was surprised after reading some analysts are predicting a 68 cent C$. For initiating a new position with new money today would you go with ZBK or ZUB. The last 30 days ZBK is up 2.44% while ZUB is down 1.23%. Thank you and I would like to wish you a Happy New Year.
Read Answer Asked by Richard on December 30, 2015
Q: Could you recommend a conservative US Equity or US ETF that pays a monthly dividend.

Thank You
Craig
Read Answer Asked by Craig on December 30, 2015
Q: Peter and Team,

How does an ETF like RQE work in terms of the expiry. For example, I believe RQE has a maturity or expiry of November 2017. Does this mean that, on that day, the fund "disappears" and you get the NAV returned to your account and you will have collected interest along the way?

I am trying to find this info in the RBC materials but I don't know if I am having a dumb day or what but I can't seem to pull up the prospectus for this series of funds (RQD, RQE, etc.)

Some insight on this and your thoughts on changing a position in HFR into half RQD and RQE would be appreciated.
Read Answer Asked by Marc on December 30, 2015
Q: Recently, Vanguard introduced a new etf that tracks international equities ex North America, VIU. I would appreciate your thoughts on this one and also, since it is new and small would you be comfortable holding it now, or suggest another that is similar.

Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Rose on December 30, 2015
Q: I'm looking at adding a US small cap ETF to my portfolio. I know your portfolio has chosen IWO.US but I see that IJT.US has the same MER and a higher yeild. I am already over diversified would a 600 stock ETF be sufficient?
Read Answer Asked by Cheryl on December 29, 2015
Q: Are there equal weighted world/canadian/US ETFs rather than ETFs based on market caps of companies? For example VXC is an international etf based on the companys market cap within the index. So a bias on the size of the company is reduced (or perhaps a bias is introduced towards smaller caps). Wouldnt this be better if the companies were equally weighted? What are your thoughts on this?
Read Answer Asked by Shyam on December 29, 2015
Q: I am retired and have some cash sitting in a bank savings account earning very little. I am thinking about taking a portion of that cash and buying a short duration Corporate Bond etf such as RBO,RQI or RQE. What are your thoughts on these funds/etfs and do you have any other suggestions.

Thanks Ken
Read Answer Asked by Ken on December 29, 2015
Q: RBC has Corporate Laddered Bond ETF'S ( Ex. RQE ,RQF etc )They mature in Nov of ea. year, interest paid monthly.Do you consider these a good option over other laddered products like CBO for ex.? Any disadvantages ? Other better suggestions?
Read Answer Asked by Gerald on December 29, 2015
Q: Can you give me a brief synopsis. Also would ZSU be comparable to CBO in terms of quality recognising that the former deals in the Canadian market and the ladder in the US Market.
Read Answer Asked by roland on December 24, 2015
Q: Hello and Merry Christmas!

Heading in to 2016 I am concerned about the impact of fx on my US holdings (about 25% of my equity portfolio). I have held the listed stocks in US$ for well over a year. Most are down on the purchase price but overall I am up in Cdn$ on account of the fx. My concern is a reversal in fx essentially wiping out any future gains in the underlying price of stocks like JCI or EMR where the strong US$ is often cited as a negative. As I see it I can: a) Sell and re-invest in an etf like CUD or XQQ that is currency hedged; b) hold and find some way to hedge against gains in the Cdn$ myself (any ideas here?); or c)do nothing . Any suggestions?
Read Answer Asked by Morgan on December 24, 2015
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