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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: Could I get your opinion on "Structured Notes". Could you provide a basic description on how they work, as well the pros and cons. Are they suitable for the "average" retail investor? How are they purchased. I read columns by Martin Pelletier and he always recomennds them.

Thank You
Read Answer Asked by Reg on March 31, 2025
Q: Greetings 5i, what would be your primary concerns with buying corporate bonds issued by Home Equity Bank? Specific security is: CORP HMEQ 6.552 10/18/27 43739CAB7

Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Barbara on March 27, 2025
Q: Hi there,

I'm evaluating the fixed income portion of my portfolio and am debating between a ladder GIC vs a HISA ETF. I understand GICs are locked in rates and HISA etfs are floating, but can you provide any insight as to the general historical differences in performance over historical time? In other words, say 100k split into 5 rungs of 20k vs 100k in a floating rate HISA etf - is there any difference in performance historically?

Thank you!
Read Answer Asked by Michael on March 27, 2025
Q: In the description of the ETF, it mentions the following: "The Fund will invest primarily in debt instruments of Canadian corporations that are not investment grade." -- I have difficulty reconciling the "not investment grade" with your previous comment "solid, fairly conservative ETF, especially considering we are entering a tarif war. What am I missing?

André
Read Answer Asked by André on March 27, 2025
Q: With inflation in Canada edging up, and concerns that tarriffs are inflationary, is it a good time to move to shorter duration bonds? The counter is that if a recession hits interst rates may decrease. What is your take on the timing of all this, and how best to position a bond portfolio?
Read Answer Asked by Kel on March 20, 2025
Q: Canadian HISA accounts do not have such good yields anymore. And the income is taxed as interest. I was looking at my 2022, 2023 tax returns and the revenue from canadian ETF like ZAG, XSB, XLB was mostly ROC. If I’m not wrong, thus, much more tax efficient? Wouldn’t be a good idea to switch from HISA to XSB, XBB, etc to park money in the next few months?

Do you know if high-Yield ETFs are taxed the same way (ROC) ?
USD-HISA are more generous so the logic might be different.
Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Denise on March 19, 2025
Q: I am interested on your view of these two types of investments in this period of volatile markets: one being preferred shares of FFH, the other relating to treasuries.
Would either be suitable at this time?
Would one be preferred over the other?
Would you have preferred suggestions?
Read Answer Asked by Catherine Ann on March 18, 2025
Q: I right now have 100,000 in cash (Canadian Dollars) that I want to keep in Money Market ETFs for the Short Term.

I have been trying to find the yield for all of the above and it is not easy because most of them show me the annualized yield. Interest rates have come down several times in the last year so the annual yield is not the best way to compare the above funds.

Which of the two funds above do you recommend, the reasons why and what is the current yield on it.

My brokerage account is with Questrade and they do not offer any of their own High Interest Savings Accounts like TD Direct Investing.

Thank You.
Read Answer Asked by ALNOOR on March 18, 2025
Q: For long term investment what would be a neutral proportion of bonds in terms of distribution among these 4 or are there better options? Currently sitting on 17% cash which I intend to redeploy in stocks when we have better clarity, 36% XBB, 26% XLB, 12% XHY and 9$ XSB for 100% of my bond/cash portfolio.
Thank you.
Yves
Read Answer Asked by Yves on March 18, 2025
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