Investment Q&A

Q: How does one purchase Canadian real return government issue bonds and do you recommend them in this inflationary environment?

Q: For the safe side of a portfolio, would you put money into a short term bond ETFs (BSV, XSB) or a high interest savings account today (EQ Bank 1.5%)?
Thanks

Q: Hello Team.. As interest rates climb my strategy is to slowly buy into bond funds (now in cash).. maybe ZAG or XSH. For example at 3.48 % for ZAG, that's a reasonable dividend and the rate hikes have barely begun. My question is -although the unit price of the fund will decrease "is the payout stable or increasing" as maturing bonds are replaced at higher yields.Steady buying at lower unit prices (and higher dividend)could help kill the pain of the early buying-what do you think.( 71 year old income investor soon to be starting RIF withdrawals) Thank you yet again..best regards Gary

Q: Pls share your thoughts on this small young actively managed ETF that seeks to provide protection against rising interest rates... Considering for up to 3.5% of the 30% fixed income allocation in my RRSP.
Thank you

Q: For investors seeking to capitalize directly on what looks to be an impending rate hike bonanza through the end of this year (and possibly into 2023), what options are there to look at?

TTT (US) seems like the only decent option but it only offers exposure to longer term rates (20y) which could take a while to respond to higher rates on the short end. Any options you can provide me to investigate are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Q: Between January and March of last year (13-16 months ago) I sold my bond holdings in ZAG and CLF and moved the money into the short-term bond fund ZST. As a capital preservation strategy it limited the downside from rising interest rates. ZST is down 2%, while CLF is down 6% and ZAG 9%. I saw an analyst on BNN this morning recommend it is time to start easing back into longer term bonds. It feels a bit early to me. Won't the short term bond funds benefit first from rising rates while the longer term funds will continue to decline? If capital preservation and rate of return are weighted about 50/50, what do you think of moving back into longer term bond funds at this time and would you do it gradually?

Q: Hi 5i
Due to unfortunate domestic circumstances my son has just had to sell his house. His net share after the dust clears is $80,000. He has signed a lease on a rental for one year, but plans to buy a new place of his own after the year is up. He has a good job, and all his expenses for the year ahead will be taken care of by salary. His intent is to use the 80k and whatever growth / income it can generate over the coming year to put down on a new home.
My thought is he should put half into BNS and half into ENB and then forget about it for the year and let the money do some work.
But I'd really like to know, based on the facts above, what you would do if you were in his shoes?
Thanks 5i - I will value your response. $75,500 of the $80k could go into a TFSA - he has that room.
Peter

Q: The general rise in interest rates continued during the first quarter of 2022, continuing its pressure on the price of fixed income securities.
I would like to have your opinion.
Is it a good idea to buy fixed income indices right now like the Canadian Bond Index or the Canadian Real Return Bond Index or the High Yield Bond Index? What kind of return can we expect?

Q: Hello,

From your last report update of March 9th the 5i Balanced portfolio is down YTD -7.18%. Mawer's Balanced fund Series A is also down YTD -7.15% as of March 30th (according to Morningstar data). I find the comparison between the 5i balanced portfolio and the Mawer Balanced fund interesting because the Mawer fund has a Canadian bond weighting of ~30%. Given the current market back drop shouldn't balanced funds with a sizable bond weighting provide better down side protection? Or is this mainly due to rising interest rates affecting bond performance?

Thank you,

Glen

Q: I have owned a few perpetual preferreds for quite a few years. Now that interest rates are going up, some of them (particularly the ones with Canadian Utilities) have been declining. I should have sold them earlier this year but did not. What do you think perpetual preferreds will do in the coming year?

Q: I have $ 300 K US to invest . Can you suggest safe investments that would be covered by CDIC. My time frame is 1-3 years. Thanks

Q: I have about half of my balanced income portfolio in equities and the remainder in cash. Although my stocks are balanced, I still hold no fixed income investments. I like the sleep at night cash but feel it is too big of a chunk to just let sit in cash., Can you please suggest an approach to fixed income and recommend a few possibilities to consider. As always, thanks for your help

Q: Hi,

For fixed income, from your Q&A, it still make sense to have some holdings in inflation protected bond funds. In your opinion, would it be a good idea to shift most bond holdings into funds like these until inflation abates? What are your favourite inflation protected funds in the US and Canada?

Thank you, Michael

Q: My fixed income holdings are comprised of - LYZ801A & MMF559.
I am with a full service advisor - up until a few years ago we bought individual bonds - then on his recommendation switched to these funds. What is your opinion on their performance. What are some alternative better performing mutual funds and ETF options or should a person go back to buying individual bonds? I read an opinion that said with individual bonds (held to term) you get the principal and interest with funds not so much. Your expert opinion would be appreciated as usual.

Thanks

Q: Hi 5i team,

As many do, I currently hold part of my portfolio in fixed income (bond etfs). I am wondering if you can recommend any fixed income or "fixed income like" investments that might hold up best in the current rising rate environment that seems to have a long way to run. I had held ZAG but have switched to VSB with rates rising. Currently even cash is doing better than these however. Thanks!

Q: Hi, could I please have your opinion on the long end of the yield curve. The consensus seems to be that economic growth is starting to slow, inflation is increasing but may moderate in the second half but remain sticky and that the Fed may make a policy mistake by over tightening. To date the yield curve has steepened, short and long yields have increased, shorts more than longs. How might you see this playing out going forward. Do you think the long end of the curve presents an opportunity at this point? I am considering long perpetual preferreds which have also corrected but offer more generous tax favoured income (around 5%) than long bonds? Many thanks.

Q: What would your bond ETF pick be for a 2 year holding period? I have been using XSB and CLF.

Q: According to a G&M article on treat of stagflation, XSB is not a good choice of invest re 40-60 portfolio.
Assuming you agree with this article what would be your top 3 or 4 investment to replace XSB ?

Q: Hello Peter and team,
Would you be kind enough to explain how the 20 year Tbond ETF works please in relation to interest rates and or inflationary environment? Thanks very much.

Q: Hi Team,

I realize this question might be off the beaten track but was hoping you might be able to shed some light on the implications of holding a debenture issued by Cominar now that it is experiencing a change in control in favour of Iris Acquisition II LP.

I have received a corporate action notification that I have an option to receive $1010 CAD for every $1000 CAD principal amount of Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust 4.5% Series 11 Senior Unsecured Debentures due May 15, 2024 tendered. With no action on my part, debentures in respect of which the Optional Put Right is not exercised will remain obligations of Cominar under the terms and conditions of the Indenture and will continue to accrue interest in accordance with the terms of the Indenture.

Any idea in plain english if the debt obligation has a higher risk profile to the holder if the option is not taken? If you were the holder, would you exercise the option or do nothing?

Many thanks.
Michael