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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: Further to Dennis’ question about historical total returns, I’ve found this spreadsheet useful: https://libra-investments.com/Total-returns.xls

Read Answer Asked by Alan on January 13, 2020
Q: Hi 5i Group,
What do you feel the maximum percentage of one's portfolio should be in any one stock and the max in any one sector?
Thanks,
Ken
Read Answer Asked by kenneth on January 13, 2020
Q: for Derek on transferring money to the US. We use VBCE here in Vancouver and they have a great little app that allows you to transfer from our Cdn Account at CIBC to our Wells Fargo account in the US with no fees and a significantly better exchange rate. We have kids in school in the US so transfers occur quite frequently and they give a better rate depending on your forecasted amount for the year.
Cheers
Read Answer Asked by kelly on January 12, 2020
Q: Below is the longer term performance of HQU for 1,3,6month and 1,3,5,10 year periods, along with the Fund Quartile rating. With this longer term return, why wouldn't I just use this fund as my only proxy for NASDAQ listed stocks? The same with SSO for SPY listed stocks? Seems like an easy was to outperform (and under) the markets.

Your thoughts please, pros and cons.

+7.70% +25.81% +26.31% +79.22% +39.24% +27.01% +30.14%

Fund Quartile 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st

Sheldon
Read Answer Asked by Sheldon on January 12, 2020
Q: I am interested in bitcoin. Perhaps something like Coinbase not GBTC. I realize that this is more gambling as apposed to investing but it is possible for large gains and I would appreciate any guidance that you can give me. Thanks, James
Read Answer Asked by JAMES on January 12, 2020
Q: Suggestion for Derek on January 09, 2020. He wants to transfer funds to the US.
I use Transferwise to transfer from the UK to Canada. They have minimal fees and a much better rate. I don't know if it would work for larger amounts but it is far more economical on smaller amounts.
PB
Read Answer Asked by Peter on January 10, 2020
Q: Can you tell me if it is common practice to use total return or price return as the benchmark when comparing personal year end returns to the TSX or S&P? I'm seeing many sites use the lower return (price return excluding dividends) which obviously makes returns look better in comparison. But if i'm comparing my portfolio which has some dividend income why wouldn't the benchmark also include its dividends to truly see which performed better? Just wondering what the accepted practice is? Thx
Read Answer Asked by Adam on January 10, 2020
Q: I am purchasing a house in the U.S. and will be converting a substantial amount of CDN $. Am looking at using DLR.TO etf to facilitate Norbert’ s Gambit using Scotia ITrade..I will also be talking to Scotiabank to see what they would cost.
What source do I use to determine actual exchange rate instead of relying on BNS info? Is Knightsbridge an alternative? Are there better avenues to use for NG than DLR ?What are the risks using NG?
I find all this rather intimidating and appreciate your advice, and also other people’s advice. How would I access previous question on this matter? Thanks , Derek
Read Answer Asked by Derek on January 09, 2020
Q: Hi,
I would like to know what is considered a very low debt level for company’s in the following activities/category and what would be the best ratio to look at for each category.
1: Financials
2: REIT’S
3: Telecommunication
4: Renewable energies
5: Utilities
6: Technologies
Thank you
Read Answer Asked by André on January 08, 2020
Q: I am looking at this mutual fund as a way to play the potential bounce in canadian mid cap oils. I am impressed with Eric Nuttal's knowledge base and this seems like a more diversified way of playing this space. I bought 1000 units on RBC Direct just to see how the fund works and the result was puzzling. The transaction seems to be at the NAV and only happens at the end of the day and although the units show in my account, my "check orders" page shows it still pending until the following day. Before I buy more, can you tell me if I am buying on the market or from NPP ... all of which is OK. A second question is when I want to sell, is there a market or am I at the mercy of NPP deciding what to pay me.
many thanks for the great service.
Read Answer Asked by Don on January 08, 2020
Q: Can you hold OTC stocks in RRIF or TFSA? If not what happens if a security goes OTC? Thanks
Read Answer Asked by David on January 08, 2020
Q: I am in my early 30’s. In terms of creating a strategy for buying and selling stocks shouldn’t I just always be buying stocks, even if the market goes down?

If I have a 30-year run way until I start withdrawing or using the funds wouldn’t it be best to just find great companies to average into?

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated in advance.

Thanks,

Dave
Read Answer Asked by David Michael on January 07, 2020
Q: Hi Peter and all 5i, Happy new year to all of you, and thanks for providing this wonderful service. I'm starting my RRIF withdrawals this year, and wanted to ask if you think my assumption for return on my portfolio is reasonable. The calculators that are online, require a percentage return, for each year. Presently, my RRIF is producing 4% in dividends, so I entered 6% in the return of the total portfolio. Portfolio is similar to your "Balanced". Do you think I'm being too conservative? Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Keith on January 07, 2020
Q: Hey Guys,

What are we to make of the constant negative headlines on some websites (zerohedge in particular) that talk about a recession coming this year?

I have been hearing in the headlines for years that there will be a recession...but it hasn’t happened yet.

I just don’t want to invest right before a major downturn like in 2008.....

What to do?

Thank-you.

Dave
Read Answer Asked by David Michael on January 07, 2020
Q: I was on holidays at Christmas so I put a stop loss on a few stocks. Trade Desk which was trading at a low of $256.00 for quite some time for a split second dropped $10 to $246.00 and took out my stock and was right back up at $256.00 again. Would the market maker have dropped that so some lucky guy could get the stock cheap?
A broker I know told me that since I average at the most 30 trades a quarter, Revenue Canada could classify me as not an investor by making so many trades which could cause me to not qualify for the 50% capital gains rule and I would have to pay tax on 100% gains. I put it on forums but I haven't had a response yet. Hopefully you can enlighten me on this.
Nice call on Park Lawn. I get a lot of emails pertaining to the market and one advised me the other day to buy Park Lawn as it was going to break out above $30.00. I already own Park Lawn so nice call from 5i that I got it a lot cheaper some time ago.
Thanks for making my trading easier. Dennis
Read Answer Asked by Dennis on January 07, 2020
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