Investment Q&A

Q: Understanding Mr. Market .... I have never been a believer in " The market has priced in " or " The market looks ahead " ..... I am a firm believer in " The market is herded by the loudest barking dog " ..... And there are some things I expect the barking dog to do..... War threat , bark louder , threaten Fed independence, a nasty bite to the dollar , increase taxes { tariffs } a nasty bite to Mr. Market's leg .... The dog's master goes nuts , the dog goes nuts on Mr. Market ..... Yet none of this is happening ..... When and more importantly why did Geo-politics become irrelevant to Mr Market ? ...... The biggest global crisis since the cold war is now very near reality . The invasion of an ally and the dissolution of NATO . Yet Mr. Market is STILL yawning ? ....... What gives ? ..... Thanks for your terrific service .....

Q: What implications do you see on the upcoming Supreme Court ruling for Tariffs? What markets or sectors do you see as being the most affected.
Thank you

Q: Just for fun. In your opinion what is the:

Best time of day to buy a stock? And to sell?
Best day of the week to buy a stock? And to sell?
Best week of the month to buy a stock? And to sell?
Best month of the year to buy a stock? And to sell?

Thanks,
David

Q: Hello Team 5i & Everyone,

Just wondering if you have any comments or if you can share which data/charts you’re currently keeping a close eye on with the US markets regarding the looming removal of the independence of the US Fed? I watched Powell’s video response up on the Fed website and am inclined to agree with his assessment of the situation.

I realize there’s no point in guessing, however I would not be surprised to see Powell replaced when his term ends in the Spring by someone who is keen to cut interest rates regardless of what the economic data is advising. I would also not be surprised if this sparked a sugar rush in markets and a rise in inflation. But we’ll see what happens, I’m sure there will be more developments before then.

Living in interesting times isn’t all it’s cracked up to be it seems.

Thank you,

Sandra

Q: Can you please provide an opinion on EOSE related to help power the AI industry. Do you see revenue growing at a high rate with some visibility, or mainly hype?

Q: Hi 5i team!

To follow up on this question from Jan 5th (with a twist):

Please give me your top 3 sectors for 2026 (in order of preference) with top 3 picks for each sector for USA.

Also, when do you plan on releasing your AI blog article?

Thanks and wishing everyone a prosperous 2026!

Q: Greetings
I currently own 8 shares of Constellation Software with a total cost of $3,877 in my RRIF. I am considering contributing $7,000 to my TFSA for the current year versus leaving the funds as a cash deposit, and I would appreciate your opinion on this decision.

In addition, I hold more than $40,000 in cash and would welcome your perspective on whether it would be prudent to invest a portion of these funds or to continue holding them in a money market account while awaiting further market volatility or unforeseen events.

Rick

Q: Everyone, the first week of trading is now complete, what have you gleaned from the week? Clayton

Q: Greetings,
From a response from your office, I interpreted these five were suggested as still being good opportunities at present day prices. Did you mean full position or tranches etc?

Like many, I'm terrified of the impending pullback, especially with Tech names and what if prices fall by more than eg: 15%?

Secondly, what is your opinion on what might happen to the market, in the short term, if Trump keels over and dies?

With thanks, A

Q: Given that I have no idea what the US (Trump) will do next, I am reluctant to invest new funds in equities. So I have the sense that I should increase my bond and gold exposure for the near future. I would appreciate your comments on this strategy.
Thank you.

Q: Hi Peter and Team,

My question isn’t about recent geopolitical events, since I need to re-balance our portfolio in accordance with the recommendations given in 5i’s Portfolio Analytics. Of the eleven TSX sectors, please give me your assessment of which sectors can be overweight and which sectors can be underweight going forward in 2026. I realize that this requires a ‘crystal ball’, but your experience over many market cycles is certainly superior to my own!

Thanks as always for your expertise. Happy New Year to all at 5i, as well as my fellow members of the 5i community.

Q: Are there any undervalued sectors today?

Q: Hi Group please give me your top 6 sectors for 2026 (in order of preference please. Also can you give me you top 2 picks for each sector also in order of preference Lastly too late to buy gold and silver and copper what is your top picks in Gold and silver as well please assuming you recommend buy at this late date...thanks

Q: I realize that CAD/USD exchange rate is historically very hard to predict, but most pundits are calling for US dollar weakness in 2026. About 60% of my portfolio is in US dollar denominated assets. Should I reduce that exposure?

Q: Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to all at 5i!!!
Thanks to all for another amazing year of guidance from 5i!!! Everyone should be very proud of the job they do for the members!!!
This question is not time sensitive, so do not rush to answer at all.
Sometime in the New Year is just fine.
Question:
In the article "Inflation is Not Going Back" by Barry Ritzholz the information pertains very specifically to the u.s. The Canadian economy may be linked to, but is not the same as, the american. Therefore, what specifically Canadian interpretations or conclusions might one draw from that data, or equivalent Canadian data? Or, do we accept those conclusions as being equally applicable to Canada?
Just curious.....
Best Wishes to all at 5i Research!!
Cheers,
Mike

Q: You have mentioned Japan increase in interest rates (just announced this morning at 25 bps) and carry over trade as one of certain key risks for 2026. Is purchasing VIU the wrong investment decision with such risk on the immediate horizon? VIU has Japan as top geographic holding at 24%.

Q: Reported U.S. core inflation is 2.7% for November and the trend appears to be downward. I think you have expressed the view that tariffs are inflationary. Given these numbers, would you be revising your opinion on this matter?

Q: I was curious about the Private real estate investments. I have seen companies like EQUITON who advertise returns of 16 -20% annual on their development offering. Do they have good track record? Is that rate of return possible? Are they too risky for retail investor?

Q: Hi, can you enlighten me regarding the Japanese carry trade situation? I am reading, but not fully understanding the effect of the Japanese government possibly raising interest rates - maybe soon. Is it possible this is a concern for traders globally if they or their large funds are heavily hedged using the Yen vs USD? I'm concerned this may be why there seems to be a rotation out of tech, even though the idea of continued AI spending seems likely into the next year. You always seem to be able to put these things into perspectve - thank you.
D

Q: I believe last April U.S markets entered a corrective phase. Do you think we are entering one now?
How often do they normally occur during a year?