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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: I would like to know how much cash you think someone should hold all the time. I do not believe in being fully invested all the time, because then you lose out on buying opportunities during major dips, as we are seeing now.

Do you recommend keeping 10% 15% or 20% of the total portfolio value in cash?

Thank-you
Read Answer Asked by David Michael on February 25, 2022
Q: Hi Peter and team, I don't hold any of the above stocks and they have done very well the last 2 years. I do own some of your favorites like BAM, TOI, CUS, SHOP and LSPD etc. How would you rank the above stocks and would they be good buy when the dust finally settles.

Regards
Anthony
Read Answer Asked by Anthony on February 25, 2022
Q: Dear 5i team.

Is there any time in financial history when we had rising inflation combined with a recession? What would one do in this scenario to protect a portfolio?

Many thanks for your insights.
Read Answer Asked by Arthur on February 24, 2022
Q:




Every morning i think of Warren & Charley dipping there cookies into there tea and having a good chuckle on these HIGH GROWTH companies getting a good spanking. A lot of these of these stocks are never going to come back as the field is just too crowded that they are competing in. I was in the market in 2000 and you never heard again of the high growth companies with no earnings again, you lost 100 % of your investment. Warren & Charlie might be turtles but who wins the race
Read Answer Asked by eugene on February 24, 2022
Q: Good day. A little over 1 year ago I allocated about 5% of my portfolio to the high growth/risk stocks. Needles to stay it hasn't worked out as expected. At this stage I am hoping that you can give me insight what the future holds for these companies as an investment. Which should be sold and subsequently move the funds moved into the keepers.
Deduct as many credits as you feel appropriate.
Much appreciated
Read Answer Asked by Francisco on February 23, 2022
Q: Like many people. I'm currently down quite a bit on a lot of growth stocks even though I bought them well below their all-time highs. For example, I'm down 50% on PYPL, 45% on Roku, 35% on Shop.

I have decades before retirement (and I do have a pretty balanced portfolio) so I'm not worried about my investments over the long-term, but it still hurts to see quite a bit of my positions so deep in the red.

I know it's impossible to predict (and it's always possible that some of these growth stocks will never recover), but in your experience how long do you think we could reasonably expect it to take before some of these growth stocks recover?

For example do you think it's reasonable for us to expect it to take 3 years, 5 years, 10 years for the above mentioned stocks (like PYPL, ROKU, SHOP) to recover?
Read Answer Asked by Patrick on February 22, 2022
Q: Hi team,
Given the tensions around Russia and Ukraine and the increased likelihood that we may see a war in Ukraine, what sectors do you think would be less likely to see a negative impact from this conflict? Are there sectors that may benefit if we do see war in Ukraine?

Appreciate your insight on this.
Paula
Read Answer Asked by Paula on February 22, 2022
Q: Hi Team;
I know that you often say “no one rings a bell at the bottom” but I do seem to recall some time ago you suggested a number of indicators one could watch for? One of them might have had to do with intra-day reversals, and maybe another was volume related?
Thanks,
Read Answer Asked by Stephen R. on February 22, 2022
Q: Hi,
In recent weeks so many blue chip/ growth companies stock has fallen any where from 5% to 40%. That includes PYPL, SQ, BABA SHOP etc. These are growth names and were trading at high multiple. But there are some stocks but are not trading at that high multiple, consistently paying dividend like DHR, AMT, APD are also down. I understand it because its market. My question is how much ( say 20% or 30% price drop from its high) drop is considered a good value and a time to deploy fresh capital for a small investor. I keep my US$ portfolio of 10 to 12 stocks.
I will appreciate your views.
Thanks
Piyush
Read Answer Asked by Piyush on February 22, 2022
Q: Hi

Based on what is happening, that is not going to end anytime soon.

Is it time to reduce our Canadian investments and move the lions share to the US and
Europe?

Thank you
Read Answer Asked by Mike on February 22, 2022
Q: Dear 5i
When the pandemic first started and the market dropped substantially , some days even7-10% in a single day i think it was because it was such a new and scary scenario that none of us had experienced before and thus created a lot more fear in the markets . Pandemics fortunately are not that common and creates a situation with a lot of unknowns when they do occur .
Wars though serious and scary as well have occured more often in history and though terrible, do not represent the same degree up unknown as a pandemic does . That being said , what would be your best GUESS as to what the market reaction would be with regards to a Russian invasion in the Ukraine .I suspect there would be a sharp reaction by the markets to the tune of a 2-3% downturn but certainly not the 7-10% downturn in a single day when the pandemic first hit .
I`m trying to remain level headed with regards the the Russian situation and would welcome your input . I know it is a guessing game but i feel your guess might be a more accurate guess than most of the rest of us .
Thanks
Bill
Read Answer Asked by Bill on February 22, 2022
Q: Can you tell me what day the feds in the U S and Canada meet to decide interest rate decision in March and looking into your crystal ball how many hikes do you think there could be this year
Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Greg on February 22, 2022
Q: Dear Peter and Ryan.

I did not sell any stocks yet and my portfolio incurred significant loss lately. I was going to ride through the drop. Now I started to doubt my decision. How do you think about the tension/war between Russian and Ukraine, in addition to rising interest rates? If you don't recommend selling now, do you think it is an opportunity to buy more?

Thank you

Yiwen in panic mode :-)
Read Answer Asked by Yiwen on February 22, 2022
Q: We know uncertainty helps the markets drop. With Russia saying they are drawing back troops and NATO and USA say they are building up, one could anticipate uncertainty ahead. With this in mind, is there any advice for which type of stock might be the best to buy on a future dip?
Read Answer Asked by James on February 18, 2022
Q: What conditions do you think are required for confidence to return for growth stocks with good fundamentals? Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Robert on February 18, 2022
Q: Being "salevicted" by the landlord after receiving an N-11 termination of tenancy notice. Offered first right of refusal on a purchase of it in today's unsustainable housing market. Have obtained an approval for a mortgage from the bank.
I am 70, retired and live on my pensions including a 10% monthly saving transfer to cash account. Portfolio income mostly reinvested.

My Issue is how best to raise 20% down payment from my investment portfolio built over last five years based a lot on 5i sample portfolio models, so 33 (model suggestion) holdings across all three portfolios today plus another 25 other ones all held in my cash and TFSA accounts in mostly a diversified total portfolio (no sector is more than 15%). Do I sell losers first in cash and also those that have not grown very much conserving the dividend payers, then draw some from growth oriented TFSA before before returning to cash to trim some good performers?
What strategy would you suggest for raising the down payment money and minimizing and delaying the tax as well as respecting a diversified and growing portfolio objective while treating mortgage payments as more costly "rent"?
Read Answer Asked by William Ross on February 17, 2022
Q: what are your top three picks ,us and cdn, for consumer staples thanks
Read Answer Asked by andre on February 17, 2022