Investment Q&A

Q: Due to health I have been forced into early retirement (51) with no pension. I need a 5% return to live off of my savings. I am presently well diversified 75% CAD dividend companies and fixed income in my non registered account and 25% of my total savings are in registered accounts which follow your balanced portfolio along with GOOG, TEAM, SQ, BOX for US exposure (prob not enough eh?). My gut is telling me I should get rid of the growthy stocks and stick to safe dividend companies but my experience says I should leave it alone as over the long term the balanced portfolio has done quite well.
I would appreciate any and all input you can offer (don't be afraid to hurt my feelings;).

Brian

Q: I would like some recommendations on some companies or ETF's that you like now and going forward. I'm looking for growth as I have a 20year+ time frame and low aversion to risk. I currently hold in my TFSA: CJR.B (down about 5%, should I hold or sell some/all off? -heaviest weighting of portfolio currently), GS, BNS, CPH, CR, KXS, NIF, SIS. Would like to add more companies to TFSA for some more sector diversification and can add to RRSP as well - possibly a growth ETF with US/International exposure? Would appreciate your input, thanks very much.

Q: I have a substantial USD investing and as I age am beginning to think that I should invest some of it in fixed income ie bonds, gic type or preferreds. Do you have any suggestions for me as everyone I listen to focusses on Capital gains strategies only.

Q: Hello 5i
I’d be interested in your comments on this years January “bounce”. Do you feel it is just a bounce due to tax loss selling or are we likely to move higher after January. I realize this is a market call which is a guess at best but I stil value your opinion and insight.
Thank you
Dave

Q: I have noticed recently that Aapl, Amzn, Brk, Googl and V that the daily share volume has been about 70 % of the 10 day volume and Shop and Sq have been at or higher than the 10 day volume ( the stocks mentioned are some companies in my portfolio). To me this means that the rise in share price does not have wide support and could fall soon.
Appreciate your comments on the support of the rally and are people hiding money in short term instruments until they can verify one way or the other the next direction of the market.
Clayton

Q: Following up on your recent response that you would limit investment in Canadian equities to 25-40% of one's portfolio, in what country (US) or countries/regions would you recommend investing the balance...and in what proportions? Thank you.

Q: My question is about global debt as a potential factor affecting markets going forward. According to a report in the Washington Post today global debt is now about 318 percent of world gross domestic product.

The breakdown is reported like this: Government debt has tripled from $20 trillion in 2000 to $65 trillion in 2018, rising as a share of GDP from 55 percent to 87 percent. Household debt has increased over the same years, from $17 trillion to $46 trillion (from 44 percent to 60 percent of GDP). Finally, nonfinancial corporate debt rose from $24 trillion to $73 trillion (71 percent of GDP to 92 percent).

Do you think growing global indebtedness is a serious risk factor investors should be aware of?

Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/with-booming-global-debt-were-entering-unexplored-territory/2019/01/16/8896c5e2-19bb-11e9-88fe-f9f77a3bcb6c_story.html?utm_term=.f9c7f2e8f264

Thank you. Michael

Q: Hi there, in your opinion is the rally we are having in the markets sustainable or is it a dead cat bounce? I've read that in many cases, there is usually a double bottom, before the rally usually beings again (assuming a rally will occur). What are your thoughts? Thanks!

Q: David Rosenberg today indicated that the recent rally in the TSX is very similar to the December rally of 1931 and further said that this is not an investors' rally but a trader's rally. Is the current rally a sucker's rally?
I will greatly appreciate your comments.
Thanks
Terry

Q: Hi. 35 years old, currently sitting on 100% cash in TFSA and in RRSP. Looking to get back in with a long term outlook.

Planning on the following: TFSA: 40% modeled after your Balanced Equity Portfolio (or potentially Growth Portfolio), 50% in a mix of a few broad ranged ETFs, and 10% cash for now. RRSP: 20% in BTSX, 20% Dogs of DOW (USD), 20% Growth Portfolio (or BE), 20% mix of ETFs (will diverse geographically), 10% bonds, and 10% cash.

1. Comments to the overall strategy?
2. Any recommendations?
3. I know you can't time the market, but does it make sense to just buy in all at one time?

Appreciate the help!

Q: Having 150K in cash that will want to investment.

1. how many stocks should be in the portfolio?
2. based on the number stocks, then that establishes what a full position or half ?
3. how many sector should be included?

any other items to consider?

Thank Ed

Q: Good morning,
I'm 70 years old and with yet a new year upon us and a review of the holdings in my non reg equity portfolio, I'm concerned that my $650K non reg equity portfolio has slowly grown into a "hodge podge" of miscellaneous holdings that need to be trimmed, better concentrated (minimum 5% per holding) along with the addition of a few additional names in sectors that are not currently represented. My current holdings are as follows:
AQN (3.3%),BCE (11.6%)BAM.A(3.8%),CU (4.5%),DIV(2.8%),EMA (2.4%),KEY(2.2%),XIU(5.2%),XIC (33.2%),XDV(18.4%),SLF(3.6%),T(2.9%),T(2.9%),MAW120(3.1%)MAW102(3%).
I would very much appreciate your suggestions on how to best to adjust my current non reg equity portfolio to make it easier to manage and follow. I'm open to adding an appropriate mix of ETFs or Mawer equity funds as need be. My RRSP and TFSA are pretty much all populated with a mix of relatively low MER Mawer equity funds which have performed well over the years. I thank you in advance and look forward to hearing your sage advice and recommendations.
Francesco

Q: Good morning and HNY
My wife and I have several investment accounts ( two individual, one joint, one RIF, one RRSP, one LIRA, two TFSA). We recently retired and transferred from an advisor to self managing. My first question is how to allocate both sector and type of investment ( equity, prefs, bonds etc) given the different types of accounts. Should we look at the aggregates or each account individually. Second question. We have roughly 20% of our total worth in GIC’s, largely held in our RRSP/RIF/LIRA. Safe, for sure, but it seems we are just parking our money which is galling in retrospect as our advisor charged his normal fee for said parking. Are we better off with pref shares versus GIC’s. Our prefs have suffered recently with the interest rate increases and they are more “risky” than GIC’s, but having so much money parked is concerning. I would appreciate your suggestions. BTW, we have followed your service for the past year to gain confidence as has our neighbour.Thanks for providing an integrous platform.

Q: Hi Group - assuming this market stays choppy and unpredictable it appears the the tech sector may be a good start to generating some cash (I have profits in CSU + DSG + a loss in FB - My question is do I sell now hoping to buy back later a lower price - presently I only have 5% cash in a portfolio worth $1.2 million and am feeling very vulnerable to losing more (presently I am down 18% overall. Is it too late to preserve cash or?

Q: Happy New Year!
Q: Please tell me what is the correct sector allocation for a Canadian Investor in 2019?
Thank you.

Q: Hello Team. It seems the level of negative sentiment in the sector has not diminished since Dec although it has only been two days. Every day there is some new big issue to fret about like Apple today and U.S. growth yesterday. Does the VIX adequately reflect this negative sentiment? Are we still waiting for the "spike"? Would your advice be that, rather than try to adjust equity holdings to conditions, just sit tight and wait it out ?
Clarence

Q: Realizing everyone's situation is different, generally what percentage do you think one should have in bonds? Thanks, Bill

Q: It feels like the end of 2018 was simply a perfect storm of conditions suited to create an impressive (and painful) but not overly unusual pull back on the TSX. Yet there is talk of recession and looming bear markets (I suppose there always is).

What's your take on this? Would you be buying the many apparent opportunities (like mx, cnr, ctc.a) or would you be cautious still?

Q: I believe the Canadian dollar is linked to the price of oil. Is that is true we’re do you see the Canadian dollar vs the US dollar this year. If the dollar is not linked to the price of oil were do you see the Canadian dollar this year.
Clayton

Q: Now that tax losses over would be wise to hold the stocks even though most of them are in loss
specially TSE stocks mentioned in our portfolios.
Some how it apears to me that TSE stocks are much lower comparatively to US stocks. possibly better return,your opinion?