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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: AEM and KL have lagged the sector, as represented by XGD, since the announcement in September of the merger. I suspect this is due primarily to investors that hold both lightening up now that they are the same company - I am in that boat myself. How long do you expect AEM/KL to lag, when will it recover relative to the sector, or should I sell and diversify to another name now. What would you regard as an equivalent investment (well run, safe jurisdictions) or should I just move to XGD? I currently hold FNV as well as AEM/KL.
Read Answer Asked by Benjamin on February 07, 2022
Q: Hello Peter,
With rising rates, it seems that banks, commodities and industrials do well. Can you please suggest some etfs in Canada that would take advantage of those sectors? For the banks, i am thinking xfn and zeb but unsure of the others. Also, the US banks are taking small hits. Do you think canadian banks will follow suit or are they very different? Thanks very much.
Read Answer Asked by umedali on January 19, 2022
Q: I'm helping a friend set up a "couch potato portfolio". I noticed a while back that you commented on such a portfolio. I am suggesting the following to my friend. What do you think? Is there any of the ETFs that you would swap out? And why?

XIU S&P/TSX60 total return for Canada 25%
ZSP BMO S&P 500 Index ETF for USA 25%
XEF ishares Core MSCI EAFE for Europe/Japan 25%
ZEM BMO MSCI Emerging Markets Index ETF for emerging markets 5%
XGD iShares S&P/TSX Global Gold for gold exposure 5%
ZAG BMO Aggregate Bond ETF 15%

It appears that both ZSP and XEF offer USD versions. What are the pros and cons?
Thanks

Read Answer Asked by Steven on April 27, 2021
Q: Gold in general due to the massive Fed and provincial deficits in Canada

Hi Peter and team
even before Covid, the Fed govt was running a substantial deficit in good time
(comparatively)
the Fed deficit for the next few years (1-5) would be enormous no matter which party takes power
with the debt, for an average investor, I do own gold stocks and ETF
today at 11:30 Wed , one speaker on BNN felt that investors are not keen on buying gold (now off the peak season), he does not like bitcoin either

From your perspective, this could be a good time to buy some more quality gold
stocks and ETF (I know the names that your services recommend) ; I wonder
if you feel that this would be a prudent move, (up to 5 plus percent in ones portfolio)
or there is another sector one could buy as an insurance of the massive printing of our money due to the huge deficits (the US called it Quantitative easing)

looking forward to hear your expert opinion,
thanks

Michael (do own some gold stocks and the ETF for gold)
Read Answer Asked by Michael on April 01, 2021
Q: Hello,
Would appreciate your suggestions on a couple of good low fee ETF's for commodities
Thanks
Darryl
Read Answer Asked by Darryl on March 04, 2021
Q: Can you name some Canadian ETF's which will benefit from the switch into materials or oil and gas or value rather than growth and safety? And can you rank them please? And give reasons for buying or not buying?

I know that's a lot to ask but I am interested in your assessment

Thanks for your help as usual
Read Answer Asked by christianne on February 26, 2021
Q: With gold lagging as bitcoin continues towards the heavens, with someone with the common sense of a Josh Brown as well as the mavens of Berkshire selling their Barrick, with a spike in long term rates and a weaker US dollar, and finally with a potential breakdown in gold being close according to technical analysts I've heard, what is your opinion on 1. where the price of gold might be headed over the rest of 2021 and 2. whether the strength of its hedging power may be waning and 3. whether your opinion that bitcoin needn't be part of a portfolio has changed and 4. whether perhaps a move into a combination of silver and some crypto might provide a better portfolio hedge at this time versus gold. Thanks as always for your thoughts - Ken
Read Answer Asked by Ken on February 24, 2021
Q: 3 questions regarding gold:
(1) I currently hold XGD for the long term, with a dividend of about 0.68%. Would I be better to hold 2-3 really good gold mining stocks, in a non-reg acct, like KL (div 1.99%; no debt) and AEM (div 1.97%). Or with this long-term investment, stay diversified with XGD? I care more about stability, value and some growth, not the dividend.
(2) Should I also hold some physical gold in an ETF like PHYS? If so, what percentage of gold holdings would you have in gold producers vs physical gold?
(3) A friend of mine holds some physical gold at home. Comments on this appreciated.
Thanks!
Read Answer Asked by Grant on February 08, 2021
Q: My Materials sector needs to be increased to about 10% of portfolio - currently I have only 1.3% - all held in KL (underwater 15%).
I note you have ccl.b in the Balanced Portfolio but it does not seem to be in your recent recommendations for Materials ? ?
At the moment my shopping list looks like this:
LUN, IVN, ERO, NEO, NTR, RS, FCX, XGD ( Sell KL ??) , CCL.b ??
Would appreciate your assessment and comments and suggestions for alternatives. Dividend not necessary.
Use whatever number of question credits req'd. Thanks as always.
Read Answer Asked by Alexandra on January 19, 2021
Q: Seasons Greetings, to you all,
In order to start my TFSA year of right can I get your opinion on a few of each Cdn. & U.S. stocks that may be considered MUST OWN in the Materials & Health sectors.
Also an alternate on ETF's?
Thanks for your usual good answers!
Read Answer Asked by Terry on January 12, 2021
Q: In my RRIF I need a Communications service sector. In my PA you suggested VOX, but I am wondering if there is a Canadian ETF in this sector that you could recommend?
Also an alternative is XGD.TO okay to invest in a RRIF?
Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Terry on December 11, 2020
Q: I have been reading that given the current situation one should have about 5% or so in gold. I would be interested in your recommendation on:
1. This recommendation
2. Which of the above(s) would you buy or other?
Thanks again.
Read Answer Asked by Danny-boy on November 27, 2020