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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: Following up on Harrison's RESP question from February 10th, I'm seeking advice on ETF recommendations for my grandson's RESP. He turns two in March 2025, giving him approximately 16 years until he'll need the funds.
I appreciate your ETF recommendations, particularly the split between Canadian and US markets (VGG, ZSP, ZCN, XCG, VDY). I'm also considering ZUQ (BMO MSCI USA High Quality Index), but I'm wondering if it's too similar to ZSP? Your thoughts?
I do not like CDZs holdings as much.
You also mentioned two balanced ETFs in your response (XBAL and VBAL). The fixed income allocation is approximately 40% for these balanced ETFs. In contrast, XGRO and VGRO have a fixed income allocation of around 20%, and XEQT or VEQT have no fixed income. What I like about these allocation ETFs is they have some international exposure.
Considering the long-term horizon, I'm leaning towards XEQT/VEQT, which have no fixed income. My main question is whether the 20% fixed income component of XGRO/VGRO or even the XBAL/VBAL (40% fixed income) is necessary for a two-year-old’s RESP? Or are XEQT/VEQT too aggressive, considering the other ETFs mentioned?
Finally, wouldn't it be more appropriate to introduce a 100% fixed income ETF closer to the withdrawal age or perhaps three years before we start accessing the funds?
Deduct as many points as you think necessary.
As always thanks for the great advice.
Élaine
Read Answer Asked by Elaine on February 20, 2025
Q: Can you name a handful of ETF options for long term holds in my son's RESP account. Growth, dividend, and balanced. Looking for exposure in Canada and USA. I don't want the headache of managing stocks for this portfolio. I'd rather have something that I can just buy and not look at it for 15 years until he needs it.
Read Answer Asked by Harrison on February 10, 2025
Q: On Nov 10, "Dave from Montreal" asked if you knew of a Canadian based ETF that focused on Canadian growth companies. You said you couldn't help, but I think you mistook his question as asking for a Canadian small cap ETF. There is the iShares Canadian Growth Index, XCG, which is for Canadian Growth stocks. The MER is a bit high at 0.55%. The 5 year total return is 8.78% annualized. Top holdings include SHOP, CNR, CP, BN, ATD, CSU, WCN, NTR, T, AEM, which seems a bit of a mixed bag, frankly, for growth. The ETF is based on the Dow Jones Canada Select Growth Index.
Read Answer Asked by Dan on November 13, 2023
Q: What Canadian companies whose share price could benefit from the AI phenomenon do you know of ?

Please provide some colour to each , such as % of sales, specific AI capabilities etc.

Are there any CDN ETF’s , other than ARKK:CA that you would recommend ? This would be for my TFSA where I put my riskier investments.
Thanks. Derek
Read Answer Asked by Derek on June 13, 2023
Q: Hello 5i Team,
A good friend of mine has all his investments in 2 funds.  

RESP: CIBC Managed Aggressive Growth Portfolio

RRSP: BMO SelectTrust Equity Growth Portfolio - Series A

He has everything in those two funds. Are they worth holding? What do you suggest I advise him?  I've talked to him about ETF's and doing something different than mutual funds.
Thank you for helping out. Brent
Read Answer Asked by Brent on April 21, 2021
Q: 23 year old starting RRSP. Have made small initial cash contribution and now doing monthly pre-authorized cash contributions, Given long time horizon, small current balance and ongoing monthly contributions, I’m looking for a 100% growth-focussed equity ETF that I can have set up to auto-contribute to on a monthly basis and wonder what you might recommend.
Thanks.
Brian

Read Answer Asked by Bruce on March 30, 2021
Q: Hi Peter & 5i Group,
A few days ago you indicated that you liked the US growth ETF "IUSG" which has a very good chart giong back some years, and to date, which I purchased shares of.
Can you recomend a simular Canadian market growth ETF. that rivals IUSG or comes close.
Thanks, your team are so valuable to a invester.
Ken
Read Answer Asked by kenneth on December 13, 2019
Q: I am converting an all stock portfolio to the sample ETF Growth portfolio. Which ETFs would you put in the TFSA? Thanks.
Bill
Read Answer Asked by Bill on June 24, 2019