Investment Q&A

Q: ZSP is an unhedged Canadian Dollar ETF. It has not done as well as the US Dollar ETF, symbol IVV.

Why would that be so? Shouldn’t their performance be identical?

Q: when I put these three on a chart together (Thompson-Reuters feed on webbroker), for a specified period, hxs shows a much greater return than zsp which shows a much greater return than xsp. Five year chart 93%, 77%, and 45% respectively. This charting service does not show total return so some of the difference between hxs and zsp will be the dividend (included in hxs but not zsp). Some of the difference can be explained by hedging of the currency on xsp but not on hxs or zsp. Given the difference in five year returns there must be something else. Suggestions?

Q: Thank you for answering my past questions so clearly.

All the ETF's below mirror the S&P 500.

BMO S&P 500 INDEX CAD UNT ETF Symbol ZSP (not currency-hedged)

VANGUARD S&P 500 Index ETF, Symbol VSP (currency-hedged)

iShares Core S&P 500 Index ETF, Symbol XSP (currency-hedged)

Over the last decade, as expected, XSP and VSP have appreciated as much as the S&P 500 has -- a little over 100%.

ZSP has appreciated about 180%. Likely, that is a function of the currency hedging/not hedging.

Please explain.

In your opinion, will ZSP continue to outperform?

Thank you.

Q: Context: We're retired and conservative, increasingly risk averse actually. Our portfolio throws off enough for our lifestyle, which comprises 50% GIC's/cash 50%, 15% preferred resets and 35% equities. Our equities are made up of 70% individual stocks (dividend and income) and 30% etf's (SPX and XSP). Though our equity % is much lower than most financial advisors recommend, it's enough for us.
Question 1: You are inclined to some individual stock holdings for a portfolio of our size. Yet, I'm mulling replacing our individual stocks with one or two etf's or funds to more easily get better diversification (mostly because we're presently twice your recommended financial weighting) and also because I'll sleep better if not dependent on ups and downs of our individual stock holdings. Your generic thoughts on the foregoing please?
Question 2: If one were to make this shift, would your generic thoughts be to more SPX and XSP or would you be inclined to another one or two etf's (or funds)?
Thank you!

Q: Are there tax implications to holding XUS and XSP in a TFSA?

Q: Greetings 5i team,

For people who invest in a US market index ETF, are there significant differences between IVV, VOO and SPY ?

Are there any other similar US market index ETFs?

Thank you.

Milan

Q: Recently read John Bogle, "Common Sense Investing"

What are my choices for purchasing the s & p 500 index, please compare MER, do all offer a canadian hedge? and what are the pros and cons of buying it hedged to canadian dollar?

thanks

Ernie

Q: can you please tell me why the performance difference between vfv and xsp which I believe have the same index and holdings....thanks...gene

Q: I am holding 5% in XSP. VUN AND ZQQ ETF. I am planning to increase to 10% in each. Plus I hold FTEC and SKYY ETF 2% each. Planning to increase to 5%. DO you think there is overlap and is any ETF holding is to high. If it is too high what percentage do you think is appropriate.

Thanks for the great service
Hector

Q: Does this ETF have a CAD hedged cousin? or an ETF that does hedge CAD for another US index ?
Ernie

Q: What do you think of XSP vs SPY? xsp is Canadian funds. spy is U.S. funds. This is for my TFSA.
Thank you

Q: XIC/SPI were 2 suggested ETF funds for a beginner. I'd like your opinion on XSP vs SPY because it is traded in Canadian funds vs U.S. funds. It was suggested that as a beginner I should study the market more and not plunge into U.S. dollar funds a this time. Opinion?

Q: Is XSP a good option for the us holdings portion of a balanced portfolio or is there a better option to consider ?

Q: Hi, further to my previous question, would there be any U.S. tax reporting on this ETF if I held it in either a TFSA, RRSP or a Margin account? Thanks.

Q: Hi 5i
I like CMS ETF portfolio choices.
One of your ETFs is SPY.
My question: Does it have to be SPY?
Or can I replace it with ZSP or XSP?
If not, can you let me know your reasons?
shanthi

Q: Hello,

I have been holding TDB902 Mutual Fund which tracks the S&P500 over the last few years. The approx return for TDB902 from Jan 2014 to Jan 2018 is 77%, XSP has been 52% and VFV 78%. However, the one year return for TDB902 has been 16.21%, VFV 16.42%, but XSP has been 22%. XSP is CAD hedged, and I'm looking for the best investment to track the S&P 500. Is it better to have XSP/CAD Hedged ETF? My understanding is that on average CAD to USD has been approx .80 (outside of the few years when CAD was on par with the USD), I think there may be some fluctuation between .75-.81, but will stay around .80 (or decline). Which ETF would have the best returns and track the S&P500 accurately, and should I consider a CAD hedged ETF?

Q: Hi 5i:
For a first time investor with $25,000 to deploy and this is their only investments. What would your opinion be on the above etfs basically equally split between them. Time frame is long term and they would be in a TFSA.
Additional future investments would then be in individual stocks.
Thanks so much.

Q: I am looking at purchasing an etf in the s&p500 and the nasdaq for my son. Is there a preference between the zqq or xqq and same question for the zsp or xsp. They seem to have the same mer but performance seems to be a bit better for the ishares product. Is there a seasonality aspect (time of year) to buy these or is just on dips?

Q: HI, XUS OR XSP or anything else. For S&P 500 in cdn dollars, what would be best choice. thanks.

Q: In order to avoid individual stock risk, my wife (retired) has asked my opinion on investing 30% of her total portfolio in 10% each of Canada, Europe, and the U.S. (The remaining 70% is composed of 5-year laddered GIC's) I have suggested the following... Canada would be broken down into ZWC and CDZ (on a 40/60 split), Europe would be broadly broken down into ZWE and XIN (40/60 split), and the U.S. would be broken down into ZWH and CUD (40/60 split). What do you think of this strategy? Would you recommend different ETF's to balance the covered calls for the three geographic areas? Thanks!