Investment Q&A

Q: If a new Canadian investor wanted to get into the North American market and use low cost index investing to achieve both diversification and simplicity what would you consider for such a portfolio. And if international exposure was desired what could be considered as additions for that.

Q: Hi 5i,

Looking to start an RESP for a newborn. Any recommendations in how to configure an ETF portfolio? If you had to limit yourself to a selection of 3 ETFs, which would you choose and why?

Q: please suggest 3-5 Canadian etfs for an 18 year old's first TFSA portfolio - something to keep him interested in the concept of growth through investing, including stability and risk. My thoughts are S&P, Nasdaq, Russell, large-cap and crypto. But please use your own judgement - thanks!

Q: Creating TFSA for 25 year old daughter. Started off really timid with VBAL then slowly started to add individual names. Small quantity in US names. If 10,000 left to add, what would you suggest to balance it out and be diversified, based on current prices, value, potential upside, while managing huge swings in price with things like metals/oil/gas? I want her to see the benefits of investing and feel the pressure so don't want to make any huge mistakes. Thanks for your great advice!!

Q: I'm looking to increase international exposure inside a TFSA account focused on long term growth. Is there enough difference between these two to own both ? If only one, which one would you add?

thanks

Q: hi, are there some low cost globally diversified eft's you are comfortable with?
thankyou.

Q: Hello Peter
I have been a member since the early lunching of 5I and I have done very well thank you. I also managed my family portfolios with success. My approach was and still is 100% Stocks with a growth tilt and no Bonds.
Now 86 years old, I am starting to transfer gradually to my heirs the proceeds of my stock portfolio. My heirs a son and a daughter both professionals have no interest in managing a stock portfolio.
I am thinking of converting gradually my stocks and their portfolios to ETFs such as ZSP 30%, XIC 30%, VMO 15%, VIU 10% and QQC 15% with the intention of rebalancing once a year.
Is this approach and suggested portfolio viable for the next 5 to 10 years, please do not hesitate to suggest appropriate changes to achieve for the long term capital preservation, a reasonable return of 8% and a certain peace of mind with minimum effort.
I always valued your wisdom and advice and above all I would like to thank you for your help to manage my moneys with success.
Raouf

Q: Good morning, I currently use ETFs for foreign investments and I now have a large position in ZDI. I like it's growth and dividend. I have been looking at VIDY recently for diversification. I like it's growth rate of the last 5 years (does not have 10 year history). Can I have your thoughts on both these etf's and any other growth oriented ex-north-america etf's. Thank you.

Q: I have owned MAW120 for almost 10 years, and upon looking at its recent performance, I can't find any reason to continue owning this fund. Can you?

As per Mawer's web site (https://www.mawer.com/funds/performance) it shows results as of June 30, 2025 versus its benchmark:

MAW120 1yr: -0.9%; 3 yr: 9.8%; 5 yr 7.7%
Benchmark: 1 yr: 15.8%; 3 yr: 19.6%; 5 yr 13.7%

For the one year period ending June 30th it lost money! It's benchmark earned 15.8%. It has > 50% invested in the US market. I don't see how they could lose money over that time period. Can you explain how it could lose money when markets in US, Canda and Europe over that period were generally good. Even their International Equity fund made 23.3% over the same 1 year time period.

I will be "firing" them. I have sold 1/2 today, and will sell the other 1/2 next week. I would like to invest in the benchmark for this fund, or something as equivalent as possible. Can you suggest 3 ETFs for me to buy for global equity exposure that have significantly better performance than MAW120.

Thanks,
Paul

Q: Hello 5i team,
I hold a concentrated stock portfolio. If I was to start buying ETF's; which 5 or 6 would you recommend me buying slowly over the next few years that will give me a diversified portfolio. Five or six ETF's that I can continue to dollar cost average into over the next 5 years.
Thank you,
Brent

Q: With the TSX & US markets being over valued today, can you suggest a few ETF's or stocks that would benefit from international momentum, countries of interest Japan, Mexico or Indonesia.


Thanks for all you do and provide.

Q: Hello....I am looking for ideally 1 or could be in combination with a second ETF. I would like to achieve a balanced mix with say 60% with a small or 0% of US stock market and about 10% private assets and 30% fixed income. Could you suggest 1/2 ETFs that would achieve something close to this percentage breakdown. Thank you.

Q: My stock allocation for Canada and US combined is close to 90 per cent.
I’m very pleased with my portfolio growth and I have your team to thank for the advice and suggestions. In my portfolio analysis, your suggestion is for me to have 30 per cent allocated to international stocks. Since the vast majority of your advice and reports pertain to Canadian and to a lesser extent American stocks, how do I gain the expertise and suggestions having to do with international investing? Is it really a concern or can I accomplish steady growth without the full 30 percent international diversification? Thanks

Q: I will be simplifying my RRSP portfolio whereby it will be mainly comprised of ETF's that can give growth as well as income that i can use to draw on when RRSP are converted to RRIF.

Can you provide me ETF's / Index funds suggestions for:
S& P 500 index
Global large cap index ex USA
Dividend appreciation index ( large cap) for Canada and US

Thank you

Q: Which international ETF do you like the best for a RESP account ? Money not needed for 10 years.

Thanks

Q: Hello 5i...what would be your current favorite ETFs in the following criteria:

International ex N.America in $USD and $CDN overall market

International ex NA with Growth tilt and with Dividend tilt. $USD and $CDN

Perferance in RRIF vs TFSA..

Holding period > 5 yrs....

thanks/ Art

Q: I am building a small non-registered portfolio to provide income with modest capital appreciation. Your thought on these 4 ETFs or other suggestion.

Q: I have a portfolio of 25 individual stocks (diversified among most sectors) with no ETFs. Within this portfolio I own companies that trade in CAD and the US but have operations and/or varying degrees of revenue in other countries such as CLBT, AXON, TOI, VHI, UBER, BKNG, WSP, TRI, BN and some of the MAG 7 with their worldwide reach such as GOOG. I often wonder if this is adequate international exposure for a healthy portfolio or should I have a specific international ETF?
I have not been a fan of ETFs due to the often wide exposure that can include "the best along with less than the best" (and they are boring, :), haha). But for long term growth and healthy diversification I often consider opening a position in an international ETF such as VIU.
But then I face my conundrum. In the past 5 years the return on VIU has been 41.4% (Yahoo Finance). Perhaps my expectations are out of line, but I would not be happy (and I would be bored, :), ) with the same return from VIU in the next 5 years. Even a conservative Canadian bank with some international operations such as RY has done 90% in the past 5 years (Yahoo Finance). It seems to me that I must give up too much possible growth in order to achieve a healthy level of international diversification through the instrument of an international ETF.
Perhaps this is a conundrum that need not be solved, but do you have any thoughts that may lead to a wiser investment perspective or a needed tempering of my expectations?
As always, thank you for your excellent service.
Cal

Q: Hi 5i,
With reference to your response to Les's question July 08 you say :"The criteria is pretty intense if one is looking for 4% dividends and 10% appreciation. There is nothing in this category that would not come with significant equity risks. VIU qualifies on historical numbers, trades in Canada, is international, and has a yield of 5.02% indicated and five year return 10.22%. "

How do you calculate or find these numbers?
My broker shows dividend at 2.39 % (.95 cents)
Does the annualized 5 yr return of 10.22% include dividend or reinvestment of the dividend.?

thx

Q: I'm seeking to buy 3 or four ETFs that would give me stable dividend distributions in the 4% range with the possibility of capital appreciation yearly at about 10%. I also seek global diversification and I would like to pay for my investments in Canadian dollars. I am interested in return on capital not return of capital. Please advise if you have ETF's that you can suggest.