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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: Further to your reply to Gord on November 02, 2022, please explain why I should not simply select the ETF with the best historical "total return" if no tax implications (RSP or TFSA). My Koyfin Watchlist tells me that HSAV offered 0.32% more than the next best ETF over the past year (HSAV 2.40%; CASH 2.08%; PSA 2.02%; CSAV 2.01%). Are there liquidity issues with any of these ETFs? Or will their values move in different directions in rising rate or decreasing rate environments? I'm just trying to understand the different offerings, and unlike historical equity returns, can I just select the ETF that is offering the best historical total return - Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by David on December 08, 2022
Q: I hope to retire in about a year. I'll have a comfortable defined benefit, I've used the portfolio analysis to diversify my investments. I have a sizeable cash amount earning nearly nothing at a bank. I have contemplated GIC's but don't like the idea of having my funds locked up in the event I would like to direct it to a project or investment .
Would there be a ETF /bond that would be relatively safe that would mirror the GIC returns?
Read Answer Asked by Gord on November 02, 2022
Q: Hi team,

The Globe recently published an article on high-interest savings account ETFs. It included this sentence: "A recent report by Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) Capital Markets pegs the after-fee yield from these funds at between 1.8 and 1.9 per cent, which is far better than most other cash alternatives available to the typical investor."

Link: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/personal-finance/article-this-cash-parking-spot-for-investors-has-never-looked-better/

Does this look right to you? I'm seeing more like 0.6% as the yield on these products.

Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Chris on June 15, 2022
Q: For you previous question you noted PSA and CSAV, however, neither are available on RBC Direct Investing? Any options for USD?
Read Answer Asked by Shyam on December 02, 2020
Q: FYI: TD Waterhouse - This is what I get when I try to buy PSA or CSAV:

This order cannot be placed electronically. Please contact TD Direct Investing ... to place this order. [ 90211 ]
This symbol is not eligible for trading online. For assistance, please call TD Direct Investing. [ 44221 ]

Gotcha!
Read Answer Asked by Paul on January 21, 2020
Q: Any recommendation on where to park cash short-term within a direct investing account? I like the sounds of PSA, but 'for business reasons' TD Waterhouse does not allow TD Direct Investing Clients to purchase PSA. Instead, they offer their own savings account which only pays 1.60% in comparison to the 2.15% paid by PSA. Any suggestions?
Read Answer Asked by Chris on January 21, 2020
Q: What is your opinion on newer ETFs that are basically high interest savings account? I'm referring specifically to Purpose High Savings Interest ETF and CI First Asset High Interest Savings ETF. Is there any risk here or do they pay such low interest rates that just holding cash or a cashable GIC would be preferable? Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Paul W on November 13, 2019
Q: Back in July, David was asking about CSAV to park emergency fund money in and you seemed to like PSA more because of the liquidity of a larger fund.

It looks like CSAV now has around $300M in assets. Is that large enough to remove any concerns about liquidity? CSAV has a slightly lower MER but their monthly payout seems to fluctuate more so I'm not sure which to choose for emergency funds.

Thanks
Read Answer Asked by Dennis on September 25, 2019
Q: I am looking to hold some cash for 6-12 months. My broker - RBC Direct Investing - does not allow me to purchase PSA or CSAV. Would you consider HFR to be reasonably safe, or do you have another suggestion? I am somewhat reluctant to change brokers, but maybe I should.
Read Answer Asked by David on July 25, 2019
Q: I have some cash set aside for an emergency fund (about 50k) currently sitting in a Tangerine account, earning only about 1%/year. I am considering moving this over to a high interest ETF such as CSAV. What is your opinion on this move? Opinion on CSAV or suggest some alternatives for both USD and CAD accounts. Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by David on July 12, 2019
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