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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: In a recent answer you mentioned the concept buying SLF as interest rate protection, Could you please elaborate. I assume you mean the insurers will do well when interest rates go up despite their recent run. Can you clarify why. Do you think the same would be true for the banks? I hold lots of bank stocks and this would please me very much. I hold few insurers an asking should consider holding my nose and buying more.
Thanks, Manfred
Read Answer Asked by MANFRED on December 13, 2013
Q: Good morning Peter :
On Nov 27th you suggested : "We would be comfortable with SLF in the mix, but would prefer it be substituted for something else (bonds or the others financials) to keep your exposure from becoming too big". We recently sold 1/3 of our gold miners and added BTE, BDT, CJR.B, CSW.A, PKI, and FTS to the mix, somewhat diluting our exposure to banks.

I currently have a "Pembina Pipeline Corp Conv Unsec Sub Debenture due 11/30/2020 5.750% MN 31" with a current market price of $123.00 [our ACB is $100] so there is a nice 23% unrealized capital gain.

Would selling this for no taxable gain [as I have current offsetting losses] and buying SLF with a current yield of 3.90% be reasonable at this time? I know the dividend is less but with the dividend tax credit and the hoped for growth of SLF over time [I have a 10+ year horizon] would this switch be the right thing to do? I gather that you prefer SLF [P/E 28] over GWO [P/E 16], or MLF [P/E 13.6]. Do you have any other suggestions?
Thank you, your comments are always immensely appreciated........ Paul
Read Answer Asked by Paul on December 08, 2013
Q: Hello Peter
Do I include "Cash" as part of my equity portfolio since the cash will one day be used to buy equities? I currently have 19.3% in banks [RY,CM,BNS,NA,LB,OLY] counting the cash as part of the equity portfolio but 23.3% considering equities only.
I have no lifecos but am considering buying Sun Life [SLF] which you recently recommend, but if it is considered to be a "financial" then maybe that would be too big an overall position in financials. I also have 40% in fixed income. I would value your opinion.
Many thanks...... Paul
Read Answer Asked by Paul on November 27, 2013
Q: I am not certain that you received my email: I noticed that at least two other members' questions had gone astray last week, and am wondering if the same happened here.

My request was, roughly, as follows:

1. Would you be able to provide a preferred comparison of AIG and MET: wondering if either one of these is a good play for insurance exposure, or would you recommend a Canadian
life-co over either one of those?

2. XEG: I have been simply "breaking even" on this one for the better part of 18 months and would like to switch to something with at least "some" growth in the energy sector. I was thinking of walking away from the ETF and switching to CNQ perhaps. What would be your opinion?

Thanks very much!
Read Answer Asked by Sylvia on November 09, 2013
Q: Hello, I am thinking about buying an life insurance company as a hedge against rising interest rates. I would switch funds that I currently have in Riocan REIT. Do you think that this is a good idea and if so which of the companies would you recommend ie Manulife, Sunlife, or Great West Life. or any other insurance company you like. Thank you very much for your consideration.

Read Answer Asked by Alan on August 27, 2013
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