skip to content
  1. Home
  2. >
  3. Investment Q&A
You can view 3 more answers this month. Sign up for a free trial for unlimited access.

Investment Q&A

Not investment advice or solicitation to buy/sell securities. Do your own due diligence and/or consult an advisor.

Q: Hi 5i Team. Question relates to what symbol that one can use for, as an example US 10yr bond yield, or other bond yields (2, 5 or 20 year). I often use the TMX Money site to call-up various companies and ETF's, but it does not recognize bond yield symbols. My purpose here is to be able to track, compare various bond ETF's to bond yields. Any help in this area would be great. Thx for all your wisdom. Steve.
Read Answer Asked by Stephen on March 03, 2021
Q: Hello Peter et al:
Just a note of thanks. Some time ago I suggested that a portfolio assessment section would be helpful in a Q&A format here. You said it was a good idea but may be suitable for Canadian Money Saver, (CMS). I see now in CMS Portfolio Confidential has become a regular feature! This month's case history has so many similarities to our situation and is very helpful
Thank Ms. Barbara Stewart on my behalf and a big thank you to you as well!
Read Answer Asked by Savalai on March 02, 2021
Q: Good day! I am slightly off topic but have a comment & question. I think the your chart attack is a nice addition. Thank You.
My question is with the February Chart attack. Looking at the chart for "House price to income", I noticed that Canada, as you mentioned alongside New Zealand, is the most expensive place to live per dollar of income earned. What surprises me is that I was expecting this to be the result of the crazy real estate price increases during the last year but looking at the chart, the amount of income earned to buy a house has been pretty stable in Canada for the last 4-5 years. The year 2020 (which some of us call a bubble) has not changed this important metric. Our new inflated house prices are equally expensive today as they were 4-5 years ago. If yes, there has been no real increase in real estate prices as a % of household income which is definitely not what I expected. Am I reading this correctly? Any comments? As a secondary question on same topic, I thought the US real estate market also shot up but does not appear to be reflective here (or not as much of an issue)?? Is there really a bubble going on?
Thanks.
Read Answer Asked by Walter on March 02, 2021
Q: Morning 5i,

Some time ago you recommended a podcast called Invest 'Like the Best', which has been great, thanks for that. One of Patrick's recent guests is Jeremy Grantham who outlines a case for the current market being in late stage bubble territory. Do you have the same feeling? Any advice as to some defensive plays prudent investors should take other than taking some profit off the table or going to a slightly higher percentage cash to be prepared to take advantage of a downturn? Are you recommending any examples of securities which have done well in such situations?

Thanks,

Dan
Read Answer Asked by Dan on February 26, 2021
Q: With the NASDAQ at a 3 week low and technology stocks seemingly being used as a source of cash to fun other sectors, do you think it is a good idea to start researching big technology in the U.S. Names like MSFT, NVDIA and GOOGL? While they may not be in favour for a quarter or two, it seems like they will still have strong earnings momentum for years to come. Your thoughts?

Thank you,
Jason
Read Answer Asked by Jason on February 23, 2021
Q: Hi Everyone at 5i!! Peter, I would like to thank you for your article in the National Post this weekend! It gave me quite a bit to think about. I am stepping into retirement next month with a very comfortable nest egg. 60/40 stocks and GICs. Stocks are diversified dividend players and growth. It seems though, that any direction you turn, if the stock market develops one kind of an issue or other, we are getting hit. If inflation goes up( which anyone who does the grocery shopping will tell you, it is happening at a goodly pace), and interest payments do not, there goes the purchasing power of your money. Gold could be a portfolio holding...but how much of the stuff is effective to protect the portfolio ? Dividend players may not offer much protection....well there goes that idea. GICs pay piddly amounts. Bitcoin? How could something that technically is based on nothing have so much value??? Real Estate? Stupidly expensive...So, I have a come to two conclusions: 1) start a small hobby farm in my backyard and grow my own vegetables, should things really go egg shaped. 2) Ask for a 5i article, which outlines specific portfolio protection advice considering the times we are living in. Right now, like you, I am trying to stay optimistic,, though sometimes it is hard, and I am staying the course. Thank you for all you do! Cheers, Tamara
Read Answer Asked by Tamara on February 23, 2021