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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: These preferred shares pay a dividend equal to $25 face value x prime rate. The issuers, BCE and BAM, are both blue-chip companies, so the dividends are presumable well-covered. However, the prices of these preferred shares have been hammered, falling in lock-step with interest rates. To me, the sell-off seems to be overdone, perhaps because they are so thinly traded. What is your view on these variable rate preferred shares as a buy and hold investment for a retiree living on investment income? What do you think prime rate will settle out at once the pandemic panic is over, say a year from now?
Read Answer Asked by David on March 25, 2020
Q: I have 2 non-reg accts (Accts X and Y). I have held ENB in Acct X for some time, and it is now in red. I bought more ENB last week in Acct Y. If I sell ENB in Acct X now to use the loss (ie, after purchase in Acct Y), can I assume that I can use the loss because I bought the "new" ENB before selling the old ENB. FWIW, I put the new ENB in diff acct just to keep the 2 separate.
Read Answer Asked by Bob on March 25, 2020
Q: Hi- do you have a few names that are high risk oil companies. I look at someone like athabasca, and it needs 60 dollar oil, but has 275m in cash as of dec 2019. Any companies that are cash rich and can be sat on for a year or two while things play out. Athabasca specifcally has been here before... WCP also looks compelling with hedges and cash flow.
Read Answer Asked by Jordan on March 25, 2020
Q: One of my holdings of call options represents all of the contracts at the same strike price, expiry, etc., shown as open interest. It's easily understandable how there can be an offer to buy displayed, but how is
the price for an offer to sell (which is also shown) determined since
there is no sell order from me outstanding?
Thank you in advance.
Read Answer Asked by Howard on March 24, 2020
Q: BIP.UN and BAM.A are down 47-48% over the last month (BEP.UN down 41%), and have been quite volatile intraday. The whole market is getting hit, but would have expected these to be a "little" more defensive. Why would that be? Are there any particular COVID related concerns for these stocks/business models?
Any concern for the dividend? Or is this a good time to add to these positions? Time horizon is long term

Thanks for the great service
Read Answer Asked by Jeffrey on March 24, 2020
Q: I have a diversified US dollar portfolio, hold US stocks, and with the increasing in the US$, I have a 40% FX gain. I want to continue to hold the US stocks but also lock in the FX gain. To lock it in, I take it that a hedge would be required. Please suggest ways I could do this, including the "instruments". I am asking you this because I assume it is a good idea, aka action to take.
With the COVID-19 related decline in the stock market, I now clearly understanding the reasons and impact of diversifying in other currencies other than just Canadian $s...thanks for hammer it home to me.......Tom
Read Answer Asked by Tom on March 24, 2020
Q: I'm thinking of switching etf's, selling VGG and buying VSP to take advantage of tax loss selling (VGG) and also buying into a CAN dollar hedged fund as the CAN dollar has taken a beating lately and should rebound looking forward, appreciate your professional opinion? Thank you!
Read Answer Asked by Pat on March 24, 2020
Q: I'm thinking of switching etf's, selling VGG and buying VSP to take advantage of tax loss selling (VGG) and also buying into a CAN dollar hedged fund as the CAN dollar has taken a beating lately and should rebound looking forward, appreciate your professional opinion? Thank you!
Read Answer Asked by Pat on March 24, 2020
Q: Want to get your opinion of what’s happening in the market today? Fear of missing out rally? Did you expect stimulus package in U.S. to create this much optimism when the virus is still spreading like wildfire in places like New York?
Read Answer Asked by Curtis on March 24, 2020
Q: How would you rank these bond funds. I sold FTB and bought PMIF but it is not performing well. Bond funds have not performed well due to the drop in interest rates. I am retired in my late 70’s.
Read Answer Asked by Donald on March 24, 2020
Q: Hi guys, I am looking for small and mid-cap companies with a great balance sheet and high likelihood of sustaining their dividends. Would Evertz and Corby fit the bill? Also, any others that you like for that criteria? Thanks Rob
Read Answer Asked by Robert on March 24, 2020
Q: Do you think we've seen the bottom now that the USA is close to a stimulus deal (as of writing today). I was wondering whether that stimulus announcement will be the last bit of good news for awhile. I'm trying to decide whether to wait for further lows which seems to be what everyone was calling for or whether to go in with a part position now. Your thoughts today on the stimulus deal and what may be to come would be appreciated. Thank you.
Read Answer Asked by Jason on March 24, 2020
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