Q: I am looking to increase my fixed income percentage but this current market has me bamboozled. Major markets are basically even YTD despite Trump's tariffs still being on the books. There was a significant rally the other day because the US is “only” going to levy 30% tariffs and China will drop theirs to “only”20%! But while the markets go up, long term bonds continue to drop which I thought was a negative market indicator. So are things as mixed up and incoherent as I think? And with this background is now a good time to buy long bonds, short bonds or equal amounts of both?

Appreciate your insight.

Paul F.

Q: Hello. David Rosenberg’s latest per a Globe article today:

“Best to hide in cash, bonds (Treasuries, Ginnie Mae mortgages, high-quality corporates), gold and the miners (silver too), defensive bond-proxies in the stock market that have decent yields and consistent dividend payout growth (stable dividend stocks are up +5% year-to-date), Japanese money market funds (ride the most undervalued currency on the planet and a BoJ set to raise short-term interest rates sooner rather than later), and diversify into the European Defense and Capital Goods sectors which now have more fiscal-related visibility.”

Can you provide some specific ideas (stocks and or ETFs) that match up with his recommended areas to ride this out?

Thanks!

Q: Hello 5i,

I have been retired for 4 years and i am now am about to turn 65. i have a DB pension from my previous employer with a bridge benefit that carries until my 65th birthday in a few months.

I have done some projections on maximizing both income over the course of my retirement. I have determined that in my case it appears that these results are optimized if i defer OAS and CPP until age 70...and i am fortunate that i can afford to do this.

At this point i am in the process of converting a enough of my investments to fixed income products to cover income requirements until age 70 (to avoid short term market volatility and help me sleep better at night). One of the products i am looking at is using laddered USD GICs as they have better returns than CAD GICs at this point. I understand you don't give personal advice but i am wondering if there are other options i should consider? Bonds for example? Other?

Thanks!!

Peter