Q: A question regarding portfolio construction.
Currently, my RSP portfolio includes 25% CAD financials, including (in roughly equal amounts) BAM, BNS, CIBC, GSY, POW, and SLF.
The balance of my portfolio is pretty well diversified and includes both CAD and US equities and ETFs, with no one sector accounting for more than 15% of the total and no one holding being worth more than 5%.
My question ... would you consider my financial sector concentration too high (even though it consists of a variety of types of companies) and, if so, in what order would you reduce holdings?
What general guidelines can you recommend?
Thanks for the help. Rick
Currently, my RSP portfolio includes 25% CAD financials, including (in roughly equal amounts) BAM, BNS, CIBC, GSY, POW, and SLF.
The balance of my portfolio is pretty well diversified and includes both CAD and US equities and ETFs, with no one sector accounting for more than 15% of the total and no one holding being worth more than 5%.
My question ... would you consider my financial sector concentration too high (even though it consists of a variety of types of companies) and, if so, in what order would you reduce holdings?
What general guidelines can you recommend?
Thanks for the help. Rick
5i Research Answer:
Weightings are always personal of course. We wouldn't be overly concerned with a 25% financial weighting. The TSX is 32% financials, so you would technically be 'underweight'. We think 25% to 30% is a good general rule for a high bar on sector allocation. At this level, a quarter of a portfolio has exposure to a single sector which is manageable but the portfolio is not becoming a 'bet' on the prospects of that sector at that level either.